Benedict Cumberbatch Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

We’re ranking the films of Benedict Cumberbatch! Let’s start with his Certified Fresh films, including his residency as Doctor Strange in the MCU (Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home), Best Actor-nominated The Power of the Dog and The Imitation Game, and Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave. Cumberbatch’s Rotten films with positive Audience Scores include The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Third Star, and The Other Boleyn Girl. —Alex Vo

#1

12 Years a Slave (2013)
95%

#1

Critics Consensus: It's far from comfortable viewing, but 12 Years a Slave's unflinchingly brutal look at American slavery is also brilliant -- and quite possibly essential -- cinema.

Synopsis: In the years before the Civil War, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is [More]

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor , Michael Fassbender , Benedict Cumberbatch , Paul Dano

Directed By: Steve McQueen

#2

Avengers: Endgame (2019)
94%

#2

Critics Consensus: Exciting, entertaining, and emotionally impactful, Avengers: Endgame does whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel's epic Infinity Saga.

Synopsis: The fourth installment in the Avengers saga is the culmination of 22 interconnected Marvel films and the climax of a [More]

Starring: Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth

Directed By: Anthony Russo , Joe Russo

#3

The Power of the Dog (2021)
94%

#3

Critics Consensus: Brought to life by a stellar ensemble led by Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog reaffirms writer-director Jane Campion as one of her generation's finest filmmakers.

Synopsis: Severe, pale-eyed, handsome, Phil Burbank is brutally beguiling. All of Phil's romance, power and fragility is trapped in the past [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Kirsten Dunst , Jesse Plemons , Kodi Smit-McPhee

Directed By: Jane Campion

#4

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
93%

#4

Critics Consensus: A bigger, bolder Spider-Man sequel, No Way Home expands the franchise's scope and stakes without losing sight of its humor and heart.

Synopsis: For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero's identity is revealed, bringing his Super [More]

Starring: Tom Holland , Zendaya , Benedict Cumberbatch , Jacob Batalon

Directed By: Jon Watts

#5

The Imitation Game (2014)
90%

#5

Critics Consensus: With an outstanding starring performance from Benedict Cumberbatch illuminating its fact-based story, The Imitation Game serves as an eminently well-made entry in the "prestige biopic" genre.

Synopsis: In 1939, newly created British intelligence agency MI6 recruits Cambridge mathematics alumnus Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to crack Nazi codes, [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Keira Knightley , Matthew Goode , Rory Kinnear

Directed By: Morten Tyldum

#6

Starter for 10 (2006)
90%

#6

Critics Consensus: Starter For 10 is a spirited coming-of-age tale that remains charming and witty even as it veers into darker teritory. The unique setting of a quiz show makes the film wittier than your average romantic comedy.

Synopsis: Brian Jackson (James McAvoy), a working-class youth from Essex, gets a chance to prove himself when he is accepted to [More]

Starring: James McAvoy , Alice Eve , Rebecca Hall , Simon Woods

Directed By: Tom Vaughan

#7

Doctor Strange (2016)
89%

#7

Critics Consensus: Doctor Strange artfully balances its outré source material against the blockbuster constraints of the MCU, delivering a thoroughly entertaining superhero origin story in the bargain.

Synopsis: Dr. Stephen Strange's (Benedict Cumberbatch) life changes after a car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Rachel McAdams , Benedict Wong

Directed By: Scott Derrickson

#8

1917 (2019)
88%

#8

Critics Consensus: Hard-hitting, immersive, and an impressive technical achievement, 1917 captures the trench warfare of World War I with raw, startling immediacy.

Synopsis: During World War I, two British soldiers -- Lance Cpl. Schofield and Lance Cpl. Blake -- receive seemingly impossible orders. [More]

Starring: George MacKay , Dean-Charles Chapman , Mark Strong , Andrew Scott

Directed By: Sam Mendes

#9

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
85%

#9

Critics Consensus: Avengers: Infinity War ably juggles a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions.

Synopsis: Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet -- [More]

Starring: Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Hemsworth , Josh Brolin , Chadwick Boseman

Directed By: Anthony Russo , Joe Russo

#10

The Courier (2020)
85%

#10

Critics Consensus: The Courier delivers a rousingly effective old-school spy adventure elevated by a thrilling fact-based story and Benedict Cumberbatch's nervy central performance.

Synopsis: THE COURIER is a true-life spy thriller, the story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) recruited into [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Merab Ninidze , Vladimir Chuprikov , James Schofield

Directed By: Dominic Cooke

#11

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
84%

#11

Critics Consensus: Visually spectacular and suitably action packed, Star Trek Into Darkness is a rock-solid installment in the venerable sci-fi franchise, even if it's not as fresh as its predecessor.

Synopsis: The crew of the Starship Enterprise returns home after an act of terrorism within its own organization destroys most of [More]

Starring: Chris Pine , Zachary Quinto , Karl Urban , Zoe Saldaña

Directed By: J.J. Abrams

#12

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy (2011)
84%

#12

Critics Consensus: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a dense puzzle of anxiety, paranoia, and espionage that director Tomas Alfredson pieces together with utmost skill.

Synopsis: In 1970s England the head of MI6, Control (John Hurt), dispatches an agent (Mark Strong) to meet with a Hungarian [More]

Starring: Gary Oldman , Kathy Burke , Benedict Cumberbatch , David Dencik

Directed By: Tomas Alfredson

#13

Atonement (2007)
83%

#13

Critics Consensus: Atonement features strong performances, brilliant cinematography, and a unique score. Featuring deft performances from James MacAvoy and Keira Knightley, it's a successful adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel.

Synopsis: This sweeping English drama, based on the book by Ian McEwan, follows the lives of young lovers Cecilia Tallis (Keira [More]

Starring: James McAvoy , Keira Knightley , Romola Garai , Saoirse Ronan

Directed By: Joe Wright

#14

Four Lions (2009)
84%

#14

Critics Consensus: Its premise suggests brazenly tasteless humor, but Four Lions is actually a smart, pitch-black comedy that carries the unmistakable ring of truth.

Synopsis: A group of young Muslim men living in Sheffield decide to wage jihad, and they hatch an inept plan to [More]

Starring: Riz Ahmed , Arsher Ali , Nigel Lindsay , Kayvan Novak

Directed By: Christopher Morris

#15

The Child in Time (2017)
79%

#15

Critics Consensus: The Child in Time skillfully resists melodrama, trusting the finer details of its story -- and the actors bringing them to life -- to land with a slow-building, devastating impact.

Synopsis: Stephen Lewis, a successful author of children's books, is confronted with the unthinkable when his only child disappears in a [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Kelly Macdonald , Stephen Campbell Moore , Saskia Reeves

Directed By: Julian Farino

#16

War Horse (2011)
74%

#16

Critics Consensus: Technically superb, proudly sentimental, and unabashedly old-fashioned, War Horse is an emotional drama that tugs the heartstrings with Spielberg's customary flair.

Synopsis: Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and his beloved horse, Joey, live on a farm in the British countryside. At the outbreak of [More]

Starring: Emily Watson , David Thewlis , Jeremy Irvine , Peter Mullan

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

#17

The Mauritanian (2021)
75%

#17

Critics Consensus: The Mauritanian takes a frustratingly generic approach to a real-life story that might have been inspirational in other hands, but Tahar Rahim's performance elevates the uneven material.

Synopsis: Directed by Kevin Macdonald and based on the NY Times best-selling memoir "Guantánamo Diary" by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, this is [More]

Starring: Jodie Foster , Tahar Rahim , Shailene Woodley , Benedict Cumberbatch

Directed By: Kevin Macdonald

#18

The Whistleblower (2010)
75%

#18

Critics Consensus: Rachel Weisz puts on a compelling smoldering act though the film suffers from a literal-minded approach to the material.

Synopsis: The experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a cop from Nebraska, who worked as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and exposed a [More]

Starring: Rachel Weisz , Monica Bellucci , Vanessa Redgrave , Benedict Cumberbatch

Directed By: Larysa Kondracki

#19

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
74%

#19

Critics Consensus: While still slightly hamstrung by "middle chapter" narrative problems and its formidable length, The Desolation of Smaug represents a more confident, exciting second chapter for the Hobbit series.

Synopsis: Having survived the first part of their unsettling journey, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his companions (Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage) [More]

Starring: Ian McKellen , Martin Freeman , Richard Armitage , Benedict Cumberbatch

Directed By: Peter Jackson

#20

Black Mass (2015)
73%

#20

Critics Consensus: Black Mass spins a gripping yarn out of its fact-based story -- and leaves audiences with one of Johnny Depp's most compelling performances in years.

Synopsis: While his brother Bill (Benedict Cumberbatch) remains a powerful leader in the Massachusetts Senate, Irish hoodlum James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny [More]

Starring: Johnny Depp , Joel Edgerton , Benedict Cumberbatch , Dakota Johnson

Directed By: Scott Cooper

#21

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
74%

#21

Critics Consensus: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness labors under the weight of the sprawling MCU, but Sam Raimi's distinctive direction casts an entertaining spell.

Synopsis: In Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Elizabeth Olsen , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Rachel McAdams

Directed By: Sam Raimi

#22

Penguins of Madagascar (2014)
74%

#22

Critics Consensus: Penguins of Madagascar is fast and brightly colored enough to entertain small children, but too frantically silly to offer real filmgoing fun for the whole family.

Synopsis: Plucky penguins Skipper (Tom McGrath), Kowalski (Chris Miller), Rico (Conrad Vernon) and Private (Christopher Knights) -- the most elite spies [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , John Malkovich , Tom McGrath , Chris Miller

Directed By: Eric Darnell , Simon J. Smith

#23

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)
68%

#23

Critics Consensus: Sparked by a pair of well-matched leads, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain honors its real-life subject by adding a dash of whimsy to the standard biopic formula.

Synopsis: The extraordinary true story of eccentric British artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose playful, sometimes even psychedelic pictures helped to [More]

Starring: Sophia Di Martino , Benedict Cumberbatch , Claire Foy , Andrea Riseborough

Directed By: Will Sharpe

#24

August: Osage County (2013)
67%

#24

Critics Consensus: The sheer amount of acting going on in August: Osage County threatens to overwhelm, but when the actors involved are as talented as Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, it's difficult to complain.

Synopsis: The death and funeral of their father brings three sisters to the home of their mother, Violet (Meryl Streep), an [More]

Starring: Meryl Streep , Julia Roberts , Ewan McGregor , Chris Cooper

Directed By: John Wells

#25

Amazing Grace (2006)
68%

#25

Critics Consensus: Amazing Grace is your quintessential historical biopic: stately, noble, and with plenty of electrifying performances.

Synopsis: In 18th-century England, House of Commons member William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) and his close friend and a future prime minister, [More]

Starring: Ioan Gruffudd , Romola Garai , Benedict Cumberbatch , Albert Finney

Directed By: Michael Apted

#26

The Current War: Director's Cut (2019)
61%

#26

Critics Consensus: If it lacks the powerful voltage that its impressive cast suggests, The Current War: Director's Cut represents a significant improvement over previous versions.

Synopsis: Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse -- the greatest inventors of the industrial age -- engage in a battle of technology [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Michael Shannon , Nicholas Hoult , Katherine Waterston

Directed By: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

#27

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
59%

#27

Critics Consensus: Though somewhat overwhelmed by its own spectacle, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies ends Peter Jackson's second Middle-earth trilogy on a reasonably satisfying note.

Synopsis: Having reclaimed Erebor and vast treasure from the dragon Smaug, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) sacrifices friendship and honor in seeking [More]

Starring: Ian McKellen , Martin Freeman , Richard Armitage , Evangeline Lilly

Directed By: Peter Jackson

#28

Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
60%

#28

Critics Consensus: The Grinch gives the classic Seuss source material a brightly animated update that's solidly suitable for younger viewers without adding substantially to the story's legacy.

Synopsis: The Grinch and his loyal dog, Max, live a solitary existence inside a cave on Mount Crumpet. His main source [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Cameron Seely , Rashida Jones , Pharrell Williams

Directed By: Scott Mosier , Yarrow Cheney

#29

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018)
52%

#29

Critics Consensus: Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle brings impressive special effects to bear on the darker side of its classic source material, but loses track of the story's heart along the way.

Synopsis: Human child Mowgli is raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often harsh [More]

Starring: Christian Bale , Cate Blanchett , Rohan Chand , Benedict Cumberbatch

Directed By: Andy Serkis

#30

Creation (2009)
47%

#30

Critics Consensus: This Charles Darwin biopic is curiously dispassionate, but Creation contains some of director Jon Amiel's best work, and Paul Bettany's performance is not to be missed.

Synopsis: Devastated by the death of his beloved daughter, Annie, Charles Darwin (Paul Bettany) sinks into a deep depression, and cannot [More]

Starring: Paul Bettany , Jennifer Connelly , Jeremy Northam , Toby Jones

Directed By: Jon Amiel

#31

Third Star (2010)
47%

#31

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: James (Benedict Cumberbatch), a dying young man, and his friends travel to the coast of Barafundle Bay in western Wales. [More]

Starring: Hugh Bonneville , Tom Burke , Benedict Cumberbatch , JJ Feild

Directed By: Hattie Dalton

#32

The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
43%

#32

Critics Consensus: Though it features some extravagant and entertaining moments, The Other Boleyn Girl feels more like a soap opera than historical drama.

Synopsis: King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) lacks an heir. Seeing this as an opportunity for personal gain, the Duke of Norfolk [More]

Starring: Natalie Portman , Scarlett Johansson , Eric Bana , Kristin Scott Thomas

Directed By: Justin Chadwick

#33

The Fifth Estate (2013)
35%

#33

Critics Consensus: Heavy on detail and melodrama but missing the spark from its remarkable real-life inspiration, The Fifth Estate mostly serves as a middling showcase for Benedict Cumberbatch's remarkable talent.

Synopsis: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and a colleague, Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl), join forces to become watchdogs over actions [More]

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch , Daniel Brühl , Dan Stevens , Alicia Vikander

Directed By: Bill Condon