It’s been over 40 years sinceDenzel Washingtonmade his acting debut, and he is still one of the most relevant figures in the entertainment industry today. Most of Washington’s movies are hits, partly because he knows which contract to put his signature on and which not to, and majorly because he is a wildly talented actor that never has a bad day on set. The actor has also received a whopping 10 Oscar nominations for his work (winning two).
The majority of movie lovers are familiar withTraining DayandAmerican Gangster, among others, but some quality Denzel Washington projects aren’t as recognizable to casual fans as others. These productions feature much of the same ingredients that audiences always get from the actor’s more critically acclaimed and commercially viable films, yet they still flew under the radar for even some of the actor’s biggest fans.
With the Academy Award-winning actor’sThe Equalizer 3coming out Sep. 1, we’ve decided to shed a light on some of the esteemed actor’s lesser-known classics.
Updated Aug. 16th, 2023:If you’re a fan of Denzel Washington and/or his body of work, you’ll enjoy this article as it was edited by Denzel Washington super-fan,Micah Bailey.
15Carbon Copy (1981)
Kicking off our list is the 1981 RKO-produced comedy,Carbon Copy, a film about an affluent Jewish man named Walter (played by George Segal) who has fallen on hard times before coming into contact with Roger, his illegitimate Black American son played by Washington. WhileCarbon Copymight be considered insensitive by today’s standards, it tells a heartwarming story about two men from seemingly opposite ends of the universe bonding and making concerted efforts to support each other through difficult times.
Furthermore,Carbon Copymanages to do something seldom seen in movies today, and that’s examine real-life issues like classism and racism, and frame them in a genuinely comedic and thoughtful way that doesn’t come across as preachy. Additionally,Carbon Copyfeatures Washington in what is not only his feature-length film debut, but it also sees the actor in a comedic role — something we’ve yet to see the actor replicate as of this article’s writing.
Related:Why Denzel Washington Rarely Does Comedies
14Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)
Only a few actors have the ability to make an average movie watchable, and Denzel Washington happens to be one of them. In all fairness,Roman J. Israel, Esq, could use better side characters. Nonetheless, Washington is able to cover up the writing flaws through his powerful monologues and accurate facial expressions. It isn’t the first time the actor is portraying a lawyer but he does so much better on this occasion, and the Oscar nomination he received feels very much deserved.
Roman J. Israel, Esqfollows Roman as he builds a defense for a young man accused of killing a convenience store clerk. It’s the kind of movie that’s better suited to the actor’s diehard fans and people with ties to the justice system because it has plenty of legal jargon. The costume design team deserves some praise too, as this is arguably the only film where Washington looks like someone else, rather than his usual self.
13The Equalizer 2 (2018)
After the success of 2014’sThe Equalizer, one could have assumed there would be at least one more entry to Washington’s revenge-thriller. Sony Pictures’The Equalizer 2reunited Washington withTraining Daydirector and frequent collaborator Antoine Fuqua in a bullet-riddled sequel of epic proportions. Joining Washington this time around was belovedactor Pedro Pascalas the film’s antagonist, and after his performance in HBO’sGame of Thrones, audiences were excited to see how their onscreen feud would unfold.
While this movie is the second installment in a successful franchise, we’ve included it in our list of underrated Denzel Washington movies, as Washington had never done a sequel prior to the 2018 revenge thriller’s release. Naturally, there’s always a major financial incentive for any actor who signs on to do sequels, but we’d also wager his working relationship with Fuqua and a chance to show audiences his action-adventure side once again also played parts in the actor returning.
WithThe Equalizer 3set for theatrical release on September 1 of this year, we’re waiting with bated breaths to see what kind of stunts and creative kills the veteran actor pulls off next.
12The Book of Eli (2010)
2010’sThe Book of Eliwas written by Gary Whitta and directed by Allen and Albert Hughes, and tells the story of a blind man named Eli (played by Washington) delivering a mysterious book to a safe location, all while surviving the rigors of the post-apocalypse. Mila Kunis and Gary Oldman joined Washington in the 2010 apocalyptic neo-Western, and all three actors delivered some of the best performances of their respective careers — surely steel sharpens steel.
Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics,The Book of Eligrossed $157 million on an $80 million budget, and it was an interesting departure for everyone involved — Washington and Oldman primarily starring in dramas, Kunis with comedies, and the Hughes brothers have primarily directed urban dramas.
For any of our readers who haven’t seenThe Book of Eli, we can strongly recommend it, as it gave longtime Washington fans a glimpse of what he can bring to the action-adventure space before the movies in theEqualizerfranchise, and it even has a few juicy twists and turns in the film’s climax.
11Antwone Fisher (2002)
Antwone Fisherpores over trauma and mental health via the life of the Naval officer, Antwone. After a string of violent outbursts while on duty, he is ordered to see the psychiatrist, Dr. Jerome Davenport (Denzel Washington), who encourages him to open up about the dark details of his life. The film bases its plot on the events detailed in the autobiographical book,Finding Fish.
The lead actor, Derek Luke, gives one of the mostimpressive acting debuts of the 2000s, but Washington steals the show, thanks to his mastery of dialogue. For most of the 120-minute running time, the two characters get to just talk, yet things never get boring. Their conversations hook the viewer and never sets them free. And by listening to Dr. Davenport’s choice of words, the viewer gets to learn a lesson or two about how to extract information from people.
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10The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua have made many successful movies together, but their remake ofThe Magnificent Seven— which follows bounty hunters attempting to take down the gold baron Bartholomew Bogue — didn’t attract as many eyeballs as the original John Sturges version, despite having a strong cast that includes Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, and Vincent D’Onforio. It could be argued that remaking one ofthe greatest Westerns of all timewas a mistake, but the modern version is more palatable to modern views.
The original suffers from cheesy dialogue sometimes while its cinematography is hardly outstanding, which is understandable given the era it was released. The remake, on the other hand, has some of the best visuals of any Western film as well as action sequences that beat many of those from Golden Age productions. On top of that, Fuqua’sThe Magnificent Sevenhas an incredibly long and joyous final battle sequence guaranteed to make most genre fans euphoric.
9The Great Debaters (2007)
The Great Debaters— based on Tony Scherman’s 1997 article forAmerican Legacymagazine — is a touching examination of hard work and resilience. The biographical drama revolves around Melvin B. Tolson (Washington), a Wiley College Professor that encourages his students to form a debate team, before guiding them to the national championship where they defeat Harvard.
Creative liberties are taken to makeThe Great Debater’s story even juicier. For example, Wiley College defeat the then reigning champions, the University of Southern California, and not Harvard, as depicted in the movie. There is no denying that the switch makes the team look a lot more formidable. Away from the debate plot, the film also addresses rampant racism in the 1930s, notably through the disclosure that Wiley College was stripped of the championship because Black people weren’t allowed to be members of the debate society at the time.
8Virtuosity (1995)
Science fiction hardly Washington’s preferred genre. He has only ever made two sci-fi movies, but he ought to consider doing more, given how captivatingVirtuosityis. The actor plays Parker Barnes, a former LAPD officer imprisoned for killing the man that murdered his family. Soon, he is recruited to test out a new VR system where the goal is to arrest SID 6.7 — an A.I.-generated criminal modeled after the toughest lawbreakers on the land. However, things get complicated when SID 6.7 escapes to the real world.
Virtuosityfeels even more relevant now, given its premise. In an erawhere A.I. is dreaded, a villain like SID 6.7 would definitely be appreciated by audiences. As for the movie’s entertainment value, audiences are likely to enjoy the kind of cat-and-mouse dynamics, which are similar to those seen inAmerican Gangster. As is the case inAmerican Gangster, Washington faces an adversary played by Russell Crowe, and the two constantly bring the best out of each other.
7Out of Time (2003)
Out of Timequalifies for inclusion among themovies with too many plot twists, since a new revelation pops up seemingly every few seconds. Under ordinary circumstances, this would be annoying or laughable, but watching Washington maintain his franticness for 100 straight minutes is enough to make anyone appreciate the work done here. In the thriller, Florida Keys Chief of Police, Mathias “Matt” Lee Whitlock (Washington), decides to take $485,000 out of the evidence room in order to help his terminally ill lover get treatment overseas. This lands him in trouble, and he soon learns that she wasn’t actually ill.
Washington’s character thus spends much of the movie trying to cover up his own crime while attempting to figure out how he was tricked and why. The film has aMiami ViceandScarfacefeel to it, with all the residents dressed in bright casual outfits, and the criminals being interested in nothing but drugs, and the onscreen chemistry between Washington and relative newcomer Sanaa Lathan is outstanding.
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6Cry Freedom (1987)
Richard Attenborough’sCry Freedomtells the story of the South African journalist and anti-Apartheid activist, Donald Woods, who initially criticizes the methods of the more popular Black activist Steve Biko (Denzel Washington), but grows to like him after spending some time with him. The film earned Washington his first-ever Oscar nomination and was also nominated for Best Original Song (for the catchy “Cry Freedom”).
Though the biographical drama didn’t perform well at the box office, it’s a very recommendable film given how deep it dives into the South African freedom struggle. Most people around the world only know Nelson Mandela, soCry Freedomfeels refreshing because it favors the junior champions of liberation like Woods and Biko. Apart from that, it educates audiences about the nature of racism in South Africa, revealing that not all White people were racists. There were men like Woods who felt Black people deserved better.
