A revered theatre actor turned beloved film actor, Alan Rickman was a brilliant talent who created a phenomenal career for himself over his forty-two-year tenure in the arts. Whether it be as an apparent villain in a franchise or villain in one of the greatest action films ever, Rickman was a brilliant actor who is sorely missed.
Rickman was part of some critically acclaimed films over his nearly thirty-year cinematic career and an authority on just how acclaimed these films are is Rotten Tomatoes. With the Tomatometer, moviegoers can get a good gauge on a film’s quality and Rickman has films that are of high quality by the site’s consensus. So, here are the 10 best Alan Rickman movies according to Rotten Tomatoes.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (2009) - 83%
The sixth installment in the iconic Harry Potter franchise, The Half-Blood Prince ends up being our three heroes’ last year at Hogwarts and follows Harry as he discovers more about Voldemort’s past and how to defeat the Dark Lord with impending danger looming.
Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape is iconic and his role in this film is huge, which he plays excellently - as do most of the film’s stars. The movie is dark and visually stunning while continuing the story of the magical world well. The whole sequence near the end is brilliant and the film was one of the series’ best, in the eyes of Rotten Tomatoes that is.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (2002) - 83%
Snape’s role here is not as big as that in The Half-Blood Prince, however, Chamber Of Secrets gets the nod here due to its superior audience score. It is still on the side of childish but develops in tone from the first film following the heroes on a discovery of an evil presence petrifying children at Hogwarts.
The film develops the world from the first film and furthers the story well with stellar performances from the always great cast. The movie may be more for younger viewers but it has some great visuals and its ending has some importance come the series’ conclusion.
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2007) - 85%
Briefly moving away from the magical franchise, Alan Rickman delivers a great turn as the villainous Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd, the classical story of a barber who kills his clients before they are then made into meat pies by his accomplice Mrs. Lovett.
Johnny Depp is the star of the film, getting an Oscar nomination for his turn as the titular character, but Rickman is still great under direction from Tim Burton that works so well. It is strange and wonderful and works the musical element in the story very well. While not Depp’s, nor Rickman’s, nor Burton’s best film, it is still a good turn.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (2005) - 88%
Back again to Rickman’s showings as Prof. Severus Snape, Goblet Of Fire follows Harry as he participates in the dangerous and prestigious Tri-Wizard Tournament and brings the revival of Voldemort to fruition.
Goblet Of Fire is performed excellently by everyone once again, with Snape still not having that major of a role, yet shining when he does appear. The film’s effects are great and the character development throughout is a good continuation from other films. Goblet Of Fire ultimately shines as one of Potter’s best by way of Rotten Tomatoes’ reviews.
GALAXY QUEST (1999) - 89%
Galaxy Quest is a clever satirical comedy in which a group who were formerly sci-fi TV stars are mistaken for real heroes by aliens who take their help in a real-life battle.
It is a film that is clever in its humor and has good effects and production design. The performances are better than the film’s premise would perhaps insinuate, and they deliver the laughs throughout even if the idea behind the film is out there, it is still cleverly made and loved by many.
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (2004) - 90%
The undisputed best of the early group of Potter films, Prisoner Of Azkaban is a brilliantly made movie following our maturing heroes staying aware of a killer named Sirius Black on the loose, with twists and underlying story development along the way.
Directed brilliantly by Alfonso Cuarón, Prisoner Of Azkaban took the Potter franchise into darker territory. It has beautiful cinematography and great performances from everyone involved, from Rickman’s Snape to Michael Gambon’s debut as Dumbledore, as well as great storytelling throughout.
DIE HARD (1988) - 93%
Arguably one of the greatest action films of all time, Die Hard follows Detective John McClane stuck in a hostage situation in an office building orchestrated by the evil Hans Gruber.
The most surprising thing about Die Hard is the fact that it is Alan Rickman’s feature film debut as perhaps action cinema’s greatest villain, he steals every scene and is outstanding throughout. The action and thrills deliver in what is Bruce Willis’ most iconic film. An extremely violent, extremely entertaining and an extreme experience for all fans of action movies.
EYE IN THE SKY (2016) - 95%
Alan Rickman’s final cinematic appearance came in Eye In The Sky, a wartime drama that follows the moral dilemma of a military officer in charge of capturing, and later killing a group of terrorists via airstrike, but a young girl enters the strike zone, creating the dilemma.
The movie is tense and very well acted from a good cast. Rickman delivers as a military officer alongside Aaron Paul as the pilot and Helen Mirren as the colonel in charge of the mission. With such a simple premise, the movie spins it into a powerful, emotional and suspenseful narrative.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 (2011) - 96%
The last installment of the Potter filmography to make it on this list is the final of the Potter filmography, The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Our heroes are collecting Horcruxes and their mission leads them back to Hogwarts, where the final battle unfolds and everything comes to an end.
Rickman gives his final performance as Snape in this film and his last moments are spectacular as audiences are given the true story of the iconic character. The film delivers in every way, from performances from its amazing cast to exceptional visuals, to high stakes to a satisfying ending, and will likely be remembered and watched for generations to come.
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) - 98%
One of the 1996 Oscars’ most nominated films, Sense and Sensibility, based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name, follows three sisters as they find themselves in poverty following their father’s death, with familial responsibilities falling on the eldest sisters who are dealing with their issues.
While not in the biggest role, Rickman still gives a good performance, although it is Emma Thompson who is the star. It is a great adaptation with humor, charm, romance and a best-adapted screenplay Oscar, which Rotten Tomatoes see as Rickman’s best movie.
