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!

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?

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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.

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.