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The 25 Best Genre Performances of the Decade

Genre film has always been flush with show-stealing performances. This past decade was no exception. 
Decade Genre Performances
By  · Published on November 9th, 2019

18. Pruitt Taylor Vince in The Devil’s Candy (2015)

The Devil's Candy
“I have to do that thing I don’t want to do, now.” I’ll put it on record: The Devil’s Candy has, without a doubt, the most metal cold open in all of cinema. It’s a spine-tingling stage-setter that rips largely on the strength of its villain: the hulking, sweatsuit clad Ray Smilie. A terrifying and imposing figure compelled by unspeakable darkness to commit heinous acts, he’s the worst kind of monster: a predator, a real-life bogeyman. Soft-spoken and lumbering, he’s a far cry from the well-mannered serial killer schemers who populate the genre. And he’s all the more terrifying for it. Ray is a blunt instrument: a sledgehammer manned by madness (and god knows what else).


17. Madeline Brewer in Cam (2019)

Cam
Netflix

Madeline Brewer is the anchor and the heart of Daniel Goldhaber’s clever cyber-thriller. She stars as Alice, a cam-girl whose online identity and likeness are stolen by a replica. Alice’s doppelganger exists in the uncanny valley, and Brewer’s ability to go from one character’s endearing zeal to the other’s disconcerting blankness is remarkable. As Alice descends into an eerie world outside of the one she’s used to, her strength tested, and her grasp on reality-challenged throughout the investigation. But as Brewer showcases from her very first scene, Alice’s intensity and commitment are unwavering. She’s headstrong and whip-smart, but Brewer imbues a degree of vulnerability that contrasts with her replica’s steely, inhuman behavior. It’s no easy feat to pull all of this off, but Brewer delivers a showstopping performance that is one for the ages in the horror genre. (Anna Swanson)


16. Michael Fassbender in Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017)

Covenant
The performance so nice he did it twice! Michael Fassbender began his foray into Ridley Scott’s Alien-verse by first playing David, an Android modeled after Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia. David is peculiar and frustratingly well-mannered. He’s also journeying into space with a mission of his own, one that has little regard for the humans on board. His conniving wiring is present early on, but it’s not until Prometheus’ sequel that this is truly brought to the forefront. In Covenant, Fassbender returns and doubles down on his robot duty by also playing the next generation of android: Walter. Walter and David’s interactions are the high points of the film, particularly when it’s clear that a healthy dose of self-love needn’t be restricted to the human species. It’s all a little goofy and a little freaky and a hell of a lot of work for the actor. He masters it all so perfectly that it’s got me wondering if a Turing test might come in handy should I ever interview the “man” himself. (Anna Swanson)

15. Ma Dong-seok in Train to Busan (2016)

Train To Busan
I was of a mind to commit category fraud and include an entry on this list for “all dem zombies in Train to Busan.” But then I remembered Ma Dong-seok. A burly, bruiser beefcake who didn’t ask for zombies on a train…but is actually very, very good at dealing with zombies on a train. Sang-hwa has a pregnant wife to protect and no problem telling other people when they’re being terrible. He’s honest to a fault, a salt-of-the-earth guy who fights zombies with his fists and is undeniably charismatic. In other words: he’s everything our dud dad protagonist Seok-woo isn’t. Well, Sang-hwa may not be Train to Busan’s protagonist, but he is its hero.


14. Matilda Lutz in Revenge (2017)

Revenge
Revenge is a dish best served dusty. That is if Jennifer’s actions in Coralie Fargeat’s new french extremity flick can even be considered revenge. Through the glint of the sun, what Jen does looks a whole lot more like survival strategies than the retribution of an avenging angel. Crucially: Jen’s trauma isn’t the cause of her tenacity, grit, determination, and instinct. She had all of that and more from the get-go. Those assholes who pushed her off that cliff just misunderestimated her. And Matilda Lutz’s confident, boundlessly endearing performance ensures we don’t make the same mistake. Jen’s hard as fuck, plain and simple, from the first frame to the last.


13. Kwak Do-won in The Wailing (2016)

The Wailing
One of the most aptly titled films of the decade, The Wailing, sees a mysterious sickness spreading through a small, rural village in South Korea. Those who are infected break out in a rash, followed by murderous outbursts, and eventually death. Bumbling, backwoods, fuddy-duddy cop Jong-goo is on the case. Schlubby and gutless, Jong-goo initially offers a reprieve of comic relief, an unassuming family man who proves unstoppable to a fault when things get personal. Kwak Do-won effortlessly sells Jong-Goo’s befuddlement, desperation, and burgeoning tenacity. And as Jong-goo stumbles heart-first down dark paths—propelled by rage, self-loathing, and abject fear—we’re right there with him. He’s in over his head, and so are we.


12. Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Furiosa
Move over Raggedy Man, this ain’t your movie. As the subtitle suggests, Mad Max: Fury Road‘s narrative weight falls not to Max but to the fierce and appropriately furious Imperator. Determined to protect the last hopeful thing in the wasteland and estrange Immortan Joe’s jaw from his skull, Charlize Theron endows Furiosa with the force of will of a big rig. Not unlike the war machine itself, Furiosa is a resilient shepherd. She’s tough the way a hero should be: determined and headstrong, with a soft heart that breaks for the right things. And to George Miller and Theron’s credit, Furiosa’s heartache and loss are not her handicaps. Instead, they spark a fearsome and powerful drive that fuels the whole dang film.


11. Jessica Rothe in Happy Death Day (2017)

Happy Death Day
Snarky, exuberant, and bold as fuck, Jessica Rothe’s performance embodies the best aspects of Happy Death Day. Rothe plays Tree, a short-tempered sorority girl who finds herself Groundhog Daying her own death. Tree is volatile and borderline antagonistic. Still, after the film gets some enjoyment out of watching her bite it time and time again, it really gets down to business: stripping away Tree’s petulant persona and forcing her to be human. Rothe is tasked with being likable even when she’s not; she’s a testy, vulnerable fighter. Tree also carries the burden of remembering relationships with others formed over a day that they forget when the loop begins again. There’s a lot of character work lurking under the horror-comedy’s gimmicky setup, and Rothe’s masterful handling of her performance ensures that the film is worth rewatching. And rewatching. And rewatching. And rewatching. (Anna Swanson)


10. Nicolas Cage in Mandy (2018)

Mandyoscar
Enjoyment of Nicolas Cage’s impressionistic madness comes easy to the point where it takes something special for that madness to belong to a fictional character and not just to Cage himself. No filmmaker made better use of Cage’s talents this decade than Panos Cosmatos. Mandy weaponizes Cage’s well-worn machinations by laying the emotional groundwork; by taking its time, making room for softness, and underling what it is, exactly, that Red has to lose. The result is a performance that exudes tenderness, fragility, and a quiet bubbling rage. Even after he snaps, the exhale of Red’s revenge is heavy and heartbreaking: a wronged male ego swallowing everything in its path.


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Based in the Pacific North West, Meg enjoys long scrambles on cliff faces and cozying up with a good piece of 1960s eurotrash. As a senior contributor at FSR, Meg's objective is to spread the good word about the best of sleaze, genre, and practical effects.