Perhaps the most ironic movie moment of the year so far occurred in late September, when the script for upcoming WikiLeaks thriller “The Fifth Estate,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch as founder Julian Assange, was leaked on WikiLeaks. It made for a wonderful exposé.
Controversy aside, after becoming one of the most well-known British actors on the planet, Cumberbatch has overcome his typecast to play one of the most well-known Australians on the planet, to positive words from even Assange himself. Follow that up with his upcoming season of “Sherlock” and role as Smaug in “The Hobbit” films, and the world is getting truly saturated by Cumberbatch.
Sebastian Torrelio still enjoys his consistently talented roles, while Tony Huang is getting exasperated by the exposure.
BY SEBASTIAN TORRELIO
“Sherlock” is definitely a good show, but I’m not as over-the-top enthused about it as most people seem to be. The writing can sometimes be dull, and its portrayal of mysterious literary icons, especially that of Irene Adler, seem a bit lost in translation – succumbing more to the brilliance of Cumberbatch’s Holmes than standing out as that of a heroine.confirmed with writer<” class=”inline-comment collapsed”>
But hey, at least Cumberbatch is amazing, and enough so to make the entire show worthwhile just for letting him play the role. He seems to do well as the quieter figure, with a hidden background and agenda. “Star Trek Into Darkness,” independent of its connection to the adored source material, features Cumberbatch as the infamous Khan, with a tone so deep and resonating that it succinctly signals evil from the first moment it’s heard. Cumberpatch plays the sociopathic mastermind, whether good or bad, to a tee.
And it’s not as though he has few other talents. His role as World War I gentleman Christopher Tietjens in British miniseries “Parade’s End” earned him a hardly recognized Emmy nomination for a role as far away from Khan’s as possible, playing a vulnerable, heartbroken lover. He’s proven he has the range, and despite the indeterminate final verdict on “The Fifth Estate,” Cumberbatch’s role as Assange evokes so much passion, risk and accent that it is bound to be a triumph.
Is it too much? Not yet – seeing his credit is still enough to get me at least partially excited for any film. But there is one thing that Tony and I agree upon: The Assange wig is horrid. Unless the only thing they could find was an Andy Warhol wig that had never been washed, it’s inexcusableconfirmed with writer<‘ class=”inline-comment collapsed”>
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BY TONY HUANG
Somehow, some way, in the wake of “Sherlock,” it appears as though all of Tumblr turned into GIFs of Sherlock Holmes smirking that trademark smirk, probably surrounded by other GIFs implying that he’s crazy for Dr. Watson. And then, people discovered his name was really, actually, Benedict Cumberbatch, and I assume we just short-circuit when anything that’s British comes around, so suddenly he’s the actor of our generation.
Newsflash: He’s not. Or at least, he’s hardly proven himself. “Sherlock” is a fine show, but his Holmes is nothing to be too impressed by. A smug intellectual with a perpetual smirk who intones flatly and suppresses all emotional impulse – whoop-de-do!
I’ll give that his impish countenance and thin frame make for a compellingly difficult protagonist, and that his casting gives the show a certain pizzazz. But now that he’s everywhere it becomes necessary to isolate what his screen presence actually is. And if his “Star Trek Into Darkness” performance says anything, it’s that, outside of the otherworldly London of “Sherlock,” his otherworldly face is unintentionally goofy, and his acting ability can’t quite make up the difference.
More proof: Cumberbatch’s Julian Assange – strange, effervescent wig and all – could probably pick up a bow and arrow and walk right into Middle Earth to go hunt some orcs. Point being that other than his long elfish face, his appeal hasn’t found footing in a compelling on-screen persona. George Clooney can die halfway through a movie and still infuse it with his energy.Cumberbatch still feels like a novelty and an attention-grabber who isn’t very expressive.
As is, he has no niche – he’s appearing in almost literally everything. There are new Pokemon games releasing this weekend. For all I know he could be in one of those – hopefully with more convincing headwear.