Gerard Butler: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

5 Awesome...

5. Creedy - Reign Of Fire (2002)

Touchstone Pictures

Reign of Fire is a severely underrated dystopian action film mostly because the perception is that there isn't enough action, and dragon-slaying McConaughey pretty much went out like a b*tch. But, there is still much to be enjoyed - including one of Gerard Butler's first big feature film roles.

Butler plays Creedy, the loyal best mate of Christian Bale's main character, Quinn. The two lead a small outpost of survivors in a Great Britain ravaged by dragons, and their small, simple farm life of the future is accentuated with fun little touches. Before bedtime one night, the two friends put on their own rendition of The Empire Strikes Back for the kids in their camp, with Creedy playing "the white knight" and Quinn playing "the black knight".

It's a cute scene, and if you ever wanted to see Gerard Butler play Luke Skywalker, here's your chance. The friendship between Butler and Bale in the film is authentic and believable, giving heft to the former's early demise as Creedy goes out to do some heroic deed in Quinn's place - getting Southern fried by a dragon in the process.

4. King Leonidas - 300 (2006)

Warner Bros.

Gerard Butler's breakthrough role - as we all know - was as King Leonidas in Zack Snyder's blood-and-green-screen historical epic/comic book adaptation, 300. Looking like he stepped right off of the page, Butler got ripped and sported the finest beard to ever jut out of an actor's face.

Whilst his action credentials were sealed in the role, even more memorable was his skill as an orator. Leonidas delivers several outstanding speeches in the film, gifting the zeitgeist with many a one-liner that still find themselves in the common usage today.

It's to Butler's credit that he delivers each and every one of them with aplomb, elevating them far beyond the page and turning them into instant memes. Everybody remembers where they were the first time they heard "This. Is. SPARTA!". Probably the cinema, really, but you get the meaning.

Contributor

Cinephile since 1993, aged 4, when he saw his very first film in the cinema - Jurassic Park - which is also evidence of damn fine parenting. World champion at Six Degrees of Separation. Lender of DVDs to cheap mates. Connoisseur of Marvel Comics and its Cinematic Universe.