Chris Hemsworth's career has contained a great deal of contrasting roles in his movies. While the actor may be best known as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he has also demonstrated his ability to cross genres and has shown great heart, humor, charisma, and action prowess.

The latest Mad Max installment, Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga, is set to include Hemsworth as the villain of the piece, allowing him to flex yet another acting muscle. But his filmography has already shown his range and his ability to contribute to both low-budget pieces and massive blockbusters in meaningful ways. Hemsworth is a game-changer on any set, and these movies are ranked based on their quality and the impact of the actor's performance.

10 Hemsworth Helped to Set the Tone for Star Trek

It's an Utterly Effective Cameo

• The film earned 94% on Rotten Tomatoes & 7.9 on IMDb.

The Star Trek reboot could have been a complete failure. The franchise hadn't been mainstream in some time and director J.J. Abrams was taking a risk in rebooting the Star Trek timeline for a new generation. While long-term, these choices certainly paid off and included the introduction of Hemsworth in a small but pivotal.

While his position in the franchise is small, Chris Hemsworth's debut as George S. Kirk set the tone of heroism and crucially gave Chris Pine's James T. Kirk an emotional backstory. The film itself is stellar, and Hemsworth's performance kicked the saga off in the right way. It's no wonder there are calls for him to return in a sequel.

9 The Cabin in the Woods Is an Underrated Horror Flick

This Is a Vital Entry In the Actor's Early Career

• The film earned 92% on Rotten Tomatoes & 7.0 on IMDb.

The Cabin in the Woods was a horror and mystery affair that happened very early in Chris Hemsworth's career. While the actor has largely defined himself as an action hero, with a strong leaning on the superhero genre, this is a piece that indicates his potential star power in a darker setting.

With science fiction and comedy elements, The Cabin in the Wood required its performers to balance a number of tones, and Hemsworth is the master of changing gears across a film. Although it was a solid revitalization of the slasher structure, The Cabin in the Woods ultimately relied heavily on its ensemble elements, with Hemsworth showing good chemistry throughout.

8 Thor Ushered in an Era of Mythology

The God of Thunder Would Be Very Different Without This Casting

• The film earned 77% on Rotten Tomatoes & 7.0 on IMDb

The very first Thor film is massive in its role for the MCU. It was one of the earlier productions in the franchise and introduced many vital characters, from Loki and Jane Foster to Hawkeye and the titular God of Thunder himself. This tapped into mythology in a grand way and widened what the MCU could be.

Chris Hemsworth had a star-making performance in Thor, and if all the pieces hadn't moved into place, it could have had the potential to derail the MCU completely. It was a massive choice to remove the powers of one of the strongest Marvel characters so early into the movie, but it really helped to humanize the hero.

7 Rush is a More Nuanced Character Piece

Rush Represents Some of Ron Howard's Best Work

• The film earned 89% on Rotten Tomatoes & 8.1 on IMDb

There are some who would say that Rush follows the formula of a sports or racing film and thus boasts similarities to other projects, but the Ron Howard-directed flick boasts so much nuance. The biographical piece is a very personal look at the rivalry between two top-tier drivers.

Hemsworth played off of incredible cast members like Daniel Brühl and Olivia Wilde with real flare and enthusiasm for the material. This was an opportunity for the actor to hone in on key emotional beats as marriages broke down and ambition turned sour. This is unlike any other movie in Hemsworth's filmography and is a spectacular fast-paced drama.

6 Extraction Didn't Hold Back on the Action

Netflix Needed a Series Like This

• The film earned 67% on Rotten Tomatoes & 6.8 on IMDb.

Part of Chris Hemsworth's appeal as Thor is that he is an almost unstoppable force of nature, plowing through opponents with skill and brute strength. However, Hemsworth moved on to Extraction, which allowed the actor to demonstrate genuine weakness and very human flaws amidst bloody battles.

From a choreography perspective, this was superb to see, and cinematically, the movie deserved a theatrical run. Although it could have plunged even deeper into who Tyler Rake really was, the film was action-packed and tense enough to hold the audience's attention while dangling a carrot for more.

5 Thor: Ragnarok Is the Best in the Saga

Taika Waititi Reinvented the Hero

• The film earned 93% on Rotten Tomatoes & 7.9 on IMDb.

After Thor: The Dark World, Marvel Studios felt that the Thor saga needed revitalizing and thus turned to Taika Waititi for his unusual brand of humor and storytelling. The result was Thor: Ragnarok, which sent the series in a completely new direction and allowed Hemsworth to show his comedic skills.

Thor: Ragnarok might somehow be the most heartbreaking entry, considering the sheer amount of loss the God of Thunder has to face, but taking him into deep space was the right move. Zany, colorful and encompassing new characters like the Grandmaster and Valkyrie, the film was a smash hit and a perfect encapsulation of what the MCU could be.

4 Extraction 2 Elevated the Series

More Emotionally Compelling & Harder Hitting

• The film earned 79% on Rotten Tomatoes & 7.0 on IMDb.

Extraction 2 ended up being one of the best action movies of 2023 despite some tough competition. It took the foundation that had been built with Extraction, gave audiences Tyler Rake in his prime once more, but elevated every single beat from the action to the emotional arc.

Extraction 2 gave much more of Tyler's backstory, revealing exactly why his marriage broke down and why he holds such guilt. The set pieces are more intense, with a particularly gruesome opening that shows off so many cinematic choices of note. Extraction 2 was a big win for Netflix, which needed to demonstrate its ability to create an ongoing franchise, and Hemsworth was once again a leading man on a mission to show out.

3 Avengers: Infinity War Created a Cinematic Moment

This May Be Thor's Biggest Contribution to the MCU