We’re talking about the Best Bruce Willis Movies that commemorate the actor’s best work as he prepares to retire.
Bruce Willis, who has been a constant presence on our screens since the late 1980s, announced his retirement from acting yesterday (March 30).
The 67-year-old actress has been diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate verbally and in writing. His retirement was confirmed by his family in a statement:
“Bruce has had some health problems and was recently diagnosed with aphasia, which is affecting his cognitive ability. As a result of this, and after considerable thought, Bruce has decided to leave a career that has meant so much to him.”
The news is heartbreaking, as it marks an end to a career that had reached unprecedented heights. It’s a career that needs to be recognised. So, in honour of Bruce Willis, the quintessential action-hero – but who is so much more than that – here’s a look back at some of his best movies.
Here is the list of the Best Bruce Willis Movies; bruce Willis’s famous best action war movies list
1. Die Hard
This is the only and most obvious place to begin. This is the film that established Willis as a true movie star (he was previously only known for his part alongside Cybil Shepherd in the popular comedy Moonlight).
The actor was a long way down the casting directors’ list for the role of John McClane, with Sylvester Stallone, Richard Gere, Clint Eastwood, and Harrison Ford all declining the role.
In the end, Willis was cast in the part of John McClane, a down-on-his-luck New York City cop who gets caught up in a terrorist takeover of a Los Angeles tower and has to fight Alan Rickman’s merciless Hans Gruber.
Die Hard is still regarded as Willis’ most iconic portrayal, having set a new standard for action films. He would return for four more Die Hard sequels, none of which could match the original’s brilliance. Its setting also makes it a hidden Christmas smash for when snow and elves aren’t enough.
Where to Stream It: Amazon Prime Video in the United States, Disney Plus in the United Kingdom (UK)
2. The Sixth Sense
Willis and M.Night Shyamalan, who directed four films together, have had a fruitful collaboration over the years. The Sixth Sense is their best film.
Malcolm Crowe, played by Willis, is a child psychologist who is assigned Cole Sear, a new nine-year-old patient who sees the dead wandering among the living. Crowe is initially sceptical of the boy’s situation but later becomes committed to assisting him in managing his condition.
The film was a smash-hit thanks to a deadly twist (we won’t tell you what it is, but honestly, where have you been?). It was nominated for six Academy Awards and grossed over $670 million at the box office (far over a billion in today’s money).
It was a departure from Willis’ role as an action hero, but it maintained his place at the top of Hollywood’s food chain.
Disney Plus (UK), and Premium Rental (US) are some of the places where you may watch it online (US)
3. Pulp Fiction
Willis had been going through a hard time before Quentin Tarantino offered him the role of boxer Butch Coolidge. Striking Distance, a critically acclaimed action thriller, and Hudson Hawk, a passion project in which Willis wrote the narrative and even performed the theme song, had both bombed at the box office.
Tarantino’s offer required Willis to take a far smaller income than he had gotten accustomed to, but it proved to be a wise decision.
Pulp Fiction is a cinematic classic, and Willis is fantastic in it. Nobody needs another reason to see Pulp Fiction, but if you haven’t already, you should.
Hulu is where you can watch it (US)
4. 12 Monkeys
For this futuristic thriller, Willis teamed up with director Terry Gilliam, who stunned both reviewers and audiences.
He plays James Cole, a state prisoner in 2035 who is offered the chance to be free if he agrees to travel back in time and stop a deadly plague that has killed out the majority of the Earth’s inhabitants.
It mixes a high concept with Willis’ knack for action setpieces in a twisty-turny action thriller with an intelligent storyline and tremendous drive and pace. It’s another one that’s well worth revisiting.
Peacock (US), and BBC iPlayer (UK) are some of the places where you may watch it online (UK)
5. The Fifth Element
Willis’ bankers have all been action thrillers, but he hasn’t been restricted to that genre throughout his career and has made several unusual choices, including this collaboration with then-unknown filmmaker Luc Besson — a former guest editor of TechRadar.
Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich co-starred alongside Willis, and the costumes were designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier, giving the film a distinct appearance and true style.
Willis plays Korben Dallas, a taxi driver who becomes responsible for the fate of planet Earth after a young woman stumbles into his cab in the 23rd century.
The picture is fantastical, weird, and full of ideas, but it is an ambitious and adventurous journey, one in which Willis provides a grounded presence amid numerous flights of fantasy. It now has a cult following, and it seems ideal for re-release on one of the better streaming platforms, such as Netflix or Apple TV Plus.
Sling TV (US), and Premium Rental (UK) are some of the places where you may watch it online (UK)
6. Sin City
Robert Rodriguez’s neo-noir anthology was a groundbreaking film, adapting Frank Miller’s graphic novel into a style and format that echoed the original material’s strength and grace on screen.
Willis portrays John Hartigan, a good cop surrounded by bad cops, a loner fighting against the odds and a rigged system. Rodriguez used Willis’ charm, charisma, and continued penchant for action setpieces to great success, harkening back to his turn as McClane.
Premium Rental is where you can watch it online.
7. the Moonrise Kingdom
Willis took yet another wrong turn in this touching coming-of-age film, collaborating with the maestro of oddity Wes Anderson.
Sam Shakusky, an orphan, decides to flee a scouting camp on the imaginary island of New Penzance and sets out to find his pen buddy, whom he hopes to court romantically.
Master Ward, played by Willis, is an aggressive scout commander who seizes the opportunity to put his troops’ abilities to the test by ordering Shakusky’s other scouts to follow him down.
Willis is wonderfully cast in the film, which is a lovely marvel.
It’s available to watch on HBO Max in the United States and Netflix in the United Kingdom (UK)
8. Looper
Rian Johnson earned his sci-fi stripes with Looper, in which Willis co-starred with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, before getting the chance to direct Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The film is set in a universe where “loopers,” or contract killers, are hired by criminal syndicates from the future to execute victims who have been sent back in time.
Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is one of these loopers, but when he’s reassigned to another Joe, played by Bruce Willis, he rapidly realises that this duty is a lot more than he bargained for.
Willis is the ultimate ageing action hero, facing a battle against a younger man to stay alive. Bold, bold, and well-plotted, Willis is the perfect ageing action hero. Another terrific casting choice and strong performance.
NOW on Netflix in the United States (UK)
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