
All Jack Black Movies Ranked by Tomatometer
The latest: Jack Black returns as Bowser in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie! In theaters everywhere this weekend.
He was raised by satellite engineers, he grew up to wield the Pick of Destiny, and he’s amassed an impressive — and impressively eclectic — filmography as a manic funnyman, dramatic actor, and everything in between. We’re talking, of course, about the one and only Jack Black, a movie star whose singularly effusive charisma has helped fuel a string of blockbuster hits — King Kong, Tropic Thunder, the Jumanji revival — and cult classics — High Fidelity, Nacho Libre, School of Rock — stretching back for more than a quarter of a century. Clearly, this is a collected achievement worth celebrating — which is exactly why we’ve gone to the effort of rounding up his major film roles and sorting them by Tomatometer. How many Jack Black movies have you seen, and where do your favorites rank? Read on to find out!
97%
Critics Consensus: A powerful, thought-provoking film that covers different angles of its topic without resorting to preaching, Dead Man Walking will cause the viewer to reflect regardless of their political viewpoint.
Starring: Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry
Directed By: Tim Robbins
93%
Critics Consensus: Behind and in front of the camera, Tim Robbins delivers a landslide comedic victory with Bob Roberts — a shrewdly crackling lampoon of modern politics.
Starring: Tim Robbins, Giancarlo Esposito, Ray Wise, Brian Murray
Directed By: Tim Robbins
92%
Critics Consensus: Black’s exuberant, gleeful performance turns School of Rock into a hilarious, rocking good time.
Starring: Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike White, Sarah Silverman
Directed By: Richard Linklater
91%
Critics Consensus: The deft hand of director Stephen Frears and strong performances by the ensemble cast combine to tell an entertaining story with a rock-solid soundtrack.
Starring: John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Jack Black
Directed By: Stephen Frears
91%
Critics Consensus: The sweetly nostalgic Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood finds Richard Linklater reusing visual and thematic ingredients in a deeply personal, freshly inspired way.
Starring: Zachary Levi, Jack Black, Glen Powell, Josh Wiggins
Directed By: Richard Linklater
88%
Critics Consensus: Richard Linklater’s Bernie is a gently told and unexpectedly amusing true-crime comedy that benefits from an impressive performance by Jack Black.
Starring: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman
Directed By: Richard Linklater
87%
Critics Consensus: Kung Fu Panda has a familiar message, but the pleasing mix of humor, swift martial arts action, and colorful animation makes for winning Summer entertainment.
Directed By: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne
87%
Critics Consensus: Kung Fu Panda 3 boasts the requisite visual splendor, but like its rotund protagonist, this sequel’s narrative is also surprisingly nimble, adding up to animated fun for the whole family.
Directed By: Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Alessandro Carloni
85%
Critics Consensus: Suitably silly, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story spoofs the standard biopic formula with all the good-natured abandon fans will expect.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Evan Rachel Wood, Rainn Wilson, Julianne Nicholson
Directed By: Eric Appel
84%
Critics Consensus: Featuring state-of-the-art special effects, terrific performances, and a majestic sense of spectacle, Peter Jackson’s remake of King Kong is a potent epic that’s faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original.
Starring: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann
Directed By: Peter Jackson
82%
Critics Consensus: With biting satire, plenty of subversive humor, and an unforgettable turn by Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder is a triumphant late summer comedy.
Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte
Directed By: Ben Stiller
82%
Critics Consensus: The storyline arc may seem a tad familiar to fans of the original, but Kung Fu Panda 2 offers enough action, comedy, and visual sparkle to compensate.
Directed By: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
78%
Critics Consensus: Slight yet ultimately absorbing, Jesus’ Son makes effective use of its period setting and talented ensemble cast.
Starring: Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Denis Leary, Jack Black
Directed By: Alison Maclean
78%
Critics Consensus: Goosebumps boasts more than enough of its spooky source material’s kid-friendly charm to make up for some slightly scattershot humor and a hurried pace.
Starring: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush, Ryan Lee
Directed By: Rob Letterman
77%
Critics Consensus: Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot avoids inspirational biopic clichés thanks to sensitive work from writer-director Gus Van Sant and the admirable efforts of a well-chosen cast.
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, Jack Black
Directed By: Gus Van Sant
76%
Critics Consensus: Even though Ice Age is treading over the same grounds as Monsters, Inc. and Shrek, it has enough wit and laughs to stand on its own.
Directed By: Chris Wedge
77%
Critics Consensus: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle uses a charming cast and a humorous twist to offer an undemanding yet solidly entertaining update on its source material.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan
Directed By: Jake Kasdan
72%
Critics Consensus: Like many classic games, Jumanji: The Next Level retains core components of what came before while adding enough fresh bits to keep things playable.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan
Directed By: Jake Kasdan
71%
Critics Consensus: Kung Fu Panda 4 offers enough eye-catching entertainment to sustain the franchise’s young fans, although it’s starting to feel like this series is running out of steam.
Directed By: Mike Mitchell
71%
Critics Consensus: An entertaining, topical thriller that finds director Tony Scott on solid form and Will Smith confirming his action headliner status.
Starring: Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Lisa Bonet
Directed By: Tony Scott
67%
Critics Consensus: A better-than-average sci-fi shoot-em-up with a satirical undercurrent, Demolition Man is bolstered by strong performances by Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and Sandra Bullock.
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne
Directed By: Marco Brambilla
66%
Critics Consensus: Filled with inspired silliness and quotable lines, Anchorman isn’t the most consistent comedy in the world, but Will Ferrell’s buffoonish central performance helps keep this portrait of a clueless newsman from going off the rails.
Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell
Directed By: Adam McKay
66%
Critics Consensus: Despite moments of hilarity and a talented ensemble, discordant direction and a sloppy script keep The Polka King from truly singing.
Starring: Jack Black, Jenny Slate, Jason Schwartzman, Jacki Weaver
Directed By: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky
65%
Critics Consensus: An entertaining PG detour for gore maestro Eli Roth, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a family-friendly blend of humor and horror with an infectious sense of fun.
Starring: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Kyle MacLachlan
Directed By: Eli Roth
65%
Critics Consensus: Witty and provocative.
Starring: Hank Azaria, Rubén Blades, Joan Cusack, John Cusack
Directed By: Tim Robbins
65%
Critics Consensus: Slighter and less disciplined than Gondry’s previous mind-benders.
Starring: Jack Black, Yasiin Bey, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow
Directed By: Michel Gondry
60%
Critics Consensus: Though it suffered from toxic buzz at the time of its release, Waterworld is ultimately an ambitious misfire: an extravagant sci-fi flick with some decent moments and a lot of silly ones.
Starring: Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tina Majorino
Directed By: Kevin Reynolds
59%
Critics Consensus: While it’s nowhere near as thrilling as turtle tipping your way to 128 lives, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a colorful — albeit thinly plotted — animated adventure that has about as many Nintendos as Nintendon’ts.
Directed By: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
57%
Critics Consensus: The Cable Guy‘s dark flashes of thought-provoking, subversive wit are often — but not always — enough to counter its frustratingly uneven storytelling approach.
Starring: Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, Jack Black
Directed By: Ben Stiller
56%
Critics Consensus: Tim Burton’s alien invasion spoof faithfully recreates the wooden characters and schlocky story of cheesy ’50s sci-fi and Ed Wood movies — perhaps a little too faithfully for audiences.
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan
Directed By: Tim Burton
55%
Critics Consensus: The D Train offers Jack Black a too-rare opportunity to showcase his range, but its story and characters are too sloppily conceived to hold together as a film.
Starring: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor
Directed By: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel
53%
Critics Consensus: Tenacious D fans will find this movie hilarious; everybody else will see only a low-brow concept movie and a small assembly of jokes stretched past the 100-minute mark.
Starring: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, JR Reed, Tim Robbins
Directed By: Liam Lynch
51%
Critics Consensus: Despite a great cast, the characters in Margot at the Wedding are too unlikable to enthrall viewers.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black, John Turturro
Directed By: Noah Baumbach
51%
Critics Consensus: While it’s certainly sweet and even somewhat touching, The Holiday is so thoroughly predictable that audiences may end up opting for an early check-out time.
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black
Directed By: Nancy Meyers
49%
Critics Consensus: While surprisingly sweeter and warm-hearted than previous Farrelly outings, Shallow Hal is also less funny and more bland.
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black, Jason Alexander, Joe Viterelli
Directed By: Robert Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
48%
Critics Consensus: Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween offers a handful of treats for very young viewers, but compared to the entertaining original, this sequel is a ding dong to ditch.
Starring: Madison Iseman, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Caleel Harris
Directed By: Ari Sandel
47%
Critics Consensus: Smarter than the average teen movie, but a little on the unmemorable side.
Starring: Colin Hanks, Jack Black, Catherine O'Hara, Schuyler Fisk
Directed By: Jake Kasdan
47%
Critics Consensus: Ostensibly a film about celebrating creativity, A Minecraft Movie provides a colorful sandbox for Jack Black and Jason Momoa to amusingly romp around in a story curiously constructed from conventional building blocks.
Starring: Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers
Directed By: Jared Hess
47%
Critics Consensus: The premise might be ripe for a raucous action-comedy, but this meta reboot of Anaconda can’t detach its jaws wide enough to swallow so many conflicting tones.
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Thandiwe Newton, Steve Zahn
Directed By: Tom Gormican
41%
Critics Consensus: Packed with colorful world-building that’s as frenetic as it is weightless, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie‘s visuals are often out of this world but the threadbare story ultimately loses its Milky Way.
Directed By: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
41%
Critics Consensus: Though made with care and affection for its characters, The Big Year plods along, rarely reaching any comedic heights.
Starring: Steve Martin, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Brian Dennehy
Directed By: David Frankel
39%
Critics Consensus: At times hilarious, but other times offensive, Director Jared Hess is unable to recapture the collective charisma of his Napoleon characters, instead relying on a one-joke concept that runs out of steam. Sure to entertain the adolescents, however.
Starring: Jack Black, Ana de la Reguera, Héctor Jiménez, Richard Montoya
Directed By: Jared Hess
35%
Critics Consensus: Derivative and full of pop culture in-jokes.
Directed By: Rob Letterman, Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson
31%
Critics Consensus: Airborne skates downhill with a threadbare story, flat characters, and wince-inducing dialogue.
Starring: Shane McDermott, Seth Green, Brittney Powell, Edie McClurg
Directed By: Rob Bowman
24%
Critics Consensus: The Jackal is a relatively simple chase thriller incapable of adding thrills or excitement as the plot chugs along.
Starring: Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora
Directed By: Michael Caton-Jones
19%
Critics Consensus: Though Jack Black is back doing what he does best, Gulliver’s Travels largely fails to do any justice to its source material, relying instead on juvenile humor and special effects.
Starring: Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Amanda Peet
Directed By: Rob Letterman
18%
Critics Consensus: Dragged down by a plot lacking any sense of logic and obnoxious, unsympathetic characters, this comedy is more crude and mean-spirited than funny.
Starring: Jason Biggs, Steve Zahn, Jack Black, Amanda Peet
Directed By: Dennis Dugan
14%
Critics Consensus: Year One is a poorly executed, slapdash comedy in which the talent both in front of and behind the camera never seem to be on the same page.
Starring: Jack Black, Michael Cera, Oliver Platt, David Cross
Directed By: Harold Ramis
10%
Critics Consensus: Boring, predictable, and bereft of thrills or chills, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is exactly the kind of rehash that gives horror sequels a bad name.
Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brandy Norwood, Mekhi Phifer
Directed By: Danny Cannon
10%
Critics Consensus: Glitching out in every department, Borderlands is balderdash.
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt
Directed By: Eli Roth
7%
Critics Consensus: Jack Black and Ben Stiller fail to wring laughs from a script that’s essentially one extended poop joke.
Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Rachel Weisz, Amy Poehler
Directed By: Barry Levinson
4%
Critics Consensus: Like its two obnoxious protagonists, this dreadfully unfunny Pauly Shore vehicle should remain separated from society.
Starring: Pauly Shore, Stephen Baldwin, William Atherton, Joey Lauren Adams
Directed By: Jason Bloom





