Summary

• Denzel Washington's career spans nearly five decades and includes films, shows, voice work, narration, and theater, but he has largely preferred movies and has over 50 feature-length titles listed on his resume.
• Despite his impressive career and numerous accolades, not all of Washington's movies have aged well or received critical acclaim. Some notable disappointments include Heart Condition, Virtuosity, and Carbon Copy.
• While Washington has had his fair share of less successful films, he has also starred in cult classics and well-regarded movies, such as The Book of Eli, The Preacher's Wife, and The Mighty Quinn, which showcase his versatility as an actor.

A star of Denzel Washington's caliber needs no introduction; everyone has likely seen at least one of his movies–some, however, have definitely aged better than others. Having taken up acting at the age of 23, Washington had to suffer through a few cinematic disasters until better and richer roles came his way. After landing a role on NBC's medical drama St. Elsewhere in 1982, he finally had a major breakthrough, which was quickly followed by his Oscar-nominated performance as anti-apartheid activist Stephen Biko in Richard Attenborough's Cry Freedom in 1987, and it was only the beginning.

In his nearly five-decade-long career, Washington has truly done it all — films, shows, voice work, narration, and theater, although he has largely preferred movies to anything else, and there are over 50 feature-length titles listed on his impressive resume. The actor has received numerous accolades, including ten Academy Awards nominations and two wins. He has even tried his hand at directing and producing, which have proven to be rather successful as well. Washington's films have had a huge impact on the film industry, with many becoming cult classics in the years to come. Here are all of his prominent movies, ranked from worst to best.

50 Heart Condition

This 1990 comedy is a product of its time, the time before the #MeToo and BLM movements, that is, but it doesn't mean that it shouldn't be criticized for its shortcomings. The blatant racism of Bob Hoskins' cop Jack Moony is played for laughs, and yet no one seems to be cracking even a smile. Moony receives a heart transplant from the lawyer he hated in life, Denzel Washington's Napoleon Stone, and now he has to find out who has killed him. Washington is a sight for sore eyes, but Heart Condition is as bad as it sounds.

49 Virtuosity

Before the AI-gains-conscience movies, there was the virtual-reality-becomes-physical concept in sci-fi. This kind of thrillers rarely age well, and Virtuosity isn't an exception. The premise is that Washington's Parker Barnes needs to stop a virtual-reality serial killer simulation that has escaped into the real world, played by none other than Russell Crowe. The acting duo works well together, but that's the only good thing about this film. The suspense is nowhere to be found, the dialogue is a tad ridiculous, and the plot is extremely predictable.

48 Carbon Copy

Carbon Copy was one of the first movies Denzel Washington ever made. In the film, he plays Roger Porter, the illegitimate son of George Segal's Walter Whitney, who is extremely concerned with keeping up appearances, and a long-lost Black son is not what he needs right now (or ever). Walter is so afraid of what people will think about him that he even hides the fact that he is Jewish from his anti-Semitic boss. From the weird poster to plenty of inappropriate jokes, this 1981 comedy couldn't have been more racist if had tried.

47 The Book of Eli

The Washington-starrer is hardly his best movie, but it does serve as a nice way to diversify the genres, adding the post-apocalyptic neo-Western into the mix. The Book of Eli is an ambitious story brought to life by a talented cast, including Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis, and yet the reality of the film is just not believable enough. Washington's character is his typical tough guy, but somehow it still doesn't get tiresome.

46 The Bone Collector

Based on Jeffery Deaver's crime novel of the same name, The Bone Collector doesn't do justice to its source material, and neither does the recent television series adaptation. Denzel Washington plays Lincoln Rhyme, a quadriplegic detective who is devastated that he can't walk anymore, and Angelina Jolie portrays Amelia Donaghy, a newbie patrol officer who becomes his unlikely partner in an investigation. Both actors are honestly too good to be in this film of questionable quality. Thankfully, it has never spawned a sequel.

45 The Magnificent Seven

The remake of the 1960 movie of the same name is nowhere near its predecessor in of becoming a cultural phenomenon, and even Washington couldn't save it. In fact, his character, Sam Chisholm, mostly just isn't that interesting to watch, which isn't really the actor's fault, as his lines would have sounded dull on anyone. The Western genre looks good on the star even though The Magnificent Seven at first, so that's not a total loss.

44 The Taking of Pelham 123

This remake of the 1974 movie is proof that not every movie needs to be remade. Denzel Washington plays Walter Garber, a train dispatcher who is forced to negotiate with the hijackers, and while the actor is doing his best, he isn't exactly convincing in the role of a supposedly quiet and nerdy subway worker. Action thrillers are Washington's thing, but The Taking of Pelham 123 is certainly not the project he shined the most in.

43 Courage Under Fire

Another Gulf War drama in Washington's resume is also his second collaboration with director Edward Zwick. The plotlines could probably be better and more original, but Washington's righteous portrayal of Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling fits nicely with Meg Ryan's complicated character, Captain Karen Emma Walden. Courage Under Fire features three-dimensional characters, but the plot twists in the investigation aren't as exciting as they could have been.

42 For Queen & Country

The movie is set in the 1980s during the era of Thatcherism, and Denzel Washington plays Reuben James, a British soldier who comes back home from war and struggles to lead a normal life again. Upon his return, he discovers that he is not treated as a war hero, but instead, he is seen as a second-class citizen due to his race. For Queen & Country wasn't well received when it hit theaters in 1988, but decades later, the film is praised for its accurate depiction of Thatcherism and its effect on the U.K. In addition to his amazing performance, Washington's British accent is spot-on.

41 The Preacher's Wife

This Oscar-nominated Christmas flick is a sweet comedy-drama that has stood the test of time. Washington plays Dudley, an angel that God sends from Heaven to help Reverend Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) and his wife Julia (Whitney Houston) who are having a hard time keeping their faith intact. The Preacher's Wife sends a good message, Houston beautifully sings (a lot), and Washington showcases his comedic abilities in a new light, so it's everything a Christmas movie can offer and more.