Ving Rhames
The horrible actor in this movie wasn't Scott Speedman - I assume that's the way the role was written. It was Ving Rhames. He's exactly the same in every movie I've seen him in - permanently angry, whether there's a reason or not.
shareGo watch Holiday Heart. This is your opinion and perception of course, I ussualy get a vibe from Ving that is really..."churchy"...I guess you could say. Anyway, you look at Undisputed, Animal 1-2, he is a very angry man, although two very different characters. Animal knows what he is capable of, he could probably kill his other ego, not in a boxing match, just kill him. His heavyweight champ character in Undisputed is cock, over-confident, never been beat, and has forgotton what it is like to be in a ghetto. Ving rhames playing Sonny Liston was nearly the opposite of all those, slowely turning into a slightly similiar character.
Ving Rhames in Dawn of the Dead was perhaps slightly similiar to his portrayal on Dark Blue. They are both cops, and I think Ving was drawing from this character in DArk Blue to play the other cop character in DoTD, partly because his character really didnt have much to work with, despite being the "main character" along with Sarah Polly.
Anyway, I love Ving Rhames, he is one of my favorite actors, not due to his ability, but due to his presence he brings. He is only 6 feet but makes himself seem like he is 9 sometimes. He isn't nearly as big as Michael Clarke Duncan, and doesn't look anything like him, but is somehow compared to him a lot. He also seems meaner and like he could but Mr. Duncan's ass. That is the attitude you are talking about I think, his general presence.
Few actors can really change that "it" type presence at will, Gary Oldman comes to mind, among many others, but Oldman is my favorite that is in the mainstream right now.