With Iron Man hitting stores this weekend, Movies.ie presents the five best and worst cast calls for the Superhero genre.
BEST
(1)FAMAKE JANSSEN – JEAN GREY
Throughout the X-Men series we see the character of Jean Grey develop from the powerful telekinetic mutant into the deadly Phoenix. It was the performance of one Famke Janssen that brought Jean and the Phoenix to life, while capturing the inner turmoil of Jean, her appearance was only an added bonus, looking like Jean’s lost twin!
(2)ROBERT DOWNEY JNR – IRON MAN
Suave, cocky, handsome, an intelligent millionaire, Robert Downey Jnr was born to play the charming genius Tony Stark. After being kidnapped by terrorists, Stark realises that his entire life has been spent manufacturing weapons that have caused widespread devastation, and resolves to change his life and his company! For anyone who ever followed the Ironman comics it wasn’t hard to see why Downey Jnr was picked for the part!
(3) CHRISTOPER REEVES – SUPERMAN
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No its Christopher Reeves perfectly cast in the role of Superman! The embodiment of everything good, Clark Kent, the mild mannered Daily Planet reporter, harbours a secret identity, he is in fact, Superman, a powerful being from outer space, the last of his kind, Kal-El, comes to earth and is rescued by two humble country folk. Torn between his love for the beautiful Lois Lane and his life as a journalist and his duty as Earth’s only hope against evil, Reeves brought a great sense of responsibility to the role, and taught many of us, that even an outsider can change the world.
(4)MICHELLE PFEIFFER – CATWOMAN
Sexy, seductive and deadly, whip cracking, kick flipping, PVC wearing, Burton’s Catwoman brought a new side out of the sultry feline anti-hero, we grew up watching on Saturday morning television. Selena Kyle, shyly steps onto the screen, falls out a window and wakes up the dangerous Catwoman. Michelle Pfeiffer slides into the costume, wrapping her whip around her arm as she steps back out onto the streets of Gotham city, ready to wreak havoc on the people who caused her so much pain. No one else should ever step into Catwoman’s high heeled boots again without consulting Michelle first.
(5) HEATH LEDGER – THE JOKER
Terrifying and maniacal, rumours had circulated about Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’ and the twisted portrayal of Batman’s arch nemesis the Joker! When word got round that Heath Ledger would be playing him, the franchise fans were a little torn about his casting. Then it was revealed about the measures Ledger was taking to capture the inner workings of the mad man, isolation, a journal of ramblings, Ledger was really going out of his way to capture the insane Joker. We weren’t disappointed, a chilling performance, delivered perfectly, it is obvious why so many have called for Ledger to win an Oscar!