The Cage-Off is back! We’re ready to pick up right from where we left off, and that was on the left-hand side of the first knock-out round. The first four match ups saw Bringing Out the Dead, Moonstruck, Vampire’s Kiss and Dream Scenario make it through, but which films will join them?
Lord of War vs It Could Happen to You
These films could not be more different in tone. We have a crime drama vs a romantic comedy drama. We have a criminal in arms dealer Yuri Orlov taking on a mild-mannered cop in Charlie Lang. Now normally, if you pitted anything against a romantic comedy, there would be little chance in that romantic comedy coming out on top with me. That said, It Could Happen to You is a really charming film. Cage’s character comes across as a really nice guy, and he works so well on-screen with Bridget Fonda. If only Yuri Orlov in Lord of War wasn’t also so damned charming.
Both films also have a great supporting cast. In It Could Happen to You, Rosie Perez does a great job as Charlie’s wife who wants to keep all of the money. She’s rather demonised in the film, but rises to it. Stanley Tucci is always brilliant, but underused. In Lord of War Bridget Moynahan is great as Orlov’s wife, Ethan Hawke’s Jack Valentine is the agent constantly on his tail, and even Jared Leto’s decent as Yuri’s brother.
As much as I enjoyed It Could Happen to You, Lord of War is the one that sticks with me. There’s more excess with Yuri’s character versus the reserved Charlier Lang, so Lord of War progresses.
Pig vs Red Rock West
Here we have a film that recently surprised me vs one I once saw long ago and took me an age to track down again at a reasonable price. We have a guy hunting for his truffle pig vs a man mistaken for a hitman who chooses to take the job anyway. We have two films that could have gone further in the competition, without a doubt, if only fate hadn’t thrown them together.
It’s really difficult to separate the two when you simply look at which is the better film. Both are great. The plots are interesting with plenty of surprises. Both have some really great scenes. Both have decent casts. Dennis Hopper, of course, is great as the hitman in Red Rock West. But this isn’t the Hopper-Off. It’s the Cage Off.
In Pig, Cage goes further with the intensity of the character. In Red Rock West he rather gets caught up in a scenario which gets wilder and wilder. In Pig, he’s willing to go to whatever depths it takes to get his pig back. In many scenes, he’s caked in blood, wild-eyed, and desperate. For that reason, Pig’s the movie that goes through. Sorry Red Rock West.
National Treasure vs Renfield
One of Cage’s most profitable films vs an absolutely iconic role. Benjamin Franklin Gates vs Count Dracula. National treasure is absolutely ridiculous, with some of its most outlandish lines captured in memes. But in Renfield, Cage brings almost a century of portrayals of Dracula to the table and plays it like it’s the most fun role he’s ever had.
I’m genuinely agonising over this one. When I rewatched National Treasure, it was so much more fun than I remembered. But in Renfield, Nicolas Cage flies.
I suppose you could argue that in Renfield, Cage is not the protagonist (obviously, the titular Renfield is), so he doesn’t have nearly as much screen time as he does in National Treasure. But when he is on screen, he’s so damned glorious, hamming it up deliciously. So, for all the fun of National Treasure, it’s knocked out, and Renfield progresses.
The Trust vs The Weather Man
You get this in knockout competitions some times. Two contenders who are far from favourites drawn together. Two films and two roles that would fall if placed against any of the other six in this quarter of the draw, but here they are, Lieutenant Jim Stone in The Trust, vs weather man David Spritz in, um, The Weather Man. The Trust is a lot of fun – the chemistry between Cage’s character and Elijah Wood’s keeping it moving throughout. It’s a nice, little heist movie with an unexpected ending. The Weather Man, is the overall stronger film, and there’s more variety from Cage in the role as the demands of being a divorced father and seeking a new job boil over. Cage does frustration well. At this point, though, I wish I’d watched Matchstick Men last year. Now that would have been a contender.
I’ll be back soon (maybe) to continue with the first knockout round.
If you can’t wait and need a little more Cage in your life, check out The Unofficial and Unauthorised Nicolas Cage Puzzlebook.