8 Best Hayden Christensen Movies, Ranked
Who would have expected a Hayden Christensen comeback to be in the cards in 2023? Although the Star Wars prequel trilogy actor caught a lot of criticism for his portrayal as the younger version of Anakin Skywalker at the time of the film's release, time has been kind to the performance and Christensen himself. He has now returned in full force to the Star Wars franchise with his performances in the Disney+ shows Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka.
While Christensen will always be best known for playing the future Darth Vader, his filmography is actually quite stronger than many of his Star Wars fans may have realized. In fact, he's been nominated for several major awards, including the Golden Globe and the SAG Award. Beyond his work in the galaxy far, far away, Hayden Christensen has many strong films on his resumé, and it's time to recognize his talent and give him the credit he's due.
8 'Outcast' (2014)
Director: Nick Powell
Outcast is a film that's entirely saved from oblivion thanks to an impressive, committed performance from Christensen, with a heavy dose of wild antics courtesy of a delightfully eccentric Nicolas Cage. The medieval action epic follows two legendary warriors, Jacob (Christensen) and Gallain (Cage), who agree to help a young prince retake the throne of China after a political coup. Cage's performance is so over-the-top that the film often becomes hilarious, but Christensen deserves credit for having enough respect for the material to take it seriously. Cage and Christensen make for unusual but compelling screen partners.
While it lacks the gravitas of the best straightforward historical epics, director Nick Powell fills Outcast with inventive action sequences and touches on themes of loyalty, kinship, honor, and civic pride. Although the film rightfully puts the perspective of its Chinese characters at the forefront of the story, Christensen expertly embodies a noble warrior who takes on one last mission. The revolutionary story is central to Outcast, but Jacob's redemptive arc makes the film even more compelling.
Outcast
NONE Release Date September 26, 2014 Cast Nicolas Cage , Hayden Christensen , Andy On , Yifei Liu , Ron Smoorenburg , Anoja Diaz Runtime 997 'American Heist' (2014)
Director: Sarik Andreasyan
American Heist was one of Christensen's biggest action films post-Star Wars and showed the possibilities he had as a more serious actor. Christensen stars as James Kelly, an aspiring businessman forced into a bank-robbing scheme by his psychopathic brother, Frankie (Adrien Brody). While the film's strengths are in its Heat-inspired heist sequences, Christensen and Brody do a great job of showing fraternal affection. Even though James is frightened of what Frankie will do, he's even more terrified of how his brother will act if he is left to his own devices. It's a surprisingly nuanced relationship within an otherwise standard thriller.
Taking a refreshingly straightforward approach, American Heist examines the difficulty that criminals face adjusting back to society after time in prison. While Frankie wants to redeem himself in his brother's eyes, he can't help but be drawn back into the world of crime that had landed him in prison initially. Christensen shows how James' compassion for his brother goes too far, realizing he won't appease Frankie by following the law. Although the heist sequences themselves are enthralling, it's the surprisingly soulful chemistry between Christensen and Brody that elevates the material.
American Heist
NR Release Date September 11, 2014 Cast Hayden Christensen , Adrien Brody , Jordana Brewster , Akon , Tory Kittles , Luis Da Silva Jr. Runtime 946 'Jumper' (2008)
Director: Doug Liman
Jumper has an engaging premise but fails to live to its full potential, and yet, Christensen certainly elevates it. Based on the eponymous science fiction novel by Steven Gould, the film follows the young man David Rice (Christensen), who has the power to "jump" between various points on the globe. Rice's skills earn the attention of Roland Cox (Samuel L. Jackson), a member of the "Paladins" organization. It's fun to see Christensen and Jackson reunite after their work together on Star Wars, as the pair does a great job playing each other's mortal enemies.
Director Doug Liman does a great job of using David's perspective to unpack the dense mythology of Gould's novel. While the rules of how "jumping" works can occasionally be confusing, the romantic relationship between David and his childhood sweetheart, Millie (Rachel Bilson), ensures that the story has emotional weight and isn't drowned by expository nonsense. Jumper is action-packed and occasionally humorous, showing that Christensen had merits as a leading man outside the Star Wars franchise. Unfortunately, Jumper never inspired a sequel, as the first film didn't explore all that it could have about David as a character.
Jumper
PG-13 Release Date February 13, 2008 Cast Hayden Christensen , Jamie Bell , Rachel Bilson , Diane Lane , Samuel L. Jackson , Michael Rooker Runtime 885 'Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones' (2002)
Director: George Lucas
Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones often gets a much worse reputation than it deserves. While the second installment in George Lucas' prequel trilogy is often criticized for being" melodramatic," there's a charming self-awareness to the goofiness of Anakin Skywalker and the beautiful Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman). Anakin has been raised as a Jedi, closed off from normal human interaction, while Padme has been a political figure ever since her childhood; thus, it makes sense that their romance is a little awkward. Lucas makes their relationship seem quite tragic, as it serves as a backdrop to a rising conflict.
Although Attack of the Clones is largely focused on the romance between Anakin and Padme, the film also hints at the dark path that lies ahead of them. A sequence showing Anakin massacring the Tusken Raiders for their involvement in the death of his mother, Shmi Skywalker (Pernilla August) is essential in foreshawdowing his turn to the dark side of the force. Although Anakin's immaturity and complaints about the rules of the Jedi Order can grow grating, Christensen shows how his isolation from the Jedi teachings leads to his darker impulses.
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
PGRelease Date May 16, 2002 Cast Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Hayden Christensen , Christopher Lee , Samuel L. Jackson , Frank Oz Runtime 142 minutes4 'The Virgin Suicides' (1999)
Director: Sofia Coppola
Ironically enough, The Virgin Suicides writer/director Sophia Coppola also played a small part in the Star Wars franchise, as she had a brief role in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Alas, Coppola proved she was a much more talented director than an actress with her startling 1999 directorial debut. Coppola used the film to analyze the "male gaze" in cinema, as the film observes the lives of the Lisbon sisters through the eyes of the young teenage boys who desire them. Christensen has a brief, albeit memorable role as the teenager Jake Hill Conley.
The Virgin Suicides is a remarkable directorial debut, as Coppola is more interested in the parameters of the Lisbon sisters' isolation than she is in the circumstances of their death. There's a hazy, dreamlike quality to the cinematography in The Virgin Suicides that makes the film feel like a faded memory; this was the perfect way to tell a story about the fleeting nature of youth.
3 'Life as a House' (2001)
Director: Irwin Winkler
One year prior to earning the role of a lifetime in the Star Wars franchise, Christensen proved he was a great dramatic actor at heart with his moving performance in the 2001 family dramaLife as a House. Christensen stars as Sam Monroe, a depressed teenage boy forced to spend a summer building a house with his father, George (Kevin Kline), who is dying of a critical illness. It's quite powerful to watch Sam evolve in his father's eyes as they share what precious time they have together.
Life as a House elevates what could have been a standard "family dramedy" thanks to the nuanced characterization of Sam and George. The film shows how both characters suffer from their inability to open up to each other; Sam only gradually realizes that his father is trying to prioritize the last months of his life. Christensen's emotional performance earned him both a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nomination for Best Supporting Actor and hinted at a promising future ahead.
2 'Shattered Glass' (2003)
Director: Billy Ray
Shattered Glass is one of the most important movies about the rise of Internet journalism; the film feels even more relevant today than it did upon its initial release. Christensen stars as Stephen Glass, a New Republic reporter who falsified years of stories before his peers discovered the lies. Christensen brilliantly shows the wall of lies that Glass has built around himself and how every aspect of his personality is part of the false persona he created. Although the film lionized the journalists who uncovered Glass' crimes, Christensen suggests a deeper reason as to why he acted the way he did.
The brilliance of Christensen's performance lies in its subtlety. Glass is someone who has completely surrendered to delusion to the point where he thinks his actions might even be impressive; after spending years lying to the people who cared about him the most, Glass no longer has any appreciation for reality. Christensen walks a fine line between charm and uneasiness - you can tell there's something wrong with Stephen, even if you can't quite put your finger on it. Shattered Glass is a showcase for Hayden Christensen, proving that the true extent of his abilities remains largely unseen.
Shattered Glass
PG-13 Release Date November 14, 2003 Cast Hayden Christensen , Peter Sarsgaard , Chloe Sevigny , Rosario Dawson , Melanie Lynskey , Hank Azaria Runtime 941 'Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith' (2005)
Director: George Lucas
Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith redeemed the prequel trilogy in many Star Wars fans' eyes, and gave Christensen the chance to finally turn Anakin into Darth Vader. Revenge of the Sith is a film about fascism; Anakin is an angry young man whose anxieties are taken advantage of by the ruthless dictator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). When reflecting on how the Star Wars franchise stands as a whole, Christensen and McDiarmid are not given enough credit as to how nuanced their work in Revenge of the Sith actually is.
Revenge of the Sith is easily the strongest installment in the prequel trilogy, as it brought a conclusion to the "Clone Wars" and explored how the Empire rose to power ahead of the original Star Wars trilogy. Although the prequel films are often criticized for their shallow stories, Revenge of the Sith succeeds in bringing a tragic conclusion to the friendship between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). The emotional work that Christensen and McGregor do makes Anakin and Obi-Wan's encounter in A New Hope even more powerful.
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