Eddie Marsan Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Eddie Marsan-whose latest project "Fair Play" is now streaming on Netflix.

Eddie Marsan's Filmography Ranked:

21.The Contractor (D)

20.Filth (C-)

19.War Horse (C-)

18.Snow White and the Huntsman (C)

17.Hancock (B)

16.Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (B)

15.White Boy Rick (B)

14.Mission: Impossible III (B)

13.The Gentlemen (B)

12.Fair Play (B)

11.Atomic Blonde (B+)

10.Vice (B+)

9.Sherlock Holmes (B+)

8.The World's End (B+)

7.Wrath of Man (B+)

6.Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (B+)

5.Deadpool 2 (B+)

4.Hobbs & Shaw (A-)

3.Concussion (A-)

2.Miami Vice (A-)

1.V for Vendetta (A)

Top Dog: V for Vendetta (2006)

As a political rallying cry against fascism, V for Vendetta is a bit too on-the-nose to say anything of real substance. As an action thriller, it fucking rips. James McTeigue-who was the top assistant director to the Wachowskis on The Matrix trilogy-crafts a string of thrilling, stylish setpieces that make the film consistently propulsive, the acting is pretty great (Natalie Portman, Hugo Heaving and the late John Hurt are the standouts) and the delivery of Guy Fawkes' "Remember, Remember the 5th of November" speech is one hell of a rousing rallying cry that makes the film's themes work despite their very overt delivery.

Bottom Feeder: The Contractor (2022)

Just like its title, The Contractor is as boring and generic as Hollywood action flicks come. How the likes of Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Gillian Jacobs became involved in something that is not only uninspired but genuinely inept on a technical level truly boggles the mind.  

Most Underrated: Miami Vice (2006)

I recently celebrated my 1-year anniversary in the cult of Michael Mann's Miami Vice and my only regret is that it took me so long to join up. This is one of the most incredible displays of visual, atmospheric storytelling I've ever seen as Mann vividly transports the audience into the eye, ears and minds of two undercover cops (Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx) who get much more than they bargained for when they become deeply entrenched with a powerful Colombian drug cartel. The action packs a serious visceral punch, the neon-drenched cinematography seamlessly sets the mood for each scene and the doomed lovers subplot between Farrell and Gong Li is a masterclass in how to handle a passionate romance that the universe simply won't allow to last.  

Most Overrated: The Gentlemen (2020)

There was something kind of sweet about Guy Ritchie returning to his stylish gangster comedy roots after over a decade away from his signature subgenre that made The Gentlemen a nice watch. However, the increasingly popular take that it's on the same level as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch is one that I just vehemently disagree with. The Gentlemen is merely a respectable cover version of those films that doesn't even come close to conjuring up the same magic spell despite its adequate playing of the same notes and despite enjoying it more upon second viewing, I doubt I'll ever view it as anything more than that.