Kermode Uncut: Denzel's Top 5

This week's guest on the 5 Live show will be Denzel Washington talking about his new film Safe House. Here I pick my 5 favourites among all his films - not necessarily the ones you would expect.

[@marquisdemcbride]

John Q is an underrated gem in his catelogue. A great film about a man taking desperate measures to save his son.

[@farrell360]

His performance in crimson tide was pretty awesome.

[@imaedacomment]

Fallen, for sure. Tiiiiiiiime is on my siiide. Yes it is!

[@shanecochran2491]

Saw Devil In A Blue Dress opening weekend. Sadly only four people in the theater . Fantastic movie!!!

[@TrueZen]

I personally put Denzel's finest performance as "Creesy" in Man On Fire. I may not be a world-famous cinema critic, but that's certainly my personal favorite. I don't doubt that the man's certainly had other incredible performances, but that's the one for me.

[@jibsmokestack1]

He won the Oscar for Glory!

[@brendanlittle2498]

Malcolm X is his best in my opinion. I was hesitant to watch the movie for a while because a 3 and half hour biopic seemed daunting to me but I finally gave in and checked it out and it is simply amazing. Such a fascinating story about Malcolm X’s life and journey and Denzel absolutely crushes the performance.

[@dougo891]

I know this was posted years ago, but I really like Déjà Vu

[@StainedClass88]

Great list.

[@valzod3808]

I could not agree with his list more.

[@WAAAAAAAAAAAY]

@PhoenixWright101 I totally agree.....really like that movie. Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman in a submarine yelling at each other - brilliant :)

[@movieman82us]

Glory is my favorite movie of his, but Malcolm X is his best performance. In fact, it might even be the greatest performance in cinema history. He's extraordinary.

[@ohen]

I love Spike Lee's He Got Game and Washington's performance in it. A lot of people dismiss it as just a basketball movie, but it's so much more than that. It might be the best father-son relationship film of the last 25 years in addition to being a heart-breaking story about redemption. I wish more people would re-watch it.

[@Ryhan_Beard]

Kermode is a Razorback fan? My day is 10 times better now.

[@rocheyb1]

My Top 5 Denzel movie performances (though I've never seen Devil in a Blue Dress): 5. Training Day 4. Fallen 3. Flight 2. The Hurricane 1. Man On Fire

[@LukCPL]

Man On Fire. Denzel + Dakota interactions made the movie. Fantastic movie :)

[@bluefilmsltd]

Interesting list, Kermode. Great shout out to Riccochet, underrated thriller that. John Lithgow is brilliant demented as the villain. My top 5 Washington performance (and I mea PERFORMANCE, not necessarily film) has to be: 5.Fallen, 4.Training Day 3. The Bone Collector 2. Riccochet 1. American Gangster

[@nickelmouse451]

Where's He Got Game? Defiantly the best performance of his career

[@AdamF89]

I know Denzel wasn't in it, but Dead Presidents is one of my all-time favorite movies. I love the Hughes Brothers. Menace II Society is a classic

[@ehmazin]

The track is kanye west and jay-z - no church in the wild

[@28daysearlier]

In no particular order, Man on Fire Glory Fallen The Bone Collector Inside Man

[@SethHesio]

I bought the 1991 movie "Heart Condition" in a charity shop today for 10p. I'm reading from the back cover of the video case now, "Lawyer Napoleon Stone (Denzel Washington) is smooth, successful and muscling in on LA vice cop Jack Moony (Bob Hoskins)'s girl... After a stroke Moony is given the heart of his greatest foe, Stone, the victim of a mysterious murder. With Stone's heart in his body and his ghost at his side, Moony takes on the task of solving the murder and busting the bad guys."

[@julespec]

Yeah, right Mark, everyone guessed your favorite Denzel performance was the one from Devil in a Blue Dress. Give me a break... I really love the Good Doctor. He's a great film lover and a true professional. But I'm sorry, I find myself very annoyed by the intentional absence of Malcolm X from this list. Not only is it by FAR Denzel's best performance, ever, but it's also one of the best performance of the last 25 years. I just don't get Mark's beef with the Spike Lee epic. A film for the ages.

[@akinalcitepe9130]

He Got Game is so underrated. Also Man on Fire.

[@Chubachus]

A Soldier's Story is a criminally underrated film from his early career that he has a great supporting role in, dont miss it

[@lafairweath3]

Mo Better Blues is very underrated, I think its one of Denzel's best performances.

[@jubzfree]

Omg book of Eli is also one of my top 10 films of all time

[@Hammertimeuk-66]

If I'm not mistaken, Denzel was not only nominated for Glory but actually won.. And I know Rotten Tomatoes isn't the be all and end all, but Inside Man has a fairly high rating so it did in fact get good reviews contrary to what Mark said.

[@fightingirish5755]

No he did win for Glory actually

[@ASAMOAH24]

The Hurricane and Malcolm are his best IMO

[@MrBurgundy76]

malcolm x is easily my pick for denzels best performance and movie. ricochet is awesome, glad to see it on this list. glory, man on fire, mo betta blues, Antoine fisher, malcolm x are my favorites.

[@468jayz]

The hurricane is my favourite

[@MikeKiker]

I really liked "Fallen". It may not have been the most original supernatural thriller, but Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, and Embeth Davidtz all put in great performances. What are your thoughts on that particular film Kermode?

[@pwareham61]

I have had a copy of ricochet for years, its terrific entertainment, and John Lithgow chewing up the scenery, what's not to like.

[@lucio1zfe]

I don't think i've ever seen a bad film with Denzel in it even one of his early films For Queen and Country was quite good from what i remember.

[@wdm2112]

I really love American Gangster.

[@chuggieforever]

@icecreamscuseme yeah I like Philadelphia too - Tom Hanks gets a lot of credit (deserved) for that film but I think Denzel should get a lot too, not least because Hanks called that film and working with Deenzel a lesson in acting! Very powerful!

[@jubzfree]

@Kevmiester thankx for the song name

[@onepurpose315]

@MrCassavius -He Also directed "The Great Debaters"

[@wetdtyuu]

Denzel rules

[@jonners606]

I quite like Crimson Tide, the somewhat under the radar (ha ha) nuclear submarine thriller from 1995 (the same year as Goldeneye).

[@jubzfree]

Can someone tell me the opening and closing soundtrack of this episode?

[@quidseeker]

Much Ado About Nothing shocks you to see a black guy, that's not Othello, in a Shakespearean farce and I must admit is quite a treat. I also really like him in Manchurian Candidate and Virtuosity, the largely forgotten Russel Crowe/Denzel techo-thriller that had great f/x for it's time and a really good performance by Denzel. My dad loves Pelican Brief and the Mighty Quinn with him in it also. Philadelphia is also a good counter-performance (or supporting role) opposite a brilliant Tom Hanks.

[@ttandc]

I'm not sure why but whenever I hear people talk about Denzels best works I never hear about Fallen or John Q. Was I really the only one that liked these movies and consider these some of his best works?

[@CaptainWeetch1]

fierce competition for the best killer pig film

[@SethHesio]

I think Heart Condition is my favourite Denzel Washington movie, closely followed by Book of Eli.

[@MrBurgundy76]

@ttandc well i really liked denzel in it, and i understand being able to relate to it, but from a moviemaking standpoint it felt like a family movie of the week version of dog day afternoon

[@mezzmerritt1]

'King Kong ain't got shit on me!'

[@nicholasprotz4297]

Denzil is excellent in all of his films. Which just goes to show you can be great in a turkey. Book of Eli is a turkey.

[@Beyondflix]

@BaronVonPenguin I think that is perfectly fine.

[@Raymint]

He is right on the money here since a lot of Denzel's performances aren't actually that much of a stretch for him. Though 'Training Day' may be mine - he himself did say it was possibly the easiest role he's ever played, the character being closer to him than any other he's portrayed.

[@twoods2882882]

#1: HE GOT GAME.

[@WAAAAAAAAAAAY]

I'll say the obvious one's first: Training Day [i just love that movie] and Hurricane Anyone remember He Got Game [another Spike Lee "joint"]? He's great in that I think. I also really like him in Man On Fire and American Gangster.....

[@IamSnoogans]

Ricochet is actually a decent thriller and John Lithgow plays a great villain again (like he always does). There needs to be a re-issue, because it's been a decade since the first DVD came out and the transfer is bad.

[@paintballing489]

"That I Co-Present with Simon Mayo". Mark, I thought you were just the contributor? :P

[@trexguy]

I love VIRTIUOSITY. Great action movie that needs a sequel or remake. WITH THE SAME 2 STARS.

[@Gadget3440]

I think my 5 (in no particular order) would be: Inside Man Antwone Fisher Fallen Training Day Man on Fire (John Q get's an honourable mention)

[@marilynmalone1381]

Definitely philadelphia

[@chanceie12]

Malcom X for me too.

[@JJtheEskimo]

I actually really enjoyed Eli. People seemed really annoyed that it had it's christian undertones, but that aspect of the plot ended up being what made me like it.

[@supastar25]

Devil in a blue dress is a wonderful film...

[@mourningreaper00]

Devil in a Blue Dress also has my ALL TIME favorite performance by Don Cheadle. An actor who has sooo much potentional, that hasn't delivered like I would want from an actor of this caliber

[@TheNoodle97]

inside man was really good

[@fatbeats101]

Kanye West featuring on a Mark Kermode! 2 of my favourites together. Denzel wide gotta be Devil In A Blue Dress and The Hurricane.

[@julespec]

I just can't get my head around Mark being "alternative" for the sake of it... In spite of my deep respect for him.

[@dexterellis7818]

Going toe to toe with Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide.

[@colourlessbluethings]

No 'Mo Better Blues?

[@58fenix]

To be real here my favorite denzel washington film is virtuously.

[@Dinosreviews]

The problem is with Ricochet is that it's good, but the Scorsese remake Cape Fear is much better

[@21stCenturyCat]

I posted on a video on KZbin on this very subject 4 years ago! Get your own ideas Kermode! Although I'll admit yours is a bit more polished...

[@starwarsroo2448]

Manchurian candidate was decent

[@matthalsey1346]

Ricochet is a fantastic film. John lithgow is pure evil in it. Very underrated denzel film.

[@edwardissosexxxy]

love training day!! is DE JA VU any good

[@kikkakieran]

imo, in no specific order; fallen,the manchurian candidate,inside man,man on fire,he got game... but i also loved malcom x , mo better blue's and devil in a blue dress... it's difficult to make a top 5, because there's too many good performances from denzel!!

[@TheArtOfCharlieConstantinou]

Mo Better Blues.

[@SethHesio]

I enjoyed the Book of Eli.

[@Jcolinsol]

Rule #1: Don't ever waterboard The Denzel

[@sam1234234567]

No training day

[@matafuko]

Malcolm X I think.

[@ttandc]

@MrBurgundy76 I guess it's a matter of perspective, I liked it a lot because unfortunately I could relate a lot to the events that happened in the movie. So I guess if you couldn't relate to it, it's understandable that you wouldn't like it.

[@jedivisconti]

Glory goes second, it's really a great film, but you forgot Gángster, it's a hell good movie... and Denzel Washington scared me to death in his interpretation, I love Hurricane either...

[@chiteushamutete]

John Q is his best movie imho...

[@royw-g3120]

No love for Crimson Tide? Not even mentioned in the comments.

[@blackwolf1200]

The 200 character bug disables me from leaving the comment I want to leave here.

[@ehmazin]

Going to be interesting (hilarious) to see Ryan Reynolds acting alongside Denzel... the film looks like a carbon copy of Law Abiding Citizen

[@PhoenixWright101]

Crimson Tide's good fun. Just sayin'.

[@norbu_la]

Manchurian Candidate

[@blackwolf1200]

@6000mphx The point is that he was quoted as characterizing atheism as a typical correlation with sociopathy, implying that atheists in general have a tendency to be or become sociopaths. I don't know how or how much atheism is shown at all in the film, but I doubt that it has anything to do with what the character actually does. The way Mr. Washington seems to have said it, he made a needless connection between sociopathy and atheism to denigrate the latter, and that would be bigotry.

[@meinderd80]

I never even heard of Devil in a Blue Dress, haven't seen Glory, Philadelphia or Man on Fire and can't possibly think of a favourite Denzel performance. I don't know if that's because all his performances are at a high level, or because I just think the guy is overrated. My favourite film starring Denzel might be Fallen, quite surprising for a straight-to-video (Dutch cinematic release cancelled while its cardboard cutouts were already on display in my then-favourite cinema) paranormal thriller.

[@samcheese34]

The Hurricane, by far. Man on Fire, a close second. I recognise that doesn't make sense.

[@CraigSips]

Training Day

[@857noel]

Agree with Devil in a blue dress but hated The book of Eli

[@fanboydee]

@fatbeats101 Kanye should be entrance music for Kermode always.

[@MrCassavius]

antwone fisher for me, I think his only directing effort and a pretty good one too

[@vinyalonde]

That is too bad you won't be interviewing Denzel Washington. No offence to your buddy Mayo but you are really the one better qualified to conduct that interview. My favourite film of Denzel Washington's is Training Day with Ethan Hawke. Washington makes a great villain.

[@DartfordTown]

Crimson Tide form me. His scenes with Gene Hackman are pure cinema gold.

[@BaronVonPenguin]

I don't dislike him but I'm certainly not a fan of Denzel Washington at all. Surely I cannot be the only one who thinks he's the same in every bleedin film? He's got fuck all range and seems to play either "badass" or "cool guy" and any number of combinations of both such as Badass who's also a cool guy or a Cool guy who was once a badass etc.. YAWWWWWWWWWN

[@KarlEFC2024]

Book of Eli??? give your head a little shake!!

[@misterEstrange]

remember the titans man on fire training day inside man deja vu (dont be mad at me)

[@6000mphx]

@blackwolf1200 You are familar with the concept of 'actors' aren't you? Ps, athiest denotes bigotry how exactly?

[@MrBurgundy76]

@ttandc john q was pretty bad.