10 Best Benicio del Toro Movies, Ranked

Benicio Del Toro has been showered with nearly every accolade that the film industry can give to an actor. He’s won an Academy Award, the Best Actor prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and even earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for his work in the Showtime series Escape at Dannemora. Quite possibly the most mainstream character actor around, Del Toro is a chameleon, even if he favors slightly darker roles.

Del Toro is an inventive actor, and thanks to the Netflix thriller Reptile, he’s now also a screenwriter. Del Toro has been a part of massive franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but they represent only a small portion of his filmography. Indeed, Del Toro’s best movies are more niche, allowing him to show the true nature of his abilities and cementing him as one of the best performers working today.

10 ‘The Hunted’ (2003)

Director: William Friedkin

The Hunted was one of William Friedkin’s last masterpieces. The film follows the former U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Aaron Hallam (Del Toro), who flees the service after witnessing a series of increasingly brutal crimes. After Hallam is deemed dangerous, the civilian combat trainer L.T. Bonham (Tommy Lee Jones) is dispatched to find and bring him to justice.

Thrilling and tightly paced, The Hunted never loses its sense of momentum throughout its brief 94-minute runtime. While the simple story may suggest a lack of ambition, The Hunted uses the relationship between Hallam and Bonham to analyze infrastructural issues within the military. Del Toro’s nuanced performance ensures that this subtle commentary is evident.

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9 ‘Savages’ (2012)

Director: Oliver Stone

Oliver Stone‘s controversial crime thriller Savages took a fascinating approach to the nature of drug trading. Stone created a film where virtually no character comes out unscathed, as they all have their flaws. The film focuses on the marijuana dealers Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and Ben (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), whose girlfriend “O” (Blake Lively) is kidnapped by the ruthless criminal Lado (Del Toro). Neither Chon nor Ben are particularly likable characters, but the film does generate sympathy for “O” as she attempts to survive her brutal treatment under Lalo.

Savages is a notable film within Del Toro’s filmography because of how dominant he is within the film’s ensemble; his intimidating performance adds a sense of menace to the story that puts pressure upon Chon and Den. Stone’s films are often praised for their authenticity, and Del Toro ensures that the crime storyline is treated with the diligence needed to feel realistic.

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8 ‘Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas’ (1998)

Director: Terry Gilliam

Some consider Terry Gilliam’s 1996 arthouse comedy Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas a work of intellectual genius; alas, just as many consider it to be completely unwatchable and obnoxious. The film is based on author Hunter S. Thompson’s controversial 1971 novel of the same name and stars Johnny Depp as the shrug addict Raoul Duke. Duke takes an extended trip to Las Vegas alongside his best friend, Dr. Gonzo (Del Toro). Although Duke serves as an author surrogate for Thompson, Gonzo is the more entertaining character.

Describing the tone of a Gilliam film is challenging, as his style often includes both existential moments of surrealism and exaggerated feats of physical comedy. Finding the right approach is certainly a challenge for an actor, but Del Toro gives a performance that satisfies both tones. Even more impressive is that Del Toro is so universally-acclaimed in such a divisive movie, to the point where he might be Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ best part.

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7 ‘No Sudden Move’ (2021)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

No Sudden Move showed how brilliant Del Toro could be when granted a leading role. While he’s often terrific when cast as villains or comic relief characters, Del Toro has the dramatic abilities to carry an entire film on his shoulders. The film follows the gangsters Curt Goynes (Don Cheadle) and Richard Russo (Del Toro) as they hold the GM accountant Matt Wertz (David Harbour) hostage. After a shocking moment of violence, Curt and Richard are forced to discover why there is a bounty placed on their heads.

While No Sudden Move has a premise that evokes comparisons to other gangster movies, Soderbergh uses the story to explore the intersection between race, crime, morality, and economics. Del Toro often appears in crime movies, but No Sudden Move’s weighty themes and stylized approach make it feel unique.

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6 ‘Sin City’ (2005)

Directors: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller

Robert Rodrguez‘s adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel Sin City is one of the most visually striking comic book films of the last few decades. Rodriguez utilized a unique black-and-white style to take the pages of Miller’s graphic novel and bring them to life. Rather than following a traditional narrative structure, Sin City explores various interconnected crime stories. Del Toro has a menacing role as the villainous “Jackie Boy” in the segment titled “The Big Fat Kill.” Jackie Boy’s conflict with his ex-girlfriend Shellie (Brittany Murphy) draws the attention of her new boyfriend, Dwight McCarthy (Clive Owen).

Sin City’s pulpy, starkly violent aesthetics were highly influential, as they felt largely dissimilar from the other comic book films of the era. While each of the short stories is interesting in its own right, Del Toro brings an intensity to “The Big Fat Kill” that makes it stand out as the film’s most memorable segment.

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5 ‘Inherent Vice’ (2014)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson‘s 2014 mystery adventure Inherent Vice explores a classical noir story from the perspective of a clueless stoner. Joaquin Phoenix gives one of the funniest performances of his entire career as Doc Sportello, an incompetent yet good-natured detective who is called upon to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, Shasta Fay Hepworth (Katherine Waterston). Doc is often getting into trouble with the law and must rely on legal help to get out of a few tough situations. Del Toro has an amusing, albeit brief, role as his lawyer, Sauncho Smilax.

Inherent Vice is an odd film; although it begins as a traditional mystery story, it reveals itself to be more of a “hangout movie” than anything else. A film that puts such little emphasis on narrative momentum could have been agonizing, but the lively performances from Del Toro and the rest of the cast ensure that Inherent Vice is funny, emotional, and occasionally thought-provoking.

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4 ‘The Usual Suspects’ (1995)

Director: Bryan Singer

Although The Usual Suspects’ shocking ending ensures the film’s legacy, the last-minute reveal only works because the film builds up perfectly to the moment. The Usual Suspects follows the criminals Keaton (Gabriel Byrne), Verbal (Kevin Spacey), Michael (Stephen Baldwin), Fred (Del Toro), and Todd Hockney (Kevin Pollak), who are placed in a lineup together and questioned by the U.S. Customs Agent Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri). As Kujan interviews Verbal about a heist gone wrong, he realizes that the five men were much more closely associated than he initially expected.

The Usual Suspects’ subversive approach to the gangster movie genre made it stand out compared to other crime movies of the 1990s, but it was the strong characterization from the entire cast that made it a classic. Del Toro proved that he could deliver a memorable, scene-stealing performance despite having less screen time compared to other characters. The Usual Suspects’ legacy might be stained by the recent reveals regarding some of the people involved, but it remains a clever and influential entry into the crime genre.

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3 ‘Traffic’ (2000)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderbergh’s 2000 crime drama Traffic serves as one of the most definitive films about the war on drugs. Soderbergh explores how corruption on every level of infrastructure makes the conflict seemingly unwinnable. Del Toro co-stars as Javier Rodriguez Rodríguez, an undercover Mexican police officer attempting to unroot a potential conspiracy. Del Toro’s gritty yet emotional performance earned him an Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actor.

Traffic takes a novel approach to the crime movie genre by exploring the role that the government, police, and crime syndicates play in the drug war. The film tells three different stories, each with its own area of focus, but the segment focusing on Javier is easily the most enthralling. Del Toro is a scene stealer, which is no easy task for a film that also co-stars such as acclaimed actors. However, he emerges as the film’s most memorable performer, ensuring Traffic‘s legacy as a powerful and intense depiction of crime and one of the 21st century’s most influential movies.

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2 ’21 Grams’ (2003)

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

The 2003 drama 21 Grams is a heartbreaking exploration of a tragic situation from multiple perspectives. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu explores the aftermath of a car crash in which the former convict Jack Jordan (Del Toro) collides with the recovering drug addict Christina Peck (Naomi Watts). The film shows how Jordan changes his life in the aftermath of the hit-and-run, finding a newfound faith and desire to help others. His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

21 Grams is a powerful story about love, forgiveness, and faith. While Iñárritu certainly emphasizes the tragic nature of the story, the film never hides their complex and occasionally ugly nuances. Del Toro’s work stands out in particular, as he compellingly depicts the issue of addiction with the gravity that it requires. Like Iñárritu’s other films, 21 Grams is uncompromising, off-putting, and utterly unforgettable.

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1 ‘Sicario’ (2015)

Director: Dienis Villeneuve

Sicario showed just how menacing Del Toro could be in the role of an anti-hero. He stars as Alejandro, a former Mexican attorney who becomes a bounty hunter after his family is killed in a violent incident. Alejandro uses his connection with CIA Agent Matt Graves (Josh Brolin) to track down the drug lord responsible for his family’s murder. Although the first film is told from the perspective of the American agent Kate Mercer (Emily Blunt), Del Toro takes center stage in the underrated 2018 sequel Sicario: Day of the Soldado.

Alejandro is easily Del Toro’s most iconic character, exemplifying his dark and unique charisma. While Alejandro is often terrifying because of his violent nature, Del Toro shows how the tragic events in his past influenced his worldview. Enhanced by a stellar cast led by the ever-reliable Denis Villeneuve, Sicario is a riveting and electrifying crime drama that remains Del Toro’s finest achievement. With news that a third Sicario film is in development, Del Toro will have another chance to revisit this complex and fascinating figure.

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