Out of all the over-the-top and outrageous actors in Hollywood, no performer has a reputation for playing unhinged characters quite likeNicolas Cage. With a firm commitment to every role he has ever played, the most exciting thing about Cage was that he’s never phoned it in, even for movies that most people felt left a lot to be desired. Watching a Cage film was never a waste of time, as although they can vary in quality, his over-the-top characterizations and intense portrayal make for compelling viewing.
Some of the verybest Nicolas Cage moviesfeatured him playing totally unhinged characters as he excelled in action, comedy, drama, and horror movies. As an Oscar-winning performer, Cage’s unique style made him stand apart from the typical Hollywood leading man and inject a level of energy and intensity that’s often missing from other performers’ work.Cage has remained a true eccentric in Hollywood, and his choices have led to some genuinely iconic performances throughout his long and varied career.
10Kick-Ass (2010)
Nicolas Cage as Damon Macready / Big Daddy
Nicolas Cage has always had a fondness for superheroes, which can even be seen when hechanged his name from Coppolaearly in his career and named himself after the Marvel hero Luke Cage. This later extended to his role in theGhostridermovies and being cast as Superman in an unfortunately canceled Tim Burton movie. However, inKick-Ass, Cage got to live out his most unhinged superhero fantasies, as his character is rooted in the real world, making his violent nature feel all the more shocking.
Cage played Damon Macready, the former police officer turned crime-fighting vigilante Big Daddy inKick-Ass. As the first legitimate superhero in theKick-Assuniverse,Macready’s willingness to don a suit of armor and take on the city’s crime made him a truly unpredictable characterwho became even more deranged as he trained his eleven-year-old daughter to become the ruthless hero Hit-Girl. TheKick-Assmovies highlighted the absurdity of people genuinely trying to become superheroes, and Cage’s intense and unhinged persona fit in perfectly with this realistic comic book world.
Kick-Ass
Cast
When average teen Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is mugged, he decides to take matters into his own hands and becomes the vigilante Kick-Ass. Armed with little more than a can-do attitude and nerve damage that makes him resistant to pain, the adolescent hero stumbles into a serious criminal organization. Teaming up with Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), Kick-Ass works to take them down, despite the fact that he’s in over his head.
9Army of One (2016)
Nicolas Cage as Gary Brooks Faulkner
There have been many instances of Nicolas Cage playing a real person, as acclaimed performances such as screenwriter Charlie Kaufman inAdaptationor the hitman Vincent Dwyer inThe Cotton Clubproved. However, Cage’s portrayal of Gary Brooks Faulkner inArmy of Onewas truly one of his wildest and had to be seen to be believed.Army of Onestarred Cage as the real-life unemployed handyman who believed he was on a mission from God to capture Osama bin Ladenand actually went to Pakistan to complete this task.
An outrageous adventure through the badlands of Pakistan with the single-minded purpose of taking out bin Laden once and for all.
Army of Onesaw Cage experiencing visions of God (Russell Brand) and going on an outrageous adventure through the badlands of Pakistan with the single-minded purpose of taking out bin Laden once and for all. Cage’s unique performance highlighted Faulkner’s personal struggles, and although his portrayal was totally unhinged, he also captured the reality at the heart of his character. As an intense exploration of belief, faith, and finding one’s purpose,Army of Onewas an interesting and outrageous viewing experience.
8Pig (2021)
Nicolas Cage as Rob Feld
Only one actor could play a man tirelessly searching for his lostPigwith the emotional conviction needed to make it a genuinely spellbinding experience. As Rob Feld, a reclusive and once-renowned truffle forager, Nicolas Cage gave a truly unpredictable performance that brought viewers on a journey of love and loss as he tried to reclaim his prized pig from thoughtless thieves. With slow-building tension and a dark backstory, it quickly became apparent that Feld was the last person these poachers should have messed with.
AlthoughPigfollowed much of the same structure as a film likeJohn Wick, where the deathly assassin sought after the death of his dog, Cage’s role was quieter, more reserved, and all the more melancholic because of it. This meant that when Feld exploded in bursts of unhinged intensity, it became all the more effective.Pigwas an engulfing film that wouldn’t have worked with any other actor at the helm.
Pig
Starring Nicolas Cage, Pig centers on a truffle hunter in Oregon who returns to his former home in Portland to track down his beloved pig that was stolen from him. The drama mystery was directed by Michael Sarnoski, who would go on to direct the Quiet Place spinoff titled A Quiet Place: Day One.
7The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
Nicolas Cage as Nick Cage
One of the most unhinged characters ever played by Nicolas Cage was actually himself, as seen in the satirical action movieThe Unbearable Wight of Massive Talent. With Cage as a struggling Hollywood actor with a strained relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, this self-aware role leaned heavily into the actor’s unhinged persona. Cage’s character not only acted typically unhinged throughout but was evenplagued and tormented by an imaginative vision of his former self called Nicky Cage, modeled after his time promoting David Lynch’s 1990 movieWild at Heart.
As Cage made his way through this meta-contextual adventure that saw him caught between a billionaire superfan and the CIA, despite the over-the-top nature of its story, the most unhinged thing aboutThe Unbearable Wright of Massive Talentwas himself. With a simultaneous love forThe Cabinet of Dr. CaligariandPaddington 2, Cage’s characterization represented how he has seamlessly traversed intense artistry with mainstream appeal throughout his career. As a wild look behind the curtain of Cage’s understanding of his unhinged reputation,The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talentwas a true treat for lovers of Cage’s work.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent tells the story of a fictionalized version of actor Nicolas Cage when he unwittingly becomes entangled with a criminal cartel. On the brink of bankruptcy, Cage (played by himself) is made an offer he can’t refuse: $1 million to appear at the birthday party of a wealthy fan named Javi (Pedro Pascal). However, Cage’s trip puts him in the middle of a CIA investigation into Javi, and he finds himself caught between his new friend and a whole host of very dangerous people.
6Longlegs (2024)
Nicolas Cage as Longlegs
Themarketing forLonglegsrepeated tactics fromThe Blair Witch Projectto effectively raise excitement for what was being built up as the most unhinged and transformative role of Nicolas Cage’s career. While the horror-thrillerLonglegsslightly fell short of this, it did feature an intensely creepy performance from Cage, who was donned with makeup and was almost unrecognizable as the elusive serial killer Longlegs. With slow-building tension, much of Longleg’s creepy characteristics were unseen as the film took its time revealing the true nature of his character.
With plenty of similarities to the horror classicThe Silence of the Lambs,Cage gave audiences his own take on a killer as deranged and depraved as Hannibal Lecter inLonglegs. As a thriller mix of crime, the occult, and Satanic cults,Longlegsgave Cage the freedom to let loose and deliver a performance likely to keep plenty of viewers up at night. While Cage’s role as Longlegs wasn’t quite as unimaginably extreme as the marketing for the film had suggested, it still proved why he’s considered one of Hollywood’s wildest and most unique actors.
Longlegs
Longlegs is a horror thriller film by writer-director Osgood Perkins. When FBI agent Lee Harker is assigned to a serial killer cold case, their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole riddled with disturbing discoveries and the occult at the center of it all. When the trail of evidence reveals a personal connection, it becomes a race against time to prevent another murder.
Nicolas Cage as Brent Ryan
Nicolas Cage has always thrived on portraying the darkness hidden just below the surface of polite suburban society. This was certainly the case inMom and Dad, a black comedy horror that saw parents caught up in a moment of mass hysteria that saw them attempting to murder their own children. With Cage as the Dad and Selma Blair as the Mom,this wickedly dark story allowed Cage to truly let loose as he hunted down his own flesh and bloodand let out years of buried mild-mannered middle-class aggression.
WhileMom & Dadsadly bombed at the box office, it’s well worth revisiting to witness some pure, unadulterated Cage-centric carnage.
For those unfamiliar with Nicolas Cage’s lunacy,Mom and Dadmay be a good movie to start with, as it perfectly exemplifies all that was unhinged and enthralling about the actor. As both a social commentary and a throwback to horror movies of the past,Mom and Dadwas a thrilling descent into pure insanity that continually upped the stakes throughout its runtime. WhileMom & Dadsadly bombed at the box office, it’s well worth revisiting to witness some pure, unadulterated Cage-centric carnage.
Mom and Dad
Mom and Dad is a 2018 horror-comedy film directed by Brian Taylor. The story centers on a teenage girl and her younger brother who must survive 24 hours when a mass hysteria of unknown origin causes parents to violently turn against their own children. Starring Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair, the film explores themes of parental pressure and generational tensions.
4Face/Off (1997)
Nicolas Cage as Castor Troy/Sean Archer
Not much needs to be said aboutFace/Offto justify its place among Nicolas Cage’s most unhinged movies, as this was the film in which he literally swapped faces with John Travolta. This outrageous action movie really needs to be seen to be believed, as its over-the-top concept of shifting identities was a bizarre and enthralling viewing experience. InFace/Off, Cage played both an FBI agent and a terrorist who underwent experimental surgery to look identical to the other person.
The unique nature ofFace/Offmeant that Cage got to play both the hero and villain of the story as he and Travolta engaged in an intense game of cat-and-mouse with one another. From director John Woo, this was a piece of pure 1990s action entertainment that perfectly encapsulated Cage’s transition from an Oscar-winning actor into a major action movie superstar.Face/Off’sconcept was so ridiculous and over-the-top that it truly went full circle and became a work of genius.
Face/Off
Face/Off is a 1997 action thriller directed by John Woo, featuring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage in lead roles. The film follows an FBI agent who undergoes a facial transplant to assume the identity of a criminal mastermind, a plan that unravels when the criminal awakens and targets his life.
3Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Nicolas Cage as Ben Sanderson
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the massive amount of unhinged characters that Nicolas Cage has played was the variety of their characterization. While many were over-the-top action stars, for others, like Ben Sanderson inLeaving Las Vegas, their outrageousness was linked to how raw and heartbreaking their struggles were. As a deeply troubled character who was determined to drink himself to death in Las Vegas,Cage took home the Oscar for Best Actor for his committed role inLeaving Las Vegas.
This harrowing story explored an alcoholic who was at true rock bottom and determined to load himself up with liquor until he finally met his untimely end. In this disturbing state, Sanderson met a prostitute played by Elisabeth Shue, and together, the two fractured people managed to find some semblance of comfort with one another amid a broken world.Leaving Las Vegaswas an emotionally devastating story, and although it featured Cage in one of his most unhinged roles, it was also a testament to his incredible acting abilities and powerful screen presence.
2Mandy (2018)
Nicolas Cage as Red Miller
Although Nicolas Cage has always had a reputation for pushing his performances into brave new territory, it was inMandythat he took things further than ever before.Mandywas a psychedelic horror film that featured Cage as the lumberjack Red Miller, whose secluded forest life was brutally shattered after a deranged hippie cult murdered his girlfriend. With nothing left to lose, Cage’s character spiraled out of control and embarked on a ruthless mission of vengeance against his lover’s assailants.
With plenty of bizarre and over-the-top violence and an outpouring of devastation and emotion from Cage,Mandy’sthrilling revenge story turned nightmarish as it devolved into total carnage. As a surreal and often uncomfortable viewing experience,Mandywas not for the faint of heart and was a twisted depiction of Cage’s most deranged characteristics. While some viewers will be turned off by just how intense this film was, others will appreciateMandyas a beautifully shot, impressively creative, and downright unhinged showcase ofNicolas Cage’sunique screen presence.
Mandy
2018’s Mandy is a Horror and Action film starring Nicholas Cage. Written and directed by Panos Cosmatos, Cage plays a recovering alcoholic that lives a solitary life with his girlfriend who ends up kidnapped by a mysterious cult. The remainder of the film sees Cage embarking on a bloody quest for revenge.
1Vampire’s Kiss (1989)
Nicolas Cage as Peter Loew
Vampire’s Kisswas a truly unique movie that might just featureNicolas Cage’s scariest performanceas the eccentric literary agent and narcissistic yuppie Peter Loew. This unforgettable performance highlighted Cage as an actor making choices that nobody else in Hollywood would even consider, as his performance was rooted far more in the traditions of German Expressionism than in traditional Hollywood-style acting. As the movie that launched a million Nicolas Cage memes,Vampire’s Kissshowcased the actor at his most unhinged and unpredictable.
With a story following Cage’s character believing himself to be a vampire,Vampire’s Kissquickly spiraled into utter madness as he became increasingly unstable and a danger to those around him. As much a catalog of workplace abuse as it was a supernatural story, Cage’s performance inVampire’s Kissfelt unhinged because the only transformation happening was inside his troubled character’s mind.Vampire’s Kisswas a shocking depiction of dwindling sanity and stood as Cage’s most unhinged role thus far.
Vampire’s Kiss
Nicolas Cage stars in this dark comedy as a literary agent who believes he is turning into a vampire after an encounter with a mysterious woman, leading to increasingly bizarre behavior.
