Viggo Mortensen Names The One David Cronenberg Movie He Says Is Near Perfect

Viggo Mortensen has portrayed everything from a medieval king to a post-apocalyptic survivor, but there is one specific role that he considers to be his career high. While many fans associate him with Middle-earth, Mortensen believes the 2005 thriller A History of Violence is a nearly flawless piece of cinema. Directed by David Cronenberg, the film features Mortensen as Tom Stall, a quiet family man whose lethal skills are revealed after he defends his diner from a robbery.

The actor shared his high opinion of the project during a sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter, where he noted that the movie stands out among his extensive body of work. There’s no such thing as a perfect movie, but in the way that that script was handled, the way it was shot… It’s a perfect film noir movie, or it’s close to perfect, I should say, Mortensen explained. He praised the tight execution of the story, which was adapted from a 1997 graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke.

Interestingly, Mortensen’s journey with the film began before Cronenberg even signed on as the director. He recalled reading an early version of the script that he found quite lacking and almost didn’t pursue. He credited Cronenberg for taking a disappointing, senseless draft and transforming it into the critically acclaimed final product. He has helped me do really good work, better than other directors, the actor noted, suggesting that they share a unique creative language and sense of humor.

This collaboration sparked a long-term professional bond between the two, leading to several other major projects. Shortly after their success with A History of Violence, the pair reunited for the 2007 crime drama Eastern Promises and later worked together on the 2011 biographical film A Dangerous Method. Mortensen has frequently expressed that Cronenberg understands his acting process better than most, which allows him to push his performances to a higher level.

Viggo Mortensen is enjoying the continued success of his second directorial effort, the Western drama The Dead Don’t Hurt. Released in mid-2024, the film saw Mortensen take on the roles of writer, director, producer, and composer, while also starring as a Danish immigrant caught up in the American Civil War.

The movie, which co-stars Vicky Krieps as the fiercely independent Vivienne Le Coudy, received strong reviews for its nonlinear storytelling and its grounded, realistic take on the frontier genre.

Currently, much of the conversation around Mortensen involves the massive 25th-anniversary celebrations for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which returned to theaters in early 2026.

Do you think that Viggo Mortensen’s best work truly lies in his gritty collaborations with David Cronenberg, or will his portrayal of Aragorn always be his “perfect” performance in your eyes? Share your thoughts in the comments.