10 Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve Higher Rotten Tomatoes Scores

Denzel Washington is a Hollywood movie veteran with an impressive filmography spanning decades. He has multigenerational appeal, as his first movie, Carbon Copy, premiered in 1981. Washington remains a beloved actor and still maintains a busy release schedule, with several upcoming movies in the works. Because his filmography is so expansive, your favorite Denzel Washington movie may depend on your preferred genre or era. Washington won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Detective Alonso in Training Day. It's a gritty crime thriller, and Ethan Hawke co-stars as Jake. He's a rookie officer assigned to Alonso for his first day, though he's taken aback by Alonso's training methods and questionable fieldwork. Fans of one-man-army action movies may know Washington best as Robert McCall in The Equalizer. It's a stylish action thriller, and the most recent movie in the franchise, The Equalizer 3, premiered in 2023. With so many movies under his belt, it's no surprise that several didn't land with critics, and we're taking a look at a selection of those today. We're not claiming to have found a treasure trove of Denzel Washington movies that critics simply didn't understand. However, several of his movies are arguably more entertaining than their Rotten Tomatoes scores suggest. Some of these films are also quite fascinating, as their critical ratings differ so much from general audience perception. 10 The Book Of Eli (2010) The Book of Eli is a one-man army action-adventure starring Denzel Washington as Eli. The movie is set in a post-apocalyptic future. Eli wanders across the wasteland, looking for somewhere safe to settle. He's also carrying an influential book that could be devastating in the wrong hands. Eli stumbles across a town run by Carnegie (Gary Oldman). The book immediately garners his interest, though Eli refuses to hand it over. We quickly learn that Eli is a skilled fighter and won't give the book up without a fight. Eli also teams up with Solara (Mila Kunis) as Carnegie's men hunt them. The Book of Eli has a 46% Rotten Tomatoes score, though general reception is better, at 65%. Even fans of the movie can admit there are pacing issues, though it's hard not to be entertained by Washington in arguably one of his most stylish, action-focused roles. 9 Safe House (2012) Safe House is a fast-paced conspiracy thriller starring Ryan Reynolds as Matt Weston. He's a novice CIA agent, hungry for some field experience. Weston gets more than he bargained for when the authorities bring Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) to the safe house where he's stationed. He's forced to escape the safe house with Frost when armed mercenaries storm the building. Frost is a former CIA agent himself, and forces Weston to question his allegiance and the organization he works for. He reveals some shady information about the CIA to Weston, and the authorities grow increasingly concerned that he may become compromised. Critics and general audiences are somewhat in agreement with Safe House. The 2012 movie has a 52% Rotten Tomatoes score, and 63% with regular viewers. Safe House arguably has a predictable plot, but Washington plays well off Reynolds, and he's clearly enjoying playing a cool but deadly former operative. 8 Déjà Vu (2006) Déjà Vu is an ambitious sci-fi thriller with time travel at the heart of the story. Denzel Washington stars as John Carlin. He's an agent investigating a horrific terrorist attack on a ferry that claimed dozens of lives. He notices strange things about the case, leading FBI Agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) to bring him into the fray. The FBI reveals to Carlin that they have access to an experimental technology that lets them see four days into the past. The technology is far more advanced than just footage, and a time-bending adventure ensues as Carlin believes he may be able to stop the attack before it ever happened. Déjà Vu has a 55% Rotten Tomatoes score, but a far more impressive 73% with general audiences. It's easy to point out flaws in some of Déjà Vu's wilder time-travel concepts. Regardless, Washington is a charismatic lead, and the premise is entertaining. 7 The Taking Of Pelham 123 (2009) The Taking of Pelham 123 is an intense crime thriller about a hostage situation on a subway train. John Travolta plays Ryder, who orchestrated the train jacking, and he speaks to Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), a train dispatcher. Garber is just an ordinary worker, but Ryder demands to deal only with him, or there will be consequences. Ryder is wild and unpredictable. His conversations with Garber are so exciting because he's clearly out of his depth and is just trying to defuse the situation despite having no police training. The authorities also start investigating Garber's past for any clues as to why Ryder is so interested in him. Critics and general viewers seem to share similar views on The Taking of Pelham 123, with 51% and 52% scores, respectively. The movie was unfavorably compared to the 1974 original, though fans of more over-the-top villains will find a lot to love in Travolta's performance in the reboot. 6 The Little Things (2021) The Little Things is a slow-burning psychological thriller and cop drama. Denzel Washington stars as Joe Deacon. He's a deputy sheriff on a routine assignment in LA. He meets Detective Jim Baxter (Rami Malek), who requests his help on a bizarre serial killer case. The pair suspects a mysterious man called Albert Sparma, played by Jared Leto. The issue is that they cannot reliably connect him to the murders, as there's no evidence. Sparma also seems to enjoy playing with the police, making Baxter and Deacon increasingly desperate to find answers. Like several movies on this list, The Little Things was unfavorably compared to David Fincher's Se7en. The movie has a 44% Rotten Tomatoes score, while audience reception is notably higher at 67%. Some critics thought the story was too familiar, while others highlighted the long runtime. These features seem less of an issue for general audiences who enjoyed the 90s crime setting. 5 Virtuosity (1995) ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection Virtuosity is a sci-fi thriller starring two Hollywood heavyweights. Denzel Washington is Parker Barnes. He's a police officer serving time for murdering a suspect. The authorities reinstate Barnes to stop SID 6.7 (Russell Crowe). SID 6.7 is a deadly adversary because he's actually a VR entity made of multiple serial killers. He was designed as a police training aid, but has found a way into the real world. A dramatic cat-and-mouse chase ensues. SID 6.7 enjoys the chaos he leaves in his wake, and Crowe's grandiose take on the character is a massive highlight of Virtuosity. The movie only managed a Rotten Tomatoes score of 29%, and the audience score was only slightly better. That said, Virtuosity has an over-the-top 90s charm that some audiences will appreciate more today. 4 Fallen (1998) Fallen tells a gripping serial killer story with a dark fantasy spin. Denzel Washington is Detective John Hobbes. His investigation puts a dangerous serial killer, Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas), to death. However, murders in the same style continue to occur after the execution. Hobbes suspects a copycat at first but soon realizes he could be dealing with something far darker and more sinister. Several clues point to the supernatural, but Hobbes remains skeptical until he can no longer deny the truth. General audiences enjoyed Fallen, and it has a popcorn meter score of 72%. Critics were less kind, giving it 43%, but it's hard not to enjoy Washington's performance and the movie's blend of crime thriller and fantasy. 3 John Q (2002) John Q is a powerful medical and crime drama about a father pushed to extreme measures to save his dying son. Washington stars as John Quincy Archibald, and his son, Michael (Daniel E. Smith), is in urgent need of a heart transplant. The family runs into trouble when they discover that their medical insurance will not cover Michael's treatment. John tries to raise funds legitimately, but is ultimately forced to do something far more extreme. He starts a hostage situation at the hospital, demanding his son be placed on the transplant list. Some parts of John Q make it quite an uncomfortable watch. The movie has a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 25%, but the audience score is much higher at 78%. Some critics felt the movie was heavy-handed, but the message seems to resonate with general audiences. 2 The Bone Collector (1999) The Bone Collector is a gritty crime thriller starring Washington as Lincoln Rhyme, a gifted forensic investigator. An accident at a crime scene leaves him paralyzed, no longer able to participate in fieldwork. Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) is a rookie cop who stumbles across a strange crime scene. The authorities take her to meet Rhyme, who is impressed by her observational skills. The pair form an unlikely duo as Donaghy investigates gruesome crime scenes, tracking a serial killer under Rhyme's guidance. Many serial killer mysteries in the late 90s were unfavorably compared to Fincher's masterpiece, Se7en. The Bone Collector falls into that category, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 33%. General audiences appreciated the movie more, with a 63% score. Washington and Jolie have great chemistry, and an interesting dynamic for a crime thriller. The movie also retains the same 90s charm we mentioned with Virtuosity, making it surprisingly watchable today. 1 Man On Fire (2004) MovieStillsDB Man on Fire is a shocking one-man-army action movie starring Denzel Washington as John W. Creasy. He's a former CIA agent tasked with protecting a family. Creasy forms a bond with the daughter, Lupita Ramos (Dakota Fanning) and is badly injured when criminals kidnap her. Creasy believes he failed to protect her and vows to take down those responsible. He embarks on a brutal quest for revenge as he tries to discover who was responsible for the kidnapping and how deep the corruption goes. Man on Fire tops our list because of the massive disparity between its critical and audience reception. The movie boasts a 38% Rotten Tomatoes score, but a whopping 89% with general audiences. Critics commented on the frenetic editing and some particularly nasty, sustained revenge scenes. Fans found those same features to be massive highlights of Man of Fire, making it a divisive, but unforgettable Denzel Washington movie. Birthdate December 28, 1954 Birthplace Mount Vernon, New York, USA