(Picture by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Photographs)
Over the course of his a long time in present enterprise, Denzel Washington has carried out just about the whole lot — he’s performed cops (good and unhealthy), attorneys, reporters, educators, docs, mobsters, and extra, incomes a number of Academy Awards and greater than a billion {dollars} in field workplace grosses alongside the way in which. After all, it’s pretty troublesome to do all that with out piling up a fairly hefty stack of optimistic critiques, and Mr. Washington’s filmography has undoubtedly drawn its share, from Oscar winners like Glory, Coaching Day, and Philadelphia to his collaborations with director Spike Lee, like Malcolm X, He Obtained Recreation, and Inside Man. With all of that in thoughts, we’re right here to have fun by taking a complete have a look at his profession, together with the greatest Denzel Washington films and the worst. Perfection! Let’s go to work.
#1
Adjusted Rating: 97222%
Critics Consensus: Bolstered by distinctive cinematography, highly effective storytelling, and an Oscar-winning efficiency by Denzel Washington, Glory stays one of many best Civil Warfare films ever made.
#2
Adjusted Rating: 102747%
Critics Consensus: Led by a stellar Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth strips the traditional story right down to its visible and narrative necessities.
#3
Adjusted Rating: 107601%
Critics Consensus: From its reunited Broadway stars to its screenplay, the solidly crafted Fences finds its Pulitzer-winning supply materials basically unchanged — and nonetheless simply as highly effective.
#4
Adjusted Rating: 98618%
Critics Consensus: Humor, attention-grabbing characters, and a spotlight to particulars make the fashionable Satan in a Blue Gown an above common noir.
#5
Adjusted Rating: 96214%
Critics Consensus: Sarita Choudhury and Denzel Washington’s romantic chemistry lights up the display in Mississippi Masala, Mira Nair’s observant and attractive story of cultures clashing.
#6
Adjusted Rating: 92364%
Critics Consensus: Kenneth Branagh’s love for the fabric is contagious on this exuberant adaptation.
#7
Adjusted Rating: 91337%
Critics Consensus: Boasting taut, excessive power thrills and a few cracking dialogue courtesy of an uncredited Quentin Tarantino, Crimson Tide finds director Tony Scott close to the highest of his motion recreation.
#8
Adjusted Rating: 91929%
Critics Consensus: Anchored by a robust efficiency from Denzel Washington, Spike Lee’s biopic of legendary civil rights chief Malcolm X brings his autobiography to life with an epic sweep and a nuanced message.
#9
Adjusted Rating: 94033%
Critics Consensus: As quick, loud, and relentless because the prepare on the heart of the story, Unstoppable is ideal popcorn leisure — and director Tony Scott’s greatest film in years.
#10
Adjusted Rating: 94151%
Critics Consensus: Spike Lee’s energetic and intelligent bank-heist thriller is a brilliant style movie that’s not solely rewarding by itself phrases, however manages to subvert its pulpy trappings with wit and talent.
#11
Adjusted Rating: 88500%
Critics Consensus: An emotional and intriguing story of a navy officer who should overview the deserves of a fallen officer whereas confronting his personal conflict demons. Successfully depicts the terrors of conflict in addition to its heartbreaking aftermath.
#12
Adjusted Rating: 87025%
Critics Consensus: Thanks largely to one in every of Denzel Washington’s strongest on-screen performances, The Hurricane is a shifting, inspirational sports activities drama, even when it takes few dangers in telling its story.
#13
Adjusted Rating: 89457%
Critics Consensus: American Gangster is a gritty and entertaining throwback to traditional gangster movies, with its lead performers firing on all cylinders.
#14
Adjusted Rating: 82225%
Critics Consensus: Philadelphia indulges in some unlucky clichés in its quest to impart a significant message, however its stellar forged and delicate path are greater than sufficient to compensate.
#15
Adjusted Rating: 87980%
Critics Consensus: Whereas not the traditional its predecessor is, this replace is well-acted and conjures a chilling resonance.
#16
Adjusted Rating: 84970%
Critics Consensus: An exquisite forged and top-notch script elevate The Nice Debaters past a well-recognized system for a touching, uplifting drama.
#17
Adjusted Rating: 81471%
Critics Consensus: Although not with out its flaws, He Obtained Recreation finds Spike Lee close to the highest of his recreation, combining trenchant commentary along with his signature visuals and a robust efficiency from Denzel Washington.
#18
Adjusted Rating: 82382%
Critics Consensus: Washington’s directing debut is a solidly crafted, emotionally touching work.
#19
Adjusted Rating: 86222%
Critics Consensus: Robert Zemeckis makes a triumphant return to live-action cinema with Flight, a considerate and provocative character research propelled by a compelling efficiency from Denzel Washington.
#20
Adjusted Rating: 92678%
Critics Consensus: A meticulously-crafted homicide thriller with incisive observations about race in America, A Soldier’s Story advantages from a roundly wonderful ensemble and Charles Fuller’s politically pressing screenplay.
#21
Adjusted Rating: 62134%
Critics Consensus: A deft hybrid of snickers, espionage, and music, The Mighty Quinn is a brilliant, nice leisure that provides an early instance of Denzel Washington’s onscreen magnetism.
#22
Adjusted Rating: 75055%
Critics Consensus: No consensus but.
#23
Adjusted Rating: 61411%
Critics Consensus: No consensus but.
#24
Adjusted Rating: 78728%
Critics Consensus: The ending could also be lower than satisfying, however Denzel Washington reminds us why he is such an amazing actor on this taut and brutal police drama.
#25
Adjusted Rating: 76299%
Critics Consensus: An inspirational crowd-pleaser with a wholesome dose of social commentary, Keep in mind the Titans could also be predictable, however it’s additionally well-crafted and options terrific performances.
#26
Adjusted Rating: 82332%
Critics Consensus: The Magnificent Seven by no means actually lives as much as the superlative in its title — or the classics from which it attracts inspiration — however stays a reasonably diverting motion thriller by itself deserves.
#27
Adjusted Rating: 70631%
Critics Consensus: Formulaic and infrequently jarringly violent, 2 Weapons rests its old-school attraction on the interaction between its charismatic, well-matched stars.
#28
Adjusted Rating: 68830%
Critics Consensus: A enjoyable and trendy thriller if you will get previous the contrivances.
#29
Adjusted Rating: 63836%
Critics Consensus: Stable performances and a gentle directorial hand assist The Preacher’s Spouse provide some reliably heartwarming – albeit pretty predictable – vacation cheer.
#30
Adjusted Rating: 67385%
Critics Consensus: The Equalizer is extra stylishly violent than significant, however with Antoine Fuqua behind the cameras and Denzel Washington shelling out justice, it delivers.
#31
Adjusted Rating: 62060%
Critics Consensus: Tony Scott tries to mix motion, science fiction, romance, and explosions into one film, however the time journey conceit is perhaps too preposterous and the motion falls aside beneath scrutiny.
#32
Adjusted Rating: 65891%
Critics Consensus: Intriguing but heavy-handed, Roman J. Israel, Esq. makes essentially the most of — however by no means fairly lives as much as — Denzel Washington’s magnetic efficiency within the title function.
#33
Adjusted Rating: 56785%
Critics Consensus: Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington are a compelling crew within the overlong Pelican Temporary, a pulpy thriller that does not fairly justify the mental take away of Alan J. Pakula’s path.
#34
Adjusted Rating: 60203%
Critics Consensus: Protected Home stars Washington and Reynolds are let down by a skinny script and choppily edited motion sequences.
#35
Adjusted Rating: 61600%
Critics Consensus: The Equalizer 2 delivers the visceral cost of a normal vigilante thriller, however this reunion of trusted skills finally proves a disappointing case research in diminishing returns.
#36
Adjusted Rating: 60015%
Critics Consensus: Regardless of a robust forged, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 suffers beneath the excesses of Tony Scott’s frantic path, and fails to measure as much as the 1974 authentic.
#37
Adjusted Rating: 50043%
Critics Consensus: No consensus but.
#38
Adjusted Rating: 54607%
Critics Consensus: It is actually uneven, and plenty of viewers will discover that its attain exceeds its grasp, however The Guide of Eli finds the Hughes brothers injecting some contemporary trendy enjoyable into the form of post-apocalyptic wasteland filmgoers have seen greater than sufficient of currently.
#39
Adjusted Rating: 55083%
Critics Consensus: An exceptionally well-cast throwback thriller, The Little Issues will really feel deeply acquainted to style followers — for higher and for worse.
#40
Adjusted Rating: 46397%
Critics Consensus: An thrilling, well-paced motion movie.
#41
Adjusted Rating: 42129%
Critics Consensus: Has an attention-grabbing premise. Sadly, it is only a recycling of outdated supplies, and never all that thrilling.
#42
Adjusted Rating: 44193%
Critics Consensus: Man on Hearth begins out properly, however goes excessive within the violent second half.
#43
Adjusted Rating: 30333%
Critics Consensus: Woefully poor in thrills or frequent sense, Virtuosity strands its gifted stars in a narrative whose imaginative and prescient of the long run is depressingly brief on creativeness.
#44
Adjusted Rating: 28561%
Critics Consensus: No consensus but.
#45
Adjusted Rating: 30824%
Critics Consensus: A gifted forged is wasted on a bland try at a suspenseful, serial killer flick.
#46
Adjusted Rating: 28772%
Critics Consensus: Washington’s efficiency rises above the fabric, however John Q kilos the viewers over the pinnacle with its message.
#47
Adjusted Rating: 4205%
Critics Consensus: No consensus but.