Neill Blomkamp’s Gran Turismo marks Orlando Bloom‘s first main film since 2014’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the 5 Armies. Bloom has starred in or appeared in numerous tasks since then, together with the TV sequence Carnival Row, however nothing of this magnitude.

We determined to look again on his movie portfolio and spotlight a couple of of his finest roles. Right here they’re, listed by launch date:

The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) – Legolas

I watch Peter Jackson’s dazzling The Lord of the Rings trilogy yearly, and it by no means will get outdated.

Bloom is completely solid as Legolas, the kick-ass elf warrior who joins the Fellowship to destroy the One Ring. He’s effortlessly cool, crafty, and courageous, sure, but additionally extra multifaceted than your common hero. Legolas’ relationship with the dwarf Gimli provides him a compelling character arc, whereas a number of standout sequences forestall the elf from fading into the background, even because the movies progressively shift the story’s focus.

Oh yeah, and The Hobbit movies additionally exist. However let’s transfer on, lets?

Black Hawk Down (2001) – Blackburn

Bloom’s position in Black Hawk Down is comparatively minor however important. Because the very younger Blackburn, he bursts onto the display with a number of enthusiasm. Nonetheless, his character is discarded early on after a routine army operation goes awry, leading to a chaotic state of affairs in Mogadishu. He definitely leaves an impression throughout his transient display time.

Pirates of the Caribbean (2003-2007) – Will Turner

No, the later Pirates movies don’t rely. Whereas I don’t take into account Gore Verbinski’s unique trilogy classics, they nonetheless supply the form of old-school breezy enjoyable sorely missing in modern-day blockbusters.

Bloom basically performs the straight man to Johnny Depp’s iconic Jack Sparrow. He delivers a powerful efficiency, infusing Will Turner with charisma and unapologetic the Aristocracy. No, Turner doesn’t come near matching Legolas when it comes to legendary film characters. However the truth that he stays memorable even alongside maybe one of the crucial recognizable characters in film historical past is a victory in itself.

Additionally, what number of actors can declare two extremely profitable franchises all through their careers? Bloom could not have reached megastar standing like Harrison Ford, Denzel Washington, or Johnny Depp, however he loved a strong run on the prime of the charts for almost a decade.

Troy (2004) – Paris

After establishing himself because the noble Legolas in LOTR and the heroic Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Bloom successfully performed in opposition to kind in Wolfgang Petersen’s sword-and-sandals epic Troy. The actor delivers maybe his finest efficiency because the brash, courageous, however in the end cowardly Paris, a younger man too consumed by love to understand the results of his actions—nicely, it’s Diane Kruger. I get it. Nonetheless, his ill-fated love affair triggers a brutal warfare on the gates of Troy, the place heroes like surfer bro Achilles (Brad Pitt) and stoic Hector (Eric Bana) have interaction in stunningly choreographed fight.

Bloom holds his personal in opposition to the larger-than-life performances of Pitt and Bana and seizes a couple of essential scenes that enable him to showcase his performing prowess. He deserved extra roles of this caliber, the place he may exhibit his expertise with out bearing the complete weight of the movie.

Kingdom of Heaven (2005) – Balian de Ibelin

Hollywood tried to propel Bloom into stardom in 2005 with roles in Cameron Crowe’s misguided Elizabethtown and Ridley Scott’s epic Kingdom of Heaven. Sadly, each movies underperformed on the field workplace.

Nonetheless, Kingdom of Heaven discovered a brand new life on dwelling video following the discharge of Scott’s Director’s Lower, which added almost an hour of extra content material to counterpoint important character arcs and imbue the Twelfth-century journey with better emotional depth. And sure, the brand new minimize is spectacular. That includes a few of Scott’s most interesting path and exceptionally crafted set items, Kingdom of Heaven soars on the energy of William Monahan’s strong screenplay. Whereas some could take difficulty with the narrative shortcuts that place Bloom’s Balian de Ibelin in extraordinary circumstances, I’m forgiving of those plot conveniences given the story’s expansive scope. It’s a big-picture story.

Bloom’s efficiency is first rate however unexceptional. He seems the half and broods with one of the best of them, but I by no means totally purchase into his portrayal of Balian. It’s not horrible—his efficiency is serviceable, getting the job accomplished—however a extra compelling actor would have elevated the movie to even better heights.

Because it stands, Kingdom of Heaven: The Director’s Lower ranks because the fourth-best movie in Bloom’s profession, following the LOTR trilogy. Scott at the very least supplied him an opportunity to showcase his abilities, which is why this makes our checklist as top-of-the-line Orlando Bloom films.