With an acting career spanning decades, Laurence Fishburne is one of the most respected and esteemed actors alive today. Since he, for the most part, has gone from one successful role to another, it can be hard to make a definitive decision on which films contain his best performances - thankfully, that’s what Rotten Tomatoes is for.
The review aggregator website’s Tomatometer ranking system provides an average score of a film’s critical reception. Using that as a metric, let’s take a look at Fishburne’s highest-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes!
The Tuskegee Airmen (1995) - 88%
This made-for-television film follows the real-life story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American military pilots to serve in the Armed Forces; their heroism and determination during World War II had a noticeable effect on the growing civil rights movement. HBO’s film doesn’t sidestep around their contributions, and it makes a constant effort to analyze their personal struggles as well as how they came to be recognized as some of the world’s best pilots.
Laurence Fishburne, meanwhile, is as skilled as ever, delivering a performance that earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
The Matrix (1999) - 88%
One of Fishburne’s most recognizable roles is that of Morpheus in The Matrix. He delivers an unforgettable performance in one of the most thrilling, original action films of the ’90s. The film follows Neo, a young man who learns that the world he recognizes as “real” is actually just a simulation. He is the savior who will lead a group of rebels against the artificial intelligence that has trapped humanity inside this false reality.
The film introduced many tropes to the worlds of sci-fi and action, most notably the “bullet time” and “digital rain” visual effects.
Mystic River (2003) - 88%
The 2003 mystery drama Mystic River was directed by Clint Eastwood and nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It follows a trio of childhood friends who have, for the most part, gone their separate ways. That is, until a murder investigation involving all three forces them to meet up once again, as the menial intensities of friendship morph into life-changing situations against the dark, dramatic backdrop of nighttime Boston.
Fishburne shines in his background role as Detective Sergeant Whitey Powers, gifting the film with the unique atmospheric feel that only he can conjure.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) - 88%
Laurence Fishburne considers himself a Marvel guy, so it’s easy to see why appearing in the MCU was a task he was more than suited for. His performance in Ant-Man and the Wasp is laced with the unrivaled ability to act as a scene-stealer that he clearly possesses, as he takes on the role of Bill Foster.
The sequel features Ant-Man teaming up with elite crimefighter The Wasp to rescue her long-lost mother from the quantum realm; meanwhile, they have to take on a bizarre new villain bent on stealing their technology. The film was a huge critical and commercial success and went down in history as yet another successful entry for the MCU.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) - 89%
Laurence Fishburne and Keanu Reeves were the stars of The Matrix - nearly two decades after it became one of the world’s biggest-ever sci-fi hits, the pair reunited for John Wick: Chapter 2. The film follows John Wick (played by Reeves), a hired assassin with a price on his head, which forces him to defend himself against some of the deadliest bounty hunters known to man. He seeks out the Bowery King, a crime lord played by Fishburne, for assistance near the film’s climax.
The film was praised for its fantastic action sequences and cinematography, as well as for not taking things too seriously by allowing brief moments of levity.
John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum (2019) - 90%
The bounty on John Wick’s head has doubled, and because of that Keanu Reeves’ action-packed antics only get more over-the-top in the franchise’s third installment. Fishburne reprises his role as the Bowery King, who has been left (literally) scarred as a result of helping John in the previous film.
Like its predecessors, the film doesn’t necessarily try to be compelling, but it instead focuses on keeping its viewers entertained; eyes glued to the screen, patiently awaiting the arrival of another brilliantly realized fight sequence.
What’s Love Got To Do With It? (1993) - 96%
Laurence Fishburne once again showcases his ability to act perfectly in character with his role in the musical biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It?, which focuses on Tina Turner’s rise to superstardom as The Queen Of Rock ’n’ Roll. Fishburne plays her husband and musical partner, Ike Turner, who over the course of the film turns to cocaine and becomes violent; eventually, Tina (played by Angela Bassett) leaves him to pursue a solo career.
In a 2018 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Tina claimed she hadn’t watched the film until recently and was surprised by how much the film’s creators changed the details from what actually happened in real life; however, the film was still a critical and commercial success. It also received two Academy Award nominations: Best Actress for Bassett and Best Actor for Fishburne.
Boyz n the Hood (1991) - 96%
The now-famous drama Boyz n the Hood follows Tre, a ten-year-old boy who is sent to live with his demanding but caring father Jason “Furious” Styles (Fishburne), as a result of getting into an altercation at school. Several years later, he discovers the hood, becoming increasingly involved in gang activities and culture.
Praised for its emotion, drama, and poignancy, Boyz n the Hood shined a light on cultural issues previously ignored by Hollywood. It also established several unknowns as veritable actors, most notably Ice Cube and Cuba Gooding, Jr. Even more important to its lasting impact was that it received two Academy Award nominations, including Best Director. This made the film’s 24-year-old director John Singleton the youngest nominee, as well as the first African-American nominee, in that category.
Apocalypse Now (1979) - 98%
At just fourteen years of age, Fishburne lied his way into getting the role of the cynical crewmember Clean in Apocalypse Now; thankfully, his performance is spectacular. The film takes place during the heat of the Vietnam War and follows Captain Benjamin L. Willard, a man sent by the government to assassinate the crazed Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (who sees himself as a demigod and is waging a mock war using advanced guerilla tactics).
The film has been described as a psychedelic, bizarre allegory that perfectly encompasses the culture of its time period; acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert once said it was the greatest film on the Vietnam War ever made.
Searching For Bobby Fischer (1993) - 100%
This heartwarming film tells the real-life story of Josh Waitzkin, a young boy whose life is changed when he learns the game of chess; he excels at the sport and soon becomes a competitor at the national level. Meanwhile, he is coached by two teachers with conflicting opinions on how the game should be viewed - park hustler Vinnie (Fishburne) and esteemed professional coach Bruce Pandolfini (Ben Kingsley).
An engaging, moving drama with top-tier performances, Searching for Bobby Fischer has become a cult classic, particularly among chess fans. It received a perfect 4/4 from Roger Ebert and an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography.
