Gary Oldman: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

4. Dr Zachary Smith €“ Lost In Space (1998)

Speaking of which, Lost In Space is a particularly odd episode in Hollywood's history of big budget remakes, which appears to have missed the point of the original TV series in favour of then-cutting-edge special effects. Lost In Space, the sixties television show, doesn't quite have the appeal internationally as it does in the US, but there are certain aspects that have become part of the cultural lexicon. Specifically, a robot bleating €œDANGER, WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!€ and the presence of a mostly villainous Dr Smith, whom the intergalactically marooned Robinson family keep around regardless. Both are present in the 1998 movie reboot of the franchise, with the robot rendered in Playstation 2-level CGI and Smith played by Gary Oldman. On paper, it's a character you could do something genuinely interesting with. A spy employed to sabotage the Robinson's ship, he winds up stowed away after they've taken off and helps to put a stop to his own plans to ensure his own survival. A selfish sort-of-villain who only helps others when it benefits him is exactly the sort of morally grey character Oldman excels at. Here he's basically a pantomime vollain.