Paul Walker's 15 Biggest Films, Ranked Worst To Best

Paul Walker enjoyed a lengthy career in Hollywood that carried him through various roles in several unique movies before his unfortunate death in 2013 at just 40 years old. Fans likely remember him best as Brian O'Conner in the "Fast and Furious" franchise, but the talented and handsome actor also appeared in critical hits such as "Pleasantville," "Joy Ride," and Clint Eastwood's "Flags of Our Fathers," and served as executive producer on the films "Vehicle 19," "Hours," and "Pawn Shop Chronicles." He even enjoyed a guest spot on National Geographic's "Expedition Great White" in 2009.

In his youth, Walker popped up in a variety of high-profile TV shows, among them "Highway to Heaven," "Charles in Charge," "Who's the Boss," and "Touched by an Angel," before making the leap to schlocky B-movie horror films such as "Tammy and the Rex," opposite Denise Richards, in which his character's brain somehow lands inside a Tyrannosaurus Rex. From there, he appeared in "Meet the Deedles," the aforementioned "Pleasantville," as well as the teen drama "Varsity Blues," and the rom-com "She's All That" before landing a starring gig in Rob Cohen's "The Skulls." Cohen would then cast Walker in "The Fast and the Furious," which emerged as a surprise box office hit in 2001 and catapulted him and Vin Diesel to superstar status.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Walker appeared in more than 44 roles, cumulatively amassing in excess of $4 billion at the worldwide box office. But which of his films is the best? Read on to find out!

"Timeline" is such a curiously lousy movie that it's hard to see why anyone thought it would work. There's talent on both sides of the camera. Paul Walker, Frances O'Connor, Gerard Butler, Billy Connolly, Anna Friel, David Thewlis, Neal McDonough, and Michael Sheen star, while acclaimed director Richard Donner directs from a screenplay based on the novel by Michael Crichton. What could possibly go wrong? Well, quite a lot, actually.

Nothing works in this picture. It's a colossal stinker — a massive failure. Yet, I've seen it at least 20 times. Why? Because, well, it's fun, the type of film you can laugh at and even appreciate in a totally unusual way. Yeah, that may sound like a backhanded compliment, but "Timeline" has some exciting ideas and a few striking medieval battles competent enough to stir one's attention on a hot Saturday afternoon. 

Walker plays the blandly written Chris Johnston, but to his credit, I still found him mildly engaging as an action hero. "Timeline" contains some fantastic moments but functions best as a guilty pleasure thanks to bits like this unintentionally hilarious scene. Turn your brain off and enjoy.

Walker's career took a dip after "Joy Ride," "2 Fast 2 Furious" (comparatively speaking!), and Richard Donner's "Timeline" failed to generate many waves at the box office. So, he did the sensible thing and teamed up with the lovely Jessica Alba for "Into the Blue," a movie more remembered for its bikinis and swim trunks than for plot or acting. Director John Stockwell treats audiences to gorgeous underwater sequences and a few thrilling action scenes — at least when his camera isn't fawning over Alba and Ashley Scott's scantily clad bodies — but can't overcome a terrible script that renders "Into the Blue" as little more than a beautiful screensaver.

Negatives aside, Walker and Alba do what they can with the material about a group of vacationing teens who happen upon a crashed plane full of drugs. The pair, who share an easy chemistry, believably portray a couple trying their best to deal with a sticky situation that continues to escalate.

Walker would eventually rebound with "Eight Below" and "Flags of Our Fathers" before returning to the "Fast Saga." Let's call this one a forgettable, though understandable, side detour. After all, who wouldn't want to spend a few months snorkeling in the Bahamas with Jessica Alba?

As we get lower on this list, the films are more bad than good. "The Skulls" rates as just downright awful, but "Running Scared" is a striking misfire full of visual panache, fun performances, and a kinetic pace that holds one's attention for a few hours. Walker stars as Joey Gazelle, a family man who works for a dangerous mobster (Johnny Messner). A mishap involving guns forces Joey to go on the run to protect his family from his associates and the cops.

Walker leads a fantastic cast that includes Vera Farmiga, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Cudlitz, and Elizabeth Mitchell. He goes all in with his performance. Unfortunately, writer/director Wayne Kramer can't lift the material beyond its B-movie trappings. Instead, he cakes each scene with F-bombs galore and gratuitous violence, almost as though trying to distract audiences from the flimsy plot.

Don't let that frighten you away. "Running Scared" is a fascinating exercise in deplorable excess, an ultimately watchable piece of pulp cinema that takes a few creative swings and periodically strikes a nerve. If anything, the picture stays with you long after the credits roll, for better or worse.

Look, "2 Fast 2 Furious" is about as dumb as its title, but everyone involved understands they're not exactly making Shakespeare. So, while this silly sequel will likely induce more eye rolls than fist pumps, it's still an effective piece of popcorn cinema, right down to Cole Hauser's insane performance as drug lord Carter Verone. Paul Walker and Tyrese Gibson can't replicate Dom and Brian's easygoing chemistry, but the pair work well enough to keep the human drama afloat even when director John Singleton pushes the absurdity to the brink.

Still, coming on the heels of "The Fast and the Furious," this follow-up curiously lacks the secret ingredient that makes these films pop: the familial angle. Mock Dom's "all about family" vibes as much as you want to, but that's the only thing distinguishing the "Fast Saga" from other action franchises. We love the cars, the gals (hello, Eva Mendes!), and the spectacle, but you never turn your back on family.

I applaud the decision — in the absence of Vin Diesel — to focus more on Brian's adventures in the sequel. With a better supporting cast and a stronger script, "2 Fast 2 Furious" could have been an easy slam dunk. Instead, this sequel delivers nonstop action but lacks the heart and soul needed to drive the picture home.

I went back and forth between "Varsity Blues" and "She's All That," and ultimately decided on the former mainly because it better utilizes Walker's laid-back charm. In this late 90s football epic, Walker plays Lance, an amiable quarterback for the West Canaan Coyotes, whose career topples after ruthless coach Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight) forces him to play on an injured knee. The injury allows Lance's buddy Mox (James Van Der Beek) to take over starting QB duties, which leads to plenty of teenage melodrama, a whipped-cream bikini, and one of those last-second game-winning touchdowns you've likely seen countless times before.

"Varsity Blues" isn't subtle, but the cast is charming, and the story is often quite engaging. Sure, "Friday Night Lights" did it all better a few years later, but there's a crackle to "Varsity Blues" — and a diamond-in-the-rough feeling — not often found in your typical sports drama.

Moreover, rather than portray Lance as an atypical jock, W. Peter Lliff's script makes him a likable superstar willing to help his pals at any cost. Walker is perfectly cast in the role and pleasant enough to make one root for his character's success late in the film.

Remember when "The Fast and the Furious" was just a silly "Point Break" knockoff with street racers instead of surfer bros? Compared to the onslaught of increasingly overstuffed sequels, Rob Cohen's 2001 original feels like a low-budget stage play emphasizing character development and plot rather than extravagant action — which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you expect from this franchise. There are a few eye-pleasing set pieces, but each feels like a necessary story beat rather than an obligatory sequence stuffed into the plot to hold teenage viewers' attention. Indeed, the final standoff between Brian — an FBI agent who goes undercover to bust professional street racer Dominic Toretto but eventually comes to appreciate his criminal buddy's (Vin Diesel voice) family — contains a surplus of tension and concludes the film on a deeper note than one had any right to expect. 

Through it all, Walker, who shares top billing with Vin Diesel, carries himself well despite the cringy dialogue — "I like the tuna here!" — and half-baked premise. His beach-blond hair and piercing blue eyes perfectly embody the early 2000s action star. It's a shame Brian's character never developed beyond that guy who hangs out with Dom. Given the proper "Fast and Furious" script, I think Walker could have supplied the goods.  

"Takers" inexplicably gets a bad rap. Here we have a solidly entertaining heist flick with a strong cast, an adequate plot, and a few punchy action scenes. Walker stars alongside Idris Elba, Matt Dillon, Hayden Christensen, and Zoe Saldana, "Takers" follows a group of robbers who set out to pull one last score ... with predictable results. Think Michael Mann's "Heat," albeit without the massive scope or complex characters.

John Luessenhop's ambition far exceeds his grasp, but "Takers" is still mindless fun that occasionally rises to a level best described as trash art.

Walker disappears in the massive ensemble. We never learn much about his character outside of a few choice action beats. He drives cars, fires guns, and looks good in a suit, but I'd be lying if I said his performance anchors the production. The man doesn't do anything to stand out from his peers, which means "Takers" is a good film that happens to feature Paul Walker as opposed to a good Paul Walker film, hence why it ranks a little lower on the list.

Right after his first stint in the "Fast and Furious" franchise, Walker tried his hand at horror and gave us the under-appreciated "Joy Ride," in which he teams up with Steve Zahn to battle a deranged truck driver during a cross-country road trip.

As directed by John Dahl, "Joy Ride" loses steam in its second half, when it becomes predictable schlock. Still, Walker, Zahn, and supporting player Leelee Sobieski are a blast to watch, and the various homages to Steven Spielberg's "Duel" are sumptuous bits for cinephiles to savor. Walker displays his natural charm in a role that doesn't demand all that much from the actor aside from looking worried constantly.

That sums up Walker's career in a nutshell. With the right director and material, he could be so much more than window dressing. "Joy Ride" certainly gets the job done and deserves credit for placing Walker in a unique new genre. Still, it's fair to say the young man's golden locks prevented the Hollywood elite talent from casting him in more worthwhile ventures.

After a long hiatus in which Vin Diesel and Paul Walker ventured off alone, the pair regrouped for 2009's "Fast & Furious." This latest outing sees Dom and Brian battling a ruthless heroin importer (John Ortiz) and — you know what? Forget it. By now, you get the gist. What matters here are the cars, the girls, and the action. Thankfully, director Justin Lin displays an extraordinary knack for high-octane chases and big-budget spectacles. You've seen it all before, but it's never looked this good — or sounded this loud.

For Walker, "Fast & Furious" marked a welcome return to form following half a decade's worth of good but not great projects. The man fits so snugly into the Brian O'Conner role that it's hard to see him do anything else. By 2009, Walker had matured as an actor and could pump more life into his FBI agent- turned-criminal. He shines in "Fast & Furious," and demonstrates outstanding skills as an action star. At this juncture, it was fair to ask why we never got a spinoff series focused entirely on Brian's FBI adventures — and no, "2 Fast 2 Furious" doesn't count.

There's an unwritten rule in Hollywood that every actor must sooner or later star opposite an animal, preferably a dog. Tom Hanks did it, as did Jack Nicholson and Eddie Murphy. So, while "Eight Below" might seem like an unexpected change of pace for Walker, the man was merely following the greats on his journey to A-list status.

That said, "Eight Below" is a fun little adventure that's kinda sorta based on a true story about a group of sled dogs — two Alaskan Malamutes and six Siberian Huskies — who are left behind at an Antarctica research base where they must endure the bitter elements until their owner (Walker) returns. Walker plays second fiddle to the adorable dogs, whose misadventures make up the bulk of the film. However, I believe his character would do anything to rescue his furry pals. Walker knows how to express determination and effectively sells the character's love for his dogs. And the actor more than holds his own against human co-stars Bruce Greenwood and Jason Biggs.

"Eight Below" is trite, predictable, and safe, but Walker and his dogs elevate the material above the usual family movie fare.

Following a successful franchise relaunch in 2009 and 2011's enormously entertaining "Fast Five," the "Fast Saga" was hitting on all cylinders, leading to perhaps the series' most bonkers entry, "Fast & Furious 6" — or, the one with the tank and the hilarious finale with the long-a** runway. Somehow, director Justin Lin keeps the wild antics moving along at a nice clip and manages to make a soap opera-y amnesia subplot involving Michelle Rodriguez's Letty feel less ludicrous than it is.

Walker's Brian O'Conner, no longer hampered by his FBI obligations, has more to do on this go-round and stands front and center for one of the film's most thrilling moments. During the tank chase, Roman (Tyrese Gibson) requires assistance. Brian notices a pile of debris, lets out a "Screw it," launches his Ford Escort RS 2000 Mark 1 into the air, lands on the other side of the freeway, and helps Roman escape his predicament.

Brian may serve as second fiddle to Dom and spends far too much time trying to impress his muscle-bound pal, but he always earns his moment in the spotlight. "Fast & Furious 6" marks Walker's best work as Brian, here portrayed as relaxed and confident. The bit where he goes to prison to interrogate Braga (Ortiz) and ends up battling a trio of baddies is a blast.

In "Flags of Our Fathers," Clint Eastwood deconstructs the American war hero by examining the events surrounding the flag raising on Iwo Jima. Through the famed director's crafty lens, we get to know the men immortalized in Joe Rosenthal's legendary photo and see them as regular, flawed human beings caught up in a violent conflict that ultimately changed their lives forever. 

Walker plays the small but pivotal role of Sergeant Hank Hansen, who many incorrectly identified as one of the flag raisers in the iconic photograph. As it turns out, Hansen raised a flag atop Iwo Jima, but not the flag that would go on to fame and glory. Later, Hansen, a well-respected soldier, suffers a grim fate when he is struck in the chest by enemy fire — an event witnessed by John Bradley (Ryan Phillippe) in the film. 

It's certainly not the most eye-popping Walker performance, but it was great to see him flex his acting chops in a project that didn't feature fast cars or Vin Diesel.

Asking me to pick the best "Fast and Furious" flick is like forcing me to choose my favorite band. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and each entry delivers precisely what viewers expect: fast cars, hot women, and a whole lot of bromance. If I had to choose, I'd say the best of the bunch is "Fast Five," better known as "the one with the vault." Here, the stunning set pieces, well-staged action, and performances all mesh perfectly, resulting in an endlessly watchable, high-octane thrill ride.

Everyone, including Walker, has grown tremendously over the years. While the man's acting was never in the realm of, say, Marlon Brando, Walker still fits the role of Brian O'Conner like a glove, and his attempts to win over Dom's admiration remain the best running gag in the series. Brian was always the supporting character, but he also functions as the beating heart of the franchise. Without him, you get, well, "The Fate of the Furious," which was just, ah, not as good.

Toss in Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a — checks notes — Diplomatic Security Service agent, a terrific supporting cast consisting of the usual suspects — Jordana Brewster, Gal Gadot, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, and Sung Kang — and one of the better finales in the franchise, and you have yourself one helluva ride. So sit back and enjoy the show, folks.

Deep, moving, and wholly original, Gary Ross' delectable "Pleasantville" sees Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon sucked into a 1950s-era sitcom where everything and everyone is perfect and ... rather lifeless. No, really. The world, including its inhabitants, is black and white, like in an old TV show. So it's up to our two modern-day teenyboppers to break the mold and show the residents of Pleasantville their true colors, literally and figuratively.

Walker plays local town hunk Skip Martin, whose good looks outweigh his naïveté. Eventually, he shacks up with Witherspoon's Jennifer (dubbed Mary Sue) and learns to see the, um, brighter side of life, which allows him to transform into a more colorful personality — again, both literally and figuratively. "I think I might be ill," Skip says when his first makeout session produces a, um, happy reaction. "Something's happening to me!" The actor's part is relatively small, but Walker does the most with his limited screen time and demonstrates the charisma that would define his later performances.

Overall, "Pleasantville" is the type of movie that sticks with you thanks to its incredible cast, imaginative story, gorgeous visuals, and profound themes. There aren't many like it.

"Furious 7" is not the best overall film in Paul Walker's portfolio, but it's undoubtedly the one that packs the biggest emotional gut punch. Fans of the "Fast Saga" know that Walker died while filming the seventh installment in the popular franchise and never finished his work. Somehow, director James Wan completed production by deploying a combination of computer effects, body doubles, and deleted scenes to give Brian O'Conner a proper sendoff, and resulting in a heart-wrenching finale powerful enough to make grown men cry. We last see our hero pulling up alongside Dom in a 1995 Toyota Supra Mark IV. He smiles before accelerating and heading in a different direction while Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again" plays over the soundtrack. It's a tasteful end for the beloved character, compelling enough to propel "Furious 7" to the top of the charts.

Now, the film itself is a mixed bag overall. Aside from a few stunning set pieces — the mountain chase is phenomenal — Jason Statham's appearance as bad guy Deckard Shaw, and a brief cameo by the always reliable Kurt Russell, "Furious 7" doesn't boost the franchise in unique new directions. Instead, Wan sticks to the formula and delivers a competent crowd-pleaser that lacks the ingenuity of its predecessors. It's always fun to hang out with Dom and the gang, but Walker's last ride is why this chapter carries any value.