Denis Villenueve has made some fantastic movies
French-Canadian filmmaker director Denis Villeneuve is back with his next movie, Dune: Part Two, which comes to theaters on March 1 with a lot of hype and excitement behind it. Here at GameSpot, we loved it, scoring it a 9/10 in our Dune: Part II review. But how have Villenueve's previous films fared over the years with critics? In this gallery, we're listing off Villenueve's 11 films to date (not counting his short films) and ranking them by their scores on GameSpot sister site Metacritic. Metacritic is a review aggregation site that collects review scores and excerpts to determine an overall "Metascore." It is obviously not a totally complete or comprehensive analysis of critical consensus, but it's a start. It's also worth noting that a Metascore is based on reviews from professional critics. Scores from audiences and fans, who might have different opinions, often vary–sometimes substantially so–from critic reviews. If your favorite Villeneuve movie doesn't rank as highly as you hoped, well, that's OK, because everyone perceives art differently. Prisoners is my favorite Villeneueve movie, for example, and it's near the bottom. Villeneuve's highest-ranking movie is Sicario with an 82 Metascore rating. This is one of five films that Villenueve directed but did not write, the others being Prisoners, Enemy, Arrival, and Blade Runner 2024. Some of Villenueve's movies are known, in part, for their beautiful cinematography thanks to the work of Oscar-winner Roger Deakins. He has collaborated with Villenueve three times (Prisoners, Sicario, and Blade Runner 2049), and for each, Deakins earned an Academy Award nomination. All of Villeneueve's movies have been rated generally favorable or better, which speaks to the quality and caliber of what he's capable of from the director's chair. All the more impressive for Villeneueve is that he's had success dating back to the '90s with no major misses. Check out the full rundown of Villeneuve's movie rankings below. And remember, review scores do not tell the full story for any movie or piece of art in general.
11. August 32nd on Earth (1998) – 61
Villeneuve's first feature length film, August 32d on Earth, is also his lowest rated. The official description on IMDB sums it up better than I could, so here you go: "After surviving a car wreck virtually unscathed, a young model compels her best friend to impregnate her at the salt flats in Utah." Some of the narrative choices and themes didn't resonate with everyone, however. August the 32nd on Earth Metacritic Reviews
10. Enemy (2013) – 61
Villenueve was very busy in 2013. Not only was Prisoners released that year, but so was the psychological thriller Enemy. (Technically, Enemy only opened in 2013 at TIFF before going wide in 2014). As it happens, Jake Gyllenhaal stars in both. In this A24 film, Gyllenhaal's character rents a movie and discovers an actor in it who looks just like him. So he goes out and tries to find this person--you guessed it, not everything is as it seems. Critics agreed the movie was generally good but didn't necessarily culminate in a satisfying conclusion. Enemy Metacritic Review Scores
9. Polytechnique (2009) – 63
Polytechnique is based on the 1989 real-life Ecole Polytechnique massacre but told through the lens of two young women who witnessed the horrible shooting. Based on its Metascore of 63, it was generally liked, but some critics still had issues with the film as a complete package. Polytechnique Metacritic Review Scores
8. Maelstrom (2000) – 66
A psychological drama that Villenueve wrote and directed, Maelstrom has a wild concept. It stars Marie-Josee Croze as a woman who falls in love with the son of a man she killed. This is a pretty bizarre film that's narrated by a talking fish. Maelstrom Metacritic Review Scores
7. Prisoners (2013) – 70
A suspenseful and tense thriller, Prisoners stars Hugh Jackman as the father of a young girl who goes missing and is presumed to have been kidnapped. The film also stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a police detective who goes to extreme lengths to get answers. Paul Dano, Viola Davis, David Dastmalchian, and Melissa Leo also star in this haunting film. Prisoners Metacritic Review Scores
6. Dune (2021) – 74
2021's Dune was released simultaneously in theaters and on Max (then known as HBO Max) due to the pandemic. It wasn't Hollywood's first attempt at a Dune movie, as David Lynch wrote and directed a Dune movie in 1984 starring Kyle MacLachlan. But this movie was produced on a much grander scale and it became something of a running joke that every famous person in Hollywood was cast in the movie. Dune Part One Metacritic Review Scores
5. Incendies (2010) – 80
Incendies tells the story of Canadian twins who go on a journey to the Middle east where they discover secrets of the past. It was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. A lot of people very much enjoyed Incendies, but some called it bizarre and contrived in some ways. Incendies Metacritic Review Scores
4. Dune: Part II (2024) – 80
Villenueve's newest film is also near the top for his most acclaimed. Many were wondering if the sequel could live up to the 2021 film, and it seems to have done that and improved upon it in a number of ways, according to reviewers. The second film in a trilogy often runs the risk of feeling like a "bridge" but Part II is, by most accounts, a certified banger. Dune: Part II Metacritic Reviews
3. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) – 81
One of five films that Villenueve directed but did not write is Blade Runner 2049. The film had a lot to live up to, as 1982's Blade Runner from director Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford is a beloved sci-fi film. But 2049 did indeed live up, bringing back Ford and putting Ryan Gosling into a lead role opposite him in what was one of 2017's best movies. Blade Runner 2049 Metacritic Review Scores
2. Arrival (2016) – 81
The sci-fi movie Arrival starring Amy Adams is one of Villenueve's most beloved films and it ranks as his second most highly rated film. Adams plays a linguist called upon to help communicate with aliens when they show up one day. To say more might spoil the movie, but it ranks highly for a reason–it's a good film. Arrival Metacritic Review Scores
1. Sicario (2015) – 82
Sicario, written by Yellowstone's Taylor Sheridan, is Villenueve's highest-rated film ever. It stars Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt, and Josh Brolin as government agents working to bust up a Mexican drug cartel. Things do not go to plan and there are many threads to unravel in this exciting and dark action movie. Sicario Metacritic Review Scores
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