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10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit

10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit
Image credit: Warner Bros., SPE, Walt Disney Studios, MGM, Twentieth Century Fox, Atlantic Releasing Corporation, Universal Pictures, New Line Cinema, The Samuel Goldwyn Company

Denzel Washington, an Academy Award-winning actor, has a filmography that spans over several decades.

1. "Fallen" (1998)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 1Dim streets. Rain. The supernatural and a serial killer. The lines between these blur. Detective John Hobbes (Washington) is on the hunt, but what he's chasing isn't just a person. It's an ancient evil, transferring from one body to the next with a simple touch.

With each shift, Hobbes's task becomes more and more intricate. And as the darkness grows, the eerie melody of the Rolling Stones' "Time is on My Side" haunts the backdrop.


2. "He Got Game" (1998)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 2Sport meets drama in a raw, unfiltered clash. Jake Shuttlesworth, imprisoned. Yet, the state offers him a deal: convince his son, Jesus (a top-ranking basketball prospect), to play for the governor's alma mater, and gain an early release.

A challenge, a countdown. Time's ticking, and past wounds aren't easily mended.


3. "The Mighty Quinn" (1989)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 3Chief of Police Xavier Quinn, though hailed a hero, bears a life laden with complexities.

In a tranquil Caribbean island setting, murder erupts. Oddly, Quinn's childhood friend, Maubee, emerges as the primary suspect. As Quinn delves into the investigation, unraveling the mystery becomes more than a job—it's personal.


4. "For Queen & Country" (1988)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 4Across the Atlantic, in England's bustling streets, former paratrooper Reuben James, having served Queen and Country with valor, returns home. The society he once knew feels alien.

His attempts to find footing in civilian life are mired by racial tensions and bureaucratic red tape. As challenges rise, the line between right and wrong begins to blur.


5. "Heart Condition" (1990)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 5There's a spirit in the air, quite literally. When a racist cop, Jack Moony, receives the heart of a lawyer he despised (Napoleon Stone), things take a turn for the bizarre. The donor's ghost refuses to leave his side. They bicker, they clash, but they also must work together, especially when it's about a matter of the heart.


6. "Mississippi Masala" (1991)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 6In the heart of Mississippi, cultures and passions intertwine. Denzel portrays Demetrius, a self-made carpet cleaner. Love sprouts, unexpectedly, with Mina, a woman of Indian descent.

Their bond becomes a mirror, reflecting societal prejudices and the challenges of interracial romance. Still, amid the whirlwind, their love story remains center stage.


7. "The Siege" (1998)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 7Terror strikes. New York City trembles beneath the weight of bombings. Anthony Hubbard (Washington), the head of the FBI's Counter-Terrorism Task Force, stands at the frontline.

The city's fear escalates, martial law is declared, and a battle for control ensues. As the lines of jurisdiction blur, Hubbard's mission becomes clear: find the truth and restore the peace.


8. "Cry Freedom" (1987)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 8South Africa, 1970s. Apartheid's iron grip. Washington steps into the shoes of Steve Biko, a real-life Black Consciousness Movement leader. His voice resonates with the call for equality.

Journalist Donald Woods, initially skeptical, becomes an ally. But alliances come at a cost, and the quest for justice is perilous.


9. "Deja Vu" (2006)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 9Disaster strikes. A ferry explosion. Lives lost. ATF agent Doug Carlin (Washington) is summoned. In the midst of the investigation, technology offers him an unforeseen advantage: the power to look back in time.

But as Carlin dives deeper into the rabbit hole of the past, he finds himself entangled in a web of fate, choice, and time's elusive nature.


10. "Devil in a Blue Dress" (1995)
10 Underrated Denzel Washington Movies That Deserve More Credit - image 10Los Angeles, post World War II. Private investigator Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins is hired for what seems a simple task: locate a mysterious woman named Daphne Monet. But every corner turned unveils deeper layers of intrigue and conspiracy.

Set against a backdrop of jazz-infused nights, Rawlins treads a path where trust is rare and secrets abound.