Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Harry Potter
Fantasy Movies The best Harry Potter movies ranked from worst to wand-erful
Uma Thurman's Devora Kasimer sitting at a make up table looking at a group of bloody ballerinas in her mirror
Streaming Services 3 new to Prime Video movies you need to watch this weekend (March 27–March 29)
Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
Movies The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now
The Lion King is undoubtedly one of the best movies on Disney Plus
Movies The 30 best movies on Disney Plus to watch right now
(L to R) Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro, Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne, and Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Mateo 'Matty' Nix in The Rip.
Action Movies The 25 best Netflix action movies to watch right now
Best Spider-Man movies
Marvel Movies The best Spider-Man movies of all time, ranked from worst to best
Walton Goggins as the Ghoul in Fallout season 2
TV The 25 best shows on Amazon Prime Video to watch right now
Best anime movies: Chihiro and No-Face sitting in a train carriage during Spirited Away.
Anime Movies The 30 best anime movies to watch right now
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in Sonic 3
Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
Streaming Services The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now
Jacob Elordi as the Creature in Frankenstein
Horror Movies The 25 best Netflix horror movies to watch right now
Best superhero movies: close-up images of Captain America, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
Superhero Movies The 25 best superhero movies of all time
Ryan Gosling as Court Gentry in The Gray Man.
Thriller Movies The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
The Super Mario Movie
Movies The 10 best video game movies of all time, ranked
Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3
TV The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

Worst To Best: Nicolas Cage

Features
By Joshua Winning published 27 March 2012

The master of manic…

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

The Wicker Man (2006)

The Movie: Sheriff Edward Malus (Cage) investigates the disappearance of a young girl on a small island and uncovers a neo-pagan community with sinister intentions.

So Cage It’s Good? Cage delivers a performance so tortured, so earnest and so hilarious, that it’s surely some sort of masterpiece in subversion.

Cage assures us it’s his favourite film he's made, which only makes his performance the more compelling. As we’ll see over the next 50 pages, this guy has massive steel balls…

Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance (2011)

The Movie: Hellblazer Johnny Blaze (Cage) is back. This time, he’s hiding out in Europe when he’s called to stop the biggest of all bads – the Devil himself.

So Cage It’s Good? Cage goes no-holds-barred in this second round as Johnny Blaze, even playing the flame-on Rider himself (he didn’t in the first film). The result is a towering, terrifyingly unhinged performance in a movie that is, sadly, not worthy of him.

Ghost Rider (2007)

The Movie: Stunt rider Johnny Blaze (Cage) surrenders his soul in order to transform into a fiery crime-fighter, leaving behind his town, friends and girlfriend Roxanne (Eva Mendes).

So Cage It’s Good?
Bad CGI ruins the movie as a whole (as does the clunky plotting, and lines like “I feel like my skull's on fire, but I'm good!”), but there’s no denying Cage is seriously ripped in this Rider .

Article continues below
You may like
  • Spider-Noir perching in a church Nicolas Cage says his performance in Spider-Noir is "70 percent Bogart, and 30 percent Bugs Bunny"
  • Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly in Spider-Noir Nicolas Cage wanted to play his 1930s superhero detective in Spider-Noir like a "spider pretending to be a person"
  • Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) holding The Spider's mask in Spider-Noir Spider-Noir trailer proves everything is cooler in black and white, especially when it involves Nicolas Cage

Season Of The Witch (2011)

The Movie: Teutonic Knight Behmen von Bleibruck (Cage) comes across a town beset by the Black Plague. The fearful towns people blame a young woman for the affliction.

So Cage It's Good? In one of Cage’s busiest years release-wise, Witch has the actor going all medieval and clearly relishing every second of it. Better still is his double-act routine with Ron Perlman. Let’s get these guys together again.

Trespass (2011)

The Movie: Kyle Miller (Cage) and his wife Sarah (Nicole Kidman) are held hostage in their home by four thugs who want the contents of their safe.

So Cage It's Good?
Apparently Cage never wants to see this movie, which is a shame, because he brings a farcical theatricality to a routine thriller. He can do the blustering, vociferous businessman thing in his sleep.

Amos & Andrew (1993)

The Movie: Police mistake Andrew Sterling (Samuel L. Jackson) for a burglar when he buys a vacation home in New England. He ends up teaming up with thief Amos (Cage) against the corrupt local authorities.

So Cage It’s Good? It’s mostly worth it just to see Cage sharing the screen with the great Samuel L. Jackson, but Cage also manages to bring a weird likeability to the bungling, hapless Amos. The fact that he got blacked-up in a certain scene also speaks volumes of his commitment to craziness.

Vampires Kiss (1988)

The Movie: Publishing exec Peter Loew (Cage) becomes convinced that he’s turning into a vampire after an encounter with a neck-loving chomper.

So Cage It’s Good? After roles as a punk and a fast food worker, Cage revealed his inner crazy with this quirky horror flick – and what sublime crazy it is. Yes, this is the film that he scoffed a cockroach for. You can see a love affair with the insane being born before your very eyes.

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Bangkok Dangerous (2008)

The Movie: Hitman Joe (Cage) heads to Bangkok where he’s been hired to carry out some underhand jobs. But he falls in love with a local woman there, which could spell his undoing.

So Cage It's Good? Cage was never going to be a conventional action hero, and here he plays it with a mixture of tongue-in-cheek goofiness and full-throttle fearlessness. This guy just loves an action scene – and Bangkok gives him plenty to do.

Drive Angry (2011)

The Movie: Fantastically OTT action horror, in which revenge-driven father Milton (Cage) scrapes his way out of hell in order to exact vengeance on the men who killed his daughter.

So Cage It’s Good? There are only two men in the world who can pull off a gun fight that takes place during a sex scene. Those men are Clive Owen and Nicolas Cage. In a competition, we’d say Cage wins – because his movie also involves a midget.

Trapped In Paradise (1994)

The Movie: Three brothers plan to rob a Pennsylvania bank on Christmas Eve, but their devilish designs are foiled by the town’s residents.

So Cage It’s Good? Cage dials the intensity up to 15. The result is a twitchy, over-the-top performance that somehow works just because Cage is the one behind the wheel. A camp classic.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6

Current page: Page 1

Next Page Page 2
Joshua Winning
Social Links Navigation

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.  

Read more
Spider-Noir perching in a church
Marvel TV Shows Nicolas Cage says his performance in Spider-Noir is "70 percent Bogart, and 30 percent Bugs Bunny"
 
 
Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly in Spider-Noir
Superhero Shows Nicolas Cage wanted to play his 1930s superhero detective in Spider-Noir like a "spider pretending to be a person"
 
 
Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) holding The Spider's mask in Spider-Noir
Marvel TV Shows Spider-Noir trailer proves everything is cooler in black and white, especially when it involves Nicolas Cage
 
 
(L to R) Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro, Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne, and Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Mateo 'Matty' Nix in The Rip.
Action Movies The 25 best Netflix action movies to watch right now
 
 
Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly in Spider-Noir
Superhero Shows Spider-Noir's new teaser gives us best look yet at Electro and Nic Cage's webslinger beating up gangsters
 
 
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
Streaming Services The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now
 
 
Latest in Movies
Tom Holland and Zendaya in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Movies Spider-Man star Zendaya says she wants to work with Black Panther director Ryan Coogler
 
 
Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Fantasy Movies Elijah Wood appears to confirm Aragorn recasting rumors in Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
 
 
Spider-Man 3
Superhero Movies Frodo actor Elijah Wood says he regularly gets mistaken for fellow '00s movie icon Tobey Maguire: "Hey, Spider-Man!"
 
 
Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins catching the One Ring on his finger
Fantasy Movies Hunt for Gollum "doesn't have to" live up to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, says Elijah Wood: "It is a side quest"
 
 
Princess Peach and Toad in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Animated Movies Nintendo fans are torn on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's big Peach and Rosalina twist: "It's a blatant retcon"
 
 
Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Sci-Fi Movies Avatar's future seems secure as one producer says they're going "full speed ahead" on Avatar 4 and 5
 
 
Latest in Features
Animal Crossing characters look up at the moon
Animal Crossing Animal Crossing helped me process grief, and I'm not alone: "Visiting her island has brought me a lot of peace"
 
 
PS5 Pro and PS5 original console on a wooden table
Peripherals Console gaming on a VPN: what works on PS5/Xbox Series X
 
 
A haughty-looking man in robes gazes down at the viewer while standing against a colorful background
Tabletop Gaming MTG Secrets of Strixhaven finally fixes a problem I've had with Magic for years
 
 
Marathon Triage runner
FPS Games Yes, Marathon is hard – but that is liberating
 
 
Key art for Neopets: Mega Mini-Games Collection - The Neopian Arcade Odyssey showing colorful creatures against a blue background
Action Games This Neopets mini-game collection proves it's actually good to preserve bad games
 
 
Jung Ji-Hoon as Im Baek-jeong in Bloodhounds season 2.
Streaming Services These are the 3 new to Netflix shows I'll be watching this weekend (April 3–April 5)
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Todd Howard making a point
    1
    Skyrim artist says Bethesda's Todd Howard has too many yes men: "A lot of people are afraid to say no to Todd"
  2. 2
    Immersive sim legend Warren Spector's new stealth game Thick as Thieves drops PvPvE in favor of single-player and co-op
  3. 3
    The top 10 shows on Prime Video and the 3 you need for your watchlist (April 3–April 5)
  4. 4
    Spider-Man star Zendaya says she wants to work with Black Panther director Ryan Coogler
  5. 5
    The best PS3 emulator is getting massive improvements on PC handhelds

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...