Best Acting In Thriller Films

Acting 

One of the most important aspects of a film is the performance made by the actor. Even with presence of epic action sequences, fast paced background music and plot twists, it is the responsiblity of the actor to bring a sense of realness and emotion to the film that brings it out alive and resonates with the hearts of the audience and leaves a long lasting impression. 

"Film acting, like all art, is a form of communication, a relationship with another human being on an emotional level. Just as great artists define themselves by their art, so do brilliant film actors communicate through their quality, which is personality combined with talent"

An excerpt from The Art of Film Acting: A Guide for Actors and Directors 

Shutter Island (2010) (Spoiler Alert)

The criminally underrated thriller mystery film directed by Martin Scorsese staring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley is a masterclass on acting. The film presents DiCaprio's acting at it's finest as it is filled with subtle details that highlights the maddening past behind DiCaprio's acting.

One of DiCaprio's many talents is to crawl into the skin of the character and become one with the character he is playing. Especially as he utters the iconic closing lines of the film after the most unexpected plot twist, his acting is through the roof.

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I Saw The Devil (2010)

There is a saying in the showbiz that no one does revenge stories as good as South Korea. The Kim Jee-woon directed thriller drama starring Choi Min‑sik as Kyung‑Chul is one of South Korea’s finest thrillers made besides Oldboy which is also a cinematic masterpiece. Choi Min‑sik who stars in both the thrillers displays his acting skills at a level the audience cannot imagine.

The film is not made for those without a strong stomach as it is filled blood and violence, but the story is enhanced by the acting given that film blurs the lines between good and evil or hunter and prey to be exact, the acting is what ties together the whole film and leaves the audience with a strong sense of thrill.

Gone Girl (2014)

David Fincher's psychological thriller starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck is film that breaks down the "The Cool Girl" trope and challenges gender norms. Many critics acclaimed Pike's performance of Amy Dunne was the best acting in a movie that year, she was even nominated for a Academy Award. 

The iconic opening and closing shot of the film

Ben Affleck's acting as sloppy, unfaithful husband was perfect to match Pike's acting in the film, both the roles supported each other. As the story unfurls the movies blurs the line between who's correct Nick or Amy but the real enemy of the film is marriage. 

Ben Affleck as Nick Dunne

 "Dark, intelligent, and stylish to a fault, Gone Girl plays to director David Fincher's sick strengths while bringing the best out of stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike."

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Inception (2010)

The Christopher Nolan directed science fiction action thriller film contains an ensemble of cast including Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, and Michael Caine.

The film contains many mind-bending science fiction concepts and layered plotlines, but what makes the film the masterpiece it is, is the acting by the actors. The movie is defined by the emotional motivations of the characters and each character's past which is in perfect synergy with the movie's plot. 

"Cillian Murphy saved this movie from being just a heist. With all those emotions he expresses on his face, he lets us see he isn't just a mark, but a victim; when he kneels at his father's deathbed and cries he shows us the depth of the character's humanity, And makes us  feel for Fischer and his loneliness."

Even the reaction when Cobb returns to his children, the subtle acting denoting that he does not care whether he is dreaming or if it's real makes the film the masteriece it is. 

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