In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tom Holland’s portrayal of Spider-Man has won him a lot of fans. But what about his other films? The English actor began his career on stage in London’s Billy Elliot the Musical, but he soon moved into film. Here are some of Tom Holland’s best films.
Wolf Hall (2015) (TV)
In her novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, Hilary Mantel brought the court of Henry VIII (Damian Lewis) to life. The BBC series based on the books does the same thing, though without Mantel’s amazing voice. It follows Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance), a man with the King’s ear. Holland portrays Gregory Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell, a devoted and trustworthy son who lacks his father’s Machiavellian abilities. In this part, Holland is persistent and sincere.
The Lost City of Z (2016)
The Lost City of Z is based on the extraordinary true story of Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam). He is an Englishman who traveled through Brazil at the turn of the twentieth century in pursuit of the lost city of “Zed” in the Amazon. Fawcett, who was widely regarded as a lunatic, spent much of his time away from his family, hanging out with cannibals and pursuing his quest.
Holland played Percy’s son, Jack Fawcett. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the Marvel star enraged. Jack resents his father for leaving, but the two reconcile in the end. Jack even goes on an Amazonian adventure with his ambitious and rash father. And neither of them ever returns…
In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
Herman Melville’s 1851 classic Moby-Dick was inspired by the shipwreck of the Nantucket whaling ship Essex in 1820. And both stories are told in In the Heart of the Sea. The story is told in flashback by only survivor Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) to Melville (Ben Whishaw). Tom Holland portrays Nickerson, a young Essex cabin lad. His dreams are destroyed when the ship is smashed, his crewmates die, and he is forced to turn to cannibalism.
The Current War (2017)
The Current War recounts the struggle between Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch, future Doctor Strange) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) in the late 1880s as they race to deliver electricity to the masses. In the film, Holland played Samuel Insull, another pioneer. And the rising star demonstrated that he could hang with these larger-than-life personalities. He showcases his brain while outthinking his peers.
The Impossible (2011)
The Impossible is based on Mara Belón’s (Naomi Watts) genuine story of survival and her family. They were on holiday in Thailand when the tsunami that hit the shore in the Indian Ocean in 2004 decimated them. The tsunami, the devastation it produces, and the aftermath are all recreated in the film. When Mara and her eldest son, Lucas (Holland), are separated from her husband (Ewan McGregor) and two younger sons.
Unlike other disaster films, this one does not shy away from the event’s true horror. Holland, who was 15 at the time of production, matures swiftly in his role as Lucas. He cares for his mother and shares the film’s most beautiful scene, in which his brothers scream his name. In his breakout role and feature debut, Holland rips our hearts. It is one of Tom Holland’s best films.