Dolph Lundgren is a Swedish actor, filmmaker, and martial artist who's been doing his thing in Hollywood since the mid-1980s.

He's appeared in more than 80 movies, and there are more to come, including 2023's Expend4bles and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Much of Lundgren's work involves direct-to-DVD films; by his self-aware admission, many aren't that great.

Sadly, the star recently revealed he's been battling kidney cancer for several years. However, he's confident of recovering and, wonderfully, he recently got married. We wish him well and now seems like the ideal time to celebrate his best work.

These are Dolph Lundgren's 22 best movies, starting with the finest and working down.

1 – Don't Kill It (2016, directed by Mike Mendez)

Don't Kill It is a comedy horror movie about a monster hunter looking to kill an ancient and murderous demon, so he travels to a small Mississippi town to do so.

In this one, Jebediah Woodley, the demon hunter, is played brilliantly by a self-aware Dolph Lundgren, who's in top comedic form and performs as well as he ever has in his career. Don't Kill It is an intelligent, funny, tongue-in-cheek, action-packed, joyfully entertaining film. If you're only going to watch one Dolph Lundgren movie, this is the one you should go for. It also stars Kristina Klebe, Tony Bentley, James Chalke, Miles Doleac, and Otis Willard.

2 – Castle Falls (2021, directed by Dolph Lundgren)

Castle Falls is an action movie about a blue-collared ex-fighter, a correctional officer, and a ruthless gang competing to get their hands on $3 million hidden by an imprisoned gang leader inside a luxury condominium scheduled for demolition.

It stars Lundgren as Richard Ericson, the correctional officer, and Scott Adkins as Mike Wade, the former fighter. They make an excellent odd couple and have superb chemistry. Despite a somewhat muddled plot, Castle Falls is a perfect film for action fans. It's a meaty, thrilling, exciting, solidly performed, well-choreographed offering that will keep you gripped.

3 – Hail, Caesar! (2016, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen)

Hail, Caesar! is a period black comedy movie telling a fictionalized story following the real-life studio fixer Eddie Mannix and his work in the Hollywood film industry in the 1950s, trying to discover what happened to a talented but dimwitted star actor while he's filming a biblical epic.

It has a great core cast, including Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Channing Tatum. Lundgren has an uncredited cameo as a Soviet submarine commander and does fine. Hail, Caesar! is a fun and charming love letter to post-war Hollywood with great satirical comedy. It received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Production Design.

4 – Creed II (2018, directed by Steven Caple Jr.)

Creed II is a sports drama, the sequel to 2015's Creed and the eighth installment in the Rocky franchise. This one follows Apollo Creed's son Adonis Creed, under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa, as he prepares to fight Viktor Drago, the son of Rocky's former opponent Ivan Drago.

Michael B. Jordan stars as Adonis Creed, Sylvester Stallone stars as Rocky Balboa, and Lundgren reprises his role as Ivan Drago 33 years after playing the character in 1985's Rocky IV. It's great seeing him again, and he's as intense in the role as ever. Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Phylicia Rashad, and Florian Munteanu round off the excellent cast. Creed II is formulaic but rousing, well-performed, and full of heart, and the climactic battle is fabulous.

5 – Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022, directed by Kyle Balda)

Minions: The Rise of Gru is a computer-animated comedy movie, the sequel to 2015's Minions, and the fifth installment in the Despicable Me franchise. It focuses on an eleven-year-old Gru as he plans to become a supervillain with the help of his Minions, leading to a showdown with the Vicious 6, an evil super-team.

The stellar voice cast includes Steve Carell as Gru, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P. Henson, Lucy Lawless, Danny Trejo, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Julie Andrews, Alan Arkin, Michelle Yeoh, and Lundgren, who plays Svengeance, a rollerskating member of the Vicious 6. Everyone gives energetic and enthusiastic performances. Minions: The Rise of Gru is a wacky feast of silly gags, great animation, colorful delights, unironically brilliant music, retro fun, and thoroughly entertaining throughout.

6 – The Expendables 2 (2012, directed by Simon West)

The Expendables 2 is an action movie, the sequel to 2010's The Expendables, and the second installment in The Expendables franchise. In this one, the eponymous team of mercenaries takes on a mission that swiftly turns into a quest for revenge against a rival who murders one of their men and threatens the planet with a dangerous weapon.

The ensemble of action icons includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Liam Hemsworth, Scott Adkins, and Lundgren, who plays the troubled and volatile Gunner Jensen, a military veteran, in intimidating fashion. The Expendables 2 is the best film in the franchise with a game cast. It's humorously self-deprecating, suitably action-packed and violent, and massively over-the-top in the best way.

7 – Aquaman (2018, directed by James Wan)

Aquaman is a superhero movie based on the eponymous DC Comics superhero and the sixth installment in the DC Extended Universe. It sees Arthur Curry, AKA Aquaman, attempting to lead the underwater kingdom of Atlantis and prevent his half-brother from uniting the seven underwater kingdoms in an assault against the surface world.

Jason Momoa plays Aquaman in his third appearance as the character, and he's a commanding lead. The star-studded supporting cast includes Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, Temuera Morrison, Djimon Hounsou, Julie Andrews, and Lundgren, who plays King Nereus of Xebel with absolute conviction. Aquaman is an action-packed and energetic visual delight with some excellent performances. Its main problem is that it can't decide whether to be silly or serious.

8 – Rocky IV (1985, directed by Sylvester Stallone)

Rocky IV is a sports drama movie, the sequel to 1982's Rocky III and the fourth installment in the Rocky franchise. In this one, the eponymous Rocky Balboa confronts Ivan Drago, a formidable Soviet boxer who ruthlessly killed his friend Apollo Creed in his previous bout.

It's by no means the best Rocky film, but it's a lot of people's favorite. Sylvester Stallone is excellent as Balboa, and Lundgren stars as Drago in his most iconic role. Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Brigitte Nielsen provide capable support. Rocky IV is an enjoyable, easy-to-watch, rousing film, Lundgren's Drago is the eponymous character's most formidable opponent, and the training montages are among the best in cinematic history. Still, it's got an overly familiar and tired formula, and the script is terrible.

9 – The Expendables (2010, directed by Sylvester Stallone)

The Expendables is an action movie and the first installment in the eponymous franchise. It follows the eponymous team of elite mercenaries as they embark on a mission to overthrow a Latin American dictator who gets revealed to be a mere puppet under the control of a corrupt ex-CIA agent.

It kicked off the franchise with an action star ensemble including Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, David Zayas, Giselle Itié, Charisma Carpenter, Gary Daniels, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, and Lundgren, who adeptly plays Gunner Jensen for the first time. The Expendables is an adrenaline-fueled romp with plenty of excitement, the cast primarily has good chemistry, and there are many explosions, which should satisfy hardcore action fans. However, it's ludicrously over-the-top, and given the iconic talent on display, it should hit harder.

10 – A View to a Kill (1985, directed by John Glen)

A View to a Kill is a spy movie adapted from Ian Fleming's 1960 short story “From a View to a Kill” (though the film has an entirely original screenplay) and the fourteenth installment in the James Bond franchise. It sees Bond going up against a psychopathic industrialist intending to destroy California's Silicon Valley.

It stars Roger Moore as Bond, being as smooth as ever, and Christopher Walken is formidable as Max Zorin, the industrialist and one of the most violent Bond villains. The supporting cast includes Tanya Roberts, Grace Jones, Patrick Macnee, and Lundgren, who looks suitably mean in a minor role as Venz, a KGB henchman. A View to a Kill lacks the glitz of previous Bond films and focuses too much on bloody violence. Also, at 57, while he's still silky in the role, Moore was arguably too old to be Bond. There are plenty of thrills, but this is the lowest-rated Eon-produced Bond for a reason.

11 – Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012, directed by John Hyams)

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning is a sci-fi action movie, a sequel to 2009's Universal Soldier: Regeneration, and the sixth and final installment in the Universal Soldier franchise. In this one, a former military man John awakens from a coma to find his wife and daughter murdered in a home invasion by Luc Deveraux, the eponymous Universal Soldier, then embarks on a revenge mission.

It stars Scott Adkins as John, the military man, and Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, who reprise their roles from the first film as Luc Deveraux and Andrew Scott, respectively, and roll back the years with all-action performances. Former UFC star Andrei Arlovski also has a prominent role as Magnus. Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning is the best installment in this franchise. It's gruelingly brutal, violent, dark, haunting, and intense, with elements reminiscent of the horror genre freshening things up. Horror and action fans will love it, but it might be too much for some viewers.

12 – Seal Team (2021, directed by Greig Cameron and Kane Croudace)

Seal Team is a South African computer-animated action comedy movie about a group of misfit cape fur seals who must unite to fight a ruthless gang of sharks led by a great white named Grimes.

It has a great voice cast, including J. K. Simmons, Jessie T. Usher, Matthew Rhys, Patrick Warburton, Kristen Schaal, Sharlto Copley, Camille Mana, John Kani, Seal (yes, really), and Lundgren, who plays Dolph, a cigar-chomping celebrity striped dolphin in a humorous fashion. Seal Team holds its own against big studio animations with a talented cast, a nice look, plenty of humor, and a group of protagonists you want to root for. The best laughs, however, come during the end credits, so make sure you wait for them. Please note that it might not be suitable for younger children.

13 – The Punisher (1989, directed by Mark Goldblatt)

The Punisher is a vigilante action movie based on the eponymous Marvel Comics character. It follows the eponymous antihero Frank Castle as he sets out to gain revenge on Howard Saint, a crime boss who ordered the death of his entire family.

While it's deemed the poorest of the three Punisher movies, it's still an entertaining ride. Lundgren stars in physically imposing fashion as Castle, and the impressive supporting cast includes John Travolta as Saint, Will Patton, Roy Scheider, Laura Harring, Ben Foster, and Rebecca Romijn. The Punisher is overly violent and grim but features decent performances, fine action, and impressive stunt sequences.

14 – The Expendables 3 (2014, directed by Patrick Hughes)

The Expendables 3 is an action movie, the sequel to 2010's The Expendables and 2012's The Expendables 2, and the third installment in The Expendables franchise. It chronicles the eponymous mercenaries' conflict with the ruthless arms dealer who co-founded the team and is determined to destroy them.

The phenomenal cast includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Jet Li, Wesley Snipes, Kelsey Grammer, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Robert Davi, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, and Lundgren, who plays Gunner Jensen for the third time. The Expendables 3 is the weakest installment in the franchise and should have been more entertaining, given the vast array of talent it boasts. It's still fun with lots of old-school action and thrills, but it's overstuffed and a wasted opportunity overall.

15 – I Come in Peace (1990, directed by Craig R. Baxley)

I Come in Peace (originally titled Dark Angel) is a sci-fi action movie about a rule-breaking police detective in Houston, Texas, who investigates mysterious drug-related murders on the streets.

Lundgren stars as Jack Caine, the detective investigating the murders, and he's terrific in the role. Brian Benben and Betsy Brantley provide decent support. I Come in Peace is an intelligent film with a lively script, plenty of humor, and lots of violence and gore. It's also very derivative of countless other movies of a similar nature and unashamedly ludicrous at times.

16 – Universal Soldier (1992, directed by Roland Emmerich)

Universal Soldier is a sci-fi action movie and the first installment in the eponymous franchise. It's about a former United States Army soldier killed in the Vietnam War and resurrected by a secret military project called the “Universal Soldier” program. He must rediscover his past while combating his returning archenemy.

Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Luc Deveraux, the resurrected soldier, and Lundgren plays Andrew Scott, his insane old foe. The action icons make great rivals, and there are some fun scenes between them, but Universal Soldier is a mediocre film. The premise is intriguing, the action is entertaining, and there's even some humor, but it's tedious more often than not.

17 – Masters of the Universe (1987, directed by Gary Goddard)

Masters of the Universe is a superhero movie based on the Mattel toy line and loosely reminiscent of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series. It's about two teenagers meeting He-Man and his allies when they arrive on Earth by chance and embark on a mission to defeat the evil Skeletor.

It's a terrible movie, and, being brutally honest, Lundgren is wholly unsuited to his role as He-Man, even if his physique looks the part. What makes it watchable is how Frank Langella brilliantly throws himself into the role of Skeletor. The supporting cast includes Courteney Cox, James Tolkan, Christina Pickles, Meg Foster, and Robert Duncan McNeill. Masters of the Universe is dull, it feels like a rip-off of better films like those in the original Star Wars trilogy, and the attempts at humor are corny. However, It has plenty of heart, and its brazen campness is admirable.

18 – Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991, directed by Mark L. Lester)

It stars Lundgren as Chris Kenner alongside Brandon Lee as Johnny Murata in his first American film role. The pair have excellent chemistry and perform well, with Lee shining. The lead villain, Funekei Yoshida, played by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, is also decent. Showdown in Little Tokyo is a fast-paced, action-packed, violent, and nice-looking film. It does, however, have a lot of humor that falls flat and is particularly lifeless when there's no action going on.

19 – Section 8 (2022, directed by Christian Sesma)

Section 8 is an action movie about a former soldier imprisoned for avenging the murder of his family, being sprung from prison and recruited to go on threat-eliminating missions by the shadowy eponymous government agency.

It has a solid cast, including Ryan Kwanten as the main character Jake Atherton, Dermot Mulroney, Scott Adkins, Mickey Rourke, and Lundgren, who plays Atherton's commanding officer Tom Mason in an authoritative style. Section 8 is a serviceable, disposable action flick with stereotypical characters who make annoyingly dumb choices. However, some of the fight scenes are solid, and Scott Adkins' butt-kicking set pieces are worth waiting for.

20 – Small Apartments (2012, directed by Jonas Åkerlund)

Small Apartments is an independent comedy movie based on Chris Millis' 2001 novella. It's about an eccentric social misfit and compulsive hoarder who accidentally kills his landlord and lives an odd life surrounded by peculiar people.

It stars Matt Lucas as Franklin Franklin, the social misfit. It has a star-studded supporting cast that includes James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Billy Crystal, Peter Stormare, Juno Temple, Amanda Plummer, Rebel Wilson, Rosie Perez, James Marsden, DJ Qualls, and Lundgren, who plays Dr. Sage Mennox, a self-help guide, in impressively outlandish against-type style. Small Apartments is quirky and buoyed by a bizarrely fun performance from Lucas but is otherwise underwhelming. It's crass and feels like a bunch of random characters thrown together, and its tone is all over the place.

21 – Johnny Mnemonic (1995, directed by Robert Longo)

Johnny Mnemonic is a cyberpunk sci-fi action movie based on William Gibson's 1981 short story. It's about a data courier, in a dystopian then-future 2021, who's carrying a data package inside his head and must deliver it before he dies from the burden or gets murdered by the Yakuza.

It stars Keanu Reeves as the eponymous “mnemonic courier” Johnny, and he's enjoyable to watch, despite the film's many flaws and the fact he's playing an unlikable character. The supporting cast includes Takeshi Kitano, Ice-T, Dina Meyer, Henry Rollins, and Lundgren, who plays Karl Honig, aka The Street Preacher, and he does okay in an unconventional role. Johnny Mnemonic is an effects-driven romp that relies too much on said effects. It's derivative, drab, and often unintentionally funny.

22 – Kindergarten Cop 2 (2016, directed by Don Michael Paul)

Kindergarten Cop 2 is a comedy movie and a standalone sequel to 1990's Kindergarten Cop. It's about a grizzled FBI agent who goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher after getting assigned to recover a stolen copy of the FBI witness protection database. However, he gets overwhelmed by the liberal and politically correct environment of the school.

Lundgren stars as FBI agent Zack Reed, the man assigned to go undercover as a teacher. He doesn't do as good a job as Arnold Schwarzenegger at operating in that area between action and comedy, but he's game and somewhat funny regardless. Overall, Kindergarten Cop 2 is uninspired, with bland characters, and is a pale imitation of its average predecessor.