3. James Sandin - The Purge
If there's any recent film I've seen where it felt like Hawke's talents had just been completely wasted, it is unquestionably the recent thriller The Purge. Essentially a B-movie throwback, the film depicted a future in which once a year, all crime is legal for 12 hours, meaning that the rich tend to barricade themselves in their exorbitant, secure mansions, while the poor and downtrodden venture out onto the streets to vent their frustrations in the most violent manner possible. Hawke plays James Sandin, one of the wealthy folks, who tries to protect his family as a gang of murderers assault their home. Though some nice ideas abound throughout, Hawke is given little of substance to do, and is completely outshone by Rhys Wakefield, who plays the frightening leader of the gang.