Though there are genuine laughs to be had with regards to Jeremy Irons' frankly insane performance as Mage Profion in the horrible Dungeons & Dragons movie, this is a truly terrible performance from a great actor who was presumably told to ham it up to record-breaking levels - something he was apparently keen to oblige. Where to start? Dungeons & Dragons clearly came along at a point when Irons had little else on his plate. How else does one get roped into playing an evil mage in a film based on a tabletop game? Irons spends most of the film with his teeth clenched together, whilst his trademark voice is put through the ringer as he growls and mutters and makes incomprehensible noises in every single scene. He's just all over the place. The weirdest thing about the performance is that Irons, freed from the constraints of the serious films he was used to up until this point, genuinely seems to be enjoying himself. Unfortunately, what he delivers is absolutely bananas: how did the Oscar-winning actor of Reversal of Fortune manage to keep a straight face on set? Like this article? How do you rate Jeremy Irons? Do you agree with these choices for best and worst performances from the actor? Let us know all your thoughts in the comments.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
