Actor, rapper, and Academy Award winner, Willard Carroll Smith II, better known to the world as Will Smith, has been entertaining audiences for decades. After kick-starting his career in music, he made a name for himself on the hit television sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, before moving into the film industry where he has starred in a string of pictures.
From action blockbusters, to biographical dramas, Smith has built up a collection of films which show off his skills on the big screen. This has given him the opportunity to hone and develop his talents and has won him a legion of fans too.
But if you’re not familiar with Smith’s film career, you might have missed out on some gems, including one or two titles which are ripe for revisiting. So, what are the best Will Smith movies?
In this post you’ll find the answers, with a run-through of his top 13 films. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newbie, these are the best Will Smith movies to stick on your watchlist.
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Men in Black (1997)
First up is the sci-fi action-comedy, Men in Black. The movie – directed by Barry Sonnenfeld – is based on a comic book of the same name, and tells the story of a former police officer who is recruited into a secret agency that monitors all extra-terrestrial life on Earth.
In the movie, Smith plays the role of New York police officer, James Darrell Edwards III – a first-class detective meant for bigger things beyond his current job. And after Edwards crosses paths with an alien, he is given the opportunity to explore these bigger things when he joins the Men in Black as Agent J.
Filled with an almost endless array of gags, as well as plenty of eye-catching aliens, Men in Black is an excellent sci-fi comedy and arguably Smith’s most famous movie. The actor plays it cool as Agent J, while his chemistry with on-screen partner, Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K, forms the backbone of this brilliant film.
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Emancipation (2022)
Up next is director Antoine Fuqua’s historical drama, Emancipation. Set during the 1860s, and based on the lives of former slaves, Gordon and ‘whipped’ Peter, the film follows the story of a runaway slave who escapes his captors and makes his way to Baton Rouge.
In the film, Peter is taken from his family and forced to work on the railroad. But when he sees an opportunity to escape he takes it, beginning a harrowing journey to freedom.
Given a limited theatrical run, ahead of its debut on Apple TV+, Emancipation may not have received the same publicity as many of Will Smith’s biggest movies, but it sure does feature one of his best performances. For this movie Smith excels, delivering a raw, emotive turn not to be missed.
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Ali (2001)
Next on the list is the 2001 biographical sports drama, Ali. For this picture, Smith takes on the role of legendary US professional boxer, Muhammad Ali.
Focusing on a ten year stretch in Ali’s life (1964 – 1974), the film looks at various career milestones including his match with George Foreman billed as ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’. The film is set to the backdrop of political and civil developments in the US, with Michael Mann in the director’s chair.
Although Ali was not a financial hit at the box-office (it bombed – taking $87.7 million from a budget of $118 million), it was a critical success. Smith was praised for his superb performance, and this led to an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in the process.
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Concussion (2015)
Sticking with the theme of biographical sports dramas for this next film, which is 2015’s Concussion. Written and directed by Peter Landesman, and based on Jeanne Marie Laskas’ GQ exposé, Game Brain, the movie follows the story of a forensic pathologist who battles the National Football League (NFL) over research into brain degeneration suffered by professional football players.
Smith takes on the role of Bennet Omalu in Concussion, alongside a cast which includes Albert Brooks, David Morse, and Alec Baldwin. For his part in the film, Smith received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.
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Independence Day (1996)
Onto a big movie now and it’s a big movie in terms of size, scale, and box-office returns. The movie is the sci-fi disaster epic, Independence Day – a film which really put Smith on the map.
Directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich, Independence Day (aka ID4) tells the story of humanity’s fight for survival, following a potentially world-ending attack from an alien race. The attempted alien invasion takes place over the course of three days, with a counter attack from the human race beginning on Independence Day.
Will Smith takes on the role of pilot Captain Steven Hiller in the movie (a role he wisely opted not to reprise for the misguided sequel). Smith is joined on screen by a cast which includes Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Mary, McDonnell, and Randy Quaid.
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Bad Boys (1995)
If Independence Day was Smith’s big hit, which really turned him from a sitcom star into a hot Hollywood property, then Bad Boys is the film which opened the door. Directed by Michael Bay and released in 1995, Bad Boys is a buddy cop film which positioned Smith as an action star.
Teamed up with Martin Lawrence, Smith plays the role of narcotics cop, Mike Lowrey. In the film, he and his partner, Marcus Burnett, are given 72 hours to track down some missing drugs, as part of an internal investigation.
Upon release, Bad Boys proved to be a sizeable hit. In turn, it spawned a collection of sequels.
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I Am Legend (2007)
Loosely based on Richard Matheson’s book of the same name, I Am Legend is a post-apocalyptic thriller about the last surviving human in New York. In the film, a virus wipes out most of the human race, or transforms survivors into mutants, leaving army virologist Robert Neville to live an isolated life in Manhattan, with only his dog Sam for company.
As with a number of the films on this list, I Am Legend was a box-office hit. The film took over $585 million from a budget of $150 million.
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I, Robot (2004)
Next up is the sci-fi action thriller, I, Robot. The movie – directed by Alex Proyas – follows the story of a Chicago police officer investigating the mysterious death of a robotics founder.
In the film, the year is 2035 and Smith plays detective Del Spooner. Spooner’s latest case is to investigate the death of Dr. Alfred Lanning, who supposedly died from suicide, but Spooner is not convinced.
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Enemy of the State (1998)
Directed by Tony Scott, Enemy of the State is a political action-thriller about a corrupt group of National Security Agency (NSA) agents, who conspire to murder a congressman. Smith takes on the role of lawyer Robert Clayton Dean in the film, who unwittingly finds himself caught up in the middle.
Featuring a cast that includes Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Regina King, Jake Busey, and Gabriel Byrne, Enemy of the State is a solid picture in Smith’s catalogue. The film also proved to be another box-office hit upon release.
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The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
A change of pace for this next movie – the biographical drama, The Pursuit of Happyness. Directed by Gabriele Mucchino, and based on Chris Gardner’s memoir of the same name (written with Quincy Troupe), the film focuses on Gardner’s real-life struggle with homelessness.
Smith takes on the role of Gardner, with his real-life son, actor Jaden Smith, playing Christopher Gardner Jr. Following the release of the film, Will Smith was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
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Hancock (2008)
In the satirical action-fantasy, Hancock, Smith plays reckless alcoholic superhero, John Hancock – a superhuman with great power, but no responsibility. Hancock is invulnerable, has immense strength and can fly, making him an asset to mankind, but due to his poor behaviour he is disliked by the general public.
In an attempt to clean up his image, Hancock works with a public relations consultant named Ray Embrey. But Hancock’s friendship with Embrey soon sends him on a surprising journey, which uncovers details about his mysterious past.
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Aladdin (2019)
For this next picture, Smith takes on the role of the Genie for Guy Ritchie’s live-action remake of the Walt Disney Animated Classic, Aladdin. Starring alongside Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, and Marwan Kenzari, Smith provides the comedy in this all-singing, all-dancing family fantasy affair.
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King Richard (2021)
And finally, in King Richard, Will Smith plays the part of Richard Williams – the father of high-profile tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. The biographical sports drama looks at Williams’ life, with a focus on his relationship to his daughters.
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, King Richard was not a financial success upon release, however, it was a big hit with critics. The movie went on to be nominated for six Academy Awards, with Smith winning one for Best Actor.
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Recap
So, those are the thirteen best Will Smith movies. Now, to save you from having to scroll back up, here are the titles of all the movies in one handy list:
- Men in Black (1997)
- Emancipation (2022)
- Ali (2001)
- Concussion (2015)
- Independence Day (1996)
- Bad Boys (1995)
- I Am Legend (2007)
- I, Robot (2004)
- Enemy of the State (1998)
- The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
- Hancock (2008)
- Aladdin (2019)
- King Richard (2021)
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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