Actor Denzel Washington (1954)

An historical thriller film, The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021), was written, directed and produced by Joel Coen. It is based on William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. After leading King Duncan’s army to victory against the traitorous Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth and Banquo are approached by three witches on the battlefield. They predict that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor (already holding the title of Glamis) and eventually be king. Meanwhile, Banquo’s descendants will also rule as kings. In response to the prophecy, King Duncan orders the execution of ...

The Little Things (2021) is an American neo-noir psychological crime thriller film directed and written by John Lee Hancock, with Mark Johnson as co-producer. Set in 1990, a teenage girl is pursued on a highway by a motorist. She seeks refuge at an abandoned gas station and catches the attention of a passing truck driver, successfully escaping her pursuer. In Bakersfield, Deputy Sheriff Joe ‘Deke’ Deacon is sent to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to gather evidence for a recent homicide case. Accompanied by newly appointed lead detective ...

The film known as The Equalizer 2 (2018) is an American vigilante action-thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua. Robert McCall resides in Boston, where he drives for Lyft and helps the less fortunate with his close friend Susan Plummer, his former colleague at DIA. During a trip to Istanbul, Robert aids bookstore owner Grace Braelick in retrieving her kidnapped daughter. Together with Susan, he assists Holocaust survivor Sam Rubinstein in retrieving a painting of his late sister. Upon returning home to find his apartment’s courtyard vandalized, Robert accepts teenager Miles Whittaker’s offer to paint a mural. ...

Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017) is an American legal drama film that follows the journey of a lawyer named Roman J. Israel. Working at a small law firm in Los Angeles, Roman earns $500 weekly and specializes in preparing briefs for clients’ civil rights cases. His partner William Jackson, a renowned professor, handles courtroom appearances while Roman struggles with the social aspect of his job. Despite this challenge, Roman has dedicated years of his life to crafting a brief that he believes will bring change to the unjust use of plea bargaining in the justice system. He may lack social skills, but makes up for it with a remarkable memory and strong personal ...

The Magnificent Seven (2016), directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Nic Pizzolatto and Richard Wenk, is a modern retelling of the acclaimed 1960 film with the same title. Inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, Fuqua brings his unique vision to this classic story. The town of Rose Creek is under the ruthless control of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue, and the desperate townspeople turn to seven outlaws, ...

Fences (2016) is an American period drama film featuring the talents of Denzel Washington, who not only stars but also produces and directs the film. Written by August Wilson, the film is based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. In North America, Fences was released on December 16, 2016 through Paramount Pictures. The film garnered acclaim from critics for Washington’s and Davis’s performances as well as the screenplay, pacing, ...

The Equalizer (2014) is an American action-thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk. Robert McCall, a former U.S. Marine and DIA / DCS officer, now leads a quiet life in Boston, working at a hardware store and helping his colleague Ralphie train to become a security guard. Often unable to sleep, Robert spends late nights reading at an all-night diner, where he has befriended teenager Teri. They often discuss the books Robert has been reading and his goal of reading 100 books, which was also his late wife’s goal. One night, Teri reveals her real ...

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, 2 Guns (2013) is an American action comedy starring Robert ‘Bobby’ Trench and Michael ‘Stig’ Stigman, two criminals who are actually undercover agents. Bobby works for the DEA while Stig is a US Navy SEAL and Petty Officer 1st Class with the Office of Naval Intelligence. Their mission leads them to meet drug lord Manny ‘Papi’ Greco at his Mexican farm where, instead of giving them cocaine as promised, Papi hands Bobby a large sum of cash. Back in the U.S., Bobby informs his superior Agent Jessup and colleague Deb Rees that they didn’t get the ...

Directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by John Gatins, Flight (2012) is an American drama film which follows the story of airline pilot Captain Whip Whitaker. In an attempt to combat his fatigue after a sleepless night in his Orlando hotel room, Whip resorts to using cocaine. During his flight on SouthJetAir Flight 227 to Atlanta, the plane experiences intense turbulence upon takeoff. Co-pilot Ken Evans takes over while Whip discreetly mixes vodka into his orange juice and rests. However, he is abruptly awakened as the plane suddenly plunges downwards. In a bold move, ...

Safe House (2012), an American action thriller directed by Daniel Espinosa and written by David Guggenheim, tells the story of junior CIA officer Matt Weston in Cape Town, South Africa. His role as a ‘housekeeper’ involves maintaining a local CIA safe house for potential operations. Seeking to join his girlfriend Ana in Paris as she starts her residency, Matt contacts his mentor and superior David Barlow to inquire about a station there. However, Barlow dismisses the idea, claiming that Matt lacks the required qualifications. This only adds to Matt’s ...

Unstoppable (2010) is an American disaster action thriller film directed and produced by Tony Scott, with screenplay by Mark Bomback. At a classification yard in Northern Pennsylvania, Dewey, the train engineer for Allegheny and West Virginia Railroad (AWVR), faces trouble when trying to align the trailing-point switch by setting the throttles to idle. Due to a disconnected air hose, the lever automatically switches to full power, causing the lead engine 777 (Triple 7) to race down the mainline at top speed without anyone at the controls. Dewey immediately contacts ...

The American post-apocalyptic neo-Western action film, The Book of Eli (2010), directed by the Hughes Brothers and written by Gary Whitta, follows Eli as he travels on foot through the wasteland of the former United States thirty years after a nuclear holocaust. Despite his rugged appearance and sunglasses, Eli possesses remarkable survival and fighting skills. When he stumbles upon a town ruled by warlord Carnegie, who is searching for a certain book to control the people, Eli makes a deal with a store owner to recharge his portable music player. While at the town bar, ...

The American action thriller film The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), directed by Tony Scott and written by Brian Helgeland, revolves around a hijacking scenario. A man known as Ryder, along with his accomplices Bashkin, Emri, and ex-train operator Phil Ramos, take over Pelham 123 – a New York City Subway train at 77th Street. In an attempt to gain control of the situation, Walter Garber – a Metropolitan Transportation Authority employee working as a train dispatcher in the Rail Control Center – receives a call from Ryder demanding $10 million in cash ...

The Great Debaters (2007), an American historical drama film directed by Denzel Washington, tells the story of debate coach Melvin B. Tolson’s efforts to overcome racial barriers in the Jim Crow-era American South. Based on a true story and inspired by a 1997 article for American Legacy by Tony Scherman, the film follows Tolson as he leads his team at Wiley College, a historically black institution affiliated with The United Methodist Church. Despite facing discrimination and violence, the Wiley debaters defy expectations and eventually earn the opportunity to challenge Harvard University in a debate competition. ...

American Gangster (2007), a biographical crime film, was directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian. Set in 1968, it follows the story of Frank Lucas, who worked as the right-hand man for Ellsworth ‘Bumpy’ Johnson, a Harlem mob boss. After Johnson’s death from a heart attack, Frank delves into the heroin trade by sourcing it directly from Thailand and smuggling it into the United States through returning Vietnam War soldiers. He markets his product under the name ‘Blue Magic’, which quickly gains popularity due to ...

Déjà Vu (2006) is a American thriller film directed by Tony Scott, written by Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. In New Orleans, a ferry carrying U.S. Navy sailors and their families during Mardi Gras explodes, resulting in the death of 543 individuals. Doug Carlin, an ATF Special Agent, uncovers proof of a bomb planted by a domestic terrorist while examining the body of Claire Kuchever. Although she was believed to have died in the explosion, ...

Inside Man (2006) is an American crime thriller film directed by Spike Lee and written by Russell Gewirtz. It centers on an elaborate bank heist-turned-hostage situation on Wall Street. In August 2005, inside a small, dimly-lit cell, Dalton Russell brags about committing the perfect bank robbery. In New York City, masked robbers seize control of a Manhattan bank, using variants of the name “Steve” as aliases and dressed in painter coveralls. They hold patrons and employees hostage and divide them into groups, rotating them among various rooms while disguised ...

Richard Condon’s 1959 novel, The Manchurian Candidate (2004), is a political thriller that tells the story of a prominent U.S. political family and their son’s involvement in a Communist conspiracy. The novel has been adapted into two feature films with the same title, released in 1962 and 2004 respectively. In the story, Major Bennett Marco and his infantry platoon are captured during the Korean War in 1952 by an elite Soviet commando unit. They are eventually brainwashed into believing that Sergeant Raymond Shaw saved their lives in combat, leading to him receiving the Medal of Honor. Years later, Marco, ...

Man on Fire (2004) is an action thriller film directed by Tony Scott from a screenplay by Brian Helgeland, and adapted from A. J. Quinnell’s novel of the same name. In 2003, former CIA SAD/SOG officer John Creasy reunites with his old friend Paul Rayburn in Mexico. At Rayburn’s urging, Creasy takes a bodyguard position with Samuel Ramos, an automaker in Mexico City who needs protection for his daughter Lupita (Pita) to fulfill her kidnapping insurance policy. Struggling with personal demons and regrets from his ...

Out of Time (2003) sees director Carl Franklin and Denzel Washington reunite, having previously worked together on Devil in a Blue Dress. The film follows the story of Mathias ‘Matt’ Lee Whitlock, respected Chief of Police in the Florida Keys town of Banyan Key. Despite their recent separation, Matt is currently dating Ann Merai-Harrison, an old high school flame who is facing abuse from her husband, former professional quarterback Chris. During a trip to the doctor with Ann, Matt learns she has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Meanwhile, Matt is ...