10 Best Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Movies
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a cornerstone of modern mass-market cinema. He has an undeniable star quality. He gives even mediocre films something worthwhile. Johnson’s previous career as a wrestler for the World Wrestling Foundation has given him a sixth sense for entertainment. He is a showman above all else, and save for a few others — namely Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves — he is America’s premiere action star. He is a show-stealer. Behind the scenes — on social media and the like — he is an unstoppable hurricane of positivity. He is a magnetizing figure on and off the screen. Here are his ten best films.
Fast Five (2011)
Johnson’s first foray into the Fast and Furious franchise is on the opposing end of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his “family.” He is Luke Hobbs, a federal officer dispatched to track down Dom, who has recently escaped from custody with the help of his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) and his friend Brian O’Connor. Johnson is a welcome addition to the ensemble cast of the Fast and Furious films.
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Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Johnson’s Luke Hobbs returns in Fast & Furious 6, the follow-up to Fast Five. When struggles to capture a criminal gang led by former British Special Air Service Officer Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), Hobbs is forced to call upon Dom and his “family” to aid him. In exchange for their own amnesty, the agree to help him. The return of Johnson to the franchise was lauded by fans and critics alike.
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Furious 7 (2015)
Furious 7 is, above all else, a revenge story on the part of Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) for what the core ensemble of characters did to his brother Owen in the previous film. Johnson’s Hobbs is the first to feel Deckard’s wrath — and spends much of the film out of commission as a result. However, Johnson still gets some of the coolest scenes and one-liners in the film.
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Get Smart (2008)
In the film adaptation of the 1960s secret agent satire show Get Smart, Johnson plays CONTROL Agent 23. When his identity — along with all the other CONTROL agents — is revealed by their enemy KAOS, he is benched and analyst Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) is promoted to field agent. Agent 23 is a model secret agent, a cool and confident operative who is juxtaposed against Carell’s Smart who is well-meaning and clumsy. It is a type of role which Johnson is frequently given, but he always plays it well.
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Fate of the Furious (2017)
By Fate of the Furious, Luke Hobbs is brought entirely into the fold of Dom’s family. But when Dom mysteriously goes rogue, Hobbs gets caught holding the bag. He finds himself in the same maximum-security prison which holds Deckard Shaw — and they soon rekindle their beef. Once again, the filmmakers behind the franchise seize upon Johnson’s undeniable star quality by giving him some of the most enjoyable sequences. In 2019, Johnson’s Hobbs and Statham’s Shaw will be getting their own spinoff film, appropriately titled Hobbs and Shaw.
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Moana (2016)
With the hit animated children’s musical Moana, Johnson was able to show off his pipes and tap into his heritage as a Polynesian. He plays Maui, the half-god of Polynesian legend who pulled the islands from the Pacific Ocean. The titular Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) seeks out Maui to help him right a wrong he did thousands of years previously. Johnson plays Maui as brash and arrogant — but with a soft spot deep down.
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The Other Guys (2010)
The Other Guys is a sendup of the prototypical buddy cop film. Johnson’s role is more of a bit part than a central role—his character and Samuel L. Jackson’s represent the average movie cop duo. These beloved heroes of the force — who are known for their cool one-liners and immense property damage — are juxtaposed to the protagonists (Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg), a couple of desk jockeys. When the two decorated vets are out of commission, the pencil pushers are called to the front lines. Johnson’s character is integral to the film’s setup.
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The Game Plan (2007)
In the family film The Game Plan, Johnson plays arrogant star quarterback Joe Kingman. His life is turned upside down when a little girl named Peyton Kelly (Madison Pettis) shows up on his doorstep, claiming to be his daughter. Antics ensue as Kingman is forced to learn the ins and outs of fatherhood all while trying to lead his team to their first championship win. It is one of Johnson’s sweetest and most heartwarming films to date.
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Central Intelligence (2016)
In Central Intelligence, Johnson’s Robbie Weirdicht was once a goofy, overweight teenager. He was bullied mercilessly by everyone in his high school except the star athlete, Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart). Twenty years later, Weirdicht is now in the Central Intelligence Agency. The day before their high school reunion, he recruits Joyner to help him with a case. Joyner is hesitant to get involved with an intelligence operation but is unwittingly pulled in by Weirdicht’s gregarious nature. It is an enjoyable buddy cop comedy from two bona fide entertainers.
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The Mummy Returns (2001)
Scour the internet for lists of the worst special effects and in nearly every one, you will find Johnson’s Scorpion King listed among them. It is not really even Johnson himself. It is a computer-generated image of his likeness, the quality of which is on par with a cutscene from a PlayStation 2 game. In fairness, The Mummy Returns may not be one of Johnson’s “best” roles. However, it is certainly his most infamous and as such it deserves mention here.
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