Tom Holland wants to establish himself as a good actor outside of the MCU. He is currently embodying one of the most famous drama roles ever. Critics react harshly
Spider-Man is sticky, and not just because of fast-attaching spider webs. Like any MCU role, it threatens to dominate the public perception of the star who plays it. Tom Holland, who currently wants to showcase his talent away from the big screen, has also understood this: In the renowned theater district of London’s West End, he is currently embodying the archetype of the tragic lover, Shakespeare’s Romeo. The critics’ affection is limited
In addition to his Spider-Man role, Tom Holland has had little luck so far
The professional audience reacts cautiously to the Romeo and Juliet production by British director Jamie Lloyd. His vision is too stylized, his handling of dialogue and emotions too deconstructed, as Variety writes. But the biggest target for criticism is Holland. Perhaps because he’s the most obvious one.
Watch pictures from Romeo and Juliet with Tom Holland on X here:
Tom Holland in ‘ROMEO & JULIET’ pic.twitter.com/tI8j1GSYha
– best of tom holland (@thollandrchive) May 23, 2024
“[Holland] portrays emotions rather than evoking them,” judges Variety. “He certainly has a better Romeo to offer than this one,” writes the Hollywood Reporter . According to the Independent his performance falls completely flat. And Neil Norman of the Daily Express even declares the actor a “charisma-free zone”.
It is the latest in a string of critical flops for Holland. His war drama Cherry, the sci-fi adaptation Chaos Walking and, most recently, the ambitious series The Crowded Room all met with a below-average response. But is that his fault?
Each reader can form their own opinion about Holland’s acting qualities. What is certain is that many great MCU heroes seemed difficult to grasp after his departure. Where is Chris Evans’ big performance, for example?
Even action hero Chris Hemsworth and Hollywood veteran Robert Downey Jr. only seem to be attracting the attention of the masses again since Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Oppenheimer. So perhaps Holland’s breakthrough in a role far removed from Marvel is yet to come. Or he could return to his former strengths with Spider-Man 4
