(Photo by Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection)
All Laurence Fishburne Movies Ranked
Laurence Fishburne made his movie debut in just about the best way possible: As part of the platoon that goes up the river in Apocalypse Now. He was 14 when filming started and production was so troubled that by the time the movie released, Fishburne had already celebrated his 17th birthday.
The ensuing ’80s saw the actor taking mostly smaller roles but working with big name directors (Steven Spielberg in The Color Purple, Spike Lee in School Daze) that kept him — still credited as Larry at the time — employed and just a performance away from stardom. The chance came in 1991 with John Singleton’s explosive dramatic debut, Boyz n the Hood, in which he played young father Furious Styles. And Fishburne famously closed out the decade with The Matrix, a movie still at the forefront of pop culture 20 years later. When Fishburne was cast as the Bowery King in John Wick: Chapter 2, there was immediate rejoicing that he was reuniting on-screen with Matrix alum Keanu Reeves.
And after 2019’s Parabellum, what further wacky misadventures await Reeves and Fishburne in the series? As we await another sequel, we’re ranking all Laurence Fishburne movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
#59
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A prison warden frames a parolee for a murder....
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#58
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An Indian Vietnam veteran (Stephen Lang) trains five street punks in the Everglades to fight vice in Miami....
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#57
Adjusted Score: 13807%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A hotshot stock-exchange floor trader (Kevin Bacon) loses his shirt and becomes a bicycle messenger in a hilly city....
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#56
Adjusted Score: 19634%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: During a routine prison work detail, convict Piper (Laurence Fishburne) is chained to Dodge (Stephen Baldwin), a cyberhacker, when gunfire...
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#55
Adjusted Score: 23938%
Critics Consensus: Kevin Hart's livewire presence gives Ride Along a shot of necessary energy, but it isn't enough to rescue this would-be comedy from the buddy-cop doldrums.
Synopsis: For two years, security guard Ben (Kevin Hart) has tried to convince James (Ice Cube), a veteran cop, that he...
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#54
Adjusted Score: 20761%
Critics Consensus: A formulaic sci-fi thriller, The Colony features cliched dialogue, cheesy special effects, and underdeveloped characters.
Synopsis: Forced to live underground, survivors of an ice age embark on a mission to reach another outpost....
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#53
Adjusted Score: 27614%
Critics Consensus: Just Cause you round up a phenomenal cast, that doesn't mean you have everything you need for a solid legal thriller -- and this film is forgettable proof.
Synopsis: Paul Armstrong (Sean Connery), a law professor who staunchly fights the death penalty, is lured into defending a death row...
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#52
Adjusted Score: 24737%
Critics Consensus: Waste of a good cast. For a movie about bike racing, it never gets up to speed.
Synopsis: Slick Will, the mechanic for a legendary motorcycle racer named Smoke (Laurence Fishburne), is struck dead during an off-the-grid race....
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#51
Adjusted Score: 24392%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A tenacious federal agent traces the supply line of a group of cagey and experienced cocaine dealers....
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#50
Adjusted Score: 24707%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An ex-CIA man (Laurence Fishburne) sleeps with his new boss (Ellen Barkin), out to kill her partner (Frank Langella) in...
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#49
Adjusted Score: 41088%
Critics Consensus: Despite a strong opening that promises sci-fi thrills, Event Horizon quickly devolves into an exercise of style over substance whose flashy effects and gratuitous gore fail to mask its overreliance on horror clichés.
Synopsis: A spaceship missing for seven years finally re-emerges and sends out a distress signal. But when a team is sent...
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#48
Adjusted Score: 28150%
Critics Consensus: Once in a Life is a promising directorial effort by Laurence Fishburne. But the story is too conventional and similar to the many ghetto action/dramas that come before it.
Synopsis: A gritty drama centered around brotherhood and friendship, "Once in the Life" is a realistic depiction of how everyday choices...
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#47
Adjusted Score: 50556%
Critics Consensus: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice smothers a potentially powerful story -- and some of America's most iconic superheroes -- in a grim whirlwind of effects-driven action.
Synopsis: It's been nearly two years since Superman's (Henry Cavill) colossal battle with Zod (Michael Shannon) devastated the city of Metropolis....
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#46
Adjusted Score: 43782%
Critics Consensus: Passengers proves Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence work well together -- and that even their chemistry isn't enough to overcome a fatally flawed story.
Synopsis: On a routine journey through space to a new home, two passengers, sleeping in suspended animation, are awakened 90 years...
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#45
Adjusted Score: 34034%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Relocating to Los Angeles from New York City, vigilante Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) wants to start a safer life for...
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#44
Adjusted Score: 41626%
Critics Consensus: A disappointing conclusion to the Matrix trilogy as characters and ideas take a back seat to the special effects.
Synopsis: In a dystopia overrun by robots, Neo (Keanu Reeves), mankind's greatest hope, is trapped in a limbo world. Meanwhile, the...
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#43
21 (2008)
36%
Adjusted Score: 42678%
Critics Consensus: 21 could have been a fascinating study had it not supplanted the true story on which it is based with mundane melodrama.
Synopsis: Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), a brilliant student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, needs some quick cash to pay his tuition...
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#42
Adjusted Score: 44711%
Critics Consensus: While an improvement on its predecessor, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is nevertheless a juvenile, simplistic picture that has little benefit beyond its special effects.
Synopsis: Reed (Ioan Gruffudd), Susan (Jessica Alba), Johnny (Chris Evans) and Ben (Michael Chiklis) face an intergalactic messenger who has arrived...
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#41
Adjusted Score: 39106%
Critics Consensus: While Cherry 2000 has a certain low-budget appeal, all but the most ardent genre enthusiasts are likely to find its silly story and uneven performances unintentionally amusing.
Synopsis: In the post-apocalyptic California of 2017, Sam Treadwell (David Andrews) manages a recycling plant. His companion is Cherry 2000 (Pamela...
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#40
Adjusted Score: 42505%
Critics Consensus: This B-grade thriller has a good cast and director but is undone by plot holes and messy conclusion.
Synopsis: Following his return from Iraq, Ty Hackett (Columbus Short) takes a job at the same armored-car company where his father...
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#39
Adjusted Score: 42129%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A misfit soldier (Charlie Sheen) lands in a bully's (Martin Sheen) stockade with five men united by their race and...
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#38
Adjusted Score: 43618%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Having just been released from jail, Bumpy Johnson (Laurence Fishburne) returns to his criminal ways as a linchpin in the...
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#37
Adjusted Score: 39858%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: After his herd rejects him for having only half his stripes, a young zebra (Jake T. Austin) sets out on...
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#36
Adjusted Score: 48457%
Critics Consensus: It's hard to fault Higher Learning's goals; unfortunately, writer-director John Singleton too often struggles to fit his themes within a consistently engaging story.
Synopsis: In John Singleton's powerful portrait of college life in the 1990s, a group of incoming freshmen at Columbus University --...
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#35
Adjusted Score: 44670%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Grizzled war veteran Sgt. Clell Hazard (James Caan) is disheartened when he is stationed as a guard in Arlington National...
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#34
Adjusted Score: 54010%
Critics Consensus: Despite best intentions from director Emilio Estevez and his ensemble cast, they succumb to a script filled with pointless subplots and awkward moments working too hard to parallel contemporary times.
Synopsis: In 1968 the lives of a retired doorman (Anthony Hopkins), hotel manager (William H. Macy), lounge singer (Demi Moore), busboy...
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#33
Adjusted Score: 59968%
Critics Consensus: Where'd You Go, Bernadette offers dispiriting proof that a talented director, bestselling source material, and terrific cast can add up to far less than the sum of their parts.
Synopsis: Former architect Bernadette Fox seems to have it all -- a beautiful home in Seattle, a successful and loving husband,...
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#32
Adjusted Score: 58650%
Critics Consensus: The animated portion of Osmosis is zippy and fun, but the live-action portion is lethargic.
Synopsis: A cutting-edge, live action/animated action adventure comedy about one white blood cell's (Chris Rock) race against the biological clock to...
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#31
Adjusted Score: 40665%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Armed with a shotgun and one bullet, a war veteran (Thomas Jane) tries to protect a young murder witness from...
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#30
Adjusted Score: 60110%
Critics Consensus: School Daze is undeniably messy, but thought-provoking themes, strong performances, and Spike Lee's ingratiating energy help tie it all together.
Synopsis: At historically black Mission College, the activist-minded Dap (Larry Fishburne) immerses himself in a world of political rhetoric and social...
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#29
Adjusted Score: 72311%
Critics Consensus: Man of Steel's exhilarating action and spectacle can't fully overcome its detours into generic blockbuster territory.
Synopsis: With the imminent destruction of Krypton, their home planet, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and his wife seek to preserve their race...
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#28
Adjusted Score: 66006%
Critics Consensus: This remake has been praised by some as an expertly made B-movie, and dismissed by others as formulaic.
Synopsis: While en route to prison, a bus carrying criminals Marion (Laurence Fishburne), Beck (John Leguizamo) and Anna (Aisha Hinds) is...
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#27
Adjusted Score: 64626%
Critics Consensus: Director William Eubank clearly has big ideas and an impressive level of technical expertise; unfortunately, The Signal fritters them away on a poorly constructed story.
Synopsis: A surprise awaits three college students (Brenton Thwaites, Beau Knapp, Olivia Cooke) who think they have tracked a rival computer...
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#26
Adjusted Score: 65415%
Critics Consensus: Rudderless asks its cast to carry an awful lot of weight for its occasionally manipulative story; fortunately, this talented bunch -- led by Billy Crudup -- is often more than up to the task.
Synopsis: After a grieving father finds a box of demo tapes made by his now-dead son, he forms a band in...
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#25
Adjusted Score: 73069%
Critics Consensus: After a string of subpar sequels, this bloody, action-packed reboot takes the Predator franchise back to its testosterone-fueled roots.
Synopsis: Brought together on a mysterious planet, a mercenary (Adrien Brody) and a group of coldblooded killers now become the prey....
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#24
Adjusted Score: 70608%
Critics Consensus: Red Heat's overreliance on genre formula is bolstered by Walter Hill's rugged direction and a strong touch of humor.
Synopsis: A Moscow detective (Arnold Schwarzenegger) shows his local police escort (James Belushi) how to hunt a Soviet drug smuggler in...
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#23
Adjusted Score: 70457%
Critics Consensus: Perhaps less than the sum of its parts, Othello is still highly entertaining, and features excellent performances from Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh.
Synopsis: Heroic general Othello (Laurence Fishburne), the only African in the Venetian army, is carrying on a courtship with white noblewoman...
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#22
Adjusted Score: 80475%
Critics Consensus: A flawed yet enjoyable late-period Eastwood entry, The Mule stubbornly retains its footing despite a few missteps on its occasionally unpredictable path.
Synopsis: Broke, alone and facing foreclosure on his business, 90-year-old horticulturist Earl Stone takes a job as a drug courier for...
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#21
Adjusted Score: 80253%
Critics Consensus: Fast-paced, with eye-popping stunts and special effects, the latest Mission: Impossible installment delivers everything an action fan could ask for. A thrilling summer popcorn flick.
Synopsis: Retired from active duty, and training recruits for the Impossible Mission Force, agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) faces the toughest...
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#20
Adjusted Score: 80544%
Critics Consensus: Rumble Fish frustrates even as it intrigues, but director Francis Ford Coppola's strong visual style helps compensate for a certain narrative stasis.
Synopsis: Disaffected and restless, Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is spoiling for a fight. Abandoned by his mother and living with his...
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#19
Adjusted Score: 71821%
Critics Consensus: King of New York covers familiar narrative ground with impressive style -- and leaves plenty of room for its talented cast to deliver gripping performances.
Synopsis: A crime lord plots to take control of New York's underground drug economy and distribute the profits to the poor....
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#18
Adjusted Score: 81580%
Critics Consensus: Though its heady themes are a departure from its predecessor, The Matrix Reloaded is a worthy sequel packed with popcorn-friendly thrills.
Synopsis: Freedom fighters Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) continue to lead the revolt against the Machine...
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#17
Adjusted Score: 72368%
Critics Consensus: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors offers an imaginative and surprisingly satisfying rebound for a franchise already starting to succumb to sequelitis.
Synopsis: During a hallucinatory incident, young Kristen Parker (Patricia Arquette) has her wrists slashed by dream-stalking monster Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund)....
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#16
Adjusted Score: 78592%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Liberal activist lawyer Jedediah (Gene Hackman) alienated daughter Maggie (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) years ago when she discovered his many affairs....
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#15
Adjusted Score: 76176%
Critics Consensus: Energetic and brimming with memorable performers, The Cotton Club entertains with its visual and musical pizazz even as its plot only garners polite applause.
Synopsis: The lives of various characters intersect at Harlem's renowned Cotton Club. Handsome horn player Dix Dwyer falls for Vera Cicero,...
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#14
Adjusted Score: 87895%
Critics Consensus: Last Flag Flying balances raw drama against refreshing moments of humor in an impeccably cast film that wrestles with questions of patriotism, family, and grief.
Synopsis: Thirty years after serving together in the Vietnam War, Larry "Doc" Shepherd, Sal Nealon and the Rev. Richard Mueller reunite...
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#13
Adjusted Score: 85366%
Critics Consensus: It might have been better served by a filmmaker with a deeper connection to the source material, but The Color Purple remains a worthy, well-acted adaptation of Alice Walker's classic novel.
Synopsis: An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie (Whoopi Goldberg), an African-American woman living in the South...
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#12
Adjusted Score: 91408%
Critics Consensus: A warm, family-friendly underdog story, featuring terrific supporting performances from Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, and Angela Bassett.
Synopsis: Akeelah, an 11-year-old girl living in South Los Angeles, discovers she has a talent for spelling, which she hopes will...
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#11
Adjusted Score: 96487%
Critics Consensus: Tense, tightly plotted, and bolstered by a stellar cast, Contagion is an exceptionally smart -- and scary -- disaster movie.
Synopsis: When Beth Emhoff returns to Minnesota from a Hong Kong business trip, she attributes the malaise she feels to jet...
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#10
Adjusted Score: 89064%
Critics Consensus: Deep Cover rises above standard-issue crime thriller fare thanks to a smartly cynical script and powerhouse performances from its unorthodox but well-matched leads.
Synopsis: David Jason (Jeff Goldblum) is the biggest drug dealer in Los Angeles, and Russell Stevens (Larry Fishburne) is an undercover...
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#9
Adjusted Score: 50758%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A semi-fictionalized account of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all-African-American Air Force squadron during World War II, the film centers...
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#8
Adjusted Score: 94001%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to the Wachowskis' imaginative vision, The Matrix is a smartly crafted combination of spectacular action and groundbreaking special effects.
Synopsis: Neo (Keanu Reeves) believes that Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), an elusive figure considered to be the most dangerous man alive, can...
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#7
Adjusted Score: 96109%
Critics Consensus: Anchored by the exceptional acting of its strong cast, Mystic River is a somber drama that unfolds in layers and conveys the tragedy of its story with visceral power.
Synopsis: When the daughter of ex-con Jimmy Marcus is murdered, two of his childhood friends from the neighborhood are involved. Dave,...
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#6
Adjusted Score: 112171%
Critics Consensus: A lighter, brighter superhero movie powered by the effortless charisma of Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, Ant-Man and The Wasp offers a much-needed MCU palate cleanser.
Synopsis: Scott Lang is grappling with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father. Approached by Hope...
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#5
Adjusted Score: 104708%
Critics Consensus: John Wick: Chapter 2 does what a sequel should -- which in this case means doubling down on the non-stop, thrillingly choreographed action that made its predecessor so much fun.
Synopsis: Retired super-assassin John Wick's plans to resume a quiet civilian life are cut short when Italian gangster Santino D'Antonio shows...
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#4
Adjusted Score: 102392%
Critics Consensus: With a fascinating real-life story and powerhouse performances from Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne, What's Love Got to Do With It? is a can't miss biopic.
Synopsis: Based on the life of the legendary soul singer, Tina Turner (Angela Bassett) -- born Anna Mae Bullock -- discovers...
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#3
Adjusted Score: 102078%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted and thematically rich, Boyz N the Hood observes Black America with far more depth and compassion than many of the like-minded films its success inspired.
Synopsis: Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is sent to live with his father, Furious Styles (Larry Fishburne), in tough South Central Los...
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#2
Adjusted Score: 106420%
Critics Consensus: A voyage to hell where the journey is more satisfying than the destination, Francis Ford Coppola's haunting, hallucinatory Vietnam War epic is cinema at its most audacious and visionary.
Synopsis: In Vietnam in 1970, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) takes a perilous and increasingly hallucinatory journey upriver to find and terminate...
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#1
Adjusted Score: 103875%
Critics Consensus: As sensitive as the young man at its center, Searching for Bobby Fischer uses a prodigy's struggle to find personal balance as the background for a powerfully moving drama.
Synopsis: After he beats his dad (Joe Mantegna) in a chess match, Josh Waitzkin (Max Pomeranc), a 7-year-old, gets noticed for...
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