The 7 Best Spike Lee Movies, Ranked
There aren’t many filmmakers that have rocked the entertainment industry quite like Spike Lee.
In the 40 years since his initial feature-length debut with She’s Gotta Have It, Lee has continued to earn widespread acclaim for his culturally relevant filmography, affording audiences an introspective look at the current state of America’s social classes. Routinely analyzing subjects related to race, income disparity, contemporary politics, and POC representation in mass culture, Lee has boldly veered towards topical discussions most modern directors express discomfort at exploring.
As accomplished as Lee’s career certainly is, like most filmmakers, Lee has overseen production on far more favorably-received movies than other, lesser directorial efforts. From engrossing biopics to cutting-edge comedic satires, here are some of Spike Lee’s greatest films to date, ranked in order from worst to best.
7. Bamboozled (2000)
A quarter of a century later, Bamboozled still remains an indefinable oddity in Lee’s filmography. Though it met with a mixed critical reception upon its release in 2000, Bamboozled quickly garnered a more judicious cult status for its ingenious analysis of Black representation in mass entertainment, from the earliest days of vaudeville to contemporary pop culture. Utilizing a biting sense of humor and an inventive, almost documentary-esque presentation, Bamboozled makes for a thought-provoking social satire as funny as it is genuinely disquieting.
6. Inside Man (2006)
The 2000s and early 2010s may not have been a very kind period in Lee’s career, resulting in a mix of disappointing projects like She Hate Me, Miracle at St. Anna, Oldboy, and Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. Still, Lee occasionally managed to hand in a memorable film throughout this otherwise underwhelming decade, including 2006’s vastly underrated Inside Man. A high-speed thriller bolstered by enjoyable performances from Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Clive Owen, and Christopher Plummer, it’s an intelligent, socially relevant, dizzyingly fast-paced crime film that measures up to the best entries in Lee’s early filmography.
5. 25th Hour (2002)
More often than not, Hollywood opts for a more sensationalized portrayal of the criminal lifestyle, typically showcasing the glamorous lives led by gangsters, drug dealers, and shady business associates who make millions off their unscrupulous ventures. Rather than offering the same romanticized view of organized crime as Scarface, Goodfellas, or The Godfather, Lee’s 25th Hours focuses on the opposite end of the criminal spectrum, showcasing a petty drug dealer’s mounting fears as he experiences a final day of freedom before a seven-year prison sentence. Dark, disturbing, but undeniably thought-provoking in its main premise and characters, it’s a crime drama that continues to hold up as one of Lee’s strongest films of the 2000s.
4. Da 5 Bloods (2020)
The Vietnam War remains a dark chapter in America’s history, culminating in intense riots at home, renewed scrutiny over U.S. foreign policy, and lasting physical, mental, and emotional wounds for soldiers fortunate enough to return from the conflict. Like Platoon or Apocalypse Now before it, Da 5 Bloods focuses on the psychological toll the war had on the average soldiers who fought on the frontlines, as well as the long-term effects the conflict had well into their later years. Treating the historical war with candor and realistic sensitivity, Lee cements his long-awaited comeback with Da 5 Bloods, living up to his equally outstanding BlacKkKlansman and then some.
3. BlacKkKlansman (2018)
Lee’s long-awaited return to form, BlacKkKlansman single-handedly helped Lee regain his rightful place at the forefront of Hollywood’s directorial field, garnering well-deserved attention at various awards ceremonies from Cannes to the Oscars. Based on an extraordinary true case in which a Black Colorado police officer infiltrated a local chapter of the KKK, BlacKkKlansman serves as one of the best biographical comedy dramas in recent memory, proving that – as is so often the case in real life – historical fact is usually far stranger than fiction.
2. Malcolm X (1992)
Lee has always managed to avoid the pitfalls that come with factual biographical dramas, infusing many of his biopics with enough dramatic energy to sustain their lengthier runtimes. Just as he’d later accomplish with BlacKkKlansman, Malcolm X appears as a supportive piece of evidence showcasing Lee’s deft handling of biographical subject matter, allowing him to focus on historical personages in the most nuanced light imaginable. Exploring the life and tragic death of civil rights leader Malcolm X, Lee’s harrowing 1992 epic evaluates Malcolm’s momentous growth from a low-level Boston criminal to a born-again Muslim advocating for racial tolerance.
1. Do the Right Thing (1989)
The fact that Do the Right Thing is as avidly studied, closely analyzed, and universally praised today should tell viewers all they need to know about this classic 1989 comedic drama. Launching Lee from a talented indie filmmaker into a world-renowned auteur almost overnight, Do the Right Thing finds Lee spinning a sprawling tale of racial tensions in the contemporary streets of New York City. Utilizing a massive ensemble cast, Do the Right Thing’s expansive scope and ambiguous narrative leaves plenty of room for interpretation and debate, with every viewer seemingly experiencing a different film based on their beliefs, morals, and preconceived notions of what exactly the “right thing” is to begin with.
