Antoine Fuqua is one of the most underrated directors working today, as he has successfully delivered solid genre movies for over two decades. While Fuqua’s name may not hold the same amount of significance for movie fans as filmmakers like Spike Lee or Quentin Tarantino, there aren’t many artists who’ve helmed as many successful crime thrillers as Fuqua has. Moreover, the prolific director has helped to develop the star power of some of the most acclaimed actors working today, from Ethan Hawke to Jake Gyllenhaal.
Although he will occasionally miss the mark with a disappointing biopic like Emancipation or a less-than-stellar sci-fi action vehicle like Infinite, most of Fuqua’s work is above average, and he has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, Fuqua is currently working on the biopic Michael, which is expected to be one of the biggest hits of 2025. These are Antoine Fuqua’s best movies, proving that he is a master of genre filmmaking unlike many others working today.
10 ‘The Equalizer 3’ (2023)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, and David Denman
The Equalizer 3 marked a satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy of action movies and certainly served as a massive step up from the disappointing The Equalizer 2. Fuqua understood that the franchise worked best when Denzel Washington was facing off against seemingly insurmountable odds. Thus, this adventure sees him rooting out a crime conspiracy in Italy, where he had initially planned to retire.
Easily the most brutal entry in the trilogy, The Equalizer 3 features some nasty kills that feel like they could have belonged to a slasher movie. Nonetheless, a strong emotional performance from Dakota Fanning, who actually got her breakout role co-starring with Washington in Man on Fire, allows The Equalizer 3 to end the series on a high note while leaving the door open for additional installments if Fuqua was ever interested in directing a fourth film.
9 ‘Tears of the Sun’ (2003)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Cole Hauser, and Monica Belluci
Tears of the Sun is a different type of war movie than what viewers might have expected, as it’s more focused on the importance of avoiding civilian casualties than overwhelming the audience with graphic bloodshed and combat. While Bruce Willis has been an icon of the action genre ever since Die Hard became a phenomenon in 1988, Tears of the Sun allows him to deliver a truly authentic performance that feels very respectful to real veterans who served on dangerous missions.
Tears of the Sun is a very harrowing film with terrific jungle photography, showing once again that Fuqua is an underrated visual stylist. While other filmmakers may have felt the urge to be more expressly political in the film’s themes, Fuqua opts to turn Tears of the Sun into a straightforward mission movie that doesn’t leave the audience with anything but respect for the heroes it depicts.
8 ‘King Arthur’ (2004)
Starring: Clive Owen, Keira Knightley, and Ioan Gruffudd
King Arthur aimed to tell a more realistic version of the Arthurian legend, as it did not contain any of the fantasy elements that were depicted in films like Excalibur or King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. By drawing from the real history based on the British wars fought in the aftermath of the fall of the Roman Empire, Fuqua delivers some amazing medieval action sequences that show his ability to depict spectacle.
While the film does delve into political intrigue, it also allows Clive Owen to show a more sensitive and vulnerable side to Arthur than what is seen in other adaptations. Despite the attempts at authenticity, King Arthur still takes advantage of the terrific characters from the legend, with Ioan Gruffudd’s performance as Lancelot being a standout. An R-rated director’s cut with extra footage cut from the theatrical release is an even better example of Fuqua’s talents.
7 ‘Brooklyn’s Finest’ (2009)
Starring: Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, and Richard Gere
Brooklyn’s Finest is one of Fuqua’s more radical and experimental films, as it serves as a loose anthology story about three very different police officers serving in New York City. While this approach could have been overwhelming for a filmmaker who was not well-versed in balancing an ensemble cast, Fuqua gave Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, and Ethan Hawke room to develop their characters.
Fuqua’s respect for his audience has always been one of the most defining characteristics of his artistry, and it’s fully displayed in
Brooklyn’s Finest
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Unflinching in its depiction of police brutality and corruption, Brooklyn’s Finest also serves as a compelling heist thriller with a strict command of tension. It’s the rare crime film that tries to present its characters as the flawed yet motivated people that they are, allowing the viewer to make up their minds as to what assumptions they should take away. Fuqua’s respect for his audience has always been one of the most defining characteristics of his artistry, and it’s fully displayed here.
Rent on Paramount+
6 ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (2016)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, and Chris Pratt
The Magnificent Seven was perhaps the riskiest film of Fuqua’s entire career, as the original film from 1960 is considered to be one of the greatest Westerns of all time. Although Fuqua’s version does bring back some elements of the original classic (most notably the iconic theme music), it develops a modern take on the narrative that examines the crisis of identity the nation faced in the aftermath of the Civil War.
The Magnificent Seven is a great star vehicle with a fantastic cast, as it was exciting to finally see Washington try his hand at making an old-fashioned Western adventure. Chris Pratt adds some nice comic relief to the film, and Peter Sarsgaard’s portrayal of the ruthless main antagonist easily ranks as one of the scariest characters that Fuqua has brought to life on screen thus far.
5 ‘Southpaw’ (2015)
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, and Forest Whitaker
Southpaw is a terrific modern drama that pays homage to the classics of the sports genre, combining the inspirational narrative of Rocky with the critical character study of Raging Bull. Jake Gyllenhaal has delivered more than a few excellent performances throughout his career, and his role as a daredevil boxer separated from his young daughter (Oona Laurence) after the death of his wife (Rachel McAdams) is easily among his best and most physically demanding to date.
Fuqua utilizes immersive techniques to get the viewers invested in the boxing matches with point-of-view shots and digital photography. Although it hits some familiar beats that most sports movie fans would recognize from countless other classics within the genre, Southpaw sustains a strong family storyline about the challenges of raising a child that elevates it above Fuqua’s other work.
4 ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ (2013)
Starring: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, and Morgan Freeman
Olympus Has Fallen is a complete throwback to a classical era of action filmmaking, as it is really as simple as “Die Hard in the White House.” Although this was ironically the same premise that Roland Emmerich used for the similar White House Down, Olympus Has Fallen is the superior of the two because Fuqua was willing to indulge in the R-rated carnage that the premise entailed.
Fuqua gets a genuinely great performance out of Gerard Butler, whose role as the Secret Service Agent Mike Banning was so well received that he ended up repairing it in the sequels London Has Fallen and Angel Has Fallen. While all three entries in this trilogy are entertaining in their own right, Olympus Has Fallen is easily the best because of the focused direction and genuine emotional stakes that Fuqua set up.
3 ‘The Guilty’ (2021)
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, and Peter Sarsgaard
The Guilty was a remake of the acclaimed German-language film of the same name and refocused the story in Los Angeles as an ambulance dispatcher tries to navigate a series of startling calls from various residents. Fuqua made the interesting choice to mirror the original film’s format, which did not stray from a single desk for its entire runtime.
The restraint that Fuqua shows with The Guilty makes it an underrated thriller exploring the everyday challenges that law enforcement officers face as they have to make difficult decisions and talk to struggling people. Gyllenhaal gives another commanding lead performance, but it’s the ensemble cast of vocal performers, including Hawke, Paul Dano, and Riley Keough, that help bring the story to life. The Guilty is a smart remake that serves as a complimentary piece to the original without being entirely derivative.
Watch on Netflix
2 ‘The Equalizer’ (2014)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chloe Grace Moretz, and David Harbour
The Equalizer is a fantastic vigilante thriller that more than surpasses the source material it’s based on, as Washington delivers an emotionally deep performance that gives the story far more emotion than it would have otherwise. While the sequels would eventually widen the scope to focus on more international adventures, the first installment in The Equalizer franchise tells a relatively small-scale story that explodes into a violent conclusion with surprising carnage.
Fuqua proves again that he is one of the best action filmmakers working today with The Equalizer. The film utilizes interesting point-of-view and slow-motion shots to get into the mind of Washington’s character as he brawls a gang of criminals. While it’s an action film first and foremost, the inclusion of existentialist themes about destiny and purpose allows The Equalizer to cut deeper than most mainstream crowdpleasers would ever dare to.
1 ‘Training Day’ (2001)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hake, and Snoop Dogg
Training Day is one of the greatest crime movies of all time and is best known for winning Washington his first Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, in what is often cited as one of the best performances of his career. Fuqua and Washington are certainly well-suited to fit within each other’s sensibilities, but the idea of exploring the psychology of a corrupt cop who aims to humiliate his partner (Ethan Hawke) is one of the best stories they’ve ever worked on.
While David Ayer certainly deserves a good deal of credit for writing a great script, it’s Fuqua’s ability to capture racial dynamics and police tension that makes Training Day so astounding. The final shootout sequence alone is absolutely nail-biting in its command of tension. Fuqua will likely make many more great films in his career, but it’s hard to imagine anything else taking over popular culture in the same way that Training Day has.
