Last week we looked at the best live-action portrayals of Superman.
This week I wanted to look at Lex Luthor. In many ways he is the primary Superman villain. This is particularly interesting because he does not have any powers himself. He is almost like a a dark version of Batman: rich, brilliant, and determined.
For me, the best Luthors are the ones who carry with them such supreme confidence in their presence that they can stand toe-to-toe with Superman, looking him in the eye in such a way that even Superman would think twice about messing with him.
7. John Crier - Supergirl
I think it was actually very clever to have Cryer play the part of Lex after portraying Lenny Luthor in Superman IV. I also think Cryer did a decent job with the part and was much more menacing than I expected. But ultimately the overall writing and tone of Supergirl did not let him really shine in the part.
6. Jesse Eisenberg - Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
A lot of people did not like Eisenberg's performance as Luthor. However, I think it is largely misunderstood. Zack Snyder set up in Luthor an fractured image of modern masculinity, one that replaces strength and honor with bullying and vindictiveness. Eisenberg's Luthor is someone who hates Superman because the Man of Steel makes him feel powerless. And while I understand and appreciate this take on Luthor, it is not one that is very much to my liking.
5. Kevin Spacey - Superman Returns
Spacey is a fantastic actor and I thought he was a great choice for the part. You can tell in some scenes he is having a blast chewing up the scenery. But he is too restricted by Singer's quasi-sequel to have to be shoe-horned into being in line with Gene Hackman. If they had let loose the reigns, he could have been the best Lex.
4. Gene Hackman - Superman, Superman II, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Hackman is always great in everything he does. But as a fan of the comics, I always found his Luthor to be just a little too silly. Perhaps his playful, comical attitude works well to balance out the seriousness of the movies. But the funnier he was, the less seriously I took him. Although you could see him believably kill millions to get what he wants.
3. John Shea - Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
For a long time this was my favorite portrayal of Lex. It was very smart to cast him as older than Superman so that he had the ammunition of wisdom and experience. He also fit easily into the mold of the charming and powerful tycoon. There were times I almost found myself rooting for him and this made him truly dangerous. Because in the end, you could see how ruthless he was beneath the surface.
2. Michael Rosenbaum - Smallville
Rosenbaum had the advantage of years to slowly craft his Lex together. He made in him a slow-moving tragedy. He was a Macbeth who starts off somewhat heroic, but slowly lets his darker side take him over. As with Shea, you rooted for him, even though you knew it was pointless. But as he fell more and more into the dark side, you could feel his power and his presence grow. By the time all was said and done, he had been formed into the ultimate Superman villain.
1. Michael Cudlitz - Superman and Lois
I will admit that this choice is very fresh, but I could not help being overwhelming impressed with it. Like Shea, he plays a little older and more experienced that Superman. But he also carries with him an incredible physical presence. There is a scene in the final season when Superman confronts Luthor on the road. Lex gets out of his car and walks up to Superman and stares him down in a heated confrontation. What was amazing was that you could see how Superman was intimidated and it was absolutely believable. Cudlitz was able to show a rougher, less-refined side of Luthor, but he seamlessly transitioned into the corporate titan. Everything about him embodied the best (or if you will "the worst") in Lex Luthor from the comic books.
Thoughts?
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