The thought of some of the best Johnny Depp movies reminds one of his spectacular transformations. Be it the marvellous red bandana-clad Captain Jack Sparrow, the knife-wielding Edward Scissorhands, the vengeful barber in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, the eccentric candy baron Willy Wonka or the Mad Hatter, every Johnny Depp character has garnered critical praise, with the movies scoring high IMDb ratings.
Debuting in 1984 with A Nightmare on Elm Street, Johnny Depp films have attracted audiences who appreciate a unique plot. He donned the director’s hat for the first time for The Brave (1997). Years later, Depp is helming the biographical drama Modi, which is based on the life of Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani. It stars Al Pacino, Riccardo Scamarcio, Antonia Desplat, Stephen Graham, Bruno Gouery, Ryan McParland. In January 2024, he released some of the production images. This marks his first major film project since his public lawsuit victory over Amber Heard and is a highly anticipated film.
Here are some of the best Johnny Depp movies with high IMDb ratings
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Synopsis: Blacksmith Will Turner (Bloom) and Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) head out on a swashbuckling adventure to rescue Elizabeth Swann (Knightley), the governor’s daughter and Jack’s love interest. She is kidnapped by Jack’s former pirate allies, headed by the ferocious Captain Barbossa (Rush) and is held hostage in the Black Pearl ship. However, little does Jack or Will know that the pirates are cursed to transform into the undead.
About the film: As the first instalment in the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, this movie introduced Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and catapulted him to become a mainstream actor. This, along with the ensuing films in the franchise, is regarded as his most prolific body of work.
Awards won: Depp won Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role at the 2004 Screen Actors Guild Awards. The film was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Actor in a Leading Role — the first for Depp.
Director: Oliver Stone
Cast: Johnny Depp, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe
Synopsis: Chris Taylor (Sheen), a young novice soldier, is sent to fight in Vietnam. Owing to his limited experience in field, he realises that his presence doesn’t matter. He is caught between two non-commissioned officers (NCOs), the ill-tempered Staff Sergeant Robert Barnes (Berenger) and the more cooperative Sergeant Elias Grodin (Dafoe). Chris experiences war brutality meted out by comrades and goes through a moral dilemma.
Awards won: Won four Oscars in 1987 — Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound and Best Film Editing. Won three Golden Globes in 1987 and two BAFTAs in 1988.
Watch Platoon on Amazon Prime Video.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Martin Landau, Patricia Arquette
Synopsis: Ed Wood follows the life and dreams of failed filmmaker Ed Wood Jr (Depp). Owing to his absolute lack of talent and crass productions, he is seen as a Hollywood outcast. However, Ed refuses to give in to such negativity and creates films with the help of once-famous Bela Lugosi (Landau) and a crew of misfits. He keeps his dreams alive and never lets go of his aspirations to become a renowned name.
Awards won: Landau won the 1995 Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The film bagged the Academy Award for Best Makeup. While Depp won a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Burton was nominated for the 1995 Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
