The Best Keanu Reeves Movies, From 'John Wick' to 'The Matrix'

Whoa. This is the definitive ranking of the best films of one of the greatest action stars in history.

Now in theaters, Chad Stahelski's John Wick: Chapter 4 takes action fanatics back to the criminal underworld established in the unexpected sleeper hit John Wick in 2014. Critics have praised the fourth Wick picture, with particular praise for the over-the-top action set pieces the series is known for—and for the knockout performance of Keanu Reeves. The actor is still one of the most famous and beloved stars in the world nearly four decades into a film career that began with the sports drama Youngblood in 1986. Reeves is best known to worldwide audiences as an uncommonly graceful action star, though his standout roles span all kinds of genres.

Look back at the Internet's boyfriend's finest career moments with our ranking of the best Keanu Reeves movies of all time.

Related: Whoa! Keanu Reeves' Coolest Quotes

Best Keanu Reeves Movies, Ranked

27. Always By My Maybe (2019)

Look no further than this critically acclaimed Netflix rom-com for steel-true proof of Reeves' commitment to every role he plays—and, his underrated comedic chops. Always Be My Maybe stars Ali Wong and Randall Park as lifelong friends who reunite after a fling from hell, and Reeves steals every scene he's in, playing himself.

Related: Keanu Reeves Reveals Whether He'd Join Yellowstone

26. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Its merits have been debated for two full decades now, but no one's gone on record suggesting The Matrix Reloaded came close to matching its landmark predecessor. The Matrix worked on many levels, most widely appreciated as a killer action ride. The Matrix Reloaded has bigger ambitions, but only delivers on some of them. Some of the philosophizings are entrancing; some of it's a little hammy.

Still, long stretches in Reloaded's second act are mesmerizing, the best parts including one of the best car chases ever filmed—and horny French villains who favor mind games over brawn.

Related: Keanu Reeves' Net Worth and How Much He Still Makes From The Matrix

25. Hardball (2001)

Brian Robbins' sports dramedy stars Reeves as a screw-up gambler who coaches baseball in a rough Chicago neighborhood to pay off some debts. Hardball is clichéd and predictable, but mostly succeeds thanks to strong performances, including supporting turns from Diane Lane and a young Michael B. Jordan.

24. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020)

Pushed back numerous times during the height of the pandemic, the third SpongeBob movie, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is the first that's fully CGI-animated. It mines Reeves' public image for many solid laughs. He plays Sage, who's full of meme-able wisdom.

Related: The Best Animated Movies of All Time

23. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is the least of the John Wick films, but is still one of the best action films of its decade. The third act trails off and meanders a bit, but this is still fully satisfying, even envelope-pushing action cinema. With a worldwide gross of over $327 million, this is by far the highest-grossing John Wick picture to date.

22. Keanu (2016)

Visionary comedians Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele (for context, this was a year before Get Out) made their first big-screen starring appearances in this action comedy about two hapless cousins who take on a crime kingpin in the name of an adorable kitten named Keanu. The similarities to John Wick are striking, though the films were developed independently of each other. After seeing early footage of the film, Reeves agreed to a voice cameo as Keanu.

Related: Keanu Reeves' Girlfriend and Real-Life Love Story After Devastating Heartbreak

21. The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

It's safe to say The Matrix Revolutions is the only $200 million-budgeted Hollywood movie where a character explicitly mentions the movie is being made by contractual obligation. Reeves returned alongside Carrie-Anne Moss for a long-delayed legacy sequel, but the enterprise belongs to filmmaker Lana Wachowski, who takes full control of the narrative. The filmmaker's respectable cynicism at the corporatization of her art eventually takes a back seat, and the fourth Matrix film becomes the most hopeful, least cynical of things: a love story.

The glaring issue with The Matrix Resurrections is that the action is lame by comparison to its predecessors. Still, this is a fourth franchise film with way more ideas than most first franchise films.

Related: Every Matrix Movie, Ranked

20. Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

It's not breaking news to say 2020 sucked; therefore, what a pleasure it was to see lovable slackers Bill S. Preston (Alex Winter) and Ted Theodore Logan return for Bill & Ted Face the Music. The long-awaited sequel is thoroughly pleasurable, even if it doesn't quite match its predecessors. The stars are perfect, though they're arguably upstaged by Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine, who play Bill and Ted's daughters, each with their predecessor's mannerisms down to a science.

Related: Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves Open Up About Bill & Ted Face the Music and More

19. Parenthood (1989)

Before it was adapted into two decades-apart network sitcoms, Ron Howard's comedy about the pressures of family and parenting was a big critical and commercial hit. Opposite star Steve Martin, Reeves shines in a supporting role with a quiet wisdom beyond his years (he was in his mid-twenties here). Dianne Wiest was Oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Related: 15 Fun Facts About Keanu Reeves

18. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

Co-starring John Malkovich, Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Stephen Frears' period drama is the definitive screen adaptation of the 18th-century novel about cruel mind games, sex and the surprise of genuine love. Dangerous Liaisons was nominated for seven Oscars (including Best Picture) and won three.

17. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

The John Wick films have maintained quality control throughout, and John Wick: Chapter 2 is nearly as good as the original. The world-building is greatly amped up, as are the action sequences, dazzlingly inventive especially when considering the picture's $40 million budget, a fraction of most tentpoles. This is perhaps the most stoic of a franchise that is absurdist bordering on parody. It's a confident action picture for grown-ups in an era where that kind of thing is very rare.

Related: Keanu Reeves' Best Roles

16. Something's Gotta Give (2003)

In Nancy Meyers' hit rom-com, Diane Keaton gives an Oscar-nominated career-high performance as a writer who's torn between a younger doctor (Reeves) and Jack Nicholson. Something's Gotta Give is glossy, funny and flawlessly acted. So, did she choose the right guy?

15. River's Edge (1986)

Perhaps the most underrated film in Reeves' filmography, teen drama River's Edge explores crises of conscience in the wake of a murder. It's a captivating morality tale through. Co-starring Crispin Glover and Ione Skye, River's Edge is all the more captivating for lensing grim subject matter through the naive, inexperienced eyes of youths.

14. Constantine (2005)

A genuine cult classic, Francis Lawrence's horror thriller stars Reeves as DC Comics' demonologist John Constantine. It's a departure from the source material in some ways, but this one of Reeves' best and most iconic turns, with screen-commanding zen. The supporting cast includes Rachel Weisz, Tilda Swinton and Djimon Hounsou. A Constantine sequel was officially announced in fall 2022.

Related: Everything to Know About the DCEU and DCU Movies

13. Toy Story 4 (2019)

Though it's undeniably the black sheep of the series so far, Toy Story 4 is full of undeniable pleasures. One of the best parts is Reeves, as daredevil motorcyclist toy Duke Kaboom. The toy is an action hero with a poignant side (as audiences have come to know Reeves), though he has a penchant for showboating that's far removed from the actor's public persona.

Related: Your Guide to Every Toy Story Character

12. Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)

Originally titled Bill & Ted Go To Hell, this follow-up sees Bill and Ted go to hell. Hell hath no pizza in an ambitious, surrealist escape from the afterlife. Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey was underrated in the extreme upon release, inspiring a cult following and critical re-assessment in the years since. There's a case to be made that this might even be the best of the series.

Related: The Best Bill & Ted Quotes

11. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

It's been said that Reeves is more or less done with this franchise, and it must be said that John Wick is going out on a high note. This series has steadily outdone itself with gonzo, muscularly maximalist carnage, and it's hard to imagine how the talented filmmakers and stunt performers could get much grander without turning this into a bloodier Fast and Furious.

John Wick: Chapter 4 runs nearly three hours and never quite earns that. But the action, particularly in the extended finale, is something to behold; this is one of the most spectacular theatrical experiences since the COVID-19 pandemic. It's also the most emotional Wick film and is to be commended for nailing a tone that has gravity without losing sight of the fact that this has all been for fun.

Related: Keanu Reeves Tells All—Even About His First True Love

Top 10 Keanu Reeves Movies

10. The Devil's Advocate (1997)

A box-office and critical meh upon release, The Devil's Advocate has been re-assessed over time, now regarded as a cult classic, maybe even a classic proper. Reeves plays an ambitious lawyer who unwittingly becomes business associates with Satan (Al Pacino). This supernatural horror picture's most celebrated asset is one of Al Pacino's best throw-down performances, but the casting across the board is perfect, including a dreamy, darkly funny Reeves and Craig T. Nelson against type in a villainous role.

Reeves famously took a pay cut for this picture so the studio could afford Pacino. He also turned down the utterly atrocious Speed 2 to film this. He's perhaps not as commended as he should be for making intelligent business decisions for decades now.

Related: Al Pacino's Best Movie Quotes

9. A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Following a critical career high with Before Sunset, Richard Linklater directed Reeves opposite Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson and a pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. in a fully hypnotic sci-fi yarn of widespread addiction and Orwellian surveillance. Live actors and animation are superimposed for an altogether entrancing experience that is A Scanner Darkly.

Related: The Best Movies About Addiction

8. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Director Kenneth Branagh stars alongside a cast including Emma Thompson, Robert Sean Leonard, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Keaton and Denzel Washington in a financially successful Shakespearean rom-com acclaimed for its accessibility and entertainment value. Reeves' performance in Much Ado About Nothing received criticism at the time (and a Golden Raspberry nomination, for whatever that is or isn't worth), but this is widely remembered as a top-notch adaptation.

Related: 125 Best Shakespeare Quotes

7. Point Break (1991)

An FBI agent must rethink his world view when infiltrating a gang of surfer/bank robbers of surprising depth and conviction, spearheaded by Patrick Swayze's Bodhi. Thanks to Bigelow's remarkable directing muscle, and even more so to its two lead performances, Point Break is transcendent. It's thrilling, a little corny, and it's also one of the most affecting movies about male friendship ever. That said, kindly avoid the lobotomized 2015 remake at all costs.

6. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Francis Ford Coppola's passion project is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful horror films ever made. Reeves' performance has long been singled out as the weakest element by critics and audiences. Frankly, there's an earnestness to Reeves' Jonathan Harker that suits the enterprise well. Oscar-winning Bram Stoker's Dracula was recently restored for its 30th anniversary. Truly, it must be seen by anyone who likes movies; this is a big-budget, splashy Gothic horror where every frame feels handmade.

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5. John Wick (2014)

Reeves saw a string of critical and commercial disappointments throughout the late aughts before a high-concept, technically astounding shoot 'em up reminded everyone that he's an action star without peer.

Really, though, how perfect is this simple plot? In John Wick, Reeves plays a hitman who dismantles a crime syndicate, killing countless men, because they killed his dog. Of course audiences responded to this.

Related: How Keanu Reeves Really Feels About Onscreen Violence

4. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

These two doofuses are as lovable as they can be, like a Wallace and Gromit or Woody and Buzz for live action. In their first adventure, Bill and Ted travel through time in a hail-Mary attempt to pass a history exam. George Carlin is perfect in a supporting role, his knowing brand of comedy firing on all cylinders without getting too dark. It's easy to shrug off a movie like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, but the closer you look, the easier it is to admire all the craft that went into it. It's magic.

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3. My Own Private Idaho (1991)

Two short years before his tragic death, River Phoenix starred opposite Reeves in Gus Van Sant's essential queer landmark. My Own Private Idaho is a retelling of Shakepeare's Henry IV, only this time with male prostitutes in the Pacific Northwest. Nothing in My Own Private Idaho overshadows or even matches Phoenix's central performance, but it's a stunningly constructed and deeply felt low-fi enterprise about unrequited love, a masterful indie that can't be erased from memory.

Related: The Best LGBTQIA+ Romance Movies

2. Speed (1994)

The 1980s are often referred to as the heyday of the R-rated action picture, where big tough guys blew stuff up. Jan de Bont's breathlessly paced, magnificent thriller about a bomb on an LA bus is a natural progression from this era, with a more sensitive, nimble hero.

In a famous four-star review, Roger Ebert called Speed a "bruised forearm movie," a thriller where you're bound to clutch your date from start to finish. It flirts with being too over-the-top without blowing it. There's a rom-com at the center of the mayhem that's so sweet and funny it made Sandra Bullock a household name. Pop quiz, hot shot: Do pure action movies get any better than this?

Related: Sandra Bullock's Best Movies 

1. The Matrix (1999)

The Wachowskis' original Matrix blends sci-fi and action in equal measure, and it remains an untouchable high-water mark for both genres. Will Smith famously was the first choice to play Neo, an everyman who discovers he's "The One," humanity's only hope. These days, it's impossible to imagine what this picture could have been without Reeves (except for maybe another '90s Will Smith vehicle, but with bullet time).

Nearly a quarter-century since its release, The Matrix is fully worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as The Wizard of Oz and Star Wars; it's an exhilarating work of pure imagination that will fill you with wonder and ignite your imagination no matter how many times you watch it.

Next, check out the best quotes from The Matrix films.