Iconic Roles: The 5 Best Denzel Washington Movies

comingsoon.net:

The Equalizer 3 is here. But while I enjoy Washington’s performance as Robert McCall, it’s far from his best work. Indeed, the multiple Academy Award-winning actor boasts an impressive resume that places him in the GOAT conversation.

But which Denzel Washington movies best showcase his talent? Let’s dive in.

I love Glory. It’s one of my all-time favorite films. The cast is incredible, the battle scenes ferocious, and James Horner’s score is immaculate. Denzel Washington earned Best Supporting Actor for his tremendous work, and rightfully so. While Matthew Broderick’s Col. Robert Gould Shaw enjoys the most significant character arc, Washington’s embittered Trip serves as the heart and soul of the picture.

We see him morph from an angry, hateful, even vengeful man into a soldier willing to lay down his life for his friends. His final act of courage, in which he grabs the American flag during the climactic assault on Fort Wagner, chokes me up every time. Then there’s the famous whipping scene, which probably won him the Oscar outright. Amazing stuff.

Spike Lee’s sprawling biopic about Malcolm X features Washington at his absolute best. The Academy awarded Al Pacino for his work in Scent of a Woman — one of the more egregious errors in the show’s history. Washington’s performance is legendary. The actor physically transformed himself for the role, studied Malcolm X’s mannerisms, notably his distinct and powerful speaking style, and successfully portrayed the multifaceted aspects of his life. For all the acclaim Washington garnered for the performance, it still seems like we’re not talking about it enough all these years later.

An overlooked gem from the late 90s, Edward Zwick’s Courage Under Fire features outstanding