Keanu Reeveshas had an eclectic career. He was an indie darling, an action movie star, a rom-com great, and, an action star a second time, thanks to theJohn Wickfranchise. Here are his 10 best movies, ranked byRotten Tomatoes.
10The Animatrix (2003) - 89%
The Animatrixis an anthology anime film, set in the world ofThe Matrix.There are nine different stories, three of which were written by the Wachowskis themselves, that help expand the world of the movies, complementing the plots of the films, and was released in the middle of the trilogy.
Reeves voices his character Neo (as did Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Ann Moss), in “Kid’s Story”, where he guides the young boy on leaving the Matrix and becoming part of the real world. It is believed the kid is the one who appears inThe Matrix Reloaded, telling Neo he saved him.
9John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) - 89%
John Wick: Chapter 3continued the assassin’s story as he becameexcommunicadofrom all the Continental hotels, and the High Table, making every killer in the world his adversary. The film has incredibly thrilling scenes, like the fight with a horse against biker samurais, or the fight with Sofia (Halle Berry) and her dogs against Berrada (Jerome Flynn).
About the franchise,Reeves told Collider: “ I love the character and I love the world. I don’t oftentimes get to contribute to the story as much as I do with this project. Learning how to do that - learning how to collaborate with the writers, and with Chad, that’s been fun to explore. It’s great to have the voice to be able to do that.”
8John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) - 89%
John Wick: Chapter 2was the confirmation that the character had legs, and it was a thrilling franchise, as this movie is pretty much the first one with much more money and expanding the world. It’s funny how Reeves is now so related to Wick in audiences’ mindswhen he almost didn’t play the role, embodying the silent, revengeful assassin who only wanted to spend his time mourning his wife, and having a new life with his puppy.
The second film in the franchise is even better than the first, as it expands the High Table role, goes to Italy, and introduces other unique characters in this universe, like the gun sommelier, Common’s character, Cassian, or the fact that there are many Continental hotels all over the world.
7Always Be My Maybe (2019) - 89%
Always Be My Maybeis a love story between high-school friends, Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park), who reconnect after 15 years without seeing each other. As with any romantic comedy, there are some timing issues, and some other romantic rivals; none other bigger than Keanu Reeves playing “himself” as Sasha’s boyfriend.
The actor knows how to make fun of himself, stealing all the scenes he’s in as the suave, charismatic, sexy, over-the-top, crazier-than-he-looks, “Keanu Reeves”, even suggesting some of his most abhorrent, pretentious tendencies of the character, like having glasses without frames. His scenes here prove thathe should get more credit for his rom-coms.
6Much Ado About Nothing (1993) - 90%
Much Ado About Nothingis another of Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare adaptations. With an incredible cast that includes Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Kate Beckinsale, Robert Sean Leonard, Branagh, and Reeves as the bad guy; the movie is one of the best adaptations of this story in the film medium.
Reeves plays Don John, an evil man trying to break up Hero (Beckinsale) and Claudio’s (Sean Leonard) future marriage, and he does so by trying to ruin Hero’s honor. Although the film was very well received, Reeves’ performance had some detractors, but it looks more like an idea of the direction, with non-layered performances, than a mistake by the actor.
5Parenthood (1989) - 92%
Parenthoodtells the story of three siblings (Steve Martin as Gil, Diane West as Helen, and Harley Jane Kozak as Susan) and how they deal with their kids. This Ron Howard comedy has some great actors in it, and Reeves plays a supporting role as Tod, Julie’s (Martha Plimpton) boyfriend.
Although Tod starts as a comedic, dumb, slacker character, he becomes an integral part of the family, as he relates to preteen Garry (a young Joaquin Phoenix) and helps him connect with her mother, while also understanding all the changes the kid is experiencing because of puberty. Reeves is both sweet and funny here, creating a character who could be one-note, and making him something much more real, and better.
Related:10 Facts About Keanu Reeves That Prove He’s One of the Most Interesting Actors Working Today
4John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) - 94%
John Wick: Chapter 4might’ve been the culmination of what Reeves and director Chad Stahelski were set to do when they started the franchise four movies ago, havinga great ending to (maybe) wrap up the franchise. This film has even more amazing action scenes than the other three, and never stops going, giving the audience the same tiredness that Wick must be feeling, after more than 20 minutes fighting with goons.
John Wick has never been very fond of talking, so much of Reeves’ performance is physical, not only with his stunt work, but also with the stoicism, and small gestures he makes to explain what the character is feeling and thinking.
3Dangerous Liaisons (1988) - 94%
Based on the French novelLes Liaison Dangereuses, this period piece is all about the psychological, almost sexual games between Marquis de Merteuil (Glenn Close) and Vicompte de Valmont (John Malkovich). The film has a great cast that also includes Uma Thurman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Keanu Reeves.
The actor plays Chevalier Raphael Danceny, a young man who wants to start a relationship with Uma Thurman’s character. Reeves was still very young and only an indie darling when he didDangerous Liaisons, and that almost naivety works great for his character, as he’s in over his head following the not-so-kind advice of Valmont.
Related:Best Keanu Reeves Movies, Ranked
2Speed (1994) - 95%
Speedisone of the best ’90s action movies ever made, telling the story of a bus that can’t go under 50 mph, or it will explode; the police officer that helps the passengers, and the unlucky woman who will drive the bus while everything is happening. This adrenaline-fueled movie consolidated Reeves as an action star and made Sandra Bullock a big name. By the time this film was done, the actor had already been Ted, and Johnny Utah, and this film was the confirmation of his acting prowess.
As Jack Traven, Reeves has an almost superhero performance; he’s brave, empathic, and puts everyone’s safety over his own. He’s also great at improvising while trying to save everyone on the bus. The actor was also savvy enough to pass on the much worse sequel,Speed 2: Cruise Control.
1Toy Story 4 (2019) - 97%
Toy Story 4is the latest entry in the animated story of Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen); the one that put Pixar on the map more than 30 years ago. This time, the toys end up at a carnival, where they meet Canadian stunt bike toy Duke Caboom (Reeves). The actor goes all-in as the action toy, showing all the confidence and swagger a stunt biker must have, even if he hasn’t ever been able to land any of his crazy stunts. So much so, that he steals every scene he’s in, becoming part of the team and, being the protagonist of both after-credits scenes.
About the character,Reeves told Entertainment Weekly: “I made Duke a little more gravelly but still tried to give him energy and a big personality.… I just thought that Duke should love what he does. He’s the greatest stuntman in Canada! I wanted him to be constantly doing poses on the bike while he was talking, to have this great extroverted passion.”
