If some movie lovers had their way, Henry Cavill would still be Superman, flying through the skies of Metropolis and Kahndaq while trying to stop Black Adam from changing the hierarchy of power. Or he’d be the next James Bond, gobbling down Martinis using taxpayers’ money. For years, fans have dedicated plenty of time to fighting for Cavill’s casting rights, but he isn’t exactly a mistreated actor. The British star has starred in many great movies and TV shows ever since he played Albert Mondego in The Count of Monte Cristo. And just as it seems like Cavill is an oppressed actor, it always seems like critics are against him. Argylle’s reviews were so brutal you’d think he is the worst actor to ever walk the face of the earth. However, most of his movies have high scores on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that critics don’t always frown upon seeing “The Cavillrine.” But how do his top movies rank against each other? Here’s what the Cavill chart on the review aggregator website looks like.
Reacher and Geralt in the same movie? Such is the treat Guy Ritchie gives us in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. The film starring Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson is a slightly exaggerated account of Operation Postmaster: a British plan to occupy the Italian and German U-boats and steer them to West Africa, leaving the Axis Forces under-equipped. Described by critics as “a high-octane action flick that’s heavy on spectacle if not suspense,” The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare goes hard on action and flair, like most Guy Ritchie movies. The director seems to be on a mission to release a movie each year, and it’s all hit-and-miss for him, but this right here is one of his finest. In addition to that, the dialogue is marvelous. You’ll get quotes like “It’s one thing taking over the world, but do they have to take over the kitchen too? It’s all sausage, cabbage, and black bread,” and “I’m not leaving until I have a barrel full of Nazi hearts.”
We have strange bedfellows in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The movie revolves around Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill), a CIA agent, and Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), a KGB operative, who must take a break from shooting at each other to prevent an evil criminal organization from using nuclear weapons. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is proof that we need about 10 Henry Cavill and Guy Ritchie collaborations. It’s also the movie that convinced everyone that Cavill needed to play James Bond. He looks just like Agent 007, but this isn’t a one-man show. Every cast member takes their job seriously. The critics’ consensus notes that the film “tries to distract from an unremarkable story with charismatic stars and fizzy set pieces, adding up to an uneven action thriller with just enough style to overcome its lack of substance.” But the spy flick is much better than these words might suggest.
Fans bullied Warner Bros. enough to force the studio to release the Snyder Cut, and we are glad it all happened. Titled Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the film sees various superheroes teaming up to stop the extradimensional New God Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and his vicious army of Parademons from conquering Earth on behalf of the overlord Darkseid (Ray Porter). The good thing about Zack Snyder’s Justice League is that it isn’t just a director’s cut, but a 242-minute correction of a cinematic mistake, with extra scenes and extra characters. It redeems various DCEU pariahs, notably, Jared Leto’s Joker, who looks so cool while telling Batman how there is no longer any honor in society. Critics concluded that the film “lives up to its title with a sprawling cut that expands to fit the director’s vision – and should satisfy the fans who willed it into existence.”
Based on Alexandre Dumas’ 1844 book, The Count of Monte Cristo follows a naïve sailor who gets falsely accused of treason after being betrayed by a friend who secretly desires his life and his woman. Years later, he escapes, finds a treasure, and becomes rich, reinventing himself as the Count of Monte Cristo. But revenge is on his mind. Fans of historical adventure films will be overjoyed, given how the film combines so many elements, yet it never feels bloated. There are memorable swashbuckling scenes, Napoleon in exile, a treasure hunt, Bohemian intrigues of Parisian high society, and prison machinations. Most importantly, the performances are great. The Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus reads: “Though it may not reach for any new artistic heights, The Count of Monte Cristo is an old-fashioned yet enjoyable swashbuckler.” Henry Cavill was one of the most beloved actors of the DCEU. Now that his time in the franchise has ended, we look at who he could play in the MCU.
Stardust concerns a young man who journeys into a magical kingdom to retrieve a fallen star to give to his love interest, in return for her hand in marriage. Unknown to him, the star is a woman named Yvaine, and witches are hunting her down. What will transpire? Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Ricky Gervais, Peter O’Toole, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Henry Cavill, and so on. Matthew Vaughn packed more stars into Stardust than you’ll remember, so the performances are wonderful. The visuals are stunning too, and the story flows smoothly, thanks to the decision to stick to the tone of the Neil Gaiman novel on which the film is based. Critics were impressed, describing it as “a faithful interpretation that captures the spirit of whimsy, action, and off-kilter humor of Neil Gaiman.”
I Capture the Castle introduces us to a family wallowing in desperation. The patriarch hasn’t been able to write another successful novel in 12 years, so money is a problem. One of his daughters thus takes it upon herself to seduce a wealthy man, hoping the move will change her family’s circumstances. Here, Cavill plays an archetypal romance novel character, a handyman who falls for the author’s other daughter. He doesn’t have much, but women see a lot in him. The film thrives by focusing on the little things: the arguments, the declarations of love, and so on. On top of that, the views are stunning. “A handsome and charming adaptation of the novel,” reads the critics’ summary on Rotten Tomatoes.
In Deadpool & Wolverine, the titular character discovers that the Time Variance Authority seeks to destroy his universe, so he works with a booze-loving Wolverine from another universe to prevent that from happening. While at it, he gets to meet several other cool heroes from Marvel’s past. This right here is the film that pushed a falling MCU back to its feet. Critics describe it as “an irreverent romp with a surprisingly soft spot for a bygone era of superhero movies,” and you’ll love everything about it. Friends in real life, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman coordinate beautifully in Deadpool & Wolverine, and Henry Cavill makes an unforgettable cameo as a Wolverine variant known as The Cavillrine. Prepare to be overfed with cool one-liners.
Sometimes tackling the same story from a different angle is all that’s needed. In Enola Holmes, Sherlock Holmes’ sister heads to London to find her missing brother, only to find herself solving a major mystery with the help of a runaway lord. Enola Holmes was made for theaters, via Warner Bros., but it had to be dumped onto Netflix due to COVID-19. It turned out to be valuable trash, becoming the streaming giant’s most-watched original movie. Why did so many people watch it? Cavill is good, but he gives Millie Bobby Brown ample space to shine. The costume design team also outdid itself. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film “brings a breath of fresh air to Baker Street – and leaves plenty of room for Millie Bobby Brown to put her effervescent stamp on a franchise in waiting.”
In Enola Holmes 2, the titular character opens her detective agency but has a hard time getting major clients like her famous brother Sherlock Holmes. Thankfully, things open up when Bessie, a factory girl, approaches her, seeking help in finding her missing sister. Also released on Netflix, Enola Holmes 2 performed extremely well, topping viewership charts in 93 countries. Fears that the first film’s awesomeness couldn’t be topped were quickly erased in this wonderful tale of sibling love and career struggles. The choice to draw inspiration from the 1888 matchgirls’ strike rather than the books was wise, as Sherlock Holmes fans got treated to a story they weren’t already familiar with. Critics felt that the film “solves the mystery of how to make a satisfying sequel – and makes it look positively elementary.”
Mission: Impossible – Fallout sees Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the IMF team teaming up with CIA assassin August Walker (Henry Cavill) to stop a terrorist group known as the Apostles from attacking Jerusalem, the Vatican, and Mecca. But is Walker who he really says he is? From endless globetrotting to a labyrinthine, twist-packed plot, Mission: Impossible – Fallout has all you’d want in a spy action movie. Watch out for the Paris motorcycle chase sequence. Critics were in awe, their consensus stating that the film “lives up to the ‘impossible’ part of its name by setting yet another high mark for insane set pieces in a franchise full of them.”