15 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies to Watch Right Now

I have not seen a single Denzel Washington film that I didn't like.

Does this mean that I find every single one of his films iconic? Not quite. But I'll tell you one thing: Washington consistently pours himself into his work and somehow manages to make it look effortless. For instance, I've seen the Oscar winner's incredible range in Man on Fire, where he goes from a gentle father figure to a tough-as-nails agent, and I especially enjoyed seeing him lay on the charm and humor in Penny Marshall's fantasy comedy, The Preacher's Wife. However, there are a few lesser-known titles that, in my humble opinion, are criminally underrated.

From nostalgic classics like He Got Game to the gripping biopic, Antwone Fisher, keep reading for 15 underrated Denzel Washington movies—all available to stream on Prime Video, Netflix and more.

1. Virtuosity (1995) 

• Cast: Russell Crowe, Kelly Lynch, Stephen Spinella
• Run time: 106 minutes

Washington delivers a memorable performance as Parker, a former police officer who gets jailed for killing the terrorist who murdered his family. Following an altercation with a fellow inmate, Parker gets recruited to test a virtual-reality program that's designed to capture a violent, computer-generated serial killer. It may have received mixed reviews, but Virtuosity features compelling characters and so many edge-of-your-seat moments. Plus, it feels rather timely, given the increasing popularity of A.I. right now.

2. Mo' Better Blues (1990) 

• Cast: Wesley Snipes, Spike Lee, Giancarlo Esposito
• Run time: 130 minutes

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love a Spike Lee joint—and I discovered early on that Lee and Washington are truly a dynamic duo. In Mo' Better Blues, Washington plays Bleek Gilliam, a jazz musician who's part of a successful band. However, their manager—who also happens to be Bleek's childhood friend—squanders most of their earnings on bets. And this puts Bleek in an awkward position that could jeopardize his career.

3. He Got Game (1998) 

• Cast: John Turturro, Rosario Dawson, Ray Allen
• Run time: 136 minutes

One of my personal favorites of all the Lee-Washington collabs, He Got Game follows Jake, a convict who gets offered a rare deal that could shorten his prison sentence. The task? To convince his basketball star son to enroll at the governor's alma mater. As someone who rarely ever watches basketball, I'm impressed by the film's insight into hoop culture. I also love how it tackles childhood trauma and complicated family dynamics.

4. Antwone Fisher (2002) 

• Cast: Derek Luke, Joy Bryant, Salli Richardson
• Run time: 120 minutes

Inspired by Fisher's autobiographical book, Finding Fish, this biopic tells the true story of a young sailor who has violent outbursts while serving in the U.S. Navy. When he lashes out against a fellow crewman, he's ordered to seek help from a psychiatrist—played by Washington. Although the film mostly consists of dialogue between Antwone and Dr. Davenport, the dialogue is seriously compelling and there's never a dull moment between these two. Plus, Washington manages to steal nearly every scene.

5. The Magnificent Seven (2016)

• Cast: Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lee Byung-hun
• Run time: 133 minutes

When Bartholomew, a gold mining tycoon, brutally murders her husband, Emma enlists the help of a U.S. Marshall and a few outcasts to get revenge. The action scenes are top-notch, and Washington is phenomenal as the gunslinging leader of his rag-tag crew. Regarding the Western film's diversity, Washington told Good Morning America, "It speaks to the reality in the 1870s. That's more typical than movies of the '50s and '40s, where there was nobody that looked like us." (P.S., this is a remake of the 1960 Western, directed by John Sturges.)

6. The Hurricane (1999)

• Cast: John Hannah Deborah Kara Unger Liev Schreiber Vicellous Reon Shannon
• Run time: 146 minutes

The Hurricane, surprisingly, didn't perform well at the box office, and it's rarely mentioned among Washington's best works. Still, his stellar performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The biopic tells the story of Rubin "The Hurricane" Carter, a promising boxer whose career comes to a halt when he's falsely accused of three murders.

Regarding the film's reception, Washington told Total Film, “The studio didn’t release it properly and it got buried. They were trying too hard to position it for the Oscars and they wound up hurting the movie. But I think it’s one of those films whose reputation will gain over time. It’s the one I’m most proud of, right up there with Malcolm X.”

7. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

• Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Kate Beckinsale, Robert Sean Leonard, Keanu Reeves
• Run time: 111 minutes

Just a week before their wedding day, Hero and Claudio team up with Claudio's commanding officer, Don Pedro (played by Washington) to play matchmakers for their pals, Benedick and Beatrice. However, they've got their work cut out for them, because the pair aren't too fond of each other. The William Shakespeare adaptation is so fun and charming, complete with beautiful landscapes, witty dialogue and great performances.

8. Déjà Vu (2006)

• Cast: Paula Patton, Jim Caviezel, Val Kilmer, Adam Goldberg
• Run time: 126 minutes

Tony Scott and Denzel Washington have collaborated on five movies together and Déjà Vu is by far one of their best, thanks to the stunning cinematography, surprising plot twists and, of course, Washington's standout performance. The actor plays Doug Carlin, an ATF Special Agent who time travels to the past to capture a terrorist who killed hundreds of people in a ferry bombing.  There's also a bit of romance, where Doug must find a way to save his love interest, Claire.

9. Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)

• Cast: Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, Don Cheadle, Maury Chaykin
• Run time: 102 minutes

Set in Los Angeles during the '40s, the movie follows Easy Rawlins, a World War II veteran who gets hired to find a mysterious missing woman named Daphne. Unfortunately, he gets more than he bargained for and gets involved in a messy political scandal. Based on Walter Mosley's 1990 novel of the same name, this intense mystery thriller features compelling characters, a solid soundtrack, and timely racial themes that are sure to get you thinking.

10. The Mighty Quinn (1989)

• Cast: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Robert Townsend, James Fox, Mimi Rogers, M. Emmet Walsh 
• Run time: 98 minutes

Washington's Jamaican accent wasn't perfect, but I'll tell you this: his rendition of "The Mighty Quinn" still lives rent-free in my mind. Based on Albert H. Z. Carr's 1971 novel, Finding Maubee, this fascinating murder mystery revolves around detective Xavier Quinn, who tries to help his friend, Maubee, when he's accused of murdering a millionaire.

Bob Dylan, who wrote the song "The Mighty Quinn," wrote in his autobiography, "I had written a song called 'The Mighty Quinn' which was a hit in England, and I wondered what the movie was about. Eventually, I'd sneak off and go there to see it. It was a mystery, suspense, Jamaican thriller with Denzel Washington as the Mighty Xavier Quinn a detective who solves crimes. Funny, that's just the way I imagined him when I wrote the song 'The Mighty Quinn,' Denzel Washington."

11. The Book of Eli (2010)

• Cast: Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals
• Run time: 118 minutes

Fans of I Am Legend will find familiarity in the The Book of Eli, which also takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. Set three decades after a nuclear holocaust, the action-packed neo-Western stars Washington as Eli, a blind man who is tasked with traveling across a desert wasteland to deliver a sacred book that could save humanity. Not only was I blown away by Eli's survival and combat skills, I also appreciated the film's exploration of faith and religion.

12. The Little Things (2021)

• Cast: Rami Malek, Jared Leto, Natalie Morales, Chris Bauer
• Run time: 128 minutes

Washington and Malek star as two detectives who investigate a string of murders during the '90s in this pulpy psychological thriller. The evidence eventually leads them to a strange man named Albert Sparma, who starts to get under their skin. Per usual, Washington delivers a great performance. And fans of Seven will appreciate the suspense and plot twists.

13. Mississippi Masala (1991)

• Cast: Roshan Seth, Sarita Choudhury, Charles S. Dutton, Joe Seneca
• Run time: 118 minutes

After settling with her family in Mississippi during the '70s, Mina, an Indian immigrant, strikes up an unlikely romance with Demetrius, a Black carpet cleaner. Unfortunately, Mina's family isn't very welcoming of Demetrius, so plenty of awkwardness and tension ensues. As much as I love the chemistry between Washington and Choudhury, I'm especially drawn to how the film tackles prejudice, racism and family dynamics.

14. Carbon Copy (1981)

• Cast: George Segal, Susan Saint James, Jack Warden
• Run time: 92 minutes

Although Washington rarely ever does comedy, his film debut, Carbon Copy, proved that he definitely has a funny bone—and for me, this was a refreshing change from his grittier, more serious projects. The movie follows a well-off, white businessman whose life takes a turn for the worse when a Black teenager shows up at his doorstep and claims to be his son. (FYI, this marked Washington's film debut. He was just 27 years old.)

15. Cry Freedom (1987)

• Cast: Kevin Kline, Penelope Wilton, Alec McCowen
• Run time: 157 minutes

According to Washington, this was the film that completely changed the trajectory of his career. After Carbon Copy bombed at the box office, Washington passed on another comedy and held out for the apartheid drama, Cry Freedom, where he brilliantly portrays the real-life South African anti-apartheid activist, Steve Biko. The film, which depicts Biko's encounters with a critical journalist, wasn't a major box-office success. Still, it earned Washington his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

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