Who gon’ stop you Denzel? Let’s be honest, Denzel’s been on his A-game since like forever and the 58-year-old is still on it. Your mother, brother, sister, all love him, not only for his charming looks, but his ability to take on every role with complete conviction.
The Academy Award winner has yet again blessed us with another movie, premiering August 2nd. Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg star in their new movie 2 Guns. The drama-comedy depicts a DEA agent and an NCIS agent who believe the other has stolen money from the mob. Not soon after, they both realize that they’ve been set up by CIA and have to figure out a way to hold on to their lives and return the money safely.
We’re sure Denzel ran with this role, being that we often see him in the good guy act. And although we love the charming, wholesome Denzel, there are some badass roles that had us fanning ourselves. So we did a round up of Denzel’s good vs. bad guy roles.
Take a look and tell us: do you like Denzel Washington better as a good guy or bad guy?
GOOD GUY: The Book of Eli
In this 2010 film Denzel played Eli, a man who wanders across the United States towards the West Coast after a nuclear apocalypse thirty years prior. His mission: to deliver a mysterious book to a location on the West Coast. Attempting to survive the aftermath, Eli goes around hunting animals and scavenging for goods in destroyed houses to sell them in nearby villages. Arriving to one village ruled by a powerful gangster Carnegie, they attempt to induct Denzel’s character by getting one of the young girls to seduce and sleep with him, but Eli fights off the temptation. Soon after, Carnegie hears that Eli has the book, and he proves his manpower as he guards the book with his life, making it clear that they would have to take his life first.
BAD GUY: Safe House
Alongside Ryan Reynolds, Denzel plays ex-CIA agent Tobin Frost, who soon becomes the CIA’s most wanted criminal. After the CIA gets ahold of Frost in their safe house, it’s soon overtaken by a band of soldiers who are pursuing Frost. Left with the safe housekeeper, Weston, aka Ryan Reynolds, the two run in search of another safe house. With Denzel’s sneaky and conniving remarks, the two are on the run from the unknown enemy in this action packed film.
GOOD GUY: The Great Debaters
Based on a true story, Denzel plays Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. Denzel portrays the coach who leads a group of African American students in an all African American debate team. Eventually the team becomes undefeated and reaches a point where they have the opportunity to debate Harvard University. Battling the crucial world of Jim Crow laws, lynch mobs and riots, Denzel perfectly portrays a legendary academic professional in this film.
BAD GUY: Training Day
Denzel plays L.A.P.D detective Alonzo Harris, a narcotics officer. Let’s just say his ways of enforcing the law were quite questionable. Jake Hoyt is set up to train with not so reputable Alonzo Harris, observing some very unethical situations. Crossing all lines and doing things his way, Denzel never seems to draw the line in this movie.
GOOD GUY: Antwone FIsher
In a self-directed film, Denzel plays psychiatrist Jerome Davenport. Washington helps Antwone Fisher; played by Derek Luke, confront his painful past of abuse and rape, hoping to bring closure to the U.S sailor. In a drama filled movie, the two end up helping each other in the long run.
BAD GUY: American Gangster
Denzel Washington takes on the role of Frank Lucas, the number one importer of heroin in Harlem. Finding crafty ways to import the drugs into the US, Washington does an impeccable job as the notorious gangster. Washington shows off a natural dangerous charm.
GOOD GUY: John Q
John Q is a blockbuster favorite. After his son collapses at his baseball game, John Q soon realizes that his son has an enlarged heart and needs a transplant. Washington’s character tries to raise money for the surgery, but doesn’t come up with enough. He doesn’t stop there. After the hospital decides to release his son, Michael arrives to the hospital ER with a gun, taking hostage of everyone inside and demanding they put his son on the recipient list.
BAD GUY: Man On Fire
Washington was definitely on fire on this movie and there was no stopping him. Playing John Creasy, an ex-CIA assassin, he becomes a bodyguard to a 9-year-girl when a wave of kidnappings occurs in Mexico. Playing a stern, no nonsense character, Washington soon opens up to the little child until she too is finally kidnapped. John Creasy goes on a manhunt, killing anyone who is involved with the kidnapping.
GOOD GUY: Mississippi Masala
We think we all fell in love with Denzel when he played Demetrius in Mississippi Masala. The issue of skin color is illustrated in this film when Meena, a darker Indian-Ugandan, falls in love with Washington’s character. Meena’s family is originally of Indian descendant, but lived in Uganda like many Indians who migrated to Africa during the British rule. Meena’s family and many other Indians were kicked out of Uganda when the government decided that they wanted Uganda to be a ”black Africa.” Tensions arise when Meena’s parents, who still hold grudges against black Africans, refuse to accept Meena and Demetrius’ love for one another.
BAD GUY: Flight
Denzel can do no wrong in our eyes, but in this recent film he plays an airline pilot named Whip Whitaker. On a flight to Atlanta the plane crashes and although he manages to save the plane, when he wakes up in the hospital he faces some serious criminal charges. It is soon noted that Whitaker had cocaine and alcohol in his blood after some tests and it’s revealed that his addiction was the cause of the accident.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images, Film stills
