20 Incredible Film Performances That Didn't Get The Credit They Deserved
18. Kurt Russell - Death Proof (2007)
Sure, the Grindhouse experiment was a commercial failure and Death Proof remains the weakest entry on Quentin Tarantino's filmography, but the director continued his knack for drawing great performances from fading movie stars by reinstating Kurt Russell as one of the badasses of American cinema. The role was originally earmarked for Mickey Rourke, but in Russell's hands the sociopathic Stuntman Mike becomes a multi-layered character; charismatic, charming, sadistic and downright insane. With a cigarette frequently dangling from his lips, Russell delivers Tarantino's dialogue with a laconic cool reminiscent of his 1980's heyday, reveling in playing an all-too-rare villainous role. Although the critical response to Death Proof was decidedly mixed, Kurt Russell became the latest ageing star to deliver a knockout performance in a Tarantino movie, in what was easily his best role in over a decade.
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