Denzel Washington Movies, Ranked

17 films, ranked on my own star ratings by Arwin Edward Bagaslao. Updated 2026-09-29.

My Denzel Washington ranking from watched films: command presence, dad desperation, quiet menace, righteous violence, and the kind of screen gravity where the movie instantly behaves when he walks in. Ranked by stars first, then by performa

1. 1
   Training Day (2001)

   ★★★★★

   What a day! I spent most of Training Day confused about what the hell was actually happening, which somehow made the experience even better because I felt exactly like…

2. 2
   John Q (2002)

   ★★★★★

   This one hits close to home for me because I lost my conjoined twins due to heart complications.

3. 3
   Déjà Vu (2006)

   ★★★★½
4. 4
   The Equalizer (2014)

   ★★★★½

   Sherlock’s brain, Batman’s moral code, John Wick’s brutality, and John McClane’s DIY skills walk into a hardware store.

5. 5
   Man on Fire (2004)

   ★★★★½
6. 6
   American Gangster (2007)

   ★★★★½

   Nothing flashy. Nothing gimmicky. Just good old fashioned storytelling by Ridley Scott.

7. 7
   Unstoppable (2010)

   ★★★★½

   I don’t think I have seen any film like this, with such a believable, imminent, monstrous train as if it is the main villain character of the story.

8. 8
   Crimson Tide (1995)

   ★★★★½

   This is basically Tony Scott’s Dr. Strangelove (1964).

9. 9
   The Book of Eli (2010)

   ★★★★
10. 10
    The Equalizer 2 (2018)

    ★★★★

    The car fight scene where the assassin pretends to be Robert’s passenger is such a creative action setup.

11. 11
    The Little Things (2021)

    ★★★★

    It feels like one of those movies that becomes even more rewarding on a second watch.

12. 12
    Highest 2 Lowest (2025)

    ★★★½

    At its core, the film quietly asks a difficult question: would you do the same sacrifice for someone who isn’t your family, the same way you would for your own blood?

13. 13
    The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

    ★★★½

    You gotta trust a movie when it has a Scott directing, a train, and Denzel Washington right in the middle of it.

14. 14
    The Equalizer 3 (2023)

    ★★★

    Best opening scene in the series. It immediately feels more cinematic, and the darker, old school brown color grading gives the film a different identity from the first…

15. 15
    The Magnificent Seven (2016)

    ★★½

    While watching this, it really reminds me a lot of Seven Samurai (1954).

16. 16
    Inside Man (2006)

    ★★
17. 17
    Gladiator II (2024)

    ★½

    The film looks very modern, and you can really feel the heavy use of CGI right away.