The big picture
- The performances of Oscar Isaac a
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
i
annihilation
show his incredible range and skills as an actor. - He transitions effortlessly between likable and unreliable characters, demonstrating his comedic chops and ability to unsettle viewers.
- Isaac's busy schedule to shoot both films simultaneously did not hinder his performances, but rather cemented his reputation as a reliable and talented actor.
Oscar Isaac he is one of the greatest actors of his generation. The Emmy nominee blew us away dune of the director Denis Villeneuve, Scenes from a marriage with Jessica Chastain, Knight of the Moon in the MCU and the blockbuster Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. He then stars alongside Kristen Stewart in what is sure to be a successful vampire film, flesh of the gods. The in-demand actor is clearly very busy. So busy, in fact, that there was a time when he ended up shooting two of his best projects at once: Star Wars: The Last Jedi i annihilation.
Yes, these are two very different films, both with Isaac delivering radically different performances. The films themselves have been praised by most audiences and critics, but Isaac's work in them cannot be understated. He is a power of presence, either in his comic cuts or in his own ability to alienate and unsettle viewers with ease. How he was able to deliver these two performances so close together is not only impressive, but further cements his place as one of the most reliable people working in film.
'Inside Llewyn Davis' and 'Ex Machina' demonstrate Oscar Isaac's range
Before Isaac became the household name it is today, he actually carved his trade for years and years. Isaac's acting career began in the late 90s when she appeared in the crime drama Illtown. From there, he would appear in films like All about the Benjamins, Lenny the wonderful dogi The story of the Nativity, where he played Saint Joseph. Isaac also spent his early years studying acting at The Juilliard School, where he would continue to hone his craft. The early 2010s saw him skyrocket in popularity after playing major roles in films like Robin Hood i To drive. In 2013, Isaac would star Coen brothers' masterpiece Inside Llewyn Davis, and his career would be set. Oscar Isaac was here to play and here to stay.
Although a few years later he would film two of his best films simultaneously, 2015 would see Isaac's first year as a true mainstream presence. He starred Ex Machinaa science fiction thriller written and directed by Alex Garland which follows a genius tech developer as he administers the Turing Test between one of his employees and artificial intelligence. (Yes, things are really bad.) Ex Machina it shows Isaac's versatility as an actor. Here, he's likable, then he turns unreliable, only to get laughs the next second until he turns around and becomes a jerk. That's also saying it well. Inside Llewyn Davis declared the arrival of Isaac, however Ex Machina it was the touchdown.
Oscar Isaac's Star Wars character Poe Dameron is the franchise's best
Yes Ex Machina it was Oscar Isaac's career touchdown, then Star Wars: The Force Awakens It was him kicking the ball and celebrating with his team (aka the world because we're all team Oscar Isaac). Isaac is not there The Force Awakens like Poe Dameron too a lot, but when he is, he's the most enjoyable and funniest presence in the entire film. At first, you expect him to be the new Han Solo (Harrison Ford), but it actually ends up doing its own thing. He's just a good-natured pilot with a lot of heart; there is not an ounce of anti-hero to be found in him. Scenes where he faces Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a police friend gets to work with Finn (John Boyega), and celebrating the reunion with BB-8 are just some of the moments that made this character one of the best in the sequel trilogy.
If only we knew how much more Dameron we'd have in the follow-up. After it came out, we all knew there was going to be another Star Wars movie, but no one knew that Isaac would be reunited with Alex Garland. Maybe if we knew we'd get another Isaac-Garland collaboration in a Star Wars double-header a few years from now, you never know, maybe world peace would have been achieved? And so it was, Isaac would film Garland's two annihilation i Star Wars: The Last Jedi at the same time.
'Annihilation' features a chilling performance by Oscar Isaac
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Isaac detailed that the films were not only shot at the same time but shot in the same studio. There were even days when he would shoot one film and then have to go straight to the next one after he was done with the day's work. Fortunately, neither film took precedence over the other. In fact, The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and producers Ram Bergman i Kathleen Kennedy They were all very accommodating to Isaac's busy schedule, giving him and Alex Garland the freedom to continue working on annihilation. The whole dual experience actually seems to have been positive for Isaac. He even said it had a real “classic” (Hollywood) touch, equating everything Pee Wee's Big Adventurewhen Pee Wee (Paul Rubens) walks around a studio lot with tons of different actors in various costumes walking around.
If you were to sit down and watch the two films back to back, it would be a pretty jarring double feature. In annihilationplays Kane, a man who has spent months in “The Shimmer”, a mysterious quarantine zone from which nothing has ever returned after entering. Kane, on the other hand, is the first to return, and when he returns home. his wife, Lena (Natalie Portman), something is very, very strange about him. There are flashbacks throughout annihilation which show that Kane was a good husband to Lena, but overall, Isaac is a sinister force in this film. Upon returning home, Kane is disoriented, carries a real alien air about him, and quickly appears to be physically deteriorating. Without spoiling things, Isaac's performance only gets more horrifying as the film progresses. Watch out for a brutal scene with a video camera, as well as an interesting shift in emphasis in the second half. Isaac has gone all out here, and it's a masterful job.
'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' turns Oscar Isaac's Poe into a leader
If you're still planning your double feature and haven't seen any of these movies, you might already have an idea that you should. no to begin with annihilation. This movie is great, but boy is it oppressive and bleak. Instead, you should check out Isaac's work first The Last Jedi. There isn't much that Isaac does differently here than inside The Force Awakens, but is given much more screen time. Here, Poe Dameron's biggest story involves going up against Vice Admiral Holo (Laura Dern), who ends up taking the role of Supreme Commander after General Leia (Carrie Fisher) enters a coma.
It's exciting to see Poe not only being the light and funny wing of his second Star Wars adventure, but actually taking on a meaningful role. By the end of the film, Poe goes from being the sequel trilogy's signature good X-wing pilot to a responsible leader. It doesn't matter what you think about polarization The Last Jedi, we can all agree Isaac nails it. This is the role that made him one of Hollywood's most likable leads – what more could you ask for? The Last Jedi i annihilation they're the perfect one-two punch demonstrate Oscar Isaac's skills as an actor. He has an incredible and wide range of performances, and in these two films alone, he shows a lot of what he is capable of. In case you've never seen one (you probably have), start this double feature. Have a neck brace ready…you'll get whiplash!
