Jeff Stockton here with this season's edition of Casting Grades. In this segment I will dissect the casting of several films from the season - namely adaptations featuring characters that exist in other formats (or reality). Here we go....
KILL ZONE
Fact to Film Post : https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2024/06/fact-to-film-kill-zone.html
Chris Pratt as Brian Chontosh
Appearance: B+
Performance: A-
Thoughts: Chris Pratt has obviously shown his appreciation for the US military in past roles, but none have been better than his role here.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
Freddie Stroma as Robert Kerman
Appearance: B
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Like all the supporting roles in this film, Kerman isn't super developed, but Stroma at least makes him memorable.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Cosmo Jarvis as Armand McCormick
Appearance: B
Performance: B+
Thoughts: My thoughts are basically identical to Stroma as Kerman.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Trieste Kelly Dunn as Nicole
Appearance: B
Performance: B
Thoughts: Dunn doesn't have a ton to work with either but she does come across as charming.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Martin Donovan as Oliver North
Appearance: B
Performance: B
Thoughts: Martin Donovan is a solid character actor, who delivers as North.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Overall Film Casting Grade: B+
DEATHSTROKE
Comic to Film Post : https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2024/07/comic-to-film-deathstroke.html
Jean-Claude Van Damme as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke
Appearance: B
Performance: B+
Thoughts: JCVD excels in the physical elements of the role of Deathstroke, and doesn't do too terribly in the more dramatic elements either.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Mickey Rourke as W.R. Wintergreen
Appearance: B
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Rourke makes for a charismatic and cruel villain for JCVD's Deathstroke.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Paz Vega as Adeline Kane
Appearance: B
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Paz Vega manages to play the role as equal parts loving, alluring and dangerous.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Mark Dacascos as Fang Zhifu
Appearance: B
Performance: B
Thoughts: I was expecting to give Dacascos a lower score here since I haven't really been a fan since Double Dragon, but he does a good job bringing levity to the story.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Donald Cerrone as Wardell Chambers
Appearance: B-
Performance: C
Thoughts: All he has to do is enough for one big fight scene with JCVD. I suppose he succeeds in that, but I wasn't wowed.
Overall Casting Grade: C+
Mark Rhino Smith as Michael Beldon
Appearance: C+
Performance: C-
Thoughts: Easily the weak link of the cast.
Overall Casting Grade: C
Overall Film Casting Grade: B-
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: THE SWORD OF POWER
Animation to Film Post : https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2024/07/animation-to-film-masters-of-universe.html
Alan Ritchson as Prince Adam / He-Man
Appearance: A-
Performance: B
Thoughts: Ritchson certainly looks the part and the script plays to his "strengths" as a performer.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Samara Weaving as Princess Adora / She-Ra
Appearance: A-
Performance: A-
Thoughts: Weaving was a great addition, injecting life into the franchise. She looked the part and acted it to near perfection.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
Callan Mulvey as Skeletor / Keldor
Appearance: B+
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Mulvey brought his sinister look back for this one which gave him a little more to work with as an actor.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Eleanor Tomlinson as Teela
Appearance: B+
Performance: B-
Thoughts: More of a damsel in distress in this sequel, Tomlinson did her job well enough.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Manu Bennett as Man-At-Arms / Duncan
Appearance: B
Performance: B
Thoughts: Bennett is good with the action this role requires and gives a gruff tone to the role.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Olga Kurylenko as Evil-Lyn
Appearance: B+
Performance: C+
Thoughts: She isn't given much to act with here, but she definitely looks the part of an evil villainess.
Overall Casting Grade: B-
Katheryn Winnick as The Sorceress
Appearance: B+
Performance: C
Thoughts: Winnick is the weak link here, never really convincing me as a powerful sorceress.
Overall Casting Grade: C+
Dolph Lundgren as King Randor
Appearance: B+
Performance: B
Thoughts: I loved that Dolph Lundgren got more to sink his teeth into in this one. He's always been an underrated talent.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Virginia Madsen as Queen Marlena
Appearance: B
Performance: B-
Thoughts: Madsen isn't quite as good as her on-screen husband, but she does a decent enough job in her maternal role.
Overall Casting Grade: B-
Rufus Sewell as Hordak
Appearance: B-
Performance: B-
Thoughts: I've kind of waffled on Sewell as Hordak. I didn't hate him, but I didn't love him.
Overall Casting Grade: B-
Overall Film Casting Grade: B
X-MEN: HELLFIRE
Comic to Film Post : https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2024/08/comic-to-film-x-men-hellfire.html
Jamie Dornan as Scott Summers / Cyclops
Appearance: B
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Dornan was a wildcard in the cast at the beginning of the franchise, but has grown into the role and now commands the group much like the leader Cyclops is in the comics.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Toby Stephens as Professor Charles Xavier
Appearance: B
Performance: B
Thoughts: Xavier is a tough character to include in action scenes as a handicapped character, but this one finds some inventive ways to include him more.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Millie Bobby Brown as Kitty Pryde
Appearance: A-
Performance: B
Thoughts: Arguably the biggest star of the cast, Kitty Pryde doesn't get the most screen time, but she still has stuff to do.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Jessie Buckley as Jean Grey / Phoenix
Appearance: A-
Performance: A-
Thoughts: Buckley commands the last act of the film, showing several layers to her performance.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
David Oyelowo as Hank McCoy / Beast
Appearance: B
Performance: B
Thoughts: I still don't love Oyelowo as Beast, but I believe him more now than ever.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Rosamund Pike as Emma Frost
Appearance: A
Performance: A-
Thoughts: Rosamund Pike is simply perfect casting as Emma Frost. I hope she comes back in the future and doesn't wind up a one-off.
Overall Casting Grade: A
Liam Neeson as Azazel
Appearance: B-
Performance: B
Thoughts: Neeson was good, not great here. His best scenes were opposite Nightcrawler.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Rebecca Ferguson as Mystique
Appearance: A-
Performance: A-
Thoughts: Ferguson once again nails the role of Mystique, even if she doesn't get as much to do in this one at times.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
David Morrissey as Magneto
Appearance: B
Performance: B
Thoughts: How the franchise has used Magneto has turned out to be intriguing, but I wasn't impressed with the role or the performance here.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Jamie Campbell Bower as Alex Summers / Havok
Appearance: B
Performance: B+
Thoughts: The film's take on Havok could be deemed controversial, but I think Bower did a good job as Cyclops' villainous little brother.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Jamie Bell as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler
Appearance: B+
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Bell was back as Nightcrawler and once again gave a strong performance, with Gallo's script giving him some fun moments.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Kiki Layne as Ororo Munroe / Storm
Appearance: B
Performance: B-
Thoughts: Storm is a little underwritten, but Layne does look the part.
Overall Casting Grade: B-
Laura Fraser as Dr. Moira MacTaggert
Appearance: B
Performance: B
Thoughts: Fraser's MacTaggert is one of the Marvel Universe's more surprising recurring characters, but I think she does a fine job.
Overall Casting Grade: B
Overall Film Casting Grade: B+
JUSTICE LEAGUE INVASION
Comic to Film Post : https://hmsfilms.blogspot.com/2024/08/comic-to-film-justice-league-invasion.html
Mahershala Ali as J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter
Appearance: B
Performance: B+
Thoughts: It's hard to judge Ali's appearance as the green character, but he pulls it off in the acting department.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Tom Cruise as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern
Appearance: B+
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Hal Jordan was a little underwritten here, joining the JL ensemble for the first time after two headlining roles. Cruise is still great though.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Alexandra Daddario as Princess Diana / Wonder Woman
Appearance: A
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Daddario once again nails the role of Wonder Woman. Not much more to say about it.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
Dave Franco as Barry Allen / Flash
Appearance: B+
Performance: B+
Thoughts: I really like Franco as Flash as he gives the character a boyish naivety that works well compared to his more serious and experienced superhero allies.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Glenn Howerton as Patrick "Eel" O'Brian / Plastic Man
Appearance: B+
Performance: A
Thoughts: Howerton's Plastic Man has some absolutely great moments in this film thanks to strong writing and Howerton's own comedic angle.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
Vanessa Kirby as Dinah Lance / Black Canary
Appearance: A-
Performance: A-
Thoughts: Kirby is powerful in her dramatic introduction and never really slows down.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
Taylor Kitsch as Carter Hall / Hawkman
Appearance: B+
Performance: B+
Thoughts: It was nice having Hawkman back. He doesn't get a ton of development here, but I just buy Kitsch in just about any role.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Chloe Grace Moretz as Kara / Supergirl
Appearance: A-
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Another role with little development, but Moretz once again shows how good she is as Supergirl.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
Aidan Turner as Clark Kent / Superman
Appearance: B+
Performance: B+
Thoughts: The script brought Superman into the fold pretty efficiently and I liked how Turner played him.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Giancarlo Esposito as Darkseid
Appearance: B-
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Esposito knows how to turn his voice into an instantly menacing presence - a good skill with a role like Darkseid.
Overall Casting Grade: B+
Lachy Hulme as Steppenwolf
Appearance: B+
Performance: B+
Thoughts: I liked Hulme as Steppenwolf a lot and he stands toe-to-toe with the bigger names as the other villains in the film.
Overall Casting Grade: B
David Wenham as DeSaad
Appearance: B-
Performance: B-
Thoughts: This role was a bit hard to judge to me, but Wenham is a strong performer in just about everything he does.
Overall Casting Grade: B-
Jake Gyllenhaal as Bruce Wayne / Batman
Appearance: A-
Performance: B+
Thoughts: Jake Gyllenhaal has long been a successful casting story in LRF as its Batman. He doesn't have a lot of screen time here, as a mere cameo role, but he shows up and makes an immediate impact.
Overall Casting Grade: A-
Overall Film Casting Grade: B+
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