10 Best Movie Characters That Never Say A Word
2. One-Eye - Valhalla Rising
Like practically every single movie made by Nicolas Winding Refn, Valhalla Rising is an acquired taste to say the least - a grim, airy period film chronicling a mute Norse warrior's (Mads Mikkelsen) spiritual journey to seek out the Holy Land,
Mikkelsen is remarkable as silent protagonist One-Eye, a character who says everything he needs to with his facial tics, body movements, and occasional bursts of violence.
It's of course disappointing to many that an actor as velvet-voiced as Mikkelsen spends the entire movie with his mouth shut, but his spectacular physical performance accentuates Refn's commitment to visual storytelling.
After all, there are just 120 lines of dialogue in the entire movie, and so it takes an actor of real presence and fortitude to effectively carry it on their own shoulders.
Mikkelsen's gritty, thoughtful performance ensures One-Eye is a warrior both stoic and ferociously badass.