No Actor Was Better At Making Us Hate His Guts Than Ray Stevenson In RRR
There's a fine art to playing a character who all but chews up the scenery. It takes a precise awareness of tone, a deft touch to make all the deceptively subtle moments land just as hard as the more outsized ones, and a willingness to risk looking silly or even foolish. So when Hollywood mainstay Ray Stevenson first joined the cast of "RRR," the Telugu-language epic that swept the globe and redefined the very meaning of "maximalist cinema," those in the know sat up and took notice to see exactly what the actor would bring to the villainous role of Governor Scott Buxton, the British Raj commander who poses the single largest threat to freedom fighters Bheem (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Raju (Ram Charan) and their peoples' way of life.
Not just any actor could've stood toe-to-toe with the larger-than-life performances of the two main leads — a fact that has sadly become all too clear in the wake of actor Ray Stevenson's untimely death at the age of 58. Best known for portraying Frank Castle in "Punisher: War Zone" and loyal friend Volstagg in Marvel's "Thor" movies, Stevenson ran headlong into giving the performance of a lifetime as the hateful Scott in a role that outshines all the rest. Though not given the deepest or most fleshed-out character to play, the late talent clearly relished the chance to sink his teeth into a much more operatic sort of role. As essentially the one-man avatar of British imperialism, Stevenson expertly wielded his immense screen presence and endless charisma to deliver a character that audiences all across the world would truly love to hate.
Let's pour one out for Ray Stevenson, who gave one of the most signature turns in all of "RRR."
The MVP of RRR
When you think of the absolute wildest moments in all of "RRR," there's a better-than-likely chance that the first scenes to come to mind involve the animals let loose on the Governor's estate, Bheem and Raju's first meeting on and around (and under) that flaming bridge, and, of course, the standout "Naatu Naatu" dance sequence. But as much as audiences fell in love with the heart-on-its-sleeves joys of that central bromance, full of earnestness and betrayal and forgiveness, it's impossible to imagine "RRR" carrying the same sort of heft without a villain to match.
Luckily, Stevenson was more than up to the task. Right from the opening moments of the film, the brutal and utterly ruthless Governor shows us exactly what he's made of when he blithely orders the kidnapping of young Malli (Twinkle Sharma), setting off all the fireworks that are to come. But in a movie full of the loudest explosions, the most over-the-top set pieces, and a storytelling approach constantly dialed up to 11, Stevenson steals the show with just one chilling speech in an extended flashback sequence. The Governor's fixation on the value of a bullet and how it ought not be "wasted" on India's indigenous population not only sets up a recurring motif that is eventually paid off to spectacular and cathartic results, but it gives Stevenson a classic villain's monologue that fully establishes himself as a mustache-twirling scoundrel of the highest order.
But even this only serves as a prelude to when the Governor finally gets into the action himself.
A threat to the end
"RRR" fully understands the cinematic truth that, for a story mixing real-world history with cultural mythology to genuinely sing, it needs a worthy foe who can unite viewers in sheer hatred. The Avengers had Thanos, Jake Sully and his kids (and Payakan!) had that loathsome whaler in one of the most satisfying moments of "Avatar: The Way of Water," and Bheen and Raju had Stevenson's pitch-perfect portrayal of the sneering Governor.
It's easy to see why Ray Stevenson would've been so attracted to this role. For one thing, the former action star got one brief but glorious chance to show off his chops once more. While riding in a convoy on the way to Bheem's hanging, Governor Buxton and his driver fall right into Raju's trap as a tree falls onto their vehicle and catapults them into the air. Not even slightly deterred, however, the slow-mo sequence allows us to see him snatch his rifle out of mid-air, take aim at the escaping Raju and Malli, and shoot them right out of their car — all while suspended dozens of feet above the ground. Heroes always get their hero moments, but "RRR" made sure to set aside some precious screen time so that Stevenson could get his own moment to shine. But the true highlight comes in the film's climactic moments. Any memorable foe needs to go out just as unforgettably as they arrived, and the absurdly explosive final battle allows Stevenson to do just that. With one last chant of "Load, aim, shoot!," the sun finally set on the British Empire.
Part force of nature, part cartoon, and 100% sociopath, Ray Stevenson's Governor Scott should go down as one of the best blockbuster villains ever. Despite his passing, this performance will forever be immortalized.