![]() Despite a relatively simple plot, Cronenberg utilizes it to wonderful effect to examine how audiences condemn violence in real life whilst simultaneously flocking to the latest action film when it hits the cinema, and Mortensen does an impressive job portraying the burden a history of violence leaves on someone that other likeminded films usually ignore. While hailed as a local hero, he finds himself drawing the attention of gangster Carl Fogarty ( Ed Harris), and it soon becomes clear this innocent diner owner is hiding more than he lets on. The first of many collaborators with the great David Cronenberg, A History of Violence sees Mortensen as Tom Stall, the owner of a small-town diner who is propelled into stardom after killing two robbers in his restaurant. Rarely does an actor and a character sync up as perfectly as this, and Mortensen remains a crucial reason why the trilogy remains so popular. While it does provoke an interesting what-if question, it’s clear from Aragorn’s first scene when he saves Frodo and his fellow hobbits from the Nazgûl that Jackson made the right decision. Interestingly, Mortensen was not the original choice for the role, with Jackson’s first pick Stuart Townsend being fired the day before filming after the director decided he was too young for the part. ![]() Mortensen’s respect for the source material shines through in every moment, and during his climactic speech before the battle of Mordor in The Return of the King, it’s impossible not to be rallied up yourself as he leads his men into the most important battle of their lives. Aragorn’s arc across Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy, from a ranger living in the wildlands of Middle-earth to reclaiming his rightful place as King of Gondor, makes for some of the most enthralling filmmaking ever put to a film, a fact made even more impressive since his story is only one part of an absolutely ginormous narrative. No article about Viggo Mortensen is complete without mention of not only his most iconic role, but one that can also be ranked alongside Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones as one of the most recognizable characters in cinema. The famous bar scene between him and Morse, where Frank confesses his torment to a brother he loves despite his stubborn refusal to show it, stands as one of the defining moments of Mortensen’s career. The tense but authentic interactions between Frank and his family are the highlight of the film, with Mortensen doing an excellent job portraying a character so at odds with civilized life that he can’t even comprehend how others deal with it. While some of Penn’s directorial choices highlight his inexperience as a filmmaker (the sheer quantity of narration being chief among them), his ability to craft solid performances from his fellow actors illustrates where his skills as a filmmaker lie. Based on the Bruce Springsteen song “Highway Patrolman”, The Indian Runner tells the story of two brothers on opposing sides of the law: Joe ( David Morse), a small-town deputy, and Frank, a criminal who has a long history getting on the wrong side of the police. ![]() The directorial debut of Sean Penn, this 1991 crime drama boasts one of Mortensen’s most insidious characters with Frank Roberts. It’s a criminally underappreciated film, playing out like a twisted remake of Days of Heaven by way of a David Lynch nightmare, with director Philip Ridley creating one of the most unique coming-of-age films in the process. ![]() Even though he arrives late to the party, Mortensen ensures his presence is felt as he slips further under Dolphin’s spell, but he is careful to never overshadow the impressionable young boy at the core of the story. Mortensen plays Seth’s older brother Cameron, who begins the film away in the military, but returns after the midpoint to begin a romance with Dolphin, much to Seth’s horror. Eight-year-old Seth Dove ( Jeremy Cooper) lives on an isolated prairie in the middle of the American outback during the 1950s, and after an encounter with a local widow Dolphin Blue ( Lindsay Duncan), he becomes convinced his lonely next-door neighbor is actually a two-hundred-year-old vampire. One of Mortensen’s first starring roles remains his most underrated film in the gothic horror/arthouse cult favorite The Reflecting Skin. ![]()
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