The 15 Best Denzel Washington Movies Ranked

Over the past four decades, Denzel Washington has built an impressive filmography in Hollywood, with very few disappointments. He’s appeared in movies spanning various genres – from intense crime dramas and action blockbusters to romantic comedies, biographical films, and even a handful of science fiction movies. Regardless of the movie’s quality, you can expect a strong performance from Denzel Washington when you purchase a ticket for his film.

In the 80s, Denzel Washington moved to Hollywood, but it wasn’t until the ’90s that he truly shone as a star. His first Oscar nomination was in 1988 for “Cry Freedom,” but he won his first of two awards in 1990. He has collaborated with acclaimed directors like Ridley Scott and Spike Lee, and also directed some films himself. He’s shared the screen with some of Tinseltown’s most esteemed actors, and has a long list of classics, even including a few flops that are still worth viewing. So which movies from Denzel Washington’s filmography stand out as all-time greats? We’ve compiled the top 15 and ranked them from mediocre to exceptional.

15. Man on Fire

Prior to his role in a series of “Equalizer” movies that just missed this list, Denzel Washington had already acted in an action-thriller titled “Man on Fire” back in 2004. This film was another opportunity for Washington, as it allowed him to work with Tony Scott again, who had directed him in “Crimson Tide”. Their collaboration in “Man on Fire” marked the second time they worked together out of a total of four projects.

In the movie, Denzel Washington plays John W. Creasy, a retired CIA agent and Marine nearing the end of his life, contemplating suicide. However, he’s offered a shot at redemption when he’s employed as the bodyguard for Pita Ramos, a young girl whose father is a wealthy businessman (Marc Anthony). When Pita is abducted by an enigmatic character called La Voz (“The Voice”), Creasy embarks on a personal crusade to rescue her from her captors.

The pulse-quickening thriller “Man on Fire” is exceptionally good within its genre. While it may not possess the depth of Washington’s more serious films, it serves as an expertly designed revenge flick and could be considered Washington’s finest action film to date.

14. Remember the Titans

The 2000 sports movie “Remember the Titans” is based on the true events surrounding high school football coach Herman Boone. In this film, Denzel Washington portrays Coach Boone, with Donald Faison, Wood Harris, and a young Ryan Gosling playing supporting roles as the team’s players.

In the year 1971, at T.C. Williams High School in Virginia, which had just been desegregated, a significant move was made: a Black coach named Herman Boone was appointed to lead the school’s football team. This decision was met with resistance from the entire white coaching staff. In an area where high school and college football are deeply ingrained in the culture, it fell upon Coach Boone to unite his team, ease racial strife, and inspire them all towards a championship.

25 years after its release, the poignant drama “Remember the Titans” continues to resonate, as we continue to struggle with racial and gender issues in sports. Washington shines in his role, delivering a powerful portrayal of a coach confronting racism alongside his team’s adversaries. Despite not fully capturing the complexities of the true story, this film remains a timeless sports masterpiece.

13. Antwone Fisher

After starring in “Remember the Titans,” Denzel Washington felt that acting alone wasn’t satisfying enough, so he ventured into directing with his debut project being “Antwone Fisher” in 2002. This film, like “Remember the Titans,” was another uplifting tale, with Washington taking on a mentor role. The movie is based on real events and revolves around a young man named Derek Luke, who grew up in a fractured household. In an attempt to flee his difficult life, he enlists in the Navy, only to be compelled there to face his inner struggles.

Regrettably, Fisher’s upbringing has instilled in him a quick temper and a low tolerance, making it challenging for him to adapt to life at sea. However, Fisher receives psychiatric care where he encounters Dr. Jerome Davenport (Washington), a kind-hearted shipmate who recognizes potential in Fisher and strives to assist him in reaching his full capabilities.

The film “Antwone Fisher”, a tale of personal strife and inner bravery, was praised as a triumph for Washington during his first directing venture. Later, he took charge of numerous other productions, with two more making it onto this compilation.

12. Flight

In 2012, I was thrilled to see Robert Zemeckis, director of “Back to the Future,” step back into live-action filmmaking since his work on “Castaway” in 2000. And let me tell you, he couldn’t have made a wiser choice than Denzel Washington for the lead role. He portrayed Captain William “Whip” Whitaker, a pilot whose quick thinking and bravery during a near-fatal flight emergency earned him widespread acclaim after successfully landing the plane following a devastating mechanical malfunction.

Although Whitaker received praise for his remarkable landing, it later transpired that his piloting skills were not as flawless as everyone assumed. This revelation led to challenging inquiries about his suitability to fly and heightened attention from the media, his peers, and even his own loved ones. In the wake of this scrutiny, Whitaker formed an unanticipated friendship with Nicole (played by Kelly Reilly), a photographer battling drug dependency issues.

On a limited budget, it became known that both Zemeckis and Washington voluntarily reduced their salaries to ensure the movie’s production. The result was a successful film that received a nomination for best original screenplay at the subsequent year’s Academy Awards, and Washington was also recognized with a nomination for best actor.

11. The Great Debaters

In 1997, an article about the debating team from Wiley College in 1935 was featured in “American Legacy” magazine. Fast forward to 2007, Denzel Washington took on his second directing role for a movie titled “The Great Debaters,” where he also played coach Melvin B. Tolson. The film’s cast included Jurnee Smollett, Nate Parker, Forest Whitaker, and Denzel Whitaker (who was named after Washington himself).

With determination and bravery, Tolson guides his team of brilliant young scholars at historically Black Wiley College during the Jim Crow era in the Deep South towards greatness, not just in debate but also in their personal lives. The movie vividly portrays the profound racial disparities during the segregation period, where Black men and women were subjected to cruel treatment by a racist system. Remarkably played, it’s the only film featuring the Whitakers as the lead duo. However, Denzel Washington steals the show with his exceptional dual roles of directing and delivering another outstanding performance on screen.

10. Training Day

In the iconic movies from the 2000s, “Training Day” gained popularity even before the rise of social media, largely due to memorable scenes shared by its main actors, Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. In this film, Ethan Hawke portrays Jake Hoyt, an LAPD officer seeking a promotion. To help him achieve his goal, he’s teamed up with the experienced Detective Alonzo Harris (played by Denzel Washington), who has a reputation for toughness and success in major drug busts within the city. However, Alonzo Harris is more complex than he appears.

Instead of personally hardening the younger officer, Harris makes Hoyt undergo rigorous training while they patrol together on the streets. However, Harris’s methods transgress both legal and moral boundaries. The situation escalates when Hoyt discovers that his temporary mentor, Harris, could be collaborating with the Russian mafia – and he might become their next victim.

In this movie, both Hawke and Washington were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances, but it was Washington who won the award for best actor. This film was only Antoine Fuqua’s third directorial project, marking the beginning of a five-film collaboration between him and the Oscar-winning star. They later worked together on “The Magnificent Seven” and three films in the “Equalizer” series.

9. Philadelphia

It could come as quite unexpected that the 1993 film “Philadelphia” was among the initial significant movies to focus on the theme of AIDS. Filmed in and around its titular city, “Philadelphia” features Tom Hanks portraying Andrew Beckett, a lawyer hiding his sexuality who is experiencing severe AIDS symptoms when he’s let go from his firm. Convinced that his termination was due to his health condition, Beckett enlists the aid of another attorney to help him pursue a lawsuit for wrongful dismissal.

After multiple rejections from lawyers, I finally found an ally in Joe Miller from Washington – a fellow Black individual who recognized similarities between the prejudice I was encountering and the racial bias he had faced throughout his life. Side by side with him, I embarked on a journey to advocate for equal rights, even as my health took a turn for the worse.

During a period when only medical professionals had a grasp on AIDS, the movie “Philadelphia” displayed bravery by addressing the discrimination experienced by the LGBTQ+ community and revealing the harsh truths of the AIDS crisis to viewers. Although it didn’t receive any Oscar recognition for itself, “Philadelphia” led Tom Hanks to win his first Academy Award for best actor.

8. Crimson Tide

By the mid-90s, Denzel Washington had firmly secured his place as one of Hollywood’s top dramatic actors, often making films that were contenders for awards. However, in 1996, he ventured briefly into action movies, following his role in “Philadelphia.” This change led to the release of “Crimson Tide,” an intense submarine thriller filled with suspense. In this film, Washington starred alongside Gene Hackman, Viggo Mortensen, and James Gandolfini.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, veteran submarine captain Frank Ramsey (Hackman) and his second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter (Washington), are introduced. A civil war erupts in Russia, and a nationalist leader named Vladimir Radchenko threatens to initiate a nuclear conflict if foreign powers try to intervene. As a result, Ramsey and Hunter are tasked with monitoring Russian territories, ready to attack the Eastern power should Radchenko carry out his threat.

In this movie, a suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat thriller, the main focus is on the dynamic between Ramsay and Hunter. As events progress, their disagreements intensify as they grapple with conflicting strategies for managing an increasingly dangerous scenario, all while the specter of impending nuclear annihilation hangs heavy over them.

7. Fences

In 2010, Denzel Washington temporarily left films to perform in a revival of August Wilson’s play “Fences” on Broadway. This Pulitzer Prize-winning production featured Washington and Viola Davis as Troy and Rose Lee Maxson, an elderly couple living in Pittsburgh during the 1950s while raising their teenage son, Jovan Adepo. Troy has had a tough life, fleeing home at 14 to escape his abusive father and serving jail time for manslaughter. With dreams of making it big in baseball, he was held back by the racial barriers in the sport.

Similar to the stage production, the movie portrays Troy and Rose Lee navigating the challenges of being an African American family in 1950s America. A realistic narrative, “Fences” was a successful play on Broadway, earning both Denzel Washington and Viola Davis Tony Awards for their performances. In the film adaptation, Denzel Washington earned an Academy Award nomination for best actor, but it was Viola Davis who won the prestigious statuette in the end.

6. Malcolm X

Initially, during the early stages of his career, Denzel Washington often found himself drawn to historical dramas and biopics. One standout film from this period is the 1992 drama “Malcolm X,” in which he portrayed one of America’s most influential figures in the Civil Rights Movement. This was the third time he worked with director Spike Lee, and the movie boasts an exceptional ensemble cast that includes Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo, Christopher Plummer, and Giancarlo Esposito.

One significant civil leader in our country, Malcolm X, was known for a more assertive stance on racial issues compared to some of his contemporaries. He never shied away from this militancy and stood firm in his convictions. He ignited a wave of inspiration among an entire generation frustrated with less confrontational approaches to equality. Utilizing his influence, he advocated for the Nation of Islam, only to be tragically taken at the young age of 39 through assassination.

Based on a book that was once forbidden, “The Autobiography of Malcom X,” which was published shortly after his death in 1965, the movie version is remarkable. Denzel Washington delivers a stellar performance, embodying the charismatic leader so convincingly that he received an Academy Award nomination.

5. The Hurricane

Boxing films have produced some outstanding sports movies in Hollywood, and when Denzel Washington entered this genre, it lived up to expectations. The movie “The Hurricane,” released in 1999, is another biographical film for Washington, who took on the role of real-life boxer Rubin “The Hurricane” Carter by putting on a pair of large red gloves. Carter, plagued by a difficult childhood and discharged from the US Army after a court martial, went on to achieve success in boxing, capturing the attention of the boxing community in the early 1960s.

As a devoted fan, I’d like to share a heart-wrenching story about a boxer named Carter. Beyond his glorious career in the ring, Carter’s life took an unfortunate turn when he became entangled in a tragic incident at a local eatery. In an attempt to rob it, he and a companion were apprehended by law enforcement due to their vague resemblance to the suspects described. With minimal evidence to support any claims, Carter was wrongly convicted of murder and unjustly incarcerated for nearly two decades.

In “The Hurricane,” Denzel Washington secured an Oscar nod by outperforming Samuel L. Jackson and Wesley Snipes for the role of Carter. This performance also earned him a Golden Globe award. To this day, “The Hurricane” is frequently recognized as one of the greatest boxing movies ever made, alongside timeless classics like “Rocky” and “Raging Bull.

4. Inside Man

Since 1990 with the movie “Mo’ Better Blues,” director Spike Lee has teamed up with Denzel Washington as the lead actor on three additional occasions, with their most recent collaboration being the 2006 crime thriller “Inside Man.” This film marked a slight departure for the duo, who had previously worked together on more character-driven dramas. The movie was written by first-time screenwriter and lawyer Russell Gewirtz.

From the perspective of an enthusiast: “I’m all about ‘Inside Man’, a thrilling tale that spins around a brilliantly planned bank heist orchestrated by Dalton Russell (Clive Owen), the charismatic head of a cunning gang. The NYPD’s Detective Keith Frazier (Washington) steps in to negotiate hostage release, but things get intriguing when the bank owner (Christopher Plummer) enlists a fixer (Jodie Foster) to retrieve the contents of a secret safe deposit box. This sets off speculation about the true objectives of the robbers.

A first-rate thriller filled with unexpected turns and escalating tension, the movie “Inside Man” didn’t receive many awards. Despite producing some of the most influential and critically acclaimed films from the ’90s, “Inside Man” remains Spike Lee’s highest-earning film. It even spawned a direct-to-video sequel that you might not have noticed. Lee and Washington are scheduled to collaborate again in 2025 for a remake of the Akira Kurosawa classic “High and Low.

3. The Tragedy of Macbeth

After a split in the 2010s, the renowned filmmaking team of Joel and Ethan Coen parted ways, allegedly due to Ethan deciding to step away from Hollywood (though he eventually returned). Following this separation, Joel Coen embarked on his solo directorial debut with a contemporary adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” titled “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” In this production, Coen served as both writer and director, casting Denzel Washington in the titular role while Frances McDormand, a previous collaborator from “Blood Simple” and “Fargo,” portrayed Lady Macbeth.

In this movie, Washington and McDormand are joined by a group of talented character actors such as Brendan Gleeson, Henry Melling, and Stephen Root. This film turned out to be an unanticipated success for Denzel Washington, marking one of the highlights in his impressive career. It became a triumph for the Coen brothers and is considered a strong contender for major awards. However, unlike some contemporary adaptations of Shakespeare that are successful due to their innovative perspectives, the Coens chose a more traditional approach. In the end, it’s the film’s beautiful visuals and bold direction that make it stand out, with Washington’s powerful portrayal of Shakespeare’s most famous king earning him his tenth Oscar nomination.

2. American Gangster

The first movie directed by Ridley Scott that he worked on was “American Gangster,” released in 2006. This crime-thriller was loosely based on the real-life story of Frank Lucas, a Harlem drug lord notorious in New York City during the 1970s. Eventually caught for drug trafficking, he managed to dodge a potential 70-year sentence by cooperating with authorities. Remarkably, he formed an unexpected bond with the detective who apprehended him, going as far as hiring that same officer as his legal counsel later in life.

In simpler terms, “American Gangster” tells a fictionalized account of real events, starring Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Josh Brolin. Denzel Washington takes on the role of the real-life figure Lucas, while Russell Crowe portrays Detective Richie Roberts, an NYPD officer who is assigned to apprehend Lucas.

Praised for rekindling the gritty atmosphere reminiscent of traditional mobster films, “American Gangster” delivers a tough, crime-filled tale from days gone by. This captivating and tense narrative is made even more impressive by its exceptional cast, who each bring their A-game to the table.

1. Glory

As a dedicated fan, it’s not hard to see that Denzel Washington’s most outstanding cinematic performance lies in the biographical-historical epic “Glory,” released in 1989. This film, drawn from the experiences of officer Robert Shaw and based on true events, tells the compelling tale of an all-Black U.S. Army regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. In this movie, Matthew Broderick portrays Officer Shaw, who assumes command in a unit comprised of Black former slaves, some newly freed and others who had bravely escaped from the Southern states.

Besides Broderick and Washington, the film “Glory” is powerfully led by exceptional performances from Morgan Freeman as Sergeant Major John Rawlins and the late Andre Braugher as Corporal Thomas Searles. This movie offers a unique perspective on a neglected aspect of history, shedding light on the significant yet often overlooked sacrifices made by the first Black regiment to participate in an American war. They endured challenges not only from their adversaries, but also faced prejudice and contempt from those who were supposed to support them.

Skillfully produced, superbly acted, and offering a raw portrayal of one of the country’s most brutal wars, “Glory” is considered one of the finest Civil War films ever created.

2025-03-10 21:32