Christopher Walken's Most Memorable Roles Ranked Worst To Best

A movie that tried to use Christopher Walken's intimidating persona for laughs, "Kangaroo Jack" was a failure on every level. Released in 2003, it has a staggeringly bad 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — and, quite frankly, that's generous. Set in Australia, "Kangaroo Jack" is a terrible comedy with a CGI kangaroo that stars "Stand by Me" alum Jerry O'Connell as beauty salon owner Charlie. Walken plays his unimpressed stepfather, a gangster named Sal Maggio. After Charlie and his best friend (Anthony Anderson) bungle an easy job, Sal snaps and dreams up the most tortuously roundabout plan imaginable to have him killed.

Sal decides to send his stepson to Australia with an envelope full of money. He tells Charlie to meet an associate named Mr. Smith, who is actually a hitman. Mr. Smith is supposed to take the $50,000 once the job is done, but the cash gets stolen by a kangaroo before Charlie makes it to the meeting (because, Australia). Writing for the BBC, critic Neil Smith said of the film: "It's a thin, tedious caper only notable for its impressive Outback locations and a cameo from Christopher Walken that proves the word 'no' isn't in his vocabulary." Walken's serious line reading for O'Connell's bumbling character feels like it was meant for a different movie.

Sometimes, things that seem like a good idea on paper aren't executed well enough, especially in Hollywood. A prime example of this is the disappointing film "Man of the Year," released to poor reviews in 2006. It stars Robin Williams as talk show host Tom Dobbs, who decides to run for president. He ends up in the White House, not because he's the right person for the job, but because there's an error with the voting machines.

In theory, a political satire featuring Williams as a commentator-turned-president sounds like comedy gold. Throw in Christopher Walken as his gruff, acid-tongued manager (and later campaign organizer), as well as the bombastic Lewis Black as his head writer, and you have what appears to be a recipe for success. They certainly have their moments, but the film gets bogged down by subplots that are both dull and hard to believe.

By and large, the critics hated it: "Man of the Year" scored just 21% on Rotten Tomatoes. The ones who enjoyed it did so because of Walken. "Christopher Walken, as Tom's wise and loyal manager, has a good time, as he always does, pausing in midsentence, raising his eyebrows and defying gravity with his hair," said The New York Times.

2003's "The Rundown" is a good, old-fashioned buddy action movie starring Dwayne Johnson and Seann William Scott. The plot revolves around Johnson's bounty hunter, who is on a mission to find Scott in the wilds of Brazil and return him to his father. Christopher Walken plays Cornelius Hatcher, a corrupt mine owner who initially agrees to help Johnson. That changes when Scott's character discovers a valuable treasure.

From there, the usual buddy picture shenanigans ensue, with Johnson and Scott trudging through the jungle and encountering a resistance group led by Rosario Dawson. Walken provides his usual menacing presence, elevating the picture. There's something about the way his eyes and mouth twitch that makes it seem like his calm demeanor could explode into violence at any time. The film was received positively by the majority of critics, earning a respectable 69% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It's a fairly physical role for Walken, who was in his 60s when he took on the part of Hatcher.

If you're making a sequel to a popcorn picture, you need to make it bigger and louder without losing the original charm. The 1992 box office smash "Wayne's World" featured Rob Lowe as a sleazy producer who tried to steal Wayne's (Mike Myers) girlfriend, so how could they up the ante in the sequel? By casting Christopher Walken as an even sleazier producer, of course.

Released in 1993, "Wayne's World 2" follows the titular rocker as he tries to launch his own music festival. It wasn't as successful as the original (it made $48 million from a $40 million budget), but it had some amusing moments. It was an early comedic role for Walken, who plays the part straight, providing a foil for the wacky Wayne. Walken did get the chance to do a bit of dancing, however, which is always a treat. He's also in a memorable scene that parodies "The Graduate," with Wayne rushing to prevent his girlfriend from marrying Walken's producer character.

A remake of the 1987 film of the same name, 2004's "Man on Fire" follows ex-CIA agent John Creasy (Denzel Washington), an alcoholic who is struggling to come to terms with what he did in the line of duty. He goes to Mexico to visit his friend, fellow former agent Paul Rayburn (Christopher Walken), who suggests that he take a bodyguard job to get back on his feet. When the child he's assigned to protect (Dakota Fanning) is abducted right in front of him, he sets about finding the men responsible, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.

"Man on Fire" scored just 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, but casual film fans took a very different view: The cult hit has an audience score of 89%. Viewers loved Washington in the role of a vengeful protector, and Fanning brought her A-game as Lupita "Pita" Ramos, the daughter of a wealthy Mexico City businessman. It's Washington's show, but Walken is memorable as his wise mentor, helping to give the film the kind of prestige that many revenge thrillers sorely lack.

1983's "Brainstorm," a cerebral sci-fi starring Christopher Walken as a scientist working on a device that records sensory experiences, had a troubled production. Co-star Natalie Wood died on a boat trip towards the end of the shoot, and Walken — who was on the trip with her — was devastated. Wood's death also deeply affected the film's director, Douglas Trumbull. "It actually became the most difficult thing I've ever had to do — get that movie finished — and so it never really was anything it was intended to be," Trumbull said (via The Hollywood Reporter). "We had to finish it with money from the insurance company and try to get it on the screen."

Wood had already filmed most of her scenes when she died unexpectedly. She works well opposite Walken, whose complex character operates in gray areas and is far from straightforward with her. He plays the role with his trademark intensity, though there's also a vulnerability that's unusual for him. He's passionate about his work and deeply in love with his wife (from whom he's estranged at the beginning of the film), and it shows. Walken was ideal for the role because his scientist character often lives inside his own head, becoming detached from reality.

2005's "Wedding Crashers" is another example of Christopher Walken playing a terrifying straight man in an over-the-top comedy. Starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson as best friends who crash weddings to sleep with emotionally vulnerable women, it earned a solid 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and made nearly $300 million worldwide. In the film, the two men become involved with the daughters of politician William Cleary (Christopher Walken) after crashing a fancy wedding. Wilson's character falls in love with the already-engaged Claire Cleary (Rachel McAdams). They manage to get themselves invited to the family compound and shenanigans ensue, with Walken frequently intimidating both men.

"Walken was someone I really believed in," director David Dobkin told Mel Magazine. "[New Line] wasn't sure why I wasn't picking someone who wasn't purely comedic for the role. Burt Reynolds was hot off 'Boogie Nights,' but I just said, 'I see Walken,' because I knew I wouldn't have to lift a finger to make people scared of him. He's already doing that heavy lifting for me. He's also one of the greatest actors alive." He's a supporting player in the film, but Walken steals every scene he's in.

Christopher Walken plays a cruel drill instructor named Sergeant Merwin J. Toomey in 1988's "Biloxi Blues," a comedy-drama set during World War II. Told from the point of view of Private Eugene Jerome (Matthew Broderick), the film documents the relentless battle between Toomey and Private Arnold B. Epstein (Corey Parker), who constantly pushes back against his harsh training methods. What makes Toomey so interesting — and Walken such a fascinating choice for the role — is the deep humanity behind his cruelty.

There have been many mean drill instructors in movies over the years, so what makes Toomey different? Walken's character is facing a disability evaluation, with a possible honorable discharge looming. Desperate, he snaps and holds Epstein at gunpoint, preferring prison over being discharged. Walken's character is also funny in a way that only he can be: Toomey is equal parts cruel and absurd. The film is still well thought of to this day, boasting an impressive 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.

When you're making a film about seven psychopaths, you're missing a trick if you don't offer Christopher Walken a role. This critically acclaimed dark comedy is about a screenwriter penning a movie called "Seven Psychopaths" and delves into the lives of the people that inspire him along the way. A satirical take both on the Hollywood writing process and the kind of hyper-violent, hyper-verbal films that Quentin Tarantino pioneered, it's a thrill ride from start to finish.

Walken co-stars as a quiet man named Hans, a member of a dog-napping ring that targets the wealthy. The film's plot lurches into place when they kidnap a dog belonging to a dangerous gangster. It's a film stacked with talent (Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, and Woody Harrelson all bring their A-games), but Walken is the cream of the crop here. "Walken sometimes leans toward self-parody, but here his performance has a delicate, contained strangeness," said the veteran film critic Roger Ebert.

The 1988 cult hit "Hairspray" was ahead of its time, dealing with topics like racism, integration, and body shaming when not many movies were doing so. It's the story of teenager Tracy Turnblad, who harbors dreams of becoming a dancer. It was adapted into a hit stage musical in 2002 and remade as a movie musical in 2007. Christopher Walken plays Tracy's dad in the big screen remake, while his old friend John Travolta is barely recognizable as her mother Edna, a role traditionally played by men. It was Travolta who suggested Walken for the part of Edna's husband, Wilbur.

"Well, you know, we're old Broadway hoofers!" Travolta told the Daily Mail. "He knew that Wilbur was crazy about Edna and said 'They're wild in the sack, aren't they?' and I said: 'Yes, you've got it.' So then it was easier to react flirtatiously towards him because I was getting that energy from him." Walken and Travolta have a marvelous singing and dancing duet, one of the film's standout scenes. Both men show off their wide range of talents during the fantasy sequence, in which they dress up in various fancy outfits. The movie was a big hit, making over $200 million worldwide.

Written by Quentin Tarantino, 1993's "True Romance" is overstuffed with sex, violence, fanboy Easter eggs, and scene-stealing cameos by a host of actors. Starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette as a young couple on the run, the film boasts an impressive 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Early in the movie, Slater goes to his father (played by Dennis Hopper) for help — and he ends up accidentally putting him in danger. When he leaves, the mobster tailing him shows up, and he's played by none other than Christopher Walken.

In what's become known as the film's standout scene, Walken grills Hopper over the whereabouts of his son, and he proves to be a worthy opponent. Hopper's character knows that he's going to be killed no matter what he says, so he launches into an extended and ludicrous rant against Sicilians that makes the ice-cool Walken chuckle. Walken, resplendent in a beautiful suit and scarf, allows Hopper to insult him at length until it no longer amuses him. Then, he shoots him dead. Speaking at Comic-Con (via Business Insider), Tarantino said that the scene is one of the best he's ever written.

Christopher Walken always makes for an unusual leading man. That was very much the case in 1983's "The Dead Zone," David Cronenberg's adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name. Walken plays a teacher named Johnny Smith, who spends five years in a coma following an accident. When he wakes up he realizes that when he touches someone, he creates a unique connection with them: He can witness their future or even see a horrible secret in the present. The movie keeps upping the ante for poor Johnny, who gets asked to help the local police catch a killer.

When Johnny discovers that the culprit is a police officer, he is almost killed by the disgraced deputy's vengeful mother. He withdraws from society as a result, but he has a change of heart after using his gift to save a young boy's life. With renewed purpose, he sets about trying to assassinate a man destined to cause a nuclear war. The actor is utterly absorbing in the role, one of his most memorable by far. "Walken does such a good job of portraying Johnny Smith, the man with the strange gift, that we forget this is science fiction or fantasy or whatever and just accept it as this guy's story," said Roger Ebert.

Playing mill worker and prisoner of war Nick Chevotarevich in best picture winner "The Deer Hunter" paved the path for Christopher Walken's long and celebrated career. He had appeared in a handful of small roles up until that point, but the trademark Walken combination of manic intensity and surprising sensitivity was born right here. Released in 1978, it was one of the first films that dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder and also one of the first that dealt with the Vietnam War in any meaningful way. The film was not overly political, however. Instead, it asked some hard questions about the well-being of soldiers.

Walken won his first and, to date, his only Academy Award for the role. In the film, Nick is part of a group of friends in Pennsylvania who work in a steel mill and go hunting on weekends. They all leave to fight in Vietnam and end up getting tortured in a POW camp. The central image and metaphor of the film is them being forced to play Russian roulette. Nick eventually snaps and makes playing the dangerous game his life in Saigon. It's tragic, terrifying, and you can't take your eyes off it. For fans of Walken's work, it really doesn't get any better than this.