Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington is a face not many wouldn’t recognise. He is one of the most decorated actors of all time and has starred in countless iconic movies such as Glory, Training Day, and The Equalizer trilogy. In 2024, he has announced that he will be retiring within the coming years.
While it would be easy to list his plethora of legendary movies, there are some that slipped by the wayside. It goes without saying that even when one of his films doesn’t perform well at the box office, Washington still manages to shine nevertheless. So, here’s our pick of 5 underrated Denzel Washington movies.
5. The Little Things (2021)
John Lee Hancock‘s The Little Things took nearly 30 years to make after many actors passed on the script due to its dark themes. When it finally went into production in 2020, Hancock decided to keep the movie set in the time it was written in. The film takes place in Los Angeles in the early 90s and follows Joe Deacon (Washington), a small-town sheriff who returns to LA to investigate a murder he believes to be connected to a killer he chased years before. As he partners up with young hotshot detective Jim Baxter (Rami Malek), Deacon wrestles with past mistakes and unearths a side of himself he had tried to bury for so long.
The Little Things was met with a slew of negative reviews and failed to shine at the box office, only grossing $30.8 million against a budget of $30 million. However, Jared Leto nabbed a Golden Globe nomination for his eerie performance as the suspected killer, whereas Washington was unjustly overlooked come awards season. In the years following its cinematic release, it has started to gain a little more traction. It seems the problem with the movie was audiences failing to see its mission statement. It is much more of a slow-burn drama that focuses on character development rather than delving into typical murder mystery tropes. While it is a quiet performance from Washington, he still manages to captivate the screen with an understated and reserved rendition that is both haunting and poignant.
4. Deja Vu (2006)
Deja Vu marked the third collaboration between Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott, following on from 2004’s Man on Fire. However, this movie didn’t quite garner the same level of praise as the latter picture. The complex plot centres on Doug Carlin (Washington), an A.T.F. agent who joins a unique investigation using experimental surveillance technology to find the bomber after a ferry is blown up in New Orleans. The technology bends the fabric of time, allowing Doug to observe a detailed representation of what happened prior to the attack.
Deja Vu is tightly-paced and easy enough to follow without getting too technical or mind-bending. The picture also has plenty of action and even moments of romance and light humour to balance the drama. So, it’s difficult to see why Scott’s movie was not critically praised upon release. Perhaps the film failed to live up to expectations following in the path of Man on Fire. But once again, Washington shined in an enthralling lead role that has you hooked from the outset.
3. Fallen (1998)
Fallen was released in 1998, opening to mixed reviews and failing to make a return on its budget of $46 million. However, it has since gained a cult following with many appreciating the chance to see Denzel Washington in a rare fantasy genre role. Directed by Gregory Hoblit, Fallen centres on Detective John Hobbes (Washington), who finds himself in the middle of a terrifying investigation after a convicted serial killer’s execution leads to a string of killings that seem to be connected to an ancient evil. As he delves deeper into the case, he must suspend his disbelief when he realizes that a demonic force may be at play, spreading its essence from one person to another and creating a path of devastation in its wake.
As usually seems to be the case with Washington, he steals the screen every time he graces it. However, John Goodman is hot on his ankles as Hobbes’ hot-headed partner Jonesy. Together, their chemistry is a highlight of the movie as both characters must drop their egos and incredulity in order to conquer pure evil.
2. The Bone Collector (1999)
The Bone Collector is another example of a Denzel Washington movie that was met with mixed reviews upon release but garnered more praise as the years went by. In terms of box office gross, it was a big success – grossing over $151 million worldwide against a budget of $73 million. In this 1999 thriller, Washington delivers an underrated performance as Lincoln Rhyme, a brilliant quadriplegic ex-detective who, confined to a bed, comes out of retirement and must rely on his intellect and intuition to solve a series of gruesome murders.
Accompanied by a young and ambitious policewoman, Amelia Donaghy, played by Angelina Jolie in one of her early notable roles, Rhyme uses his knowledge of forensics and keen analytical skills to guide Amelia through the labyrinthine clues left by the killer. Washington shines in this nuanced portrayal, showcasing his exceptional ability to convey emotional depth through dialogue and sheer aura rather than physicality, perfectly capturing Rhyme’s desperation and determination to reclaim his life and contribute to society once more.
1. Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Devil in a Blue Dress falls into Denzel Washington’s underrated movie roles not because it was unjustly slated (it actually achieved a warm critical reception), but more because it has not become as iconic as other movies from his repertoire. By the time it was released in 1995, Washington was becoming one of the hottest talents in Hollywood after winning his first Oscar in 1990 and receiving his second nod in 1993 for Malcolm X. Despite this, Devil in a Blue Dress only grossed just over $16 million at the box office against a budget of $27 million.
The plot follows Easy Rawlins, a war hero who is hired to find a mysterious woman but gets mixed up in a murderous political scandal in 1948 Los Angeles. The film’s initial failure can potentially be attributed to a lack of public interest in the neo-noir genre at the time, compounded by marketing that didn’t effectively convey its rich themes and complex narrative. As a result, Washington’s nuanced portrayal may not have received the recognition it deserved among audiences more focused on mainstream action films.
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