10 Worst Performances In Awesome 2017 Movies
6. David Thewlis – Wonder Woman
Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman was a success on so many levels.
From its stunning cinematography and surprisingly upbeat tone to Gal Gadot’s
charismatic performance, it’ll no doubt pave the way for more female-fronted
superhero movies in the future. But it wasn’t a perfect movie and didn’t
deliver in giving us that great a villain in David Thewlis’ Ares.
Thewlis’ is an odd performance because as Ares’ human alter ego Sir Patrick Morgan – the eminent, moustachioed Brit and Imperial War Cabinet member who seemingly advocates armistice – he’s brilliant. But as the God of War? Not so much.
It’s a cartoonish and clunky performance that results in a mediocre villain who is neither a compelling character in his own right nor an opponent worthy of Wonder Woman. In fact, with his horned helmet and bellowing of cringeworthy dialogue (“I WILL DESTROY YOU!!!!”), Ares isn’t all that dissimilar from another disappointing DCEU villain we saw in 2017 – Justice League’s Steppenwolf.
Clearly, the DCEU has a villain problem so maybe Ares isn’t entirely Thewlis’ fault. Still though, shoulder some of the blame he must.