Best Will Smith Movies: Top 10

The list of Will Smith movies includes some of the most respected and successful films of all time and his amazing resume in just over a decade of major work is quite impressive. Known to many as the “Fresh Prince” because of his start as popular hip hop rapper Fresh Prince of “DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince”, Smith made his initial entry into screen entertainment during his TV show “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” (1990-1996). Smith is an extremely rare entertainer who has found success in three major entertainment formats (Film, TV, Music).

Perhaps what is most impressive about the list of Will Smith movies is that they show the amazing talent of the actor. He moved quickly from a teen music/comedy star into a serious comedy and drama actor, now sought after for many major roles.

For the purposes of this top 10 list of Will Smith movies, the movie must have been entertaining, well-received commercially and/or critically, perhaps epic in nature with a lasting impact, iconic in its time, and Smith must have been a significant player in the film.

Best Will Smith Movies of All Time

10. Ali (2001) – Will Smith finds himself in a perfect role as he portrays the cocky, talented, and culturally iconic Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay. Smith is brilliant as the boxing legend turned political activist and symbol of American sports.

9. The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) – This is one of the more intriguing movies with Will Smith because the actor gets to show off his athletic background in a role where he plays a mystical caddy to a down and out golfer (Matt Damon) trying to rediscover his game.

8. I, Robot (2004) - One of the growing number of films that depicts the potential disaster of humanity should it become to reliant on the efficiency of robots, this Will Smith movie is an action-packed sci-fi thriller.

7. I Am Legend (2007) – Smith’s character finds himself in a land of nothingness as the only New York survivor after a plague wipes out most of humanity.

6. Hancock (2008) – One of the more polarizing and recent Will Smith movies, this film is about a man with superhero skills and very human flaws. Hancock (Smith) must learn the ropes of creating an acceptable public image to match his tremendous Superman like qualities.

5. Men in Black: MIB (1997) – One of the earliest in the list of Will Smith movies, and certainly one his most iconic roles, MIB is a clever comedy-drama about two agents (Tommy Lee Jones co-stars) who must rescue humanity from a growing alien infestation.

4. Bad Boys (1995) - Though he played a few smaller roles before it, Bad Boys was the first major movie with Will Smith that reached the masses. This action thriller in which Smith played police officer Mike Lowrey, with Martin Lawrence co-starring as his partner, showed off Smith’s take charge, tough guy capabilities, which really helped establish him as a serious film actor.

3. Independence Day (1996) – One of the more iconic and likely to last Will Smith movies, Independent Day is one of the most recognized alien movies. It depicts a fairly realistic representation of what most people who believe in aliens might expect would happen should they decide to takeover the Earth at some point.

2. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) – While his accomplishments were many before this movie, this hugely successful Will Smith film, based on a true story and person, really polished his legacy as a dramatic actor.

1. Seven Pounds (2008) – A quick and equally brilliant follow up to The Pursuit of Happyness, Seven Pounds was an intensely emotional drama about an IRS agent (Smith) attempting to make the most of his life.

No doubt there are great Will Smith movies not included in this list and likely more good ones to come. In fact, there are several that could have been comfortably included without reservation. However, the list in place gives a good scope of the legacy of Will Smith films that now spans about 15 years.

Want to tell us your favorite film not on our list of Will Smith movies and why? Just add a comment and share your thoughts!

This feature article about the Best Movies with Will Smith was written by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

See Also:

• Best Movies with Brad Pitt
• Best Tom Cruise Movies

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!