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Image via 20th Century Studios
There’s a slight discrepancy when discussing commercial entertainment that suggests that films that are widely popular at the box office cannot be artistically minded. While there are certainly some truly terrible films in recent years like Transformers: Age of Extinction and Jurassic World Dominion that managed to cross over $1 billion at the global box office, it's easy to forget that many of the older films that won the Academy Award for Best Picture were considered to be the “blockbusters” of their day.
Blockbuster films that are truly able to connect with audiences need to have performances, as viewers will ultimately care more about a project if they can connect with the characters that they see on screen, and not just the action sequences (however impressive they may be). Here are the ten best blockbusters movies with great acting, ranked.
10 ‘Jaws’ (1975)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Image via Universal Jaws essentially kickstarted the modern blockbuster phenomenon, but the titular shark itself does not appear in full until later on in the film. A majority of the first segment of Jaws rests on the charisma of Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw, who created some of the most likable protagonists in film history.
Jaws succeeds because the audience simply enjoys spending time with the characters, as there are points in which it almost feels like a “hangout” movie. Scheider does a great job at showing the genuine fear of an overwhelmed family man who is trying to keep his community from falling into chaos, and Dreyfuss is able to portray an obsessive type without ever becoming too obnoxious for his own good. However, it is Shaw’s signature monologue that stands out as one of the most parodied scenes in any movie.
Jaws
Release Date June 20, 1975
Runtime 124 minutes
Writers Peter Benchley , Carl Gottlieb , John Milius , Howard Sackler , Robert Shaw
Tagline The terrifying motion picture from the terrifying No. 1 best seller.
9 ‘Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope’ (1977)
Directed by George Lucas
Image via Lucasfilm Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope still holds up as one of the best films in the Star Wars franchise because it puts just as much emphasis on the characters as it does on the mythological world building in the galaxy far, far away. It’s hard to overstate how much of an impact Mark Hamill had with his performance as Luke Skywalker; although audiences were used to seeing science fiction heroes with extraordinary superpowers, the notion of an average teenager dealing with his destiny felt wholly original.
Most critical to the success of the original film was the performance by the great Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi, a role that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Guinness added the wisdom and whimsy needed to open up viewers’ minds everywhere to the possibilities of the force and the Jedi Order.
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
A farm boy from a desert planet becomes an unlikely hero in the fight against the oppressive Galactic Empire. Guided by a former Jedi Knight and alongside a rebellious princess, a smuggler, and his co-pilot, he embarks on a mission to destroy the Death Star, a massive space station capable of annihilating entire planets. As he learns about the mystical Force, he discovers his destiny and the true strength within himself.
Release Date May 25, 1977
Director George Lucas
Runtime 121 minutes
Main Genre Sci-Fi
Writers George Lucas
Studio Lucasfilm Ltd
Tagline A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
8 ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Image via Paramount Pictures Raiders of the Lost Ark created one of the greatest action heroes of all-time thanks to Harrison Ford’s amazing performance as Indiana Jones. While Ford had certainly earned a sizable fanbase based on the popularity of Han Solo in Star Wars, Indy was an even more well-developed hero whose passion for restoring archeological artifacts to museums made him an interesting character.
Although Ford’s performance is now legendary, Raiders of the Lost Ark has an amazing supporting cast, with Karen Allen’s performance as Marion Ravenwood standing out as the best female character in the Indiana Jones franchise, and the only one that can hold her own against Indy. John Rhys-Davies is also quite fun as Indy’s Egyptian friend Sallah, who made a welcome return to the series in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.
Release Date June 12, 1981
Runtime 115 minutes
Production Company LucasFilm
7 ‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Image via Universal Pictures Back to the Future managed to turn a rather absurd idea into one of the most rewatchable adventure movies of all-time, and it wouldn’t have been nearly as successful if it wasn’t for the amazing performances. Although an early version of the film featured Eric Stoltz in the role of Marty McFly, Michael J. Fox proved to be a fitting replacement, as he captured the vulnerability and charisma needed to play one of the coolest movie characters ever.
Christopher Lloyd has never been better than he was as Doc Brown, a character so delightful that he incites pure joy from viewers whenever he begins monolouging about various pieces of technical jargon. Crispin Glover is also simply delightful as a younger version of Marty’s father, whose growth in self-confidence provides the film with its funniest (yet most surprisingly resonant) narrative arc.
Back to the Future
Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.
Release Date July 3, 1985
Runtime 116
Tagline He's the only kid ever to get into trouble before he was born.
6 ‘Die Hard’ (1988)
Directed by John McTiernan
Image via 20th Century Fox Die Hard provided the template for all action movies going forward because of the strong identification of a clean-cut hero and villain. It’s easy to forget that Bruce Willis was not instantly thought of as an action hero at the time, as many viewers knew him best as “the guy from Moonlighting.” However, his role as John McClane proved that action heroes could be tough, yet comical characters who were capable of being emotionally wounded.
It’s incredible that Alan Rickman gave his first film performance ever in Die Hard as Hans Gruber, a character so delightfully evil that Rickman got nearly every villainous role he wanted for the rest of his career. Few action movies are as well-acted, as Die Hard created a tangible premise that audiences could see as being feasible, even when it reaches its exhilarating final battle.
Die Hard
New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there's no one to save the hostages -- but him.
Release Date July 20, 1988
Runtime 132 minutes
Tagline 40 stories of sheer adventure.
5 ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991)
Directed by James Cameron
Image via Tri-Star Pictures Terminator 2: Judgment Day was a step up from its predecessor in almost every way, even though the original The Terminator is a classic in its own right. Linda Hamilton has one of the most incredible character developments in any science fiction movie; Sarah Connor goes from a shy waitress with almost no confidence to a badass action hero willing to lay down her life to protect her son John (Edward Furlong) from the machines attempting to assassinate him.
The real revelation of Terminator 2: Judgment Day is Arnold Schwarzenegger, who transformed the T-1000 from a remorseless villain with no humanity to a caring paternal figure in John’s life. Although Terminator 2: Judgment Day was a box office smash that pushed computer generated imagery forward, it was also very well received among respected critics like Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.
Release Date July 3, 1991
Director James Cameron
Runtime 137 minutes
Writers James Cameron , William Wisher Jr.
Studio Tri-Star Pictures
Tagline It's nothing personal.
4 ‘Titanic’ (1997)
Directed by James Cameron
Image via 20th Century Studios Titanic was a cinematic sensation like nothing that had ever come before, as James Cameron’s epic disaster film grossed over $1 billion at the global box office to become the biggest movie of all-time, and subsequently tied the all-time record for Academy Award victories with its eleven wins, including Best Picture. Although Kate Winslet’s great performance as Rose sadly did not earn her the Best Actress prize, it's hard to think of another character that she has played that is quite as recognizable.
Leonardo DiCaprio became the heartthrob of a generation with his performance as Jack, managing to make even the most saccharine of Cameron’s dialogue feel effective. The chemistry between Winslet and DiCaprio certainly dominates every conversation that is held about the success of Titanic, but the film also features memorable supporting roles for Bill Paxton and Billy Zane.
Titanic
A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.
Release Date November 19, 1997
Director James Cameron
Runtime 194 minutes
Main Genre Drama
Writers James Cameron
Studio Paramount Pictures
Tagline Collide With Destiny.
3 ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)
Directed by Gore Verbinski
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl managed to silence any doubts that a Disney amusement park ride could be a compelling movie, as Gore Verbinski’s 2003 masterpiece revived the pirate movie genre after many had written it off forever after the box office disaster of Cutthroat Island.
The success of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise can be largely attributed to Johnny Depp’s performance as Captain Jack Sparrow, which earned him the first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor of his entire career. Sparrow was a peculiar, mischievous character unlike the lead of any other blockbuster; nonetheless, the excellent chemistry between Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom provided the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise with a great duo whose romance surprisingly felt quite sincere. Not to be overlooked is Geoffrey Rush, whose performance as Barbossa is both hilarious and terrifying.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) arrives at Port Royal in the Caribbean without a ship or crew. His timing is inopportune, however, because later that evening the town is besieged by a pirate ship. The pirates kidnap the governor's daughter, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), who's in possession of a valuable coin that is linked to a curse that has transformed the pirates into the undead. A gallant blacksmith (Orlando Bloom) in love with Elizabeth allies with Sparrow in pursuit of the pirates.
Release Date July 9, 2003
Runtime 143 minutes
Writers Ted Elliott , Terry Rossio , Stuart Beattie , Jay Wolpert
Tagline Prepare to be blown out of the water
2 ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures The Dark Knight isn’t just the greatest superhero movie ever made, but one of the definitive post-9/11 action thrillers that ensured that the genre was capable of analyzing the way it depicted terrorism and violence. It’s impossible to talk about the tremendous success of The Dark Knight without mentioning Heath Ledger’s Oscar winning role as the Joker; although it's a character that has been played before by many great actors, Ledger created a nightmarish villain whose twisted reasoning for wanting to see the world burn was utterly captivating.
Christian Bale managed to give one of the best superhero performances ever, as he was equally compelling as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Michael Caine has a ton of amazing scenes as the loyal butler Alfred, and it's Aaron Eckhart’s depiction of Harvey Dent’s fall from grace that provides The Dark Knight with its thematic backbone.
The Dark Knight
When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.
Release Date July 18, 2008
Runtime 152 minutes
Studio Warner Bros.
Tagline Why so serious?
1 ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
Directed by Joseph Kosinski
Image via Paramount Pictures Top Gun: Maverick was a sequel that was so much better than it had any right to be, as the notion of a continuation of the 1986 classic was one that many fans had doubted would ever happen. Tom Cruise easily slipped back into the role of Pete Mitchell, charting how he transforms from being the “maverick” of one generation into the mentor to a new class of heroes.
Top Gun: Maverick did a great job at setting up its new characters, with Glen Powell providing a fun hotshot performance reminiscent of Val Kilmer’s Iceman in the original film. Kilmer himself does briefly reappear in a very moving moment that acknowledges the real health struggles that he has gone through in a sequence that blends fiction with reality. A supporting cast that includes Jon Hamm, Ed Harris, and Jennifer Connelly among others ensured that Top Gun: Maverick became one of the rare sequels that surpassed its predecessor.
Top Gun: Maverick
After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.
Release Date May 27, 2022
Director Joseph Kosinski
Runtime 146
Studio Paramount Pictures
KEEP READING: Every Jack Ryan Movie, Ranked by Rewatchability
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