Things have been good for Josh Hartnett these past few years. The Y2K era teen star has established a fun new groove for himself, working in genre pictures like this week’s bonkers actioner “Fight or Flight,” directed by James Madigan, M. Night Shyamalan’s devious “Trap” from last year, and Guy Ritchie’s homage to “Heat,” “Wrath of Man” (2021). So in honor of “Fight or Flight” hitting screens this weekend, here’s the best of Josh Hartnett from both now and then.
Hartnett’s breakout came with two horror films in 1998, “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later,” a now-maligned legasequel in the Haddonfield/Laurie Strode/Michael Myers universe. What’s notable about this one is that Jamie Lee Curtis’ mother, horror icon Janet Leigh (“Psycho”), appeared opposite her daughter in the film (rent it on all digital platforms). But the more memorable film was “The Faculty,” directed by Robert Rodriguez, in which Hartnett plays a high school student who realizes that all the teachers are aliens. Rent “The Faculty” on all digital platforms.
He also co-starred in Sofia Coppola’s sparkling and moody debut “The Virgin Suicides” in 1999, opposite Kirsten Dunst (streaming on Kanopy or available to rent). He leaned into the retro heartthrob role with Michael Bay’s bombastic 2001 World War II period piece “Pearl Harbor,” as the third in a love triangle made up of Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale (streaming on Hulu). That year, he also took his turn in an updated Shakespearean adaptation that were all the rage then, “O,” an adaptation of “Othello,” directed by Tim Blake Nelson and co-starring Julia Stiles and Mekhi Phifer.
The early aughts were good to Hartnett, as he also co-starred in Ridley Scott’s ensemble action drama “Black Hawk Down,” about the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. The film is available to stream on Netflix or Kanopy. In 2002, Hartnett starred in the bizarre celibacy rom-com “40 Days and 40 Nights” with Shannyn Sossamon about a man who meets the love of his life while he’s given up sex for Lent. Rent it on all platforms.
