45 Best Denzel Washington Movies of All Time
From 'American Gangster' to 'Unstoppable,' Moviefone counts down the top 45 movies of Denzel Washington's long and impressive career.
Denzel Washington in 'Highest 2 Lowest'. Photo Credit: David Lee.
Denzel Washington is the most beloved and respected actor of his generation.
Practically beginning his career by winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 'Glory,' Washington would go on to make such movies as 'Malcolm X,' 'Philadelphia,' 'Crimson Tide,' 'Devil in a Blue Dress,' 'The Hurricane' and 'Remember the Titans' before winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for playing Alonzo Harris in 'Training Day.'
Since then, the Oscar-winning actor has appeared in such films as 'Man on Fire,' 'Inside Man,' 'American Gangster,' 'Unstoppable,' 'Safe House,' 'The Magnificent Seven' and 'The Equalizer' franchise.
His new film, 'Highest 2 Lowest', which reunites him with longtime collaborator director Spike Lee, opens in theaters on August 15th before being available to stream on Apple TV+ on September 5th.
In honor of 'Highest 2 Lowest's release, Moviefone is counting down the 45 best movies of Denzel Washington's incredibly impressive acting career, including his latest.
Let's begin!
45. 'The Little Things' (2021)
Denzel Washington as Joe "Deke" Deacon in 'The Little Things' from Warner Bros. Pictures.
Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon (Washington) joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) to search for a serial killer who's terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.
The Little Things
44. 'Antwone Fisher' (2002)
A sailor (Derek Luke) prone to violent outbursts is sent to a naval psychiatrist for help. Refusing at first to open up, the young man eventually breaks down and reveals a horrific childhood. Through the guidance of his doctor (Washington), he confronts his painful past and begins a quest to find the family he never knew.
Antwone Fisher
43. '2 Guns' (2013)
A DEA agent (Washington) and an undercover Naval Intelligence officer (Mark Wahlberg) who have been tasked with investigating one another find they have been set up by the mob -- the very organization the two men believe they have been stealing money from.
2 Guns
42. 'The Siege' (1998)
The secret US abduction of a suspected terrorist from his Middle East homeland leads to a wave of terrorist attacks in New York. An FBI senior agent (Washington) and his team attempt to locate and decommission the enemy cells, but must also deal with an Army General (Bruce Willis) gone rogue and a female CIA agent (Annette Bening) of uncertain loyalties.
The Siege
41. 'Déjà Vu' (2006)
Called in to recover evidence in the aftermath of a horrific explosion on a New Orleans ferry, Federal agent Doug Carlin (Washington) gets pulled away from the scene and taken to a top-secret government lab that uses a time-shifting surveillance device to help prevent crime.
Déjà Vu
40. 'Out of Time' (2003)
(L to R) Denzel Washington and Eva Mendes in 'Out of Time'. Photo: MGM.
Matt Lee Whitlock (Washington), respected chief of police in small Banyan Key, Florida, must solve a vicious double homicide before he himself falls under suspicion. Matt Lee has to stay a few steps ahead of his own police force and everyone he's trusted in order to find out the truth.
Out of Time
39. 'Much Ado About Nothing' (1993)
In this Shakespearean farce, Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and her groom-to-be, Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), team up with Claudio's commanding officer, Don Pedro (Washington), the week before their wedding to hatch a matchmaking scheme. Their targets are sharp-witted duo Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) -- a tough task indeed, considering their corresponding distaste for love and each other. Meanwhile, meddling Don John (Keanu Reeves) plots to ruin the wedding.
Much Ado About Nothing
38. 'Fallen' (1998)
Homicide detective John Hobbes (Washington) witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas). Soon after the execution the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style.
Fallen
37. 'Mississippi Masala' (1991)
An Indian family is expelled from Uganda when Idi Amin takes power. They move to Mississippi and time passes. The Indian daughter (Sarita Choudhury) falls in love with a black man (Washington), and the respective families have to come to terms with it.
Mississippi Masala
36. 'Virtuosity' (1995)
The Law Enforcement Technology Advancement Centre (LETAC) has developed SID version 6.7 (Russell Crowe): a Sadistic, Intelligent, and Dangerous virtual reality entity which is synthesized from the personalities of more than 150 serial killers, and only one man can stop him.
Virtuosity
35. 'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' (2017)
Denzel Washington in 'Roman J. Israel, Esq'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Hard-nosed liberal lawyer Roman J. Israel (Washington) has been fighting the good fight forever while others take the credit. When his partner – the firm's frontman – has a heart attack, Israel suddenly takes on that role. He soon discovers some unsettling truths about the firm – truths that conflict with his values of helping the poor and dispossessed – and finds himself in an existential crisis that leads to extreme actions.
Roman J. Israel, Esq.
34. 'A Soldier's Story' (1984)
In a rural town in Louisiana, a black Master Sergeant is found shot to death just outside the local Army Base. Military lawyer, Captain Davenport (Howard E. Rollins Jr.)—also a black man—is sent from Washington to conduct an investigation. Facing an uncooperative chain of command and fearful black troops, Davenport must battle with deceit and prejudice in order to find out exactly who really did kill the Master Sergeant.
A Soldier's Story
33. 'Courage Under Fire' (1996)
A US Army officer (Washington), who made a "friendly fire" mistake that was covered up, has been reassigned to a desk job. He is tasked to investigate a female chopper commander's (Meg Ryan) worthiness to be awarded the Medal of Honor. At first all seems in order. But then he begins to notice inconsistencies between the testimonies of the witnesses...
Courage Under Fire
32. 'Mo' Better Blues' (1990)
Talented but self-centered trumpeter Bleek Gillian (Washington) is obsessed with his music and indecisiveness about his girlfriends Indigo (Joie Lee) and Clarke (Cynda Williams). But when he is forced to come to the aid of his manager and childhood friend (Spike Lee), Bleek finds his world more fragile that he ever imagined.
31. 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' (2021)
From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Joel Coen comes the propulsive, boldly cinematic 'The Tragedy of Macbeth,' starring Oscar-winners Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as the devious, ill-fated Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. An original, striking reimagining of the classic Shakespearean tale portrayed in sumptuous black-and-white cinematography, 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' finds the titular general and his loyal wife older and warier, desperately striving against a merciless ticking clock as they attempt to seize upon a final opportunity for power. In the chaos that ensues, their grasp on the throne unravels, terror mounts and regret enshrouds every inch of their wretched world. Co-starring Kathryn Hunter, Corey Hawkins, Moses Ingram, Brendan Gleeson, Harry Melling and Bertie Carvel.
30. 'John Q' (2002)
Denzel Washington in 'John Q'. Photo: New Line Cinema.
John Quincy Archibald (Washington) is a father and husband whose son is diagnosed with an enlarged heart and then finds out he cannot receive a transplant because HMO insurance will not cover it. Therefore, he decides to take a hospital full of patients hostage until the hospital puts his son's name on the donor's list.
John Q
29. 'He Got Game' (1998)
A basketball player's father (Washington) must try to convince him (Ray Allen) to go to a college so he can get a shorter prison sentence.
He Got Game
28. 'The Book of Eli' (2010)
A post-apocalyptic tale, in which a lone man (Washington) fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.
The Book of Eli
27. 'Ricochet' (1991)
An attorney (Washington) is terrorized by the criminal (John Lithgow) he put away years ago when he was a cop.
Ricochet
26. 'Flight' (2012)
Commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker (Washington) has a problem with drugs and alcohol, though so far he's managed to complete his flights safely. His luck runs out when a disastrous mechanical malfunction sends his plane hurtling toward the ground. Whip pulls off a miraculous crash-landing that results in only six lives lost. Shaken to the core, Whip vows to get sober -- but when the crash investigation exposes his addiction, he finds himself in an even worse situation.
Flight
25. 'The Bone Collector' (1999)
(L to R) Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie in 'The Bone Collector'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Rookie cop, Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) reluctantly teams with Lincoln Rhyme (Washington) – formerly the department's top homicide detective but now paralyzed as a result of a spinal injury – to catch a grisly serial killer dubbed 'The Bone Collector'. The murderer's special signature is to leave tantalizing clues based on the grim remains of his crimes.
The Bone Collector
24. 'Cry Freedom' (1987)
A dramatic story, based on actual events, about the friendship between two men struggling against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s. Donald Woods (Kevin Kline) is a white liberal journalist in South Africa who begins to follow the activities of Stephen Biko (Washington), a courageous and outspoken black anti-apartheid activist.
Cry Freedom
23. 'Gladiator II' (2024)
Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the hands of his uncle (Joaquin Phoenix), Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Gladiator II
22. 'Philadelphia' (1993)
Two competing lawyers (Tom Hanks and Washington) join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their unlikely friendship develops their courage overcomes the prejudice and corruption of their powerful adversaries.
Philadelphia
21. 'The Equalizer' (2014)
Robert McCall (Washington) believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he meets Teri (Chloe Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can’t stand idly by – he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened. If someone has a problem, if the odds are stacked against them, if they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer.
The Equalizer
20. 'The Magnificent Seven' (2016)
2016's 'The Magnificent Seven'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Looking to mine for gold, greedy industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) seizes control of the Old West town of Rose Creek. With their lives in jeopardy, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) and other desperate residents turn to bounty hunter Sam Chisolm (Washington) for help. Chisolm recruits an eclectic group of gunslingers to take on Bogue and his ruthless henchmen. With a deadly showdown on the horizon, the seven mercenaries soon find themselves fighting for more than just money once the bullets start to fly.
The Magnificent Seven
19. 'Unstoppable' (2010)
A runaway train, transporting deadly, toxic chemicals, is barreling down on Stanton, Pennsylvania, and proves to be unstoppable until a veteran engineer (Washington) and young conductor (Chris Pine) risk their lives to try and stop it with a switch engine.
Unstoppable
18. 'The Pelican Brief' (1993)
Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. One lone law student (Julia Roberts) has stumbled upon the truth. An investigative journalist (Washington) wants her story. Everybody else wants her dead.
The Pelican Brief
17. 'Crimson Tide' (1995)
After the Cold War, a breakaway Russian republic with nuclear warheads becomes a possible worldwide threat. U.S. submarine Capt. Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) signs on a relatively green but highly recommended Lt. Cmdr. Ron Hunter (Washington) to the USS Alabama, which may be the only ship able to stop a possible Armageddon. When Ramsay insists that the Alabama must act aggressively, Hunter, fearing they will start rather than stop a disaster, leads a potential mutiny to stop him.
Crimson Tide
16. 'Fences' (2016)
In 1950s Pittsburgh, a frustrated African-American father (Washington) struggles with the constraints of poverty, racism, and his own inner demons as he tries to raise a family.
Fences
15. 'The Equalizer 3' (2023)
Denzel Washington stars as Robert McCall in Columbia Pictures 'The Equalizer 3.' Photo by: Stefano Montesi.
Since giving up his life as a government assassin, Robert McCall (Washington) has struggled to reconcile the horrific things he’s done in the past and finds a strange solace in serving justice on behalf of the oppressed. Finding himself surprisingly at home in Southern Italy, he discovers his new friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall knows what he has to do: become his friends’ protector by taking on the mafia.
The Equalizer 3
14. 'The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3' (2009)
Armed men hijack a New York City subway train, holding the passengers hostage in return for a ransom, and turning an ordinary day's work for dispatcher Walter Garber (Washington) into a face-off with the mastermind behind the crime.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
13. 'Safe House' (2012)
A dangerous CIA renegade (Washington) resurfaces after a decade on the run. When the safe house he's remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Ryan Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead.
Safe House
12. 'Glory' (1989)
Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates.
Glory
11. 'Remember the Titans' (2000)
After leading his football team to 15 winning seasons, coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) is demoted and replaced by Herman Boone (Washington) – who is tough, opinionated and as different from the beloved Yoast as he could be. The two men learn to overcome their differences and turn a group of hostile young men into champions.
Remember the Titans
10. 'Highest 2 Lowest' (2025)
Denzel Washington in 'Highest 2 Lowest'. Photo Credit: David Lee.
When a titan music mogul (Washington), widely known as having the "best ears in the business", is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.
Highest 2 Lowest
9. 'The Hurricane' (1999)
The story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter (Washington), a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder, and the people who aided in his fight to prove his innocence.
The Hurricane
8. 'Devil in a Blue Dress' (1995)
In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins (Washington) is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job prospects. At a bar, Easy meets DeWitt Albright (Tom Sizemore), a mysterious white man looking for someone to investigate the disappearance of a missing white woman named Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals), who he suspects is hiding out in one of the city's black jazz clubs. Strapped for money and facing house payments, Easy takes the job, but soon finds himself in over his head.
Devil in a Blue Dress
7. 'American Gangster' (2007)
Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III), Frank Lucas (Washington) establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.
American Gangster
6. 'The Equalizer 2' (2018)
Robert McCall (Washington), who serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed, embarks on a relentless, globe-trotting quest for vengeance when a long-time friend (Melissa Leo) is murdered.
The Equalizer 2
5. 'Man on Fire' (2004)
Denzel Washington in 'Man on Fire'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Jaded ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Washington) reluctantly accepts a job as the bodyguard for a 10-year-old girl (Dakota Fanning) in Mexico City. They clash at first, but eventually bond, and when she's kidnapped he's consumed by fury and will stop at nothing to save her life.
Man on Fire
4. 'Inside Man' (2006)
When an armed, masked gang (led by Clive Owen) enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective (Washington) assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.
Inside Man
3. 'Malcolm X' (1992)
A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader (played by Washington) of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left a legacy of self-determination and racial pride.
Malcolm X
2. 'The Mighty Quinn' (1989)
Police chief Xavier Quinn (Washington) investigates the gruesome murder of Donald Pater, one of the wealthiest residents on a Caribbean island. He was found decapitated in his Jacuzzi. Although the local political establishment, especially crooked Governor Chalk (Norman Beaton), insists that small-time thief Maubee (Robert Townsend) is responsible, Xavier has his doubts. This view is complicated by the police chief's personal history with Maubee: The men have been friends since childhood.
The Mighty Quinn
1. 'Training Day' (2001)
(L to R) Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in 'Training Day'. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop (Ethan Hawke) works with a rogue detective (Washington) who isn't what he appears.
Training Day
