The New York Times has recognized Denzel Washington as the top actor of the 21st century, and it’s easy to see why. A two-time Oscar winner and ten-time nominee, his talent speaks for itself. See for yourself by watching the top 10 films featuring Denzel Washington from our collection.
Content
- American Gangster
- Remember the Titans
- Man on Fire
- Inside Man
- The Great Debaters
- Flight
- The Equalizer
- The Magnificent Seven
- The Book of Eli
- The Equalizer 3
American Gangster
IMDb: 7.8/10
2007, Biography, Crime, Drama
USA, UK, R
Director: Ridley Scott
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Frank Lucas was the driver for one of Harlem’s crime bosses. He stayed under the radar until his boss’s death, after which he took control and quickly built his own criminal empire. Lucas specialized in heroin, which he smuggled directly from Southeast Asia in the coffins of American soldiers killed in Vietnam. By offering a higher quality product at a lower price, he dominated the market and earned the respect of Harlem’s residents. Meanwhile, New York City detective Richie Roberts, known for his integrity, noticed the major shifts in the criminal world. It’s only a matter of time before their paths cross, but in the end, only one will come out on top.
Remember the Titans
IMDb: 7.8/10
2000, Biography, Comedy, Drama, Sport
USA, PG
Director: Boaz Yakin
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris
Herman Boone, an African American coach, takes over as the head coach of Bill Yoast’s high school football team. The players begin to see real success, but the former coach, Yoast, is reluctant to step into the role of Boone’s assistant. This is only the first challenge Boone and the team must overcome as they work to unite and accept their new coach on the path to winning the state championship.
Man on Fire
IMDb: 7.7/10
2004, Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Tony Scott
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Christopher Walken, Dakota Fanning
Mexico City is facing dark times: 24 people have gone missing in just six days. The wealthy are rushing to hire bodyguards. John Creasy, a former government agent and mercenary, battling depression, takes a job as the personal bodyguard for Pinta, the nine-year-old daughter of industrialist Samuel Ramos. His mission is to protect the girl and prevent her from becoming a victim of a kidnapping for ransom. At first, Creasy finds it hard to tolerate the unusually mature child, but he gradually grows fond of her and begins to care deeply. Even his own life no longer feels so bleak. But when the girl is kidnapped, nothing will stop Creasy from rescuing her.
Inside Man
IMDb: 7.6/10
2006, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Spike Lee
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster
In the heart of New York City, a bank is robbed in broad daylight. But there’s no money missing, no evidence, no victims, no suspects, and not even a clear crime. The detectives slowly realize they’ve been deceived all along, and that much of this case is not what it seems.
The Great Debaters
IMDb: 7.5/10
2007, Biography, Drama, Romance
USA, PG
Director: Denzel Washington
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Kimberly Elise
The Great Debaters is a film based on a true story and immerses us in the atmosphere of America in the 30s, when racial segregation was the norm. Professor Melvin B. Tolson, inspired by his students, decides to create a debate team at a small black college. It was a bold decision at a time when African Americans faced discrimination at every turn. The team, made up of young, talented students, not only had to win debates, but also to fight for their rights and prove that skin colour does not determine a person's mental ability.
Flight
IMDb: 7.3/10
2012, Drama, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Nadine Velazquez, Don Cheadle
Veteran pilot Whip Whitaker miraculously avoids a plane crash and makes an emergency landing, saving the lives of nearly all the passengers on board. He becomes a national hero. But the investigation raises more questions. What really happened?
The Equalizer
IMDb: 7.2/10
2014, Action, Crime, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz
In The Equalizer, the main character stands up for a young woman, turning himself into a target for both the CIA and Russian mobsters. But he's no ordinary man — he's a retired special forces operative trying to start a new life. How will this battle end?
The Magnificent Seven
IMDb: 6.9/10
2016, Drama, Romance
USA, PG-13
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke
A new take on a classic from the golden age of westerns. The residents of a mining town have been enslaved by a ruthless gold tycoon, whose thugs frequently terrorize them. To fight back, the townspeople hire seven legendary gunslingers from the Wild West. This small but skilled group sets out to defend the settlers.
The Book of Eli
IMDb: 8.3/10
2010, Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson
The Book of Eli plunges us into a bleak and lifeless world devastated by catastrophe. In this post-apocalyptic landscape, where the sky is forever covered in ash and the cities have turned into ruins, only a few survivors roam. Eli, a lone wanderer, travels through this barren land carrying a heavy burden - a book that he believes holds hope for the future of humanity. On his journey, he encounters various factions of survivors fighting for resources and power. Eli must not only survive in this harsh world, but also protect his precious burden from those who wish to seize it.
The Equalizer 3
IMDb: 6.8/10
2023, Action, Crime, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Top cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea
After the violence in Sicily, Robert McCall settles in a charming village in southern Italy, where he makes new friends and finds a skilled doctor. But it doesn't take long for him to realize that the villagers are under the control of local crime bosses. When the mafia starts terrorizing the town, McCall steps in to protect the innocent.
Click to copy 