Since he began his career in front of the cameras in 1980, his strong presence in the frame allowed him to position himself very well in an industry that is always in search of icons. And although at the beginning he was typecast in roles full of adrenaline, little by little the actor managed to leave his mark in countless genres. Nowadays, the movies of Bruce Willis They unquestionably place him as a Hollywood legend.
Sadly, his family announced on March 30, 2022 that Willis was retiring from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that affects the motor capacity of the brain and, consequently, his cognitive abilities. By February 2023, they reported that his medical condition had worsened, but they had a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia.
However, the actor appeared in more than 100 films over a 42-year prolific career. Below, we present a selection of the best Bruce Willis films and where you can see them.
Hard to Kill (Dir. John McTiernan, 1988)
Almost always, when action film classics are listed, an immediate mention is this film by John McTiernan. Not only is it one of Bruce Willis’s best films because it marked his definitive leap from television to film (at that time he was starring in the series Moonlighting), but because it showed us that the performer had enough charisma to lead a great production.
In this story, he plays John McClane, a New York police detective who is trapped in a terrorist attack inside an executive building where his wife Holy works. McClane is not a strong man, but he cleverly confronts the thugs so they don’t ruin the Christmas party. Today, many action films owe several things to this one.
Where to see? Available on Star Plus
Death suits him well (Dir. Robert Zemeckis, 1992)
Here Bruce already demonstrated some talent for doing black comedy. This macabre extravaganza by Robert Zemeckis made the second wind of the performer’s career gain much more strength, as he proved that he was on par with talents like Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn.
Streep and Hawn become Madeline Ashton and Helen Sharp, two women who begin to experience strange events after drinking a potion to be eternally young and beautiful. In addition, they compete to win the affection of Dr. Ernest Menville, a nervous and always worried plastic surgeon to whom Willis gives a hilariously cartoonish intensity.
Where to see? Available for purchase and rental on Apple TV and Prime Video.
Violent times (Dir. Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
Willis appeared in this Quentin Tarantino classic in a role that was not very aligned with what he had done previously. In the 90s, the performer decided to lean more towards drama, and this performance as the tormented boxer Butch Coolidge put him back in the spotlight during a time when his career had some problems.
The character of Butch not only stands out because it allows Bruce to demonstrate his great charisma in front of the cameras, but also works perfectly to fully develop the sense of danger that exists throughout each frame, through an endless conflict with the unforgettable Marcellus Wallace by Ving Rhymes.
Where to see? Available on Lionsgate Plus.
12 monkeys (Dir. Terry Gilliam, 1995)
With this film, Willis continued his good streak of selecting roles with a lot of substance that gave him the opportunity to prove that he was willing to explore any genre that was put in front of him. The surprise, without a doubt, is that to do it he chose Terry Gilliam, a person with great passion for cinema who, with hits like Brazil (1985) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) made it very clear that no matter the magnitude of the project, it could be carried out… most of the time.
12 monkeys It is an adaptation of the science fiction short La Jetée (1962). In the film, the performer plays James Cole, a prisoner in the year 2035 who is sent back in time to 1996, with the aim of finding the origin of a deadly virus. The star’s performance is calm, but has a lot of power. His character is the opposite of Brad Pitt’s Jeffrey Goines, who takes madness to the maximum.
Where to see? Available on HBO Max.
Continue reading: Best Bruce Willis movies.
The fifth element (Dir. Luc Besson, 1997)
This is another encounter between the actor and science fiction. Directed by Luc Besson, this is one of Bruce Willis’s best films because he shows us another facet: comedy. Yes, it is true that this is not the first genre that comes to mind when thinking about this feast of spaceships and alien adventures. However, that is what makes the proposal something that definitely has to be seen.
Now, we see Willis as Korben Dallas, a taxi driver in a futuristic New York who becomes embroiled in an intergalactic entanglement when he has to protect a passenger who is the key to saving the world. The cynical and stoic attitude of the protagonist contrasts in a very fun way with the quirky and exaggerated tone of the ensemble, and his chemistry with Leeloo, the cheerful alien played by Milla Jovovich.
Where to see? At the moment, it is not available on any platform. The Blu-Ray edition can be purchased through Amazon.
Armageddon (Dir. Michael Bay, 1998)
As Harry Stamper, the capeless hero of this space film by Michael Bay, Bruce Willis never disappoints. Stamper’s personality merged perfectly with that of the interpreter, as we are faced with the story of someone who improbably ends up facing an obstacle. Isn’t that what he loves to deliver in his roles?
For this feature film, the actor puts himself in the shoes of a petroleum engineer who suddenly has to become an astronaut to save humanity from a meteorite that threatens existence on Earth, but also to save his beloved daughter Grace, played by Liv Tyler. In a parade of explosions, excesses and bombast, Willis fits well because he takes the role very – sometimes too – seriously. The film is implausible, but his performances save it from becoming forgettable.
Where to see? Available on Star Plus.
The sixth Sense (Dir. M. Night Shyamalan, 1999)
The actor’s first collaboration with acclaimed director M. Night Shyamalan is considered a classic of suspense and psychological horror. In this film, Willis plays Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who begins to work in therapy sessions with little Cole Sear (played impeccably by Haley Joel Osment). What happens is that strange events happen around Cole, in which the doctor becomes involved.
For this film, Willis once again plays someone with a dark past. However, he shows that he is able to adapt to almost any atmosphere, and the way he moves and delivers his dialogue puts us in a state of permanent unease. It is a role that begins in a restrained way and ends in an alarming level of panic and madness. Everything falls into place in the service of that iconic plot twist.
Where to see? Available on Star Plus.
The protected (Dir. M. Night Shyamalan, 2000)
This work by M. Night Shyamalan is another of Bruce Willis’ best films. We remember him because he reinterpreted the most common tropes of comics focused on superheroes from a fresh perspective. In reality, Willis’ performance was a factor that greatly contributed to the success of the project, since since he starred in Hard to Kill We knew that he was capable of transforming himself to give the impression of being an ordinary citizen who, without meaning to, goes through extraordinary and complicated situations.
More or less the same thing happens here, but not so much from the action angle. On this occasion, Bruce Willis plays David Dunn, an individual who gradually discovers that he has surprising abilities and is practically invincible. This is one of his great histrionic works, as it captures very well the confusion that one can feel in the face of an unexpected change.
Where to see? Available on Star Plus.
Looper: Assassins from the future (Dir. Rian Johnson, 2012)
In this film by Rian Johnson, Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt share the role of Joe, a hitman in a dystopian future. The trick here is that while Gordon-Levitt plays the younger version, Willis plays his future counterpart. And the other trick, even more interesting, is that, within the narrative, both stages of the character are united by a task that will take them to an extremely shocking destination.
Looper It is not only praised for the way it plays with time, but because it presents a bleak look at what the future of humanity could be. This gloomy vision is accentuated by the performances of Willis and Gordon-Levitt, who manage to make the audience complicit in her misadventures. They achieve this by giving the impression that something that we do not see is always happening in their heads. Whirlwinds of repressed feelings. Full melancholy.
Where to see? At the moment, it is not available on any platform. The Blu-Ray edition can be purchased through Amazon
Moonrise Kingdom: A kingdom under the moon (Dir. Wes Anderson, 2012)
Bruce Willis is not the first actor who comes to mind when talking about a Wes Anderson film. However, a few years ago, the world of cinema witnessed a collaboration between this unlikely duo. Again, this was an opportunity for Willis to flirt with comedy.
In this Andersonian dream, the interpreter plays Duffy Sharp, a police captain who protects and searches for the couple of children in love, Sam and Suzy (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward), when they decide to escape to be together. Sharp is presented as a tender character, but firm when the situation demands it.
Where to see? Available for purchase and rental on Apple TV and Claro Video.
José Roberto Landaverde I am fascinated by writing, listening, reading and commenting on everything related to cinema. I love music and I am a fan of The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and Paramore. My favorite movies are Rocky and Back to the Future and obviously one day I will climb the “Philly Steps” and drive a DeLorean. Faithful believer that cinema is the best teleporting machine, and also that on the big screen we can all see ourselves represented.