Samuel L. Jacksonhas more screen credits than nearly any other living actor. While Jackson made brief appearances in classic films likeGoodfellasandJurassic Park, his career really took off in the mid-1990s thanks to a series of successfulcollaborations with filmmakers likeSpike LeeandQuentin Tarantino. A staple of franchises, Jackson has appeared in recurring roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,Star Wars, Kingsman, xXx,andShaftfranchises. Despite his popularity,Jackson is so well-known that his talents are occasionally taken for granted.
Jackson has only received a single Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work inPulp Fiction; it’s a rather shocking disparity considering the many great films that he’s appeared in. While he’s certainlyone of the coolest actors everand has many blockbuster roles,Jackson has done a lot of great work in character dramas, forgotten genre projects, idiosyncratic comedies, and other films that have been overlooked.Here are the ten most underrated Samuel L. Jackson movies.
10‘Sea of Love’ (1989)
Directed by Harold Becker
A brilliant erotic crime dramathat gaveAl Pacinoone of his best roles,Sea of Lovefeatured Jackson in one of the earliest roles of his career.He stars as a criminal who is given the opportunity to flee justice when he is approached by the hard-edged New York City police detective Frank Keller (Pacino). The scene is critical to the film; it emphasizes that Keller is a sympathetic character willing to give people another shot and allows Jackson to work alongside one of the greatest actors of all time.
Sea of Loveproved that Jackson could be a scene-stealer, even if he had a somewhat limited amount of screen time. It proved to be a consequential role that proved he could work on prestige projects with stacked casts. The film itself is a steamy mystery that is both salacious and sadistic, and it stood out in comparison to the more superficial erotic thrillers that dominated the 1990s.
Sea of Love
Rent on Amazon
9‘Menace II Society’ (1993)
Directed by The Hughes Brothers
While it may have suffered from comparisons toother “hood movies” likeDo The Right ThingandBoyz n the Hood, Menace II Societyis a powerful coming-of-age drama that established the Hughes brothers as accomplished filmmakers. The film chronicles the life of the young drug dealer Caine (Tyrin Turner) as he grows up and experiences gang violence, drugs, and police brutality. Jackson appears in a terrifying cameo flashback as Caine’s abusive father, who uses threats and intimidation to get what he wants.
Jackson’s appearance inMenace II Societyis crucial to the film’s story, as the history of Caine’s upbringing gives insight about his struggles later in life.Menace II Societyis an uncompromising film that evoked significant controversy upon its initial release for its frequent graphic content; nonetheless, the commitment to authenticity by Jackson and the entire cast makes it a vital, if uncomfortable, watch.
Watch on Tubi
8‘Trees Lounge’ (1996)
Directed by Steve Buscemi
While he is best known for playing profane and eccentric characters, Jackson is often a far more sensitive actor than he is given credit for.Steve Buscemi’s underrated directorial projectTrees Loungeshowed a different side of Jackson, as he had a small part as a friendly local man that frequents a bar.Trees Loungeisa slice-of-life moviethat doesn’t go out of its way to exaggerate its stakes; Jackson fits perfectly within this tone, as he treats the film with the authenticity that it requires.
Trees Loungesignified Jackson’s interest in independent cinema, which became an important part of his filmography moving forward. While the success ofDie Hard With A VengeanceandPulp Fictionturned him into a globally recognized star, Jackson admirably still managed to appear in smaller projects likeTrees Loungethat had less broad commercial prospects.
Watch on Amazon
7‘The Negotiator’ (1998)
Directed by F. Gary Gray
He delivered a standout supporting role inDie Hard With A Vengeance, butThe Negotiatorwas the film that proved that Jackson was an action lead.He starred alongsideKevin SpaceyinF. Gary Gray’s underrated thriller as a duo of Chicago police lieutenants who are forced to stop a hostage situation from breaking out into violence. The tenacity and seriousness of Jackson’s performance made him perfect to play a figure of authority; in many ways, his work inThe Negotiatorpredated his outstanding work as Nick Fury in the MCU.
The Negotiatortends to get overlooked when compared to otheraction movies of the 1990s, as it’s less flashy and lacks a strong sense of humor. Nevertheless, Jackson’s endearing performance and some expertly crafted action sequences from Gray make it an underrated gem that’s worth revisiting for summer movie buffs.
The Negotiator
Watch on Hulu
6‘Formula 51’ (2001)
Directed by Ronny Yu
Although he’s an actor who can bring a sense of comic relief to even the most serious of films,Jackson delivered one of the funniest performances of his careerin the dark comedyFormula 51.He starred as a brilliant chemist who works alongside a selfish fixer (Robert Carlyle) to escape with the formula to a potentially lucrative formula. DirectorRonny Yumixes in an absurd mix of gross-out humor and surprisingly intense car chases, creating what is certainly one of the most original buddy cop movies since the originalLethal Weapon.
Formula 51is a film that hinges on Jackson’s charisma, as it could have easily become very grating or confusing if it wasn’t for his idiosyncratic personality. The chemistry between Jackson and Carlyle is so genuinely great thatFormula 51actually manages to be pretty charming at points, despite all the mayhem that it includes.
Formula 51
Watch on Freevee
5‘Changing Lanes’ (2002)
Directed by Roger Michell
An ethical drama that explored both race relations and economic disenfranchisement,Changing Lanesfeatured one of the most empathetic performances of Jackson’s career. He stars as a struggling father who attempts to attain custody of his child, only to get into a car crash with an egocentric young lawyer (Ben Affleck). The two men become locked in a bitter feud as they both contend with the potential loss of their livelihoods.
While it featuresone of Affleck’s most underrated performances,Jackson does a great job at playing a caring father who is pushed to his limits.The absurdities of the narrative never feel too exaggerated thanks to the emotional realism he contributes to the role, as there’s not a moment where his actions don’t feel well-reasoned and justified. Frankly, it’s a performance that should have earned him more award-season recognition.
4‘Basic’ (2003)
Directed by John McTiernan
Reteaming withDie Hard With A VengeancedirectorJohn McTiernan,Jackson delivered a highly entertaining performance in the neo-noir mysteryBasic. He stars as a rageful military leader whose murder sparks an investigation by a military detective (John Travolta). The film’s series of twists and turns use flashback sequences to explore the events that led up to the viewer; Jackson is essential in getting the viewers to pay attention to the subtle clues along the way.
While it certainly featuresa larger-than-life performance from Travolta,Jackson understands the inherent campiness ofBasic. It may be easy to dismiss the film as a “guilty pleasure,” but Jackson is able to acknowledge that the film is highly convoluted and potentially illogical. While not given the respect that it deserved upon its initial release,Basicshows how well-suited Jackson and McTiernan were for collaboration.
In Basic, an ex-Army Ranger turned DEA agent investigates the mysterious disappearance of a feared sergeant and his elite trainees during a training exercise in Panama’s jungle amid a hurricane. As the investigation unfolds, conflicting accounts and hidden agendas surface, leading to unexpected revelations and complex motives.
3‘Lakeview Terrace’
Directed by Neil LaBute
Based on a chilling true story,Lakeview Terraceis an incendiary examination of race relations and police brutalitythat asks uncomfortable questions about the state of America’s neighborhoods. Jackson stars as a strict and defiant police officer who grows increasingly irritable when an interracial couple (Patrick WilsonandKerry Washington) move into the house next door to his family. A bitter feud between them escalates into violence; Jackson is able to make the transition from being a sympathetic family man to an abusive villain seamlessly.
While he’s played antagonists in films likeKingsman: The Secret ServiceandJumper,Jackson plays a genuinely terrifying character inLakeview Terrace. It’s often said that the most haunting villains are those who consider themselves to be the heroes, and that’s certainly true of Jackson’s controversial character. It’s an underrated film that is more dynamic and ambiguous than it is given credit for.
Lakeview Terrace
Watch on Netflix
2‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ (2016)
Directed by Tim Burton
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenwas based on the popular young adult novel series of the same name; while it didn’t inspire a franchise like it may have intended,Jackson gives one of his most entertainingly evil performances.He co-stars as the evil shapeshifter Mr. Barron, who leads the malevolent Wights and Hollows to hunt down children with special powers.Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenmay be a PG-13 film aimed at a youthful audience, but there are instances in which Jackson’s performance slips into pure horror.
Jackson proved himself perfectly suited for the style of Tim Burton, who added elements of stylized fantasy to this coming-of-age adventure story.The negative reviewsand weak box office were unfortunate; there was clearly potential to adapt other books in the series that could give Jackson the opportunity to reprise his role and give more depth to Mr. Barron’s backstory.
Watch on Disney+
1‘The Banker’ (2020)
Directed by George Nolfi
Despite becomingthe subject of controversy prior to its streaming release,The Bankeris an inspiring true story about overcoming racial prejudice and economic disadvantages. Jackson andAnthony Mackiestar as a pair of African-American bankers who use a white man (Nicholas Hoult) to help them front a bank that can help them give back to their community. While the plot is initially successful, a series of investigations threaten to impede all the progress that they have made.
Although the film deals with important issues and sheds a spotlight on an underrepresented moment in history,Jackson adds a great deal of comic relief toThe Banker. Scenes of physical comedy involving him and Hoult on a golf course are unexpectedly hilarious; it’s unfortunate thatThe Bankerwas buried within Apple TV+’s streaming library, as it had the potential to be a crowd-pleasing hit.
