MovieChat Forums > New Jack City (1991) Discussion > Given how Wesley Snipes USUALLY plays th...

Given how Wesley Snipes USUALLY plays the good guy heroes...

posted 4 years ago by TheMan18 (13015)
4 replies | jump to latest

... did anyone else find it a bit of a surprise that in this film, New Jack City from 1991, he actually played an outright evil villain, a violent and murderous drug dealer and gang leader, responsible for numerous crimes and deaths of innocents?

Given how in a similar earlier film "King of New York" (1990) by Abel Ferrara he already played a somewhat negative character in the form of a corrupt/unfair cop and later in films like "Brooklyn's Finest" (2009) he also played, albeit somewhat sympathetic, but still a criminal and a drug dealer, but in most films of the 90s and early 00s, he played a good guy action hero, like in Passenger 57 (1992), Art of War (2000) etc, although yes, he was ALSO a villain in "Demolition Man" (1993) with Stallone.

What do you think?

[–] Redsfan001 (6144) 4 years ago

Nice observation. Most leading men in the day were reluctant to play the baddie.

It was a big deal for Henry Fonda to do so in Once Upon a Time in the West (1968).

But while Wesley Snipes could be considered a leading man, Denzel Washington would be taking most of the roles for black men, so it was wise of him to be expand his options.

[–] Redsfan001 (6144) 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] TheMan18 (13015) 4 years ago

Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in the first "The Terminator" (1984) movie by James Cameron was an outright evil villain albeit in the sequel and other later sequels he became a standard good guy hero, although in most action films and whatnot he of course for about 80% played good guy heroes.

Jean Claude van Damme occasionally played villains in movies like "Enemies Closer" and the second part of the Expendables trilogy entitled "The Expendables 2".

And speaking of Denzel Washington, yes, he mostly played good guy heroes in movies but look at how he turned to a dark side in "Training Day" (2001). (Not counting how in the end he was also possessed by a demonic spirit in "Fallen" (1998) whilst mostly playing a good detective.)

[–] Redsfan001 (6144) 4 years ago

Terminator really skyrocketed Arnold's career.

This changed the Hollywood agents calculus on what kind of roles their clients should play.

The generation before Arnold and Snipes, baddies were just not played much by leading men.

I don't think we will EVER see Tom Hanks playing a all out bad guy. (Road to Perdition) is the closest we will get.