Over the course of his decades in show business, Denzel Washington has done pretty much everything — he’s played cops (good and bad), lawyers, reporters, educators, doctors, mobsters, and more, earning multiple Academy Awards and more than a billion dollars in box office grosses along the way. Of course, it’s fairly difficult to do all that without piling up a pretty hefty stack of positive reviews, and Mr. Washington’s filmography has definitely drawn its share, from Oscar winners like Glory, Training Day, and Philadelphia to his collaborations with director Spike Lee, like Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man. With all of that in mind, we’re here to celebrate by taking a comprehensive look at his career, including the best Denzel Washington movies and the worst. Perfection! Let’s go to work.

Checkout the Top 10 Movies of Denzel Washington

1. Fences (2016)

A working-class African-American father tries to raise his family in the 1950s, while coming to terms with the events of his life.

> Fences

2. Malcolm X (1992)

Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam.

> Malcolm X

3. Inside Man (2006)

A police detective, a bank robber, and a high-power broker enter high-stakes negotiations after the criminal's brilliant heist spirals into a hostage situation.

> Inside Man

4. American Gangster (2007)

Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) earns his living as a chauffeur to one of Harlem's leading mobsters. After his boss dies, Frank uses his own ingenuity and strict business code to become one of the inner city's most powerful crime bosses.

> American Gangster

5. Training Day (2001)

A rookie cop spends his first day as a Los Angeles narcotics officer with a rogue detective who isn’t what he appears to be.

> Training Day

6. 2 Guns (2013)

Two hardened criminals get into trouble with the US border patrol after meeting with a Mexican drug lord, and then revelations start to unfold.

> 2 Guns

7. The Hurricane (1999)

The story of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder, and the people who aided in his fight to prove his innocence.

> The Hurricane

8. He Got Game (1998)

A basketball player's father must try to convince him to go to a college so he can get a shorter sentence.

> He Got Game

9. The Book of Eli (2010)

A drifter fights his way across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity's salvation.

> The Book of Eli

10. The Equalizer

Robert McCall finds himself at home in Southern Italy but he discovers his friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall knows what he has to do: become his friends’ protector by taking on the mafia.

> The Equalizer 1

> The Equalizer 2

> The Equalizer 3

Denzel Washington's filmography is a testament to his extraordinary talent and versatility. Each performance on this list reinforces his status as a cinematic icon, proving why he remains one of the most respected and compelling actors of our time.