Tom Hardy Made His Acting Debut In This Forgotten Daniel Craig War Movie

For some reason, Tom Hardy's earliest Hollywood roles are war stories. You might remember a young Hardy in HBO's "Band of Brothers," which was as challenging as his next gig, Ridley Scott's "Black Hawk Down." Playing an Easy Company private for his television debut on HBO wasn't easy, of course, as Hardy didn't have much experience in front of the camera and dealt with immense pressure to prove himself. The same can be said about his feature film debut, as Hardy's character was also based on a real Army Ranger who was still traumatized by the Battle of Mogadishu. Before the actor got his big break in "Star Trek: Nemesis," Hardy had already appeared in yet another war film that also starred some pretty big names (but who weren't that well-known at the time). I'm talking about Hardy's completely forgotten acting debut, "The Trench."

1999's "The Trench" isn't an atrocious film, but it has certainly been treated like it is. For starters, it doesn't have enough critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes to receive an aggregate score, and its limited theatrical release certainly didn't help matters. This was also novelist William Boyd's directorial debut, which, combined with the film's somber subject matter, contributed to its overlooked status. In hindsight, "The Trench" boasts a stacked cast, with the likes of Daniel Craig, Cillian Murphy, and Ben Whishaw (!) being a part of the ensemble. Unfortunately, none of these actors were big names in 1999, as all three of them began enjoying mainstream success after the early 2000s. 

Hardy's role as a background soldier is an uncredited one — it's a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance that doesn't contribute to the story in any meaningful way. With that in mind, let's talk about "The Trench" and whether it has anything worthwhile to offer.

Boyd's "The Trench" offers a harrowing snapshot of the 48 hours leading up to the Battle of the Somme. The story opens with a young Billy (Paul Nicholls), who has to face the inevitable countdown to doom alone after his wounded brother is sent back home. He's surrounded by a wide cast of colorful characters, including the experienced sergeant Telford Winter (Craig), jittery rookie Rookwood (Murphy), and the gentle Private James Deamis (Whishaw). There's also Tommy (James D'Arcy), who is constantly wary of his superiors, who think that going all-out on the battlefield is a sound strategy. Together, these characters make a good enough impression, contributing to the tragedy that befalls everyone later when they're literally in the trenches.

Craig is the clear standout here, but you can already glimpse exceptional potential in Murphy's performance, along with a young Whishaw in his debut role. Nicholls and the others are also pretty good, but aren't given the opportunity to do more than what their thematic archetypes promise. If you're curious about these intriguing early performances, then "The Trench" is worth your time. That said, this is not one of those astounding war movies that have something new to say, even though the story is serviceable enough to be compelling. The tension in the narrative lies in the long wait before the violent inevitability of war, along with the anxieties that come with it. Every dream is brutally crushed by the time the film reaches its climax.

In terms of tone, Boyd's vision is gritty and authentic, and a lot is accomplished with a limited budget, making "The Trench" a decent genre film with great performances.

"The Trench" is available to watch on Prime Video.