Does The Rock have the worst resume in Hollywood?

The Rock has been in a lot of extremely mediocre movies, and a surprising dearth of really good ones...but I'm not sure he's been in a lot of terrible ones, either. He's very charismatic, to the point at which all of his films seem pretty watchable, because he is. I didn't really like The Rundown in retrospect, but I still weirdly enjoyed seeing it. Probably because of him.

I think the title might be derailing what could otherwise be an interesting discussion about actors who take chances and those who play it safe, because I think the interesting question comes from flipping the polarity: ditch the idea that his resume is bad or has lots of bad films, and ask why he doesn't have any really good ones. Does he just play it safe? Does having a high floor (so to speak) stop him from having a high ceiling? Et cetera.

You definitely have multiple areas where you can approach the topic. For my personal opinion as to what actor has been successful and has the worst resume it would be Elvis Presley, 30 movies big hits couldn't finish a one of them.

For me I consider The Rock to be our generations John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. He's transitioned beyond the Schwarzenegger's and Stallone's who had popularity for a decade or so and then cashed out with a series of terrible films. He's now at that point where they could give him a specialty Oscar for his body of work. He's spent his career working on the non-Oscar sort of films and making them watchable.

One of sandler's movies came on the tv the other night. My god! I cant stand that guy when he plays that goof ball character style. He makes me feel homicidal. I liked him in the romcoms with jennifer anniston and drew barrymore where he just plays a decent person, and Anger Management.I dont get the humour in playing an imbecile. Just not my thing and makes me want to punch him in the face. That disturbs me on a very deep inner level. I know I saw punch drunk love but I dont remember it

edit for poor Jen
s name. It was very late.

Yeah me neither, not paying attention to detail.

The only movies with The Rock I've seen are The Other Guys (where I don't even remember what he did), and more recently, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. And to be honest, I really enjoyed him in Jumanji: WTTJ, seeing him act a bit silly and the brain of a child in a buff man's body was a pretty genius idea. I even thought Kevin Hart was tolerable in it. However, it's not a performance which makes me go "Wow, he's such a brilliant actor, one of the best in our time". I still have virtually no interest in watching any of his bland-looking action movies, which seem more made for the wrestling fans than movie fans. So I don't know if he has the worst resumé or not, since I've never been curious enough to find out.

Glad to see the Rock got capitalized in the title

I like Dwayne Johnson's films. My favorite already is without a doubt Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, but I was glad to see him reprise The Scorpion King done in a rightful manner, not the horrendous CGI used in The Mummy Returns. The only ones I didn't like him in were his roles in Get Smart and The Other Guys, but he's done plenty of fun films. His chemistry in both J:WTTJ and Central Intelligence made me laugh. They play each other off so well. I am looking forward to both Rampage and Skyscraper...good popcorn fun

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Good number two behind Adam Sandler.

Remember when he was supposedly the new Arnie

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Yeah, they even had that cute moment where Ah-nuld winked at him walking the other way in some movie (somehow I don't remember which), widely interpreted as a "passing the torch" moment.

In retrospect, Arnold doesn't get enough credit for the roles he picked. He wasn't a great actor, but he really seemed to have a good sense of what he could or couldn't do, and got the most out of what he could.

Oh Oh Oh I member Arnie....


real talk though, Arnold only had a good decade and then around Last Action Hero made a bunch of trash.

Yes yodas right about how I phrased the title...arnie was in some great movies.. regardless of whether he played the same type of character. Picked well. The rock on the other hand..,is it just the state of Hollywood at the moment...are they just offering him enormous amounts of money to appear in these popcorn flicks. I agree very likeable and charismatic actor, yet the movies and roles we’ve seen him in are hard to seperate.

Ps, his scenes in the other guys were hilarious!

This is laughable. Completely disagree.

Who cares about lifetime oscars? Don't see Clint or John Wayne in the WWE Hall of Fame

Answer to your question - yes! Movies with him in them are a money making sausage factory. I dont know how you dont know this, Larry.

I dont know about him ever being regarded as the new Ar-nuld as Yods said - i missed all of that if it was a thing, but I love the idea of the wink to his cameo as passing of the torch. That is brilliant!!! There is and only ever will be one arnold. The guy is a genius.

And yes to every scene in that movie, Larrie. That's the one I meant so I shall go edit. That's why I see his movies. He's very self deprecating and everyone loves a perfect specimen (yes I do think he is the perfect human being- joking/not joking) who doesnt mind taking the piss about himself. Entire segments are given to this guy on tv panels here where I live. He's like the old spice guy during his days of glory for advertising.

Thanks Dani - yes hes enormously successful. One if not the most popular Hollywood actor and highest paid. Looking at his filmography...they’re predominantly what I’d consider throw away junk movies. Not saying they aren’t fun to watch or that he’s not likeable in them but come on. Can’t say anyone would consider them classics. Except for Siddon of course. Stallone, Arnie, Bruce Willis, tom cruise...all have been great movies and have had their fair share of other movies too. Just interesting his choices and his popularity. Wanted to know if any other actor had the same type of reception. Adam sandler was a good one suggested. Arnie is comparable but he picked roles in movies which I’d consider great and he was well suited to them. Stallone, his dramatic performance in rocky(the original) even first blood trump anything the rock has done and so on.

I've never understood the sandler hype, Larry, and I wouldnt consider Dwayne's choices as junk, just that he'll never win an oscar for these kind of films. But if he made a film just to win an oscar all the whiners would be screaming 'OSCAR BAIT'. They're freaking good fun as you've experienced, and his choice (or maybe his people's choice) so all the better for him and his accountant; I watch his movies when I feel like a jolly good dose of escapism from the nasty sht in the world and I guess a hell of a lot of other people do as well. I really dont see what the problem is. How does his filmography impact on your life? I'm certainly not a lunatic Dwayne Stan but he's a go to choice for me if I cant get out of the house on a rainy weekend and I need a slice of feel good. He's the Shirley Temple of the day - givng people some escapism from the times she was acting in/I'm sure he'd love to be compared to shirley temple but there you go/

Oh and Elvis - C'mon now. He was massive here when I was a little girl. Every Sunday on the Bill Mr Movies Collins matinee. 2 or 3 of his movies were played. That went on for months. Then it was Bill's Shirley Temple Matinee, and that was replayed when myself and my younger bro were at university. We used to get together every damn sunday with our university mates and watch it as a group to have a bit of escapism from uni stress. It was fantastic fun, especially as adults

Don't really have a problem with it Dani, it is interesting though. I have to say I do have a problem with Hollywood now days. I find it very difficult to find a good new release movie, good according to me which is obviously subjective.

Television shows though, such as Strangers Things etc are really special and I feel this is where the writing and creative effort is going. Also, I dont watch many foreign language films so I'm not across that area. Good for the rock though. Hes definitely raking in the money, hes super popular...I like him from what I've seen of him on interviews but I can't kid myself I say I like his movies.

Of the top of my head, of the actors I do respect (popular now) they would be Matthew Mcconaughey, Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Leo Di Caprio, Jennifer Laurence, Jessica Chastain and several others. They've all been in very good to great films. McConaughey is probably my favourite due to his role in Dallas Buyers Club and then his character in the TV show True Detective. He has acting chops, he takes risks and has role diversity. He's special imo. The rock...meh...not one of his movies have I felt the need to rewatch but again....its subjective. Although I think most people agree his films are nothing great. Fun yes. Likeable yes. Great....is pushing it.

I went back and reread your OP, Larry. You said he's being called the best actor of our time. Which idiot blogger said that? I've never seen anything other than he's the biggest earner of our time. Next year it might be someone else. Hollyweed is about getting backsides on seats, not great actors or great film makers. He;s not a great actor but as Yoda I think said, he;s got punching charisma and generally people simply like escapism on their weekend off from overwork and underpay, lunatics running around killing kids, and what's happening with the planet.. He's got the whole package. Infact I think I'll watch one of his films right now because I'm at home listening to the rain and the kookaburras laughing their heads off at your angst . He's the ALister of the moment which he doesnt seem to flaunt about and you dont see him pulling sht like Reese Witherspoon with the DONT YOU KNOW WHO I AM to police officers. That's all it is. He is the current cash cow. I think you've probably read some idiot's blog and got the wrong impression. It's nothing but $$$$.You dont like that type of film and that's perfectly fine. No point dissecting it or you'll turn into mylittleironpony. Just enjoy the types of films that entertain You. Dont worry about it so much.

Thanks, It was interesting though. Some of the comments. Worthwhile discussion from some of the posters, both negative and positive. I’ll leave it now.