10 Strange Daniel Radcliffe Movies That Show Off His Acting Range

Summary

• Daniel Radcliffe’s film choices post-Harry Potter showcase his incredible acting range and willingness to take on strange roles.
• From playing a magical dead body in Swiss Army Man to a villain in The Lost City, Radcliffe’s versatility shines in diverse genres.
• Radcliffe excels in unexpected roles like a drug smuggler in Beasts of Burden and a comedic musician in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.

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Daniel Radcliffe is one of the most interesting and impressive actors of the modern era, and these 10 strange Daniel Radcliffe movie roles perfectly show off his acting range. Although Radcliffe is most popular for his role in the Harry Potter franchise, he has appeared in all kinds of interesting films since then. While some of these movies are incredibly strange, they have the benefit of showing off all the wacky different ways that Daniel Radcliffe can act.

Daniel Radcliffe started out as a child actor, with him immediately being thrust into stardom with the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. After the conclusion of the Harry Potter franchise, Daniel Radcliffe was one of the most popular actors in Hollywood, with the actor having a bright future ahead of him. However, since Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe has made the surprising choice to mostly stay away from franchises, with him instead appearing in these 10 strange films.

10 Swiss Army Man

2016

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Swiss Army Man
R
Adventure
Comedy
Drama

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Starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, the 2016 comedy Swiss Army Man follows Hank, a man who befriends a dead body on a deserted island and uses its unexpected abilities to survive. It is the directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan and also features Mary Elizabeth Winstead in its cast.

Director Dan Kwan , Daniel Scheinert Release Date July 1, 2016 Writers Daniel Scheinert , Dan Kwan Cast Timothy Eulich , Aaron Marshall , Daniel Radcliffe , Marika Casteel , Paul Dano , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , Richard Gross Main Genre Adventure

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One of the most critically acclaimed films that Daniel Radcliffe has ever appeared in is 2016’s Swiss Army Man. Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Swiss Army Man follows Paul Dano’s Hank as he becomes stranded on a deserted island, with him finding a seemingly magical dead body (Daniel Radcliffe) who is equipped with all sorts of strange abilities that can help Hank get back home.

Swiss Army Man is a hilarious comedy, and despite Daniel Radcliffe playing a dead body, he is one of the funniest parts of the film. Daniel Radcliffe’s physical performance throughout Swiss Army Man is absolutely hilarious, with his performance as the titular Swiss army man making or breaking the film. However, Daniel Radcliffe is also able to make the emotional beats of the film hit home, turning Swiss Army Man into a critical hit.

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9 Guns Akimbo

2019

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Guns Akimbo
Action
Comedy
Thriller

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Starring Daniel Radcliffe and Samara Weaving, the action comedy Guns Akimbo follows the unlucky programmer Miles, who gets thrown into a real-life game to the death broadcasted by the cybergang “Skizm”, which forces its participants to kill each other until only one remains. With a pair of guns bolted into his hands, Miles escapes from the deadly assassin Nix and tries to save himself for as long as he can.

Director Jason Lei Howden Release Date February 27, 2020 Writers Jason Lei Howden Cast Daniel Radcliffe , Samara Weaving , Rhys Darby , Ned Dennehy , Mark Rowley , Natasha Liu Bordizzo

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Only a few years after the release of Swiss Army Man, Daniel Radcliffe continued his trend of appearing in really odd movies by signing onto Guns Akimbo. Directed by Jason Lei Howden, Guns Akimbo follows Daniel Radcliffe’s Miles Lee Harris, a game developer who wakes up to find guns bolted to each of his hands. Miles is forced to participate in a massive murderous battle royale, one that is ridiculously strange.

Guns Akimbo was a departure from Daniel Radcliffe’s previous film roles, with it being the first time that he has taken on a leading role in an action comedy. Although reviews for Guns Akimbo were mixed, Daniel Radcliffe is undeniably the best part of the film, with the entire premise being sold by his personality and performance. Radcliffe’s fearful and comedic demeanor make for an interesting action comedy, with him being the highlight of Guns Akimbo.

8 Horns

2013

Horns
r
Horror
Thriller

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Daniel Radcliffe stars in Horns as Ig Perrish, a man who grows a pair of horns that make people confess their deepest secrets and uses them to uncover the truth about the murder of his girlfriend. The 2013 horror comedy features Max Minghella, Joe Anderson, and Juno Temple in supporting roles.

Director Alexandre Aja Release Date October 30, 2014 Studio(s) The Weinstein Company Distributor(s) The Weinstein Company , Dimension Films Writers Keith Bunin Cast Daniel Radcliffe Runtime 123minutes

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One of Daniel Radcliffe’s first movie roles after the conclusion of his time in the Harry Potter franchise was the 2013 film Horns, another strange movie that puts Daniel Radcliffe in a rather strange role. Directed by Alexandre Aja, Horns follows Daniel Radcliffe’s Ig Parrish as he is blamed for the murder of his girlfriend, with him also waking up to find that he has grown two horns and developed supernatural powers. Armed with this gift, Ig sets out to find his girlfriend’s true killers in this supernatural horror film.

In Horns, Daniel Radcliffe is able to take a rather silly premise and make it be taken seriously by the audience. Daniel Radcliffe’s performance allows viewers to look past the goofy horns and still see him as a character, one who just wants to avenge his girlfriend’s death and clear his name.

7 The Lost City

2022

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The Lost City
PG-13
Action
Romance
Comedy

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Originally titled The Lost City of D, The Lost City is a romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. Bullock stars as Loretta Sage, a novelist, as well as Dr. Angela Lovemore, the heroine of her successful romance series. Together they try to escape from a billionaire who is hell-bent on discovering an ancient burial chamber that is described in one of Sage’s books.

Director Adam Nee , Aaron Nee Release Date March 25, 2022 Studio(s) Fortis Films , 3dot Productions , Exhibit A Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers Aaron Nee , Oren Uziel , Adam Nee , Dana Fox Cast Sandra Bullock , Channing Tatum , Brad Pitt , Danielle Radcliffe , Patti Harrison , Da’Vine Joy Randolph Runtime 112 Minutes Budget $68 Million

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Daniel Radcliffe is usually stuck portraying heroes, but The Lost City takes a surprising turn by making the actor a villain. Directed by Aaron and Adam Nee, The Lost City follows author Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) as she teams up with cover model Dash McMahon (Channing Tatum) after being kidnapped by a billionaire fan (Daniel Radcliffe) who wants the author to lead him to the ancient treasure from one of her books.

Daniel Radcliffe’s role as a villain is a lot of fun, as it proves that he can truly take on the antagonistic role in a film. However, Radcliffe’s Abigail Fairfax is a villain with a more comedic tone, with him getting some of the best laughs in the film. Radcliffe is able to put on the menace when it is required, however, with him working in whatever ways that The Lost City needs him to.

6 Victor Frankenstein

2015

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Victor Frankenstein
PG-13
Sci-Fi
Drama
Horror

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In the 2016 sci-fi period movie Victor Frankenstein, the events of Mary Shelley’s classic horror tale are retold through the eyes of Igor, the genius’ loyal assistant. James McAvoy co-stars as the titular scientist with Daniel Radcliffe portraying his friend Igor Straussman.

Director Paul McGuigan Release Date November 25, 2015 Studio(s) 20th Century Distributor(s) 20th Century Writers Max Landis Cast Valene Kane , Daniel Radcliffe , Andrew Scott , Freddie Fox , Mark Gatiss , Daniel Mays , James McAvoy , Jessica Brown Findlay Runtime 110minutes Budget $40 million

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One of the weirdest roles that Daniel Radcliffe has played that still shows off his acting range is the 2015 film Victor Frankenstein. Directed by Paul McGuigan and based on Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein, the film is a new take on the beloved story, focusing on the origins of Victor Frankenstein (James McAvoy) and Igor Straussman’s (Daniel Radcliffe) partnership and the beginnings of their work on Frankenstein’s monster.

Although Daniel Radcliffe plays the role that is often written as Victor Frankenstein’s loyal hunchbacked assistant, Victor Frankenstein gives the actor a lot more to do, with him being the moral compass of the film. Igor is the character tasked with trying to snap Victor Frankenstein out of his madness during the creation of Frankenstein’s monster, with Daniel Radcliffe putting a fun new twist on the modern take on Frankenstein.

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5 Escape From Pretoria

2020

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Escape from Pretoria
PG-13
Thriller

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Director Francis Annan Release Date March 6, 2020 Writers L.H. Adams , Francis Annan Cast Daniel Webber , Jeanette Cronin , Nathan Page , Stephen Hunter , Ian Hart , Adam Ovadia , Daniel Radcliffe , Mark Leonard Winter , Adam Tuominen , Ratidzo Mambo Runtime 106 minutes Main Genre Thriller

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Escape from Pretoria is a little-known movie starring Daniel Radcliffe that was released in 2020, with it also being a unique role that most wouldn’t think to cast Radcliffe in. Directed by Francis Annan, Escape from Pretoria tells the true story of two white South African political prisoners who attempt to escape from the notorious Pretoria Prison during the height of apartheid.

Although the film’s release was overshadowed by the COVID-19 Pandemic, it received positive critical reviews, with many of them focusing on Daniel Radcliffe’s performance. Radcliffe’s performance in Pretoria Prison is able to capture the desperation and determination of the real-life anti-apartheid advocate Tim Jenkin, with the film proving that Radcliffe can take on incredibly serious roles in biopics. Radcliffe usually takes on fantastic or comedic roles, so the grounded role of Tim Jenkin is a nice departure for Radcliffe.

4 Beasts Of Burden

2018

Escape from Pretoria isn’t the only serious film that Daniel Radcliffe has appeared in, however, as he also stars in the 2018 film Beasts of Burden. Directed by Jesper Ganslandt, Beasts of Burden follows Sean Haggerty (Daniel Radcliffe), a pilot who works for a drug smuggler that is forced to fly a large shipment of cocaine across the border between the United States and Mexico. However, he begins to question his allegiance to the drug smuggling ring as he completes his mission.

Beasts of Burden is an incredibly tense crime film, and Daniel Radcliffe’s performance highlights the danger and suspense of the situation that he is in. Although Radcliffe is most known for playing nerdy or comedic characters, he perfectly pulls off the looking and feel of a drug smuggler, with his interesting performance further highlighting his range in the post-Harry Potter era.

3 Playmobil: The Movie

2019

Playmobil: The Movie may seem like nothing more than a knock off attempting to cash in on The LEGO Movie, and while it wasn’t a critical success, it is an interesting case study on Daniel Radcliffe’s career. Directed by Lino DiSalvo, the animated film follows two humans who are transported into the world of Playmobil toys, with Daniel Radcliffe playing a Playmobil secret agent who has to help the duo navigate the toy world and find a way for them to return home.

Playmobil: The Movie may not be the best film, but Daniel Radcliffe is definitely one of the best parts of it. The movie shows off that live-action isn’t the only realm that Daniel Radcliffe can dominate in, as he is also able to excel in the world of voice acting. Playmobil: The Movie highlights the possibility for further and better voice acting roles for Radcliffe’s future, which is an exciting possibility for the actor.

2 The F Word

2013

The F Word (2013)
PG-13
Comedy
Romance

The F Word, also known as What If, is a romantic comedy directed by Michael Dowse. Starring Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan, the movie centers on the friendship of Wallace and Chantry, which becomes a strained and complicated one as they both struggle with their feelings for each other – despite Chantry having a long-term boyfriend.

Director Michael Dowse Release Date August 7, 2013 Studio(s) No Trace Camping , Caramel Film Distributor(s) Entertainment One , CBS Films Writers Elan Mastai , T.J. Dawe , Michael Rinaldi Cast Daniel Radcliffe , Zoe Kazan , Megan Park , Adam Driver , Mackenzie Davis Runtime 98 minutes Main Genre Romantic Comedy

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The F Word is a cult classic romantic comedy that stars Daniel Radcliffe, with it also being a strange choice for him in the immediate years after the end of the Harry Potter series. Directed by Michael Dowse and released as What If in some countries, The F Word follows Daniel Radcliffe’s Wallace, a man who has had a tough run with relationships until he finally finds the perfect woman. Unfortunately, she happens to already have a boyfriend.

Daniel Radcliffe’s previous films weren’t strictly about romance, and while Harry Potter did have some love interests, The F Word was the first time that Daniel Radcliffe was in a proper romantic comedy. As the lead of the film, Radcliffe works perfectly, with him bringing the charm that is needed to make the genre and premise work. Although Radcliffe hasn’t appeared in many romantic comedies since, The F Word proves that he can easily work in these types of roles.

1 Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

2022

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Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
TV-14
Documentary

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Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a comedy/documentary film featuring Daniel Radcliffe as the accordion-slinging comedic musician. In an exaggerated take on his life, the movie follows Al Yankovic’s early days and critical career points, including a tumultuous affair with a major celebrity, a domineering manager, and the various songs and performances that elevated him to stardom.

Director Eric Appel Release Date September 8, 2022 Writers Eric Appel Cast Daniel Radcliffe , Jack Black , Evan Rachel Wood Runtime 104 minutes Budget 8 million

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Although Daniel Radcliffe has appeared in all kinds of great roles since, the actor’s biggest, funniest, and weirdest role since Harry Potter is undoubtedly his role as the titular musician in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Directed by Eric Appel, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story tells the not-so-true story of parody musician “Weird” Al Yankovic, with Daniel Radcliffe showing Weird Al’s journey from a guy who was just trying to make his friends laugh to one of the most popular comedy musicians in the world.

Although Daniel Radcliffe is surrounded by major actors like Jack Black and Rainn Wilson throughout, Daniel Radcliffe is always the highlight of the film, with his performance being the funniest part of Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Appearing in a parody of musical biopics is obviously a weird move for Daniel Radcliffe, but it proves why he is as beloved as he is.

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment