One of the possible hazards a performer faces when attaching themselves to a major film franchise is the risk they run of that one role defining their entire career. And so, to a certain extent, it’s frustrating that Anton Yelchin ever managed to bag a role of in the ‘Star-Trek’ reboots.
Following Yelchin’s tragic and senseless passing yesterday, nearly every news report and social media post have cited the light-hearted character of Ensign Chekov as his most memorable role. Which is unfortunate.
Just as with his predecessor Walter Koenig, Yelchin was pretty soundly derided for his comically improvised Russian accent when he debuted in the role in 2009. It’s also a character that struggled to find its feet in both that movie and the sequel, as the various Enterprise crew members frantically jostled for screen time in an overly packed lineup.
Despite losing his life at the young age of 27 Yelchin was already somewhat of a veteran of Hollywood, and had racked up an impressive 65 acting credits to his name. Starting with a solid grounding in TV, largely in police procedurals, he flirted with the mainstream before establishing a comfortable career that straddled both mainstream and arthouse.
He specialized in likeable ‘average joes’, and had a talent for grabbing hold of an audience, making them engage with and invest in his character’s storyline. It would be a travesty for him to be remembered only as a supporting character in a rebooted franchise, so here are 5 other Yelchin performances that go some way to demonstrating the depth of this young actor’s career:
5. Along Came A Spider (2001)
Hollywood is a hazardous place for a child actor, and whilst sometimes greatness can beckon, all too often a small footnote and a shocking picture several years down the line in a news article are a somewhat inevitable outcome.
Yelchin’s first role of note came at the tender age of 12 years old, with his portrayal of a potential kindnapping victim in the second of the original Alex Cross movies.
It’s a small role in a bad movie, certainly not pivotal to the plot, but the plucky young child actor’s brief appearance teased a talent that would refuse to be cowed by the cynical hustle and bustle of the movie industry.
4. Terminator Salvation (2009)
Fast forward eight years, and the same Summer that saw Yelchin donning his Starfleet Uniform for the first time also saw him headlining another blockbuster reboot, as the new incarnation of Michael Biehn’s Kyle Reese.
It’s perhaps understandable that people choose not to mention the film when they pass back over Yelchin’s career. The film was tonally uncertain of itself, and did little to capture the imagination. But, hey, ‘Genisys’ it ain’t, and Yelchin attacked the role with enthusiasm and vigour, portraying a more humane version of Reese, not yet wearied and battered by the unending war with the machines.
As the film builds to the inevitable meeting between him and Christian Bale’s John Connor, Yelchin acquits himself well. Although his character is bound by a fate he can’t, and won’t escape, he manages to leave his own unique signature on the role, causing less damage than the rest of the film managed to do to the franchise.
3. Fright Night (2011)
Yelchin’s turn in ‘Salvation’ did him no harm at all, and he was soon given the chance to headline his own big-budget vehicle, with another cinematic reimagining two years later. Sadly, it’s another movie that failed to ignite on takeoff, and has faded quietly into the back-catalogue of failed reboot attempts.
But it’s an acting style that Yelchin would replicate again and again in his future career choices. His Charley Brewster is a likeable everyman, who didn’t do anything to deserve the horrifying situation he’s found himself in but is determined to work his way through it and out to the other side.
His comedic interactions with Colin Farrell and David Tennant are quick, snappy affairs, packed with witty banter and sharp comebacks. This is the kind of role that the young actor should be remembered for, and not a heavily accented extra on a starship bridge.
2. Odd Thomas (2013)
This largely overlooked adaptation of the Dean Koontz novels is a real treat, and if you havnt managed to catch it yet, I’d urge you to scour your streaming sources and give it a go.
Yelchin plays the titular ‘Odd’, who spends his days in a sleepy remote American town, alternating between his idyllic slacker existence, and dual role as the town’s psychic powered vigilante.
The film turns out to be a true tearjerker, as Odd manages to survive his demonic visions and ghostly visitations, which continue to build in strength until the inevitable face/off with a greater evil. It’s a confrontation that robs the young lad of everything he holds dear, and if you’re not close to crying by the end credits, frankly you have no soul. A wonderful blend of horror and fantasy, it’s got to be a contender for the best performance of his career.
1. Burying the Ex (2014)
Following his previous dabblings with comedic horror, Yelchin yet again portrayed a humble and unfortunate young soul who ends up with hell being visited on him. Quite literally, in this case. With his overbearing and bullying fiancé killed in a tragic accident, it looks like Yelchin’s shop worker may have found true love with Alexandra Daddario (what are the chances?), only for the aforementioned ex to return as an overly possessive and slightly ticked-off Zombie.
A short, and snappy movie, it’s zany and witty, and pretty damned disposable, but it’s got heart. And that’s in no small part down to Yelchin. He would’ve made a good Peter Parker, as he specialized in roles where he spent his screen time trying to please everybody, only to end up pissing everybody off in the process.
Yelchin was a likeable and appealing young talent, who automatically raised the level of any projects he was involved in; and that’s what makes his passing all the more tragic.