Denzel Washington‘s collaborations with Tony Scott produced some of Hollywood’s best works between an A-list actor and a bankable director that the entertainment industry has ever seen. From the 1990s to the 2010s, Washington and Scott collaborated on a broad range of projects that saw them both play into their strengths and also go against expectations. Washington and Scott’s chemistry allowed the duo to produce five unique and entertaining movies ranging from action adventures to psychological thrillers.
Despite Washington’s more serious dramatic pursuits, as seen in Malcolm X and Philadelphia, and Scott’s penchant for high-octane blockbusters like Top Gun and Beverly Hill Cop II, the two successfully came together and blended their sensibilities in a unique and surprisingly effective way. They first collaborated on Scott’s Crimson Tide, and the success of the action thriller led to four more movies that enjoyed varying degrees of critical and commercial success. With a professional relationship that spanned 15 years and grossed more than $780 million globally, Tony Scott is one of the best directors Denzel Washington ever worked with.
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5 The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)
Washington plays Walter Garber in Scott’s action thriller remake.
The Taking of Pelham 123
- Release Date
- June 11, 2009
- Director
- Tony Scott
- Cast
- Denzel Washington , John Travolta , James Gandolfini , John Turturro
- Runtime
- 106minutes
The Taking of Pelham 123 sees a face-off between a criminal mastermind and an ordinary subway train dispatcher in a tense adaptation of John Godey’s novel of the same name. While the movie falls short compared to the original 1974 film version and even to the 1998 TV movie remake, it excels in its ability to make its audience feel the suspense of the passengers aboard the hijacked subway train. Denzel Washington and Tony Scott’s take on the story accomplishes this through frenetic editing, authentically played characters, and sweeping cinematography that leaves little room for viewers to breathe.
The movie’s generic plot, its unconvincing villain (played by John Travolta), and its excessive reliance on style over substance make The Taking of Pelham 123 the weakest collaboration between the actor and director. However, Washington’s performance not only works as the movie’s most significant highlight, but it helps display the angst and anxiety many New Yorkers and, to a lesser extent, Americans overall felt regarding post-9/11 homeland security efforts. The Taking of Pelham 123 could have easily focused solely on the action, but its rousing speeches from Washington and emphasis on the camaraderie of the passengers help make it a memorable collaboration.
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4 Unstoppable (2010)
Washington plays Frank Barnes in Scott’s disaster thriller.
Unstoppable
- Release Date
- November 12, 2010
- Director
- Tony Scott
- Cast
- Denzel Washington , Chris Pine , Rosario Dawson , Ethan Suplee , Kevin Dunn , Kevin Corrigan , Kevin Chapman
- Runtime
- 98 minutes
Unstoppable sees Denzel Washington as a veteran conductor named teaming up with Chris Pine’s younger partner, as the two work together to stop an unmanned train from barreling through a city. Unstoppable hearkens back to Tony Scott’s Top Gun sensibilities, as the movie is loud, action-packed, and filled with enough drama between its two leads to keep things suspenseful throughout its 98-minute runtime. Among many things, Unstoppable thrives on its ability to make the action as engaging as it is thrilling, and it accomplishes this by way of Frank and Will’s clashing ideologies regarding how to save the day.
While Unstoppable could do without its overtly political messaging, the filmmaking employed to convincingly sell the action scenes has helped sustain the movie’s legacy. In addition to its heart-racing score by Harry Gregson-Williams, Unstoppable‘s cinematography and sharp editing are among two of the movie’s strongest technical aspects. The lush greenery of the movie’s northern Pennsylvanian landscape is intercut with tight, sizzling close-ups of train machinery spiraling out of control, as the trains nearly collide with innocent civilians. Unstoppable was the last collaboration between Washington and Scott, and its dazzling action and witty characters make it a highlight in their joint filmography.
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3 Déjà Vu (2006)
Washington plays Doug Carlin in Scott’s sci-fi action film.
In Tony Scott’s Déjà Vu, ATF special agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) uses experimental surveillance technology to unearth a mystery after a ferry is bombed in New Orleans. This is the duo’s only sci-fi collaboration, and while it’s not the most scientifically accurate movie, its exploration of themes of guilt and regret through its use of time travel helps make it a unique entry in the duo’s filmography. Furthermore, Doug’s obsession with one of the victims of the bombing serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of dwelling on the past.
An underrated quality of Déjà Vu is that its characters and plot serve as strong metaphors for the strength of humanity when forced to overcome insurmountable odds. The script was written around the time of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and its setting was changed from New York to New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city in 2005. Even with Scott’s emphasis on action and style over science and the possibility of time travel, Déjà Vu is effective because of how it highlights human grit and determination while displaying the issues inherent to trying to change the past.
2 Crimson Tide (1995)
Washington plays Ronald “Ron” Hunter in Scott’s submarine action thriller.
Crimson Tide sees Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington) stage a mutiny aboard a submarine to prevent his trigger-happy superior from launching missiles at Russia and Japan. Rife with Tony Scott’s brand of action and suspense, it exceeds action movie expectations thanks to rewrites from Quentin Tarantino that strengthen the movie’s themes of loyalty and trust. Based partially on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Crimson Tide uses its submarine setting to tell an effective story about the loss of one’s humanity through paranoia and greed, and its brilliant acting performance helps it stand as one of Denzel Washington’s best ’90s movies, as well as one of his best collaborations with Scott.
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1 Man On Fire (2004)
Washington plays John W. Creasy in Scott’s action thriller.
Man on Fire
- Release Date
- April 23, 2004
- Director
- Tony Scott
- Cast
- Dakota Fanning , Marc Anthony , Denzel Washington , Radha Mitchell , Mickey Rourke , Christopher Walken
- Runtime
- 146 minutes
Man on Fire centers around John W. Creasy (Denzel Washington), a retired CIA operative, and his quest for vengeance after a cartel assaults a family he swore to protect. Featuring one of Denzel Washington’s best speeches, Man on Fire highlights the futility of revenge and the brutality of violence through its gripping story and effective handling of action. Additionally, the chemistry between Washington and then nine-year-old Dakota Fanning aids significantly in giving the movie plenty of heart. Man on Fire is Washington and Scott’s best collaboration because of its captivating action and themes, and continued demand for Man on Fire 2 nearly two decades after its release proves its worth.
