Gerard Butler’s work is timeless. The actor recently took to Instagram to celebrate four of his older movies charting on Netflix’s Top 10. Interestingly, it isn’t the first time this has happened. Butler’s movies always shoot to the top whenever they are added to any streaming service. Why? Either he has done so much work that people keep discovering new gems every time, or his work is so good that people always sign up for repeat viewing. One thing is clear, though: Butler is an ideal actor if you’re looking for quick, pure entertainment.
Even though it took Butler a while to become a true star, he was lucky enough to be part of major projects early in his career. His earliest roles came in films like Tomorrow Never Dies, alongside Pierce Brosnan, Reign of Fire, alongside Christian Bale, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, alongside Angelina Jolie. He is perfect in all of these blockbusters, but those who really want to see the best of him should watch the following 10 movies.
‘Coriolanus’ (2011)
Based on William Shakespeare’s play of the same name, Coriolanus concerns the woes of Caius Marcius Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes), a Roman general, who, despite his numerous military conquests, becomes despised for his arrogance. After his downfall, he teams up with his former foe, Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler), the commander of the Volscian army, in an effort to regain lost glory.
A Perfect Companion to ‘300’
Coriolanus didn’t make much at the box office, but it is widely considered one of the most creative films about the Roman Empire. For his directorial debut, Fiennes doesn’t just present a standard sword-and-sandal canvas. He places Shakespeare’s original text into a contemporary, pseudo-Balkan setting. Thanks to this approach, the movie even has TV anchors as characters. Insane! Once again, Butler brings his tough-guy aura, and thanks to his great chemistry with Fiennes, audiences get treated to one of the Brit’s most inspiring performances.
‘The Vanishing’ (2018)
Three Scottish men — James (Gerard Butler), Thomas (Peter Mullan), and Donald (Connor Swindells) — have arrived on a six-week shift at the Flannan Isles Lighthouse. The seemingly boring gig gets interesting when they discover a wrecked boat, an unconscious man, and a chest filled with gold. As expected, greed, distrust, and paranoia play out. Who among them will come out on top in The Vanishing?
Work Can Wait
A treasure saga is a stellar way to jam-pack a picture with stars and more stars! Watch for Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, briefly dominating the proceedings with his rich bass voice. And if you’ve ever wanted to see a truly unhinged version of Butler that isn’t necessarily a villain, settle for The Vanishing. You’ll despise him, but this kind of film needs no saints. Beyond that, the cinematography is brilliant, thanks to location photography at the Mull of Galloway in Port Logan harbor and the Killantringan Lighthouse.
‘Greenland’ (2020)
Armageddon is here. A large comet is racing towards Earth in Greenland, and to ensure humanity doesn’t become extinct, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) selects a few privileged individuals for emergency sheltering in underground bunkers in Greenland. Structural engineer John Garrity (Gerard Butler) is one of them, but getting his estranged wife and their diabetic son to the safe location won’t be easy.
Another Fun Race-Against-Time Movie
Director Ric Roman achieves surprising detail and emotional depth by contrasting Garrity’s family issues against the geographical quagmire that keeps swelling. He draws on classic themes of hope and acceptance, right and wrong, while tapping into Butler’s inner acting emotions rather than his action skills. Interestingly, Greenland never became one of the numerous COVID-19 flops. It made an impressive $52.3 million in theaters, despite premiering at the height of the pandemic.
‘Copshop’ (2021)
For a criminal, a jail cell can be safer than an open street. Con artist Teddy Murretto (Frank Grillo) thus sucker-punches a police officer early in Copshop, hoping to get himself arrested so that he can avoid his enemies. The plan doesn’t quite work out like he hoped. Tasked with whacking Teddy, hitman Bob Viddick (Gerard Butler) deliberately gets himself locked up, too. All eyes are now on the on-duty rookie officer, Valerie Young (Alexis Louder), who is about to have the longest night of her life.
Butler vs. Grillo
Harkening back to traditional limited-location plots while exploring genre basics, this fast-paced film is a joy for all ages. Endlessly claustrophobic, the action thriller never bothers audiences with too much dialogue; just tension, violence, and a few great twists. No one had any doubts that the final product would be great when two of the greatest action stars of our time (Butler and Grillo) were cast in the same film. But they don’t take all the glory. Alexis Louder is likely to trigger an ovation, too.
‘Den of Thieves’ (2018)
Den of Thieves stars Butler as “Big Nick” O’Brien, a feared Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detective heading an elite anti-crime unit. His focus is on Ray Merrimen (Pablo Schreiber), a former Marine turned criminal who has assembled a heist crew to rob the Federal Reserve Bank. The crew’s seemingly harmless driver, Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), soon emerges as the most crucial element to the success of both sides.
No One Is Clean
The film’s striking visual flair and bulky dialogue make it an audacious criminal fable with an impactful punch. Director Christian Gudegast coaxes exemplary performances from his players, especially Butler — whose merciless Nick maintains a condescending tone — and Jackson, playing a naive man who knows a lot. Great turns by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Pablo Schreiber also elevate Den of Thieves to greater heights. Be keen on that iconic shootout later on. It has Michael Mann’s Heat written all over it.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)
How to Train Your Dragon transports us to the mythical Norse village of Berk, where every young person has to train to be a dragon slayer. Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), the weak teen son of the village chieftain, Stoick the Vast (voiced by Butler), intends to adhere to the tradition, but after injuring a rare Night Fury dragon, his conscience surfaces. He then forms a beautiful friendship with the creature, convincing everyone that dragons aren’t as bad as implied.
Better Than the Live-Action Version
Forget the recent live-action remake. Watch this slyly subversive fantasy ode to Norse mythology. How to Train Your Dragon was nominated for the Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score at the Oscars and received 14 nominations at the Annie Awards. The intimate, involving story perfectly examines the dark and often perverse nature of traditions with a great sense of compassion. There is a bigger message, too: man and animal need to coexist peacefully for the world to truly blossom. Butler is confident in a rare voice role, and the music makes everything a lot more enjoyable.
‘Law Abiding Citizen’ (2009)
Engineer Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) becomes furious when the man who murdered his wife and child during a home invasion is only given a slap on the wrist by the justice system. Years later, he launches meticulously planned violent assassinations targeting everyone involved in the case. Even after getting captured, he manages to outsmart the authorities from his cell. Eager to stop him is the prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx). Will he make any progress in Law Abiding Citizen?
Justified or Not
The haunting tragedy of Law Abiding Citizen’s opening (the most memorable of any F Gary Gray film) is matched by the intensely tear-jerking tone of its ending. No director could have brought a more devilishly measured tension to the climax. Nominated for a Saturn Award as the Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film of the year, the movie benefits from the talents of Butler and Foxx, the former bringing an unusual menace and the latter channeling the same anxiety he did in Collateral. Even more evident is the commentary on trauma and the flaws of the justice system.
‘Olympus Has Fallen’ (2013)
Early in Olympus Has Fallen, independent North Korean terrorists launch a coordinated assault on the White House. Aided by ex-Secret Service agent-turned-private security contractor Dave Forbes (Dylan McDermott), they capture the President and several other top US officials hostage. Former Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Butler), who was recently reassigned to the Treasury Department, springs back into action.
Doing Everything To Save POTUS
Deftly satirizing the delusional nature of terrorists and cleverly alluding to genre classics like Air Force One and In the Line of Fire, Olympus Has Fallen is by turns shocking, inspiring, annoying, and tragic. While several personal moments are interspersed in the story, to keep audiences slightly (but understandably) off-balance, two scenes will stay with you always: the aerial assault on Washington, D.C., and the First Lady’s death. Action lovers should not miss this unique treat, which is arguably the best in the film series.
‘Plane’ (2023)
Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler), a former RAF pilot from Scotland, is now flying the commercial Trailblazer Airlines Flight 119. When lightning strikes in the middle of a flight, he saves the passengers by making a risky landing on a random island he has just spotted. It turns out the place is infested with rebels, who soon take everyone hostage. Left with options, Torrance teams up with homicide suspect Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), who was being extradited to Canada, to take on the enemy. So the games begin in Plane.
Basic Yet Wildly Entertaining
Plane has a B-movie feel about it. It was a shot on a shoestring, with a mostly non-professional cast, yet the result is miraculous. This is a story at once melancholic, exhilarating, and inspiring, about two men from both society’s top and bottom rungs, who end up needing each other more than they ever realized. Thanks to his combination of resourcefulness and courage, Torrance easily emerges as one of the most likable movie pilots.
‘300’ (2006)
Zack Snyder hit his peak with 300, and he somehow struggled to stay on that wavelength. The film is a slightly fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae, which occurred during the Greco-Persian Wars. In it, King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) leads 300 skilled Spartans into battle against the Persian “God-King” Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his vast army of 300,000 men. Now that’s a mismatch. But is it?
This Is Sparta!
Adapted from Frank Miller’s similarly titled 1998 comic book series, 300 is one of the best-looking, CGI-heavy films you’ll ever see. Snyder expertly romances the painterly environment of the era, and the tale, which could have been grim under another filmmaker, bursts with bold dialogue and humanity. This picture not only heralded the arrival of a gifted director but also showed the world what Butler was made of. With his ripped physique and ability to stretch his mouth to the elastic limit while giving orders, he earned himself a place as a member of Hollywood’s elite.
