MovieChat Forums > Nicolas Cage Discussion > 2006 saw his career take a detour. 2010 ...

2006 saw his career take a detour. 2010 it finished


https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2963-nicolas-cage

Looking at his filmography, 2006 saw the release of The Wicker Man. It was panned and currently sits at 15% on rotten tomatoes.

That year he stared in World Trade Center, an Oliver Stone film. It got luke warm reviews and only made a modest profit. All of a sudden Cage isn't looking very bankable.

His career is then carried by a sequel to National Treasure and Ghost Rider. He's also starting to do some low budget action movies, tarnishing his brand.

Then he's given a big budget movie, The Scorcer's Apprentice. 150 mil budget, 215 million at the box office. A flop. 40% on rotten tomatoes.

After this, besides a Ghost Rider sequel and voice acting in Crooks, his A-lister career is no more.



reply

I've always really liked this guy. You rarely hear negative press about him. He's quirky in a fun cool way. He's a huge Elvis fan....and ended-up marrying Elvis's DAUGHTER! Also a huge Superman fan...(and named his son Kal-El!

Many of his films are actually quite great. (Honeymoon in Vegas is one of the most under-appreciated comedies of all time).
He has a lot of range...and he didn't trade on his famous uncle's last name.

I first discovered Nic Cage in Valley Girl (another under-appreciated gem). Later, he crushed it in movies like Rumble Fish, Moonstruck, Raising Arizona, etc. He can do many different genres...and he's generally very good and likable onscreen in anything he does.

People get off on making fun of this guy, and I just don't understand the hate. I just think he needs a good opportunity at a really solid role (maybe even a small, supporting role) in a big project....for his third act. I remember when Mickey Rourke was fading fast...he made some smart choices for a little while there, doing small, scene-stealing cameos...in movies like The Pledge.

Maybe Nic goes that route. Or...hopefully he's given a chance to crush a role as a lead in a big blockbuster, even if he's part of an ensemble. There's really nobody out there quite like Nic Cage. I'm not sure what kind of role could really jump-start things for him, but I really hope it comes along.

The problem is....he's kind of a parody of himself these days (unfortunately...and not entirely his fault)...which would make it hard for people to take him seriously in a serious role (the way people could when he was in some of those darker roles in the 90's).

The guy is a quirky bundle of cool energy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4SWkyqSFxM

reply

I think his quirky nature went from being perceived as "edgy" to "whacky".

There is the joke that he doesn't turn down a role, given his foray into low budget, direct to video movies.

reply

So. He still gets steady work and that's what matters. He is making a better living than most non celebrities...

reply

A brilliant actor but is better suited for independent films.

reply

No!! Nicolas Cage have had one of the most solid careers in film history spanning 3 decades. His 2009/2010 tax troubles combined with a shift in the film industry pushed him out of the studio productions and into independent films. He is still working and will have a comeback with : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11291274/?ref_=rvi_tt

reply

His career isn't finished he did what he had to do to pay off his bankruptcy. Too bad nobody has seen him in more than 1 or 2 good movies these last 15 years.

reply

Yeah he did what he had to do. The movies are embarrassing but he paid the taxes back.

reply

At the time he did ''City of Angels'' he was a serious actor. That movie came out when I wa a little kid and I have brief memories of him as a famous A list actor versus Nick Cage the B Movie actor. This mostly comes down to his debt... he took any acting any job to pay it off he could.

reply

Some of his recent movies have been interesting. No return to big budget, mainstream movies though.

Maybe that's not such a bad thing, artistically. Movies like Mandy are a return to the offbeat sort of parts we used to get from him early in his career.

reply