(Photo by RLJE Films / Courtesy Everett Collection)
There’s a lot to be said for consistency, and for film fans, the ability to count on reliably great performances from an actor can be the difference between pre-ordering tickets weeks in advance or waiting until a movie comes out on home video. On the other hand, there’s also an undeniable excitement that comes with unpredictability, and Nicolas Cage‘s filmography is a perfect case in point. From toking up with Sean Penn’s Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High to waging chainsaw vengeance against the cultists that murdered his wife in Mandy — and beyond — Cage has racked up more than 100 film credits over the last several decades, delivering performances that range from Oscar-winning (Leaving Las Vegas) to wildly over the top (Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans) and starring in blockbuster fare (The Rock, National Treasure) as well as acclaimed indies (Raising Arizona, Joe), and we wouldn’t want him any other way.
Most recently, he’s gotten career-best accolades for the drama Pig, the meta Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and sunk his teeth into the classic Dracula role for Renfield. Nobody captures the camera’s attention quite like Nicolas Cage, and to honor all those years of singularly entertaining achievement, we’ve rounded up all of his major film roles, sorted by Tomatometer. Read on to see where your favorites rank, and remember: Not the bees!
#1
Adjusted Score: 109813%
Critics Consensus: Like the animal itself, Pig defies the hogwash of expectations with a beautiful odyssey of loss and love anchored by Nicolas Cage’s affectingly raw performance.
#2
Adjusted Score: 117085%
Critics Consensus: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action.
#3
Adjusted Score: 96943%
Critics Consensus: Led by energetic performances from Nicolas Cage and Cher, Moonstruck is an exuberantly funny tribute to love and one of the decade’s most appealing comedies.
#4
Adjusted Score: 97035%
Critics Consensus: John Travolta and Nicolas Cage play cat-and-mouse (and literally play each other) against a beautifully stylized backdrop of typically elegant, over-the-top John Woo violence.
#5
Adjusted Score: 97788%
Critics Consensus: Dizzyingly original, the loopy, multi-layered Adaptation is both funny and thought-provoking.
#6
Adjusted Score: 97169%
Critics Consensus: Teen Titans Go! To the Movies distills the enduring appeal of its colorful characters into a charmingly light-hearted adventure whose wacky humor fuels its infectious fun — and belies a surprising level of intelligence.
#7
Adjusted Score: 93572%
Critics Consensus: Oscar-awarded Nicolas Cage finds humanity in his character as it bleeds away in this no frills, exhilaratingly dark portrait of destruction.
#8
Adjusted Score: 103336%
Critics Consensus: Mandy‘s gonzo violence is fueled by a gripping performance by Nicolas Cage — and anchored with palpable emotion conveyed between his volcanic outbursts.
#9
Adjusted Score: 94184%
Critics Consensus: A terrifically original, eccentric screwball comedy, Raising Arizona may not be the Coens’ most disciplined movie, but it’s one of their most purely entertaining.
#10
Adjusted Score: 101396%
Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and wildly creative, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent presents Nicolas Cage in peak gonzo form — and he’s matched by Pedro Pascal’s scene-stealing performance.
#11
Adjusted Score: 99275%
Critics Consensus: A welcome return for director Richard Stanley, Color Out of Space mixes tart B-movie pulp with visually alluring Lovecraftian horror and a dash of gonzo Nicolas Cage.
#12
Adjusted Score: 91507%
Critics Consensus: Befitting its unorthodox origins, this Bad Lieutenant benefits from Werner Herzog’s typically fearless direction and a delightfully unhinged Nicolas Cage in the title role.
#13
Adjusted Score: 90904%
Critics Consensus: Rich in atmosphere and anchored by a powerful performance from Nicolas Cage, Joe is a satisfying return to form for its star — as well as director David Gordon Green.
#14
Adjusted Score: 87949%
Critics Consensus: Breezy and well-acted, Matchstick Men focuses more on the characters than on the con.
#15
Adjusted Score: 82365%
Critics Consensus: While Fast Times at Ridgemont High features Sean Penn’s legendary performance, the film endures because it accurately captured the small details of school, work, and teenage life.
#16
Adjusted Score: 85947%
Critics Consensus: Not for the faint of heart, Kick-Ass takes the comic adaptation genre to new levels of visual style, bloody violence, and gleeful profanity.
#17
Adjusted Score: 81327%
Critics Consensus: Mom and Dad‘s gonzo premise serves as an effective springboard for a wickedly dark, bloody comedy – and an appropriately over-the-top performance from Nicolas Cage.
#18
Adjusted Score: 77126%
Critics Consensus: Stunning and compelling, Scorsese and Cage succeed at satisfying the audience.
#19
Adjusted Score: 99414%
Critics Consensus: Red Rock West is a hidden neo-noir gem with some delightful cracks in its surface — and an opportunity to see Lara Flynn Boyle, Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, and J.T. Walsh go toe-to-toe in all their early ’90s glory.
#20
Adjusted Score: 88895%
Critics Consensus: Peggy Sue Got Married may seem just another in a line of ’80s boomer nostalgia films, but none of the others have Kathleen Turner keen lead performance.
#21
Adjusted Score: 84604%
Critics Consensus: With engaging performances from its two leads, Valley Girl is a goofy yet amiable film that both subverts and celebrates the cheerful superficiality of teen comedies.
#22
Adjusted Score: 81287%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#23
Adjusted Score: 78287%
Critics Consensus: Energetic and brimming with memorable performers, The Cotton Club entertains with its visual and musical pizazz even as its plot only garners polite applause.
#24
Adjusted Score: 77231%
Critics Consensus: Rumble Fish frustrates even as it intrigues, but director Francis Ford Coppola’s strong visual style helps compensate for a certain narrative stasis.
#25
Adjusted Score: 76118%
Critics Consensus: While it may not be as (ahem) evolved as the best modern animated fare, The Croods will prove solidly entertaining for families seeking a fast-paced, funny cartoon adventure.
#26
Adjusted Score: 71969%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#27
Adjusted Score: 69694%
Critics Consensus: An outstanding ensemble cast propels Kiss of Death, a noir-ish crime thriller that’s slick and big on atmosphere, even if its script may only provide sporadic bursts of tension.
#28
Adjusted Score: 70621%
Critics Consensus: For visceral thrills, it can’t be beat. Just don’t expect The Rock to engage your brain.
#29
Adjusted Score: 74463%
Critics Consensus: As a visually stunning tribute to lives lost in tragedy, World Trade Center succeeds unequivocally, and it is more politically muted than many of Stone’s other works.
#30
Adjusted Score: 68150%
Critics Consensus: One of director David Lynch’s more uneven efforts, Wild at Heart is held together by his distinctive sensibilities and compelling work from Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern.
#31
Adjusted Score: 66044%
Critics Consensus: Honeymoon in Vegas is a light screwball comedy that has just about what you expect (and nothing you don’t).
#32
Adjusted Score: 64751%
Critics Consensus: The Trust may not be an all-time heist classic, but its solidly workmanlike plot — and the chemistry between Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood — should satisfy genre enthusiasts.
#33
Adjusted Score: 65772%
Critics Consensus: Sometimes inventive and witty, this animated adventure into an ant-sized world is a pleasant diversion.
#34
Adjusted Score: 75780%
Critics Consensus: Snowden boasts a thrilling fact-based tale and a solid lead performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, even if director Oliver Stone saps the story of some of its impact by playing it safe.
#35
Adjusted Score: 67193%
Critics Consensus: While Lord of War is an intelligent examination of the gun trade, it is too scattershot in its plotting to connect.
#36
Adjusted Score: 66586%
Critics Consensus: He’s a vampire! He’s a vampire! He’s a vampire!
#37
Adjusted Score: 63604%
Critics Consensus: Willy’s Wonderland isn’t quite as much fun as its premise would suggest — but it’s still got Nicolas Cage beating the hell out of bloodthirsty animatronics, which is nice.
#38
Adjusted Score: 62405%
Critics Consensus: Though this by-the-numbers true procedural seems basic, The Frozen Ground presents a welcome return for Nicolas Cage in a solid performance.
#39
Adjusted Score: 45731%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#40
Adjusted Score: 74521%
Critics Consensus: Although it fails to take full advantage of its committed stars and killer premise, Renfield‘s batty horror-comedy blend sinks in just enough to leave an impression.
#41
Adjusted Score: 63694%
Critics Consensus: With fine performances and a dark, dry sense of humor, The Weather Man is mostly cloudy with occasional rays of sunshine.
#42
Adjusted Score: 61609%
Critics Consensus: Con Air won’t win any awards for believability – and all involved seem cheerfully aware of it, making some of this blockbuster action outing’s biggest flaws fairly easy to forgive.
#43
Adjusted Score: 60374%
Critics Consensus: City of Angels may not tug the heartstrings as effortlessly as it aims to, but the end results will still leave more than a few viewers in tears.
#44
Adjusted Score: 56912%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#45
Adjusted Score: 57261%
Critics Consensus: Despite good performances by Cage and especially by Leoni, The Family Man is too predictable and derivative to add anything new to the Christmas genre. Also, it sinks under its sentimentality.
#46
Adjusted Score: 55877%
Critics Consensus: While it isn’t terribly original, and it seems to have a political agenda that may rankle some viewers, Astro Boy boasts enough visual thrills to please its target demographic.
#47
Adjusted Score: 52258%
Critics Consensus: Dog Eat Dog‘s refreshing bundle of quirks and surfeit of visual style aren’t quite enough to compensate for an aimlessly forgettable story.
#48
Adjusted Score: 50046%
Critics Consensus: It may deliver the over-the-top action pieces, but Drive Angry prefers to work safely within grindhouse formula than do something truly unique.
#49
Adjusted Score: 52120%
Critics Consensus: National Treasure is no treasure, but it’s a fun ride for those who can forgive its highly improbable plot.
#50
Adjusted Score: 45825%
Critics Consensus: Snake Eyes has a number of ingredients that promise a trashy fun time; unfortunately, they’re lost in an energetic and stylish thriller with a frustratingly hollow core.
#51
Adjusted Score: 46066%
Critics Consensus: It has a likable cast and loads of CGI spectacle, but for all but the least demanding viewers, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice will be less than spellbinding.
#52
Adjusted Score: 39819%
Critics Consensus: Chiefly of interest to Nicolas Cage completists and hardcore B-movie fans, this action thriller suffers from an unfortunate lack of Primal energy.
#53
Adjusted Score: 40508%
Critics Consensus: A talented cast goes to waste in the improbable National Treasure: Book of Secrets, which is eerily similar to the first film.
#54
Adjusted Score: 36020%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#55
Adjusted Score: 40767%
Critics Consensus: Knowing has some interesting ideas and a couple good scenes, but it’s weighted down by its absurd plot and over-seriousness.
#56
Adjusted Score: 38070%
Critics Consensus: The action sequences are expertly staged. Windtalkers, however, sinks under too many clichés and only superficially touches upon the story of the code talkers.
#57
Adjusted Score: 7834%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#58
Adjusted Score: 32550%
Critics Consensus: Numerous plot holes and poorly motivated characters prevent Next from being the thought-provoking sci-fi flick it could’ve been.
#59
Adjusted Score: 32014%
Critics Consensus: The cinematography is gorgeous, but the movie plays it fast and loose with history and the novel it was adapted from. Mostly, the movie fails because the romance between the leads strains credulity and the story is largely uninvolving.
#60
Adjusted Score: 30477%
Critics Consensus: Seeking Justice is nothing more than a typical potboiler with another phoned-in performance by Nicolas Cage.
#61
Adjusted Score: 31932%
Critics Consensus: Ghost Rider is a sour mix of morose, glum histrionics amidst jokey puns and hammy dialogue.
#62
Adjusted Score: 29585%
Critics Consensus: Even though Oscar-bearers Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, and Robert Duval came aboard for this project, the quality of Gone in 60 Seconds is disappointingly low. The plot line is nonsensical, and even the promised car-chase scenes are boring.
#63
Adjusted Score: 17998%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#64
Adjusted Score: 10541%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#65
Adjusted Score: 24578%
Critics Consensus: In spite of a promising premise and a roundly talented cast, The Runner is a disappointing outing to be viewed by only the staunchest of Nicolas Cage completists.
#66
Adjusted Score: 24500%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#67
Adjusted Score: 25879%
Critics Consensus: Its sadistic violence is unappealing and is lacking in suspense and mystery.
#68
Adjusted Score: 26332%
Critics Consensus: G-Force features manic action, but fails to come up with interesting characters or an inspired plot.
#69
Adjusted Score: 21720%
Critics Consensus: Sonny is sunk by debuting director Nicolas Cage’s evident inability to locate the heart of his movie’s story – or properly modulate his cast’s performances.
#70
Adjusted Score: 21266%
Critics Consensus: Looking Glass gives Nicolas Cage a chance to turn in an atypically understated performance, but this is still a suspense thriller with a fatal dearth of suspense or thrills.
#71
Adjusted Score: 17342%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#72
Adjusted Score: 23129%
Critics Consensus: With a weak script, uneven CG work, and a Nic Cage performance so predictably loony it’s no longer amusing, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance aims to be trashy fun but ends up as plain trash.
#73
Adjusted Score: 15323%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#74
Adjusted Score: 14868%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#75
Adjusted Score: 18367%
Critics Consensus: Puzzlingly misguided, Neil LaBute’s update The Wicker Man struggles against unintentional comedy and fails.
#76
Adjusted Score: 15199%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#77
Adjusted Score: 3907%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#78
Adjusted Score: 12810%
Critics Consensus: Depressingly dull and all-around poorly made, Rage is the rare Nicolas Cage action thriller lacking enough energy to reach “so bad it’s good” territory.
#79
Adjusted Score: 14965%
Critics Consensus: Slow, cheap-looking, and dull, Season of the Witch fails even as unintentional comedy.
#80
Adjusted Score: 11598%
Critics Consensus: Dying of the Light envelops the spark of several intriguing talents, leaving audiences lost in a yawning void of uninspired filmmaking.
#81
Adjusted Score: 10287%
Critics Consensus: Pay the Ghost takes a weak stab at supernatural horror, but ultimately, it’s only viewers who will pay for watching this sloppily assembled picture.
#82
Adjusted Score: 10364%
Critics Consensus: Loaded with talent but borderline unwatchable, Trapped in Paradise will leave viewers feeling the first part of the title and pining for the last.
#83
Adjusted Score: 11437%
Critics Consensus: With murky cinematography, a meandering pace, a dull storyline, and rather wooden performances, The Pang Brothers’ Hollywood remake of Bangkok Dangerous is unsuccessful.
#84
Adjusted Score: 11068%
Critics Consensus: Another claustrophobic thriller that Joel Schumacher can churn out in his sleep, Trespass is nasty and aggressive, more unpleasant than entertaining.
#85
Adjusted Score: 7438%
Critics Consensus: Despite the talent on board, Fire Birds is little more than a subpar military adventure sporting video game-like action, outdated philosophy, and uneven acting.
#86
Adjusted Score: 5941%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#87
Adjusted Score: 4318%
Critics Consensus: 211‘s disjointed assortment of action clichés and uninspired set pieces adds up to roughly zero.
#88
Adjusted Score: 3819%
Critics Consensus: Unforgivably dull, Outcast fails to deliver virtually all of the goofy fun that should come from a movie starring Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen in ancient China.
#89
Adjusted Score: 4188%
Critics Consensus: Aside from an opportunity to watch a mustachioed Nicolas Cage acting from under a wig and behind a prosthetic nose, Arsenal has depressingly little to offer.
#90
Adjusted Score: 2021%
Critics Consensus: Yea verily, like unto a plague of locusts, Left Behind hath begat a further scourge of devastation upon Nicolas Cage’s once-proud filmography.
#91
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.