20 Best Performances In Superhero Movies

By Jack Pooley /

13. Jackie Earle Haley - Rorschach (Watchmen)

DC Comics

Watchmen is an ambitious but scattershot superhero movie that suffers from a few dubious casting choices, but few will argue with the sublime decision to cast Jackie Earle Haley as conservative anti-hero Rorschach.

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Underneath the inkblot mask, Haley's gravelly voice brilliantly encapsulates the weathered vigilante as written by Alan Moore, and when he removes the mask, Haley is able to reveal the character's wider, concealed humanity with a deeply expressive performance.

Though it's at the mercy of Zack Snyder's inconsistent execution, Haley's performance stands proudly among the most panel-perfect comic book portrayals of all time.

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Best Moment: A tearful Rorschach provokes Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) into disintegrating him into nothingness. It's about as intense and emotionally charged as superhero death scenes come.