Hayden Christensen burst onto the Hollywood scene in the early 2000s as the troubled Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. While those films put him on the map, Christensen has starred in a variety of other movies that showcase his range as an actor. From indie dramas to big-budget action spectacles, he has delivered some impressive performances along with a few duds. Let’s take a look at some of Hayden Christensen’s highest and lowest points on the big screen.
Christensen Is A Desperate Father In First Kill Trying To Save His Son
One of Christensen’s strongest performances came in the 2017 thriller First Kill. He plays a Wall Street broker named Will who finds out his son Danny has been kidnapped while on a hunting trip. The kidnappers demand that Will kill another man to get his son back.
This setup creates an ethical dilemma where Will must decide how far he’s willing to go to save his child. Christensen is completely convincing as a loving father who transforms into a desperate man clinging to the hope of seeing his son again. The intensity in his eyes and restrained anger demonstrate his determination.
Even as he meticulously prepares to commit murder, you sympathize with him and want him to succeed. This is one of those performances where Hayden Christensen elevates the entire film.
Takers Transformed Him Into A Talented Looter and Helicopter Pilot
The 2010 heist movie Takers gave Christensen a chance to play an edgier character than audiences were used to seeing. He portrays AJ, as a member of a skilled group of bank robbers who enjoy the thrill of perfectly executed jobs. After the heists, AJ is the pilot who flies the getaway helicopter.
Christensen has a natural swagger in this role that makes him believable as a criminal. During the robbery action sequences, he’s focused and assertive in the midst of chaos. And in the helicopter scenes, he confidently transports his crew away from the crime scene. Takers stretched Christensen’s acting muscles in new directions, resulting in an entertaining performance.
New York, I Love You Highlights Christensen As A Heartfelt Pickpocket
One of Christensen’s most charming roles was in the 2009 anthology film New York, I Love You. He appears in a segment as a pickpocket who falls for an actress played by Rachel Bilson. Even though stealing wallets is how he makes a living, he yearns for a meaningful connection.
Christensen brings plenty of soulful looks and grace to the role. When he serenades Bilson’s character with a ukulele song, it’s an adorably awkward moment. And when he chooses not to steal from someone and makes a sacrifice for love, you feel the significance of that decision. The romance perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the film.
Christensen Plays A Valiant Columnist In Disappearing on Seventh Road
In this 2010 post-apocalyptic thriller, Christensen plays Luke, a reporter trying to uncover why the population suddenly vanished. As he teams up with a small group of survivors, they discover the cause has something to do with darkness consuming people.
Christensen gets to portray a resilient hero in this film. Luke shows courage and leadership skills when navigating the abandoned city streets. He doesn’t shy away from dangerous encounters with the supernatural shadows, even when his mind fills with terror. Christensen’s grounded performance helps sell the high-concept premise. He makes you root for Luke to overcome the ominous forces at play.
Christensen Obtained Teleporting Abilities In Jumper
Jumper is a 2008 sci-fi action flick where Christensen plays David Rice, a teenager who discovers he has the power to instantly teleport anywhere in the world. While this opens up exciting possibilities, a secret organization led by Samuel L. Jackson starts hunting jumpers like David.
Seeing Christensen wield supernatural powers provides lots of fun moments. He has a gleeful energy when testing the limits of teleportation, like materializing in a bank vault to steal cash. And he gets to show off impressive fighting skills during action sequences. Christensen had a blast taking on the superhuman role. The movie is flawed but serves as a solid special effects vehicle for him.
Factory Girl Depended Too Much On His Character
In Factory Girl, Christensen plays a fictionalized version of Bob Dylan, who has a tumultuous relationship with Edie Sedgwick, played by Sienna Miller. The Edie character is the heart of the story, which follows her journey as an Andy Warhol “superstar” who struggles with drug addiction.
Unfortunately, the film leans too heavily on Christensen’s musician role and their romance. Many key moments are portrayed from his perspective rather than Edie’s. This structure dilutes the impact of what should be Edie’s tragic downfall. Christensen does reasonably well channeling Dylan’s speech patterns and swagger, but the character’s prominence detracts from the overall story focus.
Awake Should Have Let Him Display More Emotion
The premise of Awake sounded like it would allow Christensen to demonstrate his dramatic skills. He plays a man named Clay who suffers paralysis during heart transplant surgery but remains conscious. While Claud can’t move, he witnesses doctors plotting to kill his wife for nefarious reasons.
It’s an alarming scenario where the character and actor are confined to a hospital bed for the entire movie. But strangely, Hayden Christensen seems subdued through most of the film. The role doesn’t let him express the fear and anger the character would likely be feeling. The muted performance drains some energy from what should be an emotionally charged thriller.
American Heist Required More Conviction In His Role
Christensen teamed up with Adrian Brody for the crime flick American Heist, a remake of the 1950s film The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery. Christensen is given the role of James, a troubled young man just released from prison who gets pulled into his brother Frank’s bank robbery scheme.
The character of James is meant to demonstrate internal struggle, wanting to go straight but also loyal to his brother. However, Christensen’s performance comes across as timid in places where he needs to convey deep conviction. During the heist action, he seems more like a frightened tag-along than an equal partner in crime. While not a total failure, the role needed Hayden Christensen to bring more intensity to capture the character’s criminal motivations.
Conclusion
Over his career so far, Hayden Christensen has proven his ability to take on a diverse range of parts. He rose to blockbuster fame as Anakin Skywalker and showed he could compellingly lead smaller films as well. When given roles with complexity and emotional depth, he has excelled. However, some of Christensen’s acting choices come across as subdued in thrillers that should play to his strengths. The best performances allow him to fully inhabit a character and demonstrate his acting chops. Fans hope that Christensen continues to choose roles that tap into his talents, so he can consistently deliver the excellent work he’s proven capable of.
