For many Hollywood stars, acting is a job. For Nicolas Cage, it is a craft, one that he has dedicated himself to fully throughout his career. No matter how absurd the movie he finds himself in, Cage can always be counted on to give it his all. Even if a film starring himisn’t highbrow, it is guaranteed to be entertaining.
In the late 2010s, Cage reinvented himself by appearing in low-budget art films: a departure from the marquee roles he was once consigned to. This led to a renewed appreciation of his acting abilities.
8Pig
2021
John Wick’s love for his dog pales in comparison to how much Pig’s protagonist cares for his porcine pet. Pig tells the story of a retired chef whose truffle-hunting life is disrupted when his favourite animal is kidnapped.
Nicolas Cage’s sincere portrayal of the main character transforms an absurd premise into a beautifully resonant film. Pig is grave and reflective, and makes the most of its 90-minute runtime to tell a dramatic tale.
7Longlegs
2024
If the horror genre needed to establish itself in the 2020s, Nicolas Cage was the man for the job. Fresh off ofplaying Draculain 2023’s Renfield, he threw himself into the role of a serial killer obsessed with the occult. His opponent is an FBI agent with supernatural powers of her own.
Longlegs is a thrilling film made all the better by Cage’s performance. Free from the bindings of franchise filmmaking, the actor delivers a dark and compelling performance that proves his true talents lie on the gothic side.
6Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance
2011
As asuperhero film, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is terrible. As a Nicolas Cage film, it is perfection. This movie is in need of a critical re-evaluation. It dates back to Cage’s wilderness years, where many had dismissed the actor as doing it for the money.
No amount of money can make an actor ham it up as much as Cage does here. There has to be genuine passion and enjoyment behind it. Perhaps Cage knew this movie was going to get bad reviews one way or the other, because he’s having the time of his life. If you want to see the actor at his most under-the-radar comedic, you owe it to yourself to watch this film.
5National Treasure
2004
When the protagonist of your movie is called Ben Franklin you’ve already made it. Nic Cage’s character is a historian, writer, cryptographer and heist fanatic. It would be easier to list the things he isn’t. He finds himself caught up in a plot to steal the United States Declaration of Independence to uncover clues about a Freemason treasure.
National Treasure is one of Nic Cage’s most high-profile and mainstream film roles. If nothing else, we can credit the film with establishing the actor himself as a national treasure.
4Gone In 60 Seconds
2000
Gone In 60 Seconds is a movie defined by its year. It has fast cars, a hip-hop soundtrack and feels like a B-movie with a $100 million budget. In other words, it’s a ton of fun.Angelina Joliestars opposite Cage, making it one of her establishing roles.
Nicolas Cage’s character comes out of retirement as a professional car thief to steal 50 cars to free his brother. The plot is simple, but it can afford to be. The rumble of engines and shlocky fun is what really matters.
3Mandy
2018
Mandy is the film that put Nicolas Cage back on the map after a string of increasingly miscast roles. This movie, equal parts artistry and action, allowed the actor to rekindle his gothic leanings and have fun with his work.
This neon-drenched revenge movie is one of the most stylish horror films of the 2010s. The film was not a huge hit commercially, but that’s okay: it was always destined for cult classic status, and Nicolas Cage was okay with that more than anyone else.
2Knowing
2009
Apocalypse movies were all the rage when Knowing came out in 2009, which made the movie hard to differentiate from its ilk. It drew mixed reviews for its plot but praise for the acting, which was something of a commonality for Nicolas Cage’s career at the time.
This is an underrated film that will delight and terrify you whether you’re a horror fan, a mystery fan or just like mind-bending movies. Cage’s performance of a man helpless to change the course of fate is the only thing more impressive than the visual effects.
1Con Air
1997
Though Nicolas Cage eventually turned to more artistic and horror-oriented roles, where he seemed to truly find his niche, in the 90s he was a bona fide action star. His best movie, in fact, is Con Air - the tale of a father whose trip home goes sideways when their transport gets hijacked.
Con Air is Nicolas Cage’s ethos spread over an entire feature film. It is charming, silly, and stylish. It has an ensemble cast, which throws Nicolas Cage’s talent in stark relief: when he can steal the show even in a star-studded film like this, you know he’s a good actor.
