Whether he was a super human alien from Krypton come to save earth or a double agent hellbent on beating up Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill has quite an entertaining career through the last twenty years. While some of his roles exhibit very similar traits, there are a few that stand out as truly amazing performances that show off his range of talent.
As Superman/Clark Kent, Cavill is known as a clean-cut and debonair man who is ready for anything. But did you know that he has done so much more than just steel fans’ hearts (pun intended) as that most famous superhero? For instance, did you know that he had a small role in the 2006 romantic drama, Tristan & Isolde, with James Franco? The man’s talent spans the whole spectrum of enjoyment.
‘Enola Holmes’
Image via Netflix
While only a small role, Cavill shows up here as the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, who happens to be older brother to the titular character. Cavill’s brief take on Holmes is refreshingly kind and charming, even. His ancillary role leaves much to be desired, and with the sequel having just released, the world got just that.
With so many having taken on the role of Holmes in the past (Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey, Jr., Ian McKellen, Vasily Borisovich Livanov, Jeremy Brett), Cavill’s portrayal was a fresh and rejuvenated approach that showed his softer side as an actor, which is nice and endearing.
‘Tristan and Isolde’
Again, Cavill’s part in this film was so brief but so impactful. In this lovely romantic epic, he played the part of Melot, the nephew of Rufus Sewell’s character, Marke of Cornwall. Melot is a somewhat charming, at least at first glance, young man, and despite his momentary betrayal, you can’t help but love the guy simply because Cavill is that good.
In a few moments of reconciliation towards the end of the film, we see Cavill’s true acting chops come out as he demonstrates such range. Very few actors have the ability to make pain and suffering a believable emotion, but Cavill does so with absolute perfection and grace. You almost forget that you are watching a movie and this event is not actually happening.
‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’
In what feels like a classic enemies-turned-buddies team up film, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a reboot of a television show from the 1960s of the same name. In the film, Cavill plays Napoleon Solo, codenamed U.N.C.L.E., which stands for United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. Cavill plays the part super cool, but with a commanding presence.
The chemistry between Cavill and co-stars Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander is amazing, as the trio fall right into perfect symmetry and bring to life the amazing adventures throughout the film. Cavill has a cool calmness about his character and shows that even in the face of wildly circumstances, he has the ability to stay level-headed and even demure as he endeavors the various journeys.
‘The Count of Monte Cristo’
In this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role, Cavill plays the son of Jim Caviezel’s Edmond Dantes towards the end of the film. It really is a brief role, but in those brief moments, Cavill’s character, Albert Mondego, shows such an incredible depth of emotion, it is hard to believe he was only seventeen years old at the time. The film, as a whole, is absolutely incredible, and Cavill’s small role is worth the entire film.
To see how Cavill went from being such a young man with such depth to the leading roles that he now takes on is such a wonder. It is not a surprise, however, that he could do it, because even in this young role, it was easy to see that he had the ability to act beyond his years, and he has continued to show up and show the world that he is not just a pretty face – he’s an amazing actor – and a pretty face, as well.
‘Night Hunter’
Similar to his role in Sand Castle, Cavill plays a detective in Night Hunter. As Walter Marshall, he plays a detective pursuing a serial killer after having found a young woman’s body on a lumber truck in Minnesota. Scruffy beard and shaggy hair, Cavill encapsulates the image of manliness as he masterfully wields his rifles and handguns in battle.
Not only does he demonstrate masterful skill, but he also demonstrates a level of intelligence to be expected and desired in such a detective. He frequently uses his brain to outsmart the antagonist in the film (Brendan Fletcher), and with a few delightfully surprising twists and turns, this film is sure to give a jolt of excitement while demonstrating Cavill’s greatness.
‘Blood Creek’
In what is likely one of his most dark and demented roles, Cavill stars as Evan Marshall, a young paramedic in West Virginia. The film follows the story of an occult-obsessed Nazi (Michael Fassbender) in search of a Viking runestone that grants the powers of life and death. Cavill’s character works towards trying to kill this Nazi and what follows is a series of dark and twisted events. Cavill demonstrates his acting prowess through this film.
This time, he demonstrates that he has the ability to truly dive into the role of fighter and protector as he battles against the powers of darkness from this evil Nazi. He ends this film by walking off to continue the battle against the evil forces of these immortal Nazis. It is, perhaps, one of the roles that prepared him to step into the role of fighter and protector in The Witcher. Either way, he is incredible in this film, despite the disturbing nature of the film, itself.
‘Immortals’
In this film, Cavill stars as Theseus, the mythological king and founder and hero of Athens and chosen by the gods as a warrior. Said to be the bastard child of Zeus, Theseus has to battle supernatural and ghastly armies no human could battle, and he is victorious each time.
Cavill truly has a knack for showing up in film and showing that he is whatever character he is playing and that he truly embodies the art of who they are. I guess if you consider the fact that he went on to play Superman, one of the most powerful beings on Earth, it makes sense that he could easily portray a god, or at the very least, a demigod.
‘Mission Impossible: Fallout’
Image via Paramount
Henry Cavill is an absolute jerk! Okay, so maybe that is a bit extreme, but in this film, Cavill’s character, August Walker, is a double agent and assassin tasked with derailing everything that Tom Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, and his team, have ever accomplished. Cavill plays the role so well that you can’t help but love him, despite the fact that he is absolutely awful.
The fantastic mustache that Cavill dons is also an amazing presence (unfortunately for the Justice League reshoots, this is the mustache that caused the awful CGI snafu to occur). It just goes to show that Cavill can be a clean-shaven baby face, or he can be a fully mustached gentleman assassin, and he can pull it all off without question.
‘Sand Castle’
Now this is Cavill truly shining in a film! In this film, he stars as Special Forces Captain Syverson, running a dangerous operation in Baqubah, Iraq. While some have attempted to play similar roles without success, Cavill presents a very commanding presence and is entirely believable as a Special Forces Captain. His authenticity in this role simply cannot be questioned.
Cavill’s grizzled appearance with a scruffy beard and buzzed head, coupled with his no-BS attitude, he is the quintessential military leader. He shows that he can be ruthless while still having a heart, and that is a dynamite combination as it shows that his acting is not to be trifled with. In a film that has so much devastation and pain, Cavill’s character brings hope to us all.
‘The Witcher’
Just like Superman, Cavill was born for this role. His portrayal of Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher is likely, hands down, his best role to date. He truly embodies Geralt, a witcher and magical mutant made for the purpose of hunting down and killing monsters. He is a master swordsman and an unstoppable force against darkness
After three amazing seasons, Cavill has become synonymous with The Witcher, and it is interesting to note that he will not be returning for season four (reportedly being replaced by Liam Hemsworth). In the meantime, however, we can forever enjoy Cavill gracing the small screen as Geralt in the first three seasons of The Witcher, exclusively on Netflix.
‘Man of Steel’
Let’s just get something straight really quick: Superman is quite possibly the most beloved of all superheroes. At the same time, however, he is also one of the most ridiculously unrealistic characters in all film and TV, overpowered in the extreme. That said, Cavill is the best on-screen Man of Steel since Christopher Reeve. Cavill is truly the Superman that the world both wanted AND needed.
When it came out in 2013, Man of Steel was the absolute apple in the eye of comic book lovers. To finally have an actor who truly embodies the natural charisma of Superman as well as the quirky nature of Clark Kent, it was instantly magical. Cavill truly demonstrated that there was no better person for the role, and fans are truly looking forward to seeing a highly anticipated Man of Steel sequel – fingers crossed!
Honorable Mention: ‘The Tudors’
In his time on the Showtime series, The Tudors, Cavill portrayed Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and longtime friend of King Henry the VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Cavill’s character, while good friends with the King, is often competing against him without any care for what consequences might come of beating the King in any given game or match.
Cavill portrays Brandon with such ease, demonstrating that he can step into any role based in any time period, and he can nail it with perfect precision. This series demonstrated the depth of Cavill’s abilities and showcased how truly enjoyable he is to see on screen, and that he would be a leading man in no time. And it was not long after its 2007 debut that Cavill began landing those leading roles that were well deserved.
