After some great early roles and two Oscar nominations (for “Leaving Las Vegas” and “Adaptation”) it seems like he’s on a downward career spiral, or has at least hit a rough patch careerwise. What do you think?
His page at IMDB:
National Treasure did pretty good at the box office ($350 mil worldwide), and that was just 2004. There’s a sequel coming out next year. So he’s ok on the commercial side. And he was in World Trade Center this year, which got good reviews.
Adaptation came out in 2002, and he’s been busy since. He has eight movies in production for 2007 and 2008.
Personally, I could live without any of his work since he became an action star with The Rock in 1995.
Seems to pick every role thats offered to him. Needs to be a bit choosier.
And no more action roles…ever.
Nic Cage is a HUGE comic book fan, and he’s tried for years to play the lead in a comic book superhero adaptation. He was originally cast as Superman when Kevin Smith and Tim Burton were attached to the movie several years ago. Now he’ll be playing Ghost Rider, aka Johnny Blaze, the demonic biker antihero from Marvel Comics, and I’m sure it was a real treat for him to make it even if the movie ends up sucking.
Cage got married in 2004 and had a son in 2005, so presumedly his personal life has distracted him some from his career.
I don’t know how good he’s been on the commercial side. Look at his page at Box Office Mojo.
Since Adaptation, his grosses have been:
9/1/06 The Wicker Man WB $23,540,572
8/9/06 World Trade Center Par. $70,278,893
7/28/06 The Ant Bully (Voice) WB $28,015,655
10/28/05 The Weather Man Par. $12,482,775
9/16/05 Lord of War Lions $24,149,632
11/19/04 National Treasure BV $173,008,894
9/12/03 Matchstick Men WB $36,906,460
12/27/02 Sonny GldC $30,005
He probably got good paychecks for most of those, but he hasn’t done much to prove that he’s worth the leading man money.
He’s going back to Las Vegas next year… IMDB link
It’s based on Philip K. Dick short story - very loosly based, it appears! His character’s name is the same, though!
Nevertheless, most of those were solid films. These days, he’s been doing more sedate movies, but not neccessarily bad ones. Some stronger, some not.
I thought he was great in Matchstick Men, and I don’t much care for him. If you want to talk downward career spiral, his, if it exists, is nothing compared to some others- Cuba Gooding, I’m looking at you.
Personally I thought he kicked ass in WTC.
As an aside, I found that movie hard to watch, so I guess I’m still not ready to go see United 93.
Yes you are. You will walk out of a session of United 93 inspired, with your faith in your fellow man restored. And you will see that, atlhough the WTC scenes were great in WTC Oliver Stone turned it into sentimental claptrap.
I honestly think that anyone that is having troubles with finding an appropriate place for 9/11 in their live should see United 93. The only other post 9/11 thing I have seen that has similar emotional weight is The Falling Man.
Sort of off-topic but
He just had a glorified cameo in this one but IIRC directed, but anyway, how does a movie only gross $30,000? Average price of a movie ticket in 2002 was probably something like $8 which would mean that even if the film were released to just one screen it would’ve had to pull in fewer than 4,000 people.
The Lord of War was astonishing. It might have done better at the box office if it had been marketable, but it really wasn’t.
Actually, I’d go with your first instinct and not see United 93 yet. It is an incredibly powerful and well-made movie, but…
I couldn’t talk to anyone after that movie for at least 10 minutes. I’m an easy-going guy, never been in a fight in my life, and I wanted to eviscerate (sp?) somebody. It was an incredible need at something deeper than an emotional level. It wasn’t a “blind” rage since I was able to control it, but I REALLY needed to hurt someone or something.
So I’d say, hold off on United 93.
J.
Didn’t they try to make NICK CAGE stick back in his action hero heyday? I like him better as Nicolas.
I thought he was quite good in The Weatherman and Lord of War. I hear he sucked in The Wicker Man, as did the remake itself, but I will still check it out just to see how bad it is.
Huh. I liked that movie. Me and six other people, from the looks of it.
Holy shit, the remake really blew. And so did Cage, sadly–unless you look at the whole thing as an unintentional comedy. Still painful, though. What on earth was he thinking?
“Daa da da da da da da… *Wickerman! * Quick, Raffia, to the Wickermobile! …Holy Pier One, Wickerman, it’s the nefarious Lord Summerisle and his dastardly minions! …Never fear, old chum; they’re no match for my Wickerangs!”