Denzel Washington S Best Law Enforcement Roles Ranked

Denzel Washington has been acting since the late ’70s, with his first film being the made-for-television movie Wilma (based on American Track and Field star Wilma Rudolph), and since then, he has appeared in more than 45 films in the last 40 years. Not limited to just the big screen, Washington has also been acting in stage (theater) performances, such as Broadway’s Raisin in the Sun and The Iceman Cometh. One of only five male actors to have earned an Academy Award nomination in five different decades, Denzel Washington was named the Best Actor of the 21st century by the New York Times, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022.

With such a vast filmography, Washington has had quite a few patterns of the same genre pop up again and again. In his stage and film career, he has played roles in many Shakespeare plays. He’s played in many biopics, such as Malcolm X and The Hurricane. But, the genres that stand out most for Washington are Crime/ Law Enforcement and Drama; with such iconic films such as Training Day, Man on Fire, American Gangster, and more. Here are Denzel Washington’s best Law Enforcement roles, ranked.

6 The Magnificent Seven (2016)

     Sony Pictures  

A neo-western law enforcement film, and a remake of the 1960 movie of the same name, The Magnificent Seven follows U.S. Marshall Sam Chisholm (Denzel Washington) as he recruits six more bounty hunter-esque men to help liberate the town of Rose Creek. Set in 1879, Rose Creek was taken over by robber Baron Bartholomew Bogue, leading to some of the townsfolk recruiting Chisholm to rescue the town. Not just starring Denzel Washington, The Magnificent Seven also has stars such as Chris Pratt, Haley Bennet, and Ethan Hawke; amongst a much wider cast. The film was met with mixed reviews from critics and audiences, receiving a 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 54% rating on MetaCritic. Reviewers did praise Washington’s lead performance as Chisholm, though.

5 Out of Time (2003)

     20th Century Studios   

When Police Chief Matt Whitlock (Washington) gets caught up in a new, passionate romance with an old flame, the decisions he makes concerning that love (stealing money from a drug heist to pay for her cancer treatment) bring disastrous consequences upon him. A thriller film directed by Carl Franklin, and co-starring Eva Mendes (a frequent collaborator of Denzel Washington’s) Out Of Time garnered fairly okay reviews among critics (64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and 63% rating on Metacritic), with most calling it a “fun action flick” of a film. Though not as critically acclaimed as his other films, Washington received multiple “Best Actor” nominations for his role in the film.

4 Ricochet (1991)

     Warner Bros  

Another thriller film, this time at the behest of director Russell Mulcahy, Ricochet follows the story of cop-turned-Assistant District Attorney Nick Styles (Washington) as he deals with former hitman Earl Blake (whom Styles arrested eight years earlier) trying to get revenge on him. A very dark and gritty film (it was originally written for Clint Eastwood, who turned it down for being too grim), and originally was even more violent before test screenings toned the movie down, Ricochet gained generally positive reviews from critics and audiences, getting a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and making $21 million at the box office.

3 Inside Man (2006)

     Universal Pictures  

Directed by the ever great Spike Lee, Inside Man follows Detective Keith Frazier (Washington) as he negotiates a brutal hostage situation during a Wall Street heist led by Dalton Russell (Clive Owen). All while a wild card known as Madeleine White (Jodie Foster), who is charged by her boss to protect something in his safe that is in the middle of the heist. Inside Man was praised as a “smart genre” film, and one of Spike Lee’s best films yet. Nominated for twelve awards by at least nine different awards shows (including multiple Best Director and Best Director nominations), Inside Man became one of Denzel Washington’s most successful films.

2 The Mighty Quinn (1989)

     MGM  

One of Denzel Washington’s earlier films, The Mighty Quinn follows a Jamaican police chief by the name of Xavier Quinn, who is investigating the grisly murder of millionaire Donald Patar. Most, including crooked Governor Chalk, assume the murder was committed by a local criminal named Maubee. The only problem is that Quinn and Maubee have been friends since childhood, and Quinn doesn’t think he did it. Mixing intrigue, politics, crime, suspense, and displaying the limits of friendship; The Mighty Quinn became a critical success, receiving four stars from the prestigious Roger Ebert, and many calling this one of the prime examples of Denzel Washington’s “on-screen magnetism.”

1 Training Day (2001)

One of Denzel Washington’s most applauded films, nabbing him ten awards from multiple awards groups (including multiple Best Actor awards), Training Day follows Jake Hoyt (played by Ethan Hawke), as he goes out for a “training day” with famed LAPD Narcotics Detective Alonzo Harris, and experiences Harris’s gritty and corrupt world of law enforcement. Critically acclaimed by most reviewers, Training Day was a vast success, gaining a prequel movie currently in production, and a one-season television show.