He's not a great actor but I've liked him in other roles and he did fine with the material he had to work with. Most of the problems people had with his performance are the fault of the writing and direction, I think.
I can't think of any actor who could have come across as giving a good performance with Anakin's dialogue.
To answer the original question, yes he did a good job. ROTS portrayal > AOTC portrayal. However, job was well done IMO.
I've been browsing some old sections of these boards and came across this post from April 28, 2003. It's from this thread: http://boards.theforce.net/threads/haydens-acting.11466853/ Ten years later, we're still at it! - I HATE YOU!!! - I know. /LM
I thought he was okay. It would have been hard for anyone to have a great performance with some of the dialogue he was given. My opinion, of course.
His portrayal in AOTC wasn't a highlight of the film for me but he totally redemmed himself in ROTS....the way in which he put across Anakins turn to the Darkside is probably my favourite part of the entire PT!
He was stuck with the thankless job of having to perform for a hack director and did the best he could given the circumstances.
We share the same avatar, that's embarrassing/cool. I think Hayden did a swell job being Anakin. Though he wasn't too good with how he acted when he wasn't angry, he did well when he needed to be ticked off. I liked him.
I was not a fan. His casting is probably one of the top things I would change about the prequel trilogy. I will give him credit for vastly improving his performance Episode 2 to 3. In AotC I would just cringe every time he got frustrated or angry, it was like he didn't really know how to portray those feelings on camera. But, like I said, he did do a better job in RotS. Still, I just can't really get on board with his overall performance as Anakin.
To me his and Natalie Portman's performance is one of the low points of the PT. Maybe with some better direction, something other than "Faster, more intense." they could have pulled it off. As it is, I find their performance very lacking.
I think he did a great job. Although Hayden gave a very "corny" performance in spots, it fit the Anakin character so well. He's stubborn, rude, annoying, and childish, and I think Hayden portrayed him as such to good effect against Ewan's more passive, calm, etc. Obi-Wan. Had Anakin been played differently (i.e. "more mature"), then it would have ruined the character typecast.
In AOTC the only cringe inducing moment was when Padme told him to stop looking at her. That was meant to be cringe worthy, less Anakin Skywalker than Anakin Superstalker. I agree with FRAGWAGON, Hayden's performance was believable and so he did a good job. At the end, when he is immolated, I felt very sad for the character of Anakin. It was authentically tragic, Anakin's own character had brought him to that moment and Hayden, consequently, was convincing.
There were a few bad deliveries in ROTS, but generally I see Hayden's performance as true to how I see the character. I buy that Hayden is both Anakin and Vader, and for me the tragedy of the movie is represented in his performance. I feel the loss of his innocent persona, and by the end of the movie he truely is Vader. AOTC is another story, but I am pleased with ROTS.
Personally, mind you, I agree to a point regarding your description of his character - and that is why I was unable to dredge up any real sorrow over his fate rather than on an abstract level as when I would when any human "goes bad." His character wasn't balanced enough to make me feel bad for him; I felt bad for those others his turn affected.
It's gotta be hard to live up to that expectation though, you know? You're fulfilling a vital role in the Star Wars saga, that's a lot of pressure. I think he did great in revealing the victimization of Vader and why he was the way he was in the OT.
Perhaps. It's just that when I see OT Vader (especially in ESB) as a cold, ruthless, intimidating figure who articulates his threats so well, I don't at all see prequel Anakin in him. The guy who force-chocked an Admiral on another ship while calmly but forcefully giving the new Admiral instructions? He's not in the prequels.
"He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader" - Anakin's not supposed to be much like Vader.
