Keanu Reeves is one of the world's most popular and likable actors, and he also happens to be very talented. With that in mind, it's no surprise that he's appeared in some excellent movies.
His filmography is impressive and extensive, and anyone remotely interested in movies will be a fan of at least a couple of his projects.
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This piece will rank the 22 best Keanu Reeves movies, ending with the top-rated title. Be warned; Reeves' work has been of such a high standard that several big movies miss out here.
22. DC League of Super-Pets (2022, Directed by Jared Stern)
DC League of Super-Pets is a 3D computer-animated movie based on the DC Comics superhero team, the Legion of Super-Pets. It's about Superman's loyal pet dog Krypto and a shelter dog named Ace, who work with other animals to save the captured Justice League from Lex Luthor and the evil superpowered guinea pig Lulu.
Reeves as Batman
Reeves voices Batman in the movie, who ends up adopting Ace, and he does an excellent job in the role. The movie is a lot of fun without being exceptional, and it's perfect for children whose parents don't want them to view more adult violent superhero films. The voice cast is enthusiastic and lively, and there are jokes to keep grown-up viewers chuckling.
21. The Matrix Reloaded (2003, Directed by The Wachowskis)
The Matrix Reloaded is a sci-fi action flick, the second installment in the Matrix movie series, and the sequel to 1999’s The Matrix. The movie follows freedom fighters Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus as they continue leading the battle against the Machine Army and the evil artificial intelligence Agent Smith.
An Action-Packed Popcorn Flick
Reeves plays the main character Neo for the second time in this one, and he does so in an iconic fashion. However, The Matrix Reloaded is vastly inferior to its 1999 predecessor. It's still a decent movie but doesn't live up to the original's standards. It's an action-packed popcorn flick that is technically brilliant and boasts excellent special effects.
20. Between Two Ferns: The Movie (2019, Directed by Scott Aukerman)
Between Two Ferns: The Movie is a comedy movie that acts as a spin-off of the web series of the same name. In the film, Zach Galifianakis – the host of the public access TV show Between Two Ferns – and his oddball crew go on a road trip to undertake several high-profile celebrity interviews.
A Hilarious Cameo
Reeves plays himself in a hilarious cameo whereby he's perplexed at the questions asked by Galifianakis during an interview. It's a hilarious movie that takes the concept of the series and expands it, and while it does so very well, it sometimes conveys the strain of it. It was released solely on Netflix.
19. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992, Directed by Francis Ford Coppola)
Bram Stoker's Dracula is a gothic horror movie based on Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. The film sees the ancient vampire Count Dracula heading to England to seduce Nina Murray, the fiancée of Dracula's solicitor Jonathan Harker, and cause mayhem in the foreign land.
A Spooky, Romantic, and Operatic Fashion
Reeves plays the critical character Jonathan Harker, and it's one of his poorest performances. His English accent is all over the place, and his casting received criticism. That said, it's an excellent movie with an otherwise great cast that includes Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, and Anthony Hopkins. Coppola brings the old tale to life in a spooky, romantic, and operatic fashion.
18. Keanu (2016, Directed by Peter Atencio)
Keanu is a buddy action comedy movie starring Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele as two cousins. They infiltrate a gang to retrieve their stolen kitten, Keanu. They have to face gang members, assassins, and drug dealers in their attempts to rescue their tiny cat.
An Absurd Premise
In this movie, Reeves voices the eponymous kitten, who, it turns out, has a rare disease that will cause him to stay as a kitten forever. He does so with charm, likability, and humor. Keanu has an absurd premise, but it's very watchable thanks to its fast pace and charismatic starring duo.
17. My Own Private Idaho (1991, Directed by Gus Van Sant)
My Own Private Idaho is an adventure drama movie. It's an independent film about two friends who embark on a journey of personal discovery that takes them from Oregon to Idaho and then to Rome in search of one of their mothers.
A Hard-hitting Movie
This one stars River Phoenix alongside Reeves as the two friends. Reeves plays Scott Favor, the son of the mayor of Portland. Both young stars are fantastic. It's a hard-hitting movie with themes of betrayal and death. It's sensitive, poignant, and funny; anyone watching it will be fully immersed in it quickly.
16. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989, Directed by Stephen Herek)
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is a sci-fi comedy movie and the first installment of the Bill & Ted franchise. It follows the eponymous Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan as they travel through time to assemble a group of prominent historical figures for their high school history presentation.
Extraordinarily Charming and Goofy
Reeves plays Ted in this one, while Alex Winter portrays Bill – and they're both extraordinarily charming and goofy. The movie is entirely dumb, but it revels in it, and it's entertaining from start to finish. It's a purpose-built junk movie that undoubtedly achieves what it sets out to do.
15. Mifune: The Last Samurai (2015, Directed by Steven Okazaki)
Mifune: The Last Samurai is a biographical documentary that chronicles the life and accidental movie career of the late Toshiro Mifune. Mifune was a Japanese actor and international star notable for playing samurai characters in movies by prominent filmmaker Akira Kurosawa.
Fantastic Job as Narrator
Reeves is the narrator of this documentary and does a fantastic job in the role. The whole thing is a compelling celebration of Mifune and examines who he was smartly and dutifully. If you aren't already familiar with his work, Mifune: The Last Samurai is a tantalizing appetizer that will undoubtedly interest you in watching some of it.
14. Bill & Ted Face The Music (2020, Directed by Dean Parisot)
Bill & Ted Face the Music is a sci-fi comedy movie, the third installment in the Bill & Ted franchise, and the sequel to 1991's Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. In the film, Bill and Ted have to write a song that unites humanity before space-time gets destroyed.
Recaptures The Charm of The Previous Movies
In this one, Reeves reprises his role as Ted for the first time in 29 years. It's a rare case of a long-belated sequel that recaptures the charm of the previous movies and is, in fact, the best of the three. Watching it will make you smile, laugh, and revel in the spirit of its romance.
13. John Wick (2014, Directed by Chad Stahelski)
John Wick is a neo-noir action thriller and the first installment in the John Wick franchise. It chronicles the attempts of the eponymous former assassin to hunt down the men who broke into his home, stole his vintage car, and killed his puppy, which was the final gift given to him by his dearly departed wife.
A Stylish Movie With Action, Energy, and Thrills
Reeves plays John Wick in this, and he does so brilliantly and effortlessly. It's a stylish movie teeming with action, energy, and thrills. The supporting cast is fantastic, and there are top performances from Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, Willem Dafoe, and Adrianne Palicki.
12. River's Edge (1986, Directed by Tim Hunter)
River's Edge is a crime drama movie partially based on the 1981 murder of Marcy Renee Conrad in Milpitas, California. It's about a group of teenage friends in a Northern California town, forced to deal with their buddy's murder of his girlfriend and the subsequent disposal of her body.
A Brilliant Piece of Art
Reeves plays Matt, one of the teenage friends, and he's superb. River's Edge is one of the most polarizing youth-oriented movies ever made, with some people even considering it a horror movie at the time of its release. It's harrowing but undoubtedly a brilliant piece of art. The cast performs excellently, with Crispin Glover and Ione Skye Leitch shining alongside Reeves.
11. The Animatrix (2003, directed by Andy Jones, Mahiro Maeda, Shinichirō Watanabe, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Takeshi Koike, Kōji Morimoto, and Peter Chung)
The Animatrix is an animated sci-fi anthology movie for adults. It details the backstory of the Matrix film series through nine short movies. As well as covering the original war between humanity and machines, some side stories expand the universe and tie into the live-action series of films.
Dazzling Animation
Reeves voices Neo in the Kid's Story short, and he does so competently. This movie is excellent. There's an argument for it being even better than The Matrix, but we've opted to place it slightly lower than it. The animation is dazzling, and the stories are all compelling.
10. The Matrix (1999, Directed by The Wachowskis)
The Matrix is a sci-fi action movie and the first installment in the Matrix movie series. The film is set in a dystopian future in which humanity gets unknowingly trapped inside a simulated reality called the Matrix. Under the hacker alias “Neo,” computer programmer Thomas Anderson uncovers the truth and joins the rebellion against the machines.
One of The Finest Sci-Fi Movies Ever Made
Reeves plays Neo, the main protagonist, in this one, and he does so in a genuinely iconic fashion. The Matrix is one of the finest sci-fi movies ever made, and its special effects were groundbreaking. With breathtaking action and a compelling (albeit highly complex) story, it's a movie experience like no other.
9. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017, Directed by Chad Stahelski)
John Wick: Chapter 2 is a neo-noir action thriller, the second installment in the John Wick franchise, and the sequel to 2014's John Wick. Again, it's about the eponymous retired hitman who gets forced back into his old life so he can fulfill a blood oath he has sworn to an Italian crime lord.
Amazingly Choreographed
Reeves again portrays John Wick in this one, and he's even more awesome than in the previous movie. John Wick: Chapter 2 augments everything that made the first film great. It's relentless, action-packed, energetic, and amazingly choreographed. The story has you routing for Wick unconditionally.
8. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019, Directed by Chad Stahelski)
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is a neo-noir action thriller, the third installment in the John Wick franchise, and the sequel to 2017's John Wick: Chapter 2. In this one, Wick runs from a legion of assassins after a bounty gets placed on his head.
An Increase in Violence and Brutality
Reeves is again superb as Wick, growing into the role more and more in every movie. The movies themselves keep improving, too, as this one is fantastic. The action and choreography are even better than before, there's an increase in violence and brutality, and it's the kind of pop cinema in which viewers can completely immerse themselves.
7. Much Ado About Nothing (1993, Directed by Kenneth Branagh)
Much Ado About Nothing is a romantic comedy based on the 16th-century play of the same name by William Shakespeare. It's about two Young lovers, Hero and Claudio, who are soon to wed, as they conspire to get verbal sparring partners, Benedick and Beatrice, to marry as well.
