Spielberg Movies: Ranked Worst to Best

He has been one of the most influential and most famous filmmakers in all of history. Multiple generations of viewers have been inspired by his imagination with the screen, and his legacy still stands today with the standing popularity of films such as Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan. Amazingly, he's still at work to this day in creating inspiring feature after inspiring feature. I also love how varied his style is: he's been over the ocean, far into the future, well into the dark periods of the past, introduced us to other worlds, and even brought dinosaurs back to life. They are all seemingly different types of films yet they share one characteristic in common: captivation of what's on the screen. I say this is an artist who deserves to have all his work, both good and bad, memorialized.

So now, to celebrate the premiere of The BFG, Spielberg's 29th feature film, here is my picks for each of his other works ranked from worst to best:

#29. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ​2008

​I never thought it was possible for Cate Blanchett to give a bad performance, but this unneeded sequel proved me wrong. While it certainly has doses of moments scattered here and there that feel just like the original, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is just thoughtless and feels very done at the last minute; all just Spielberg's attempts to fanboy it out over his own property.



#28. The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997

​The only thing that The Lost World: Jurassic Park does better than Crystal Skull is that it at least tries to be an actual movie with something somewhat important to communicate. Other than that, it is nothing besides a dull, overly dramatized bore of a sequel to a movie that was already overrated to begin with. Heck, even the author of the original book said he didn't care for it that much!



#27. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984

​You've probably guessed by now that Spielberg just cannot do sequels. But that's not why I've ranked Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom  low on my list. Kate Capshaw plays without a doubt the worst character in all of Spielberg's movies, doing nothing but whining and screaming to add the only tension in this otherwise scattered, repulsive, and  culturally offensive movie. 



#26. 1941 1979

​Okay, so Spielberg can't do sequels. But you know what else he's just as bad at? Comedies. You probably have never even heard of this black comedy about the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but let me tell you: you're not missing a thing. Virtually all 1941 composes of is offensive Japanese stereotypes, more subplots than you could possibly count, and absolutely no clue as to exactly what style of comedy this needed to be.

#25. The Adventures of Tintin 2011

The Adventures of TIntin is passable enough in telling the journey of this young boy in search for a fortune. But honestly, it's just not a memorable feature in any way (I can barely even remember what the plot was). I mean, the motion-capture computer animation is good, and some action scenes are rather impressive, but this experimental adventure  film of Spielberg's is really only that and nothing more: experimental. 



#24. War of the Worlds 2005

As simple entertainment, War of the Worlds succeeds pretty darn well. As a quality piece of film, this doesn't live up to the hype it had at the time. Tom Cruise's performance is pretty unbearable to watch most of the time, and Dakota Fanning holds the title as Spielberg's second most annoying character. The suspense and tension are still satisfactorily there, but the impact afterwards is not.



#23. The Sugarland Express 1974

The first theatrical release Spielberg has ever directed, The Sugarland Express does give a rather well-acted, well paced thriller of two married convicts on the run in order to retrieve their baby in Texas. But you can otherwise easily tell that it's early into Spielberg's career. It's not quote-on-quote "bad," it's just lacking  in emotional and dramatic impact, particularly in Spielberg's often celebrated cinematic techniques.



#22. The BFG ​2016

It is overall a magical experience that brings out the child in all of us, and brims exactly the same feel the classic children's book has brimmed over the generations. But The BFG just can't be put any higher because of the rather poor acting of the little girl and the relatively uninspired storytelling that offers nothing beyond a dreamy reality. You can read my extended review on it here.



#21. Hook 1991

It's not quite as bad as everyone else makes it out to be, and it's perfectly suitable for families to enjoy together, but where Hook mainly falls flat is the complete confusion of it all. One minute, it seems like a straight-up mystifying fantasy, the next, it's a flat-out slapstick comedy for the kids. On top of that, it has rather overdone performances and plot holes you could sink a ship into.

#20. The Terminal 2004

Probably the simplest and most small-scale feature that Spielberg has ever made, The Terminal tells about an Irish immigrant trapped in an airport with such a heart that is entertaining as well as educational. Tom Hanks proves yet again how he can play just about anything with his vulnerable yet effective portrayal of the immigrant of few words. It's no Citizen Kane, but it's still a heartwarming joy!



#19. Minority Report 2002

I honestly do not think that Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise go well together. They both have talent, but together, they just can't make any material worthwhile. But still, Minority Report is a pretty satisfactory futuristic thriller that gives a good dose of mystery and social commentary guaranteed to keep most any fans of the genre engrossed.



#18. Always 1989

It's okay: not even I knew a thing about this movie before this list. It isn't exactly the masterpiece expected from Spielberg, but Always is still a touching love story between a deceased firefighter and his girl, who he has left on dissatisfied terms. It's also worth noting how this features one of the few appearances of Audrey Hepburn in her saggy-skin days!



#17. Jurassic Park 1993

I said earlier that Jurassic Park is overrated, and I'm sorry to say this, but it kind of is! Now, the special effects used to create the dinosaurs still hold up unbelievably well, and the creation of suspense is both believable and engrossing. What I can't get over is the uninteresting narrative and the most repulsive deus-ex-machina I have ever seen in my life.

#16. A.I. Artificial Intelligence 2001

It's a good take on the future, particularly in what it means to be human. It's got some neat special effects, cinematography, and performance by Haley Joel Osment. But I can't quite recommend A.I. Artificial Intelligence because it's not entirely clear on what it's communicating, and the ending is just straight-up depressing with no upside. Probably wasn't the right movie for Spielberg to take over.



#15. War Horse 2011

The first half of War Horse is a wonderful little journey of a single horse and how he goes from a family pet to a weapon of the battlefield in World War I. The second half loses its personal touch by focusing less on the horse and more on the war. I could have made some changes here and there, but this is still a heartwarming feature that most anyone can enjoy.



#14. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989

By far the best sequel Spielberg has ever directed, possibly because of how he personalized it with the father-son connection played appropriately by Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. It adds so much needed depth to Indiana Jones' character, and gives a satisfying closure to the trilogy that otherwise should have ended after the first one.



#13. Bridge of Spies 2015

As far as Oscar-bait movies go, Bridge of Spies is very by-the-numbers. There isn't much of any impact from this Cold-War era film that basically goes back to Spielberg's old bag of tricks. But still, the acting is strong, the cinematography is pleasing to watch, the storytelling is appropriate, and most to all of the right turns are made. You can read my extended review on it here.

#12. Catch Me If You Can 2002

Here's something that Spielberg can do better than most directors out there: he can take a unique concept and bring out all the things about it that people will find entertaining. Catch Me If You Can does just that: showing how one teenager got rich by conning other businesses through counterfeit checks. Along with incredible performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Christopher Walken, this is recommended for anybody!



#11. Munich 2005

I don't enjoy political thrillers much at all, but the creative integrity that went into Munich is still clearly found. It's the massacre on Israel told from the perspective of the Israeli government. It has the feel of a social thriller and is edited to feel like a political drama; you could almost believe that this was made back in the 1970's when this crisis took place.



#10. Amistad 1997

I doubt any of you would have remembered this slavery-era historical drama. But Amistad is still a dang well-made feature that gives powerful imagery of what slaves shipped from Africa had to suffer. Yet the real stars of the show are the very real performances by Djimon Hounsou, who plays a non-English speaking slave, and Anthony Hopkins, who disappears into his portrayal of president John Adams.



# 9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977

Believe it or not, Star Wars was not the only mega hit sci-fi movie of 1977 to resonate with the public. There was one other, from a close friend of George Lucas' ironically. Even if it is morally questionable at times, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a magically captivating experience that portrays rather realistically how the world would react to an alien invasion. 

#8. Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981

Even to this day, Raiders of the Lost Ark defines everything great about the movies: detailed direction, a captivating world, engrossing characters, a unique concept, a narrative that spans over multiple plots, and too many iconic scenes to name here. I probably could have done with the offensive cultural stereotypes, but this groundbreaking spectacle deserves its title as the definitive popcorn feature!



#7. Empire of the Sun 1987

It kind of drives me crazy how underrated this one is. Never before have I felt so moved by a story of a young boy's journey into manhood through the war between China and Japan. Empire of the Sun has just about anything that makes a valuable film: great performances, an effective character arc, and some of the most gorgeous sunset photography you will ever see.



#6. Jaws 1975

The film that made Spielberg famous, the one that started the summer blockbuster, the one that scared thousands from going into the water: Jaws. What I love about this iconic movie is how it's such an absurd B-movie concept that someone could have come up with on a drunk date, and yet it was told with such drama and such integrity that makes you thirsty for more.


#5. The Color Purple 1985

Yet another underrated masterpiece by the big Spiel: The Color Purple deserves a better reputation than it has gotten over the years. Featuring heartfelt Oscar-nominated performances by Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, this film of Black women empowerment is told with just the right dose of emotion that Spielberg has successfully achieved over his long career.

#4. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 1982

One of my all-time favorite movies, and one of the several imaginative features that inspired me to take up film, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial demonstrates precisely what made Spielberg so respected. It may appear to be a cute story about a boy helping an alien get home, but beneath it lies an autobiography of Spielberg's childhood and what divorce meant to him while in Elliot's place.



#3. Lincoln 2012

There is one thing that Spielberg has significantly improved upon as a director: and that's how he gets the most out of his actors. Lincoln features the defining performance of Daniel Day Lewis' career as the highly respected president, and his character is illustrated with such wisdom and detail, you'd almost wonder if your history textbooks were accurate after all.



#2. Saving Private Ryan 1998

Saving Private Ryan truly is a triumph in filmmaking. It has incredible action sequences, moving character development, powerful acting, stunning cinematography, staggering editing, an impactful social message, and most important of all: a tremendous amount of respect to the soldiers who sacrificed their own lives for the pride and freedom of America.



#1. Schindler's List 1993

This is kind of a cliche pick for the #1 spot at this point, but it wholly deserves it without a question of reason. Schindler's List has become one of the most treasured films of all time for all the right reasons: the length of detail it goes into about the victims of the holocaust is heartbreaking, and the way one Nazi went from a greed to a savior to over a thousand Jews is a story everybody needs to see at once. So Steven Spielberg, thank you so much for all you gave to make this picture and change the world with your own Jewish background. Because of you, one life was saved along with the world entire.

Thanks for taking a look at my list. I encourage you to check out several of the top 5 films on my list, as some of them are impactful as well as important. But now I'm curious: what's your favorite Spielberg movie? What do you think deserves the #1 spot, or the #29 spot? More importantly, what other directors' movies do you want me to rank in the future?

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I'm hopeful that my list has helped you make your movie-watching selection easier. Happy Watching! :)