Uncharted is another movie office triumph for Mark Wahlberg, and it’s one of the few times he’s played a supporting part. “Marky Mark” is one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars right now, yet he’s just lately featured in films where he isn’t the starring guy. Wahlberg is one of the few true “movie stars” who still has a passionate fan following in cinemas, despite his forays into streaming with Netflix’s Spenser Confidential and Paramount+’s Infinite.
That has some baggage; Wahlberg is nearly infamous for his outlandish public pronouncements, and his tumultuous history is constantly debated. Wahlberg has recently moved into primarily typical action and comic parts, although he has previously shown that he is prepared to collaborate with auteurs. Who’d have guessed that the former member of the “Funky Bunch” would wind up collaborating with Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, James Gray, and David O. Russell?
Looking at Wahlberg‘s full filmography and considering how diversified it is is fascinating. Mark Wahlberg’s body of work is as unpredictable as he himself, spanning highbrow ventures, studio action features, crowd-pleasing comedies, and the god-awful Transformers sequels. Here is a list of Wahlberg’s top eleven films, ranked.
11. Three Kings (1999)
For Mark Walberg, and especially for writer/director David O. Russell, the 1990s were a very different time. Russell embodied the wild energy of indie filmmakers in the 1990s before becoming an awards favorite with Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. Three Kings is an intriguing mash-up of genres; it’s a hard-edged parody of US foreign policy that takes a hard-genre approach with its heist plot. During the 1991 Iraq war, Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, and Ice Cube feature as a group of soldiers who orchestrate a gold robbery. Russell’s critique on military dehumanization is suited for Wahlberg’s humorously boring approach.
10. The Other Guys (2010)
Mark Walberg and Will Ferrell went on to co-direct the Daddy’s Home trilogy, but their chemistry was far stronger in Adam McKay’s unexpectedly nuanced 2010 buddy comedy. The Other Guys stars Samuel L. Jackson and Christopher Danson as New York detectives who live in the shadow of the city’s most famous heroes, P.K. Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) and Christopher Danson (Christopher Danson) (Dwayne Johnson). When they finally get an opportunity to shine, Mark Walberg and Ferrell unearth a plot involving an eccentric millionaire and police corruption on the inside. Mark Walberg and Ferrell make an excellent team; Ferrell is a laid-back type, while Wahlberg’s character appears to be enraged by everything his partner says.
9. The Italian Job (2003)
F. Gary Gray’s 2003 adaptation of The Italian Job gives substantially more attention to character development than the original 1969 British picture, making it a rare remake that actually outperforms the original. In a heist picture starring Charlize Theron, Seth Green, Jason Statham, and Mos Def, Mark Walberg established that he could share the screen with the likes of Charlize Theron, Seth Green, Jason Statham, and Mos Def. In fact, he’s rather liberal with his screen time. The touching scenes he exchanges with Theron as they lament the loss of their previous team leader (Donald Sutherland) were just what the picture needed to break up the relentless action.
8. The Gambler (2014)
The film is a recreation of the classic James Caan star vehicle from 1974. The Gambler was one of Mark Walberg‘s most ambitious efforts to date. He plays Jim Bennett, Caan’s character, an English professor who gets in over his head after placing a large bet. Wahlberg may be more credible at the poker table than in the classroom, but he doesn’t sugarcoat Bennett’s unlikability. Bennett is a walking trainwreck you can’t take your eyes off of, and The Gambler isn’t your typical crowd pleaser.
7. Deepwater Horizon (2016)
Mark Walberg isn’t renowned for his sensitivity, yet he gives a sensitive portrayal as Mike Williams, a genuine oil drilling rig worker who was entangled in the 2016 oil disaster. Deepwater Horizon delves into BP’s misconduct and how it has disastrous implications for the environment as well as the employees caught up in the leak. Mark Walberg has worked with filmmaker Peter Berg on a number of projects, and he delivers a powerful performance as an ordinary man forced to watch his friends suffer and die. It’s a strong monument to the true victims’ spirit. The concluding moments of the film, when Williams reunites with his family following the mayhem, are tragic.
6. Lone Survivor (2013)
Lone Survivor is Mark Walberg‘s best collaboration with Berg. In First Class Marcus Luttrell, he’s portraying a true hero for the second time, and he demonstrated his appreciation for the service by adhering to strenuous physical standards. It was just as crucial for Luttrell to stand out as a unique character in order to personalize the awful circumstances, and Wahlberg was able to do so. Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), and Matthew Axelson (Ben Foster) are all quite convincing in their bonding moments. The superb chemistry between the four performers intensifies the action-packed third act.
5. All the Money in the World
(2017)
Many debates surrounded the book All the Money in the World. There were pay disparities between Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg after Kevin Spacey was replaced by Christopher Plummer in reshoots. Surprisingly, Mark Walberg provides his most modest performance in this picture. He plays Fletcher Chase, a former spy who works as John Paul Getty’s personal agent (Plummer). Chase has clearly seen his fair share of action, but he also understands the human consequences of his career. Chase tries to assist Gail Getty (Williams) in rescuing her kidnapped son while his boss refuses to help.
4. I Heart Huckabees (2004)
I Heart Huckabees director David O. Russell tends to bring out the best in Mark Walberg, and he’s never been funnier than he is in this film. The bizarre film follows existential detectives Bernard (Dustin Hoffman) and Vivian Jaffe (Lily Tomlin) as they assist distressed customers in discovering the meaning of existence. Tommy Corn (Wahlberg) hunts after the couple because he is obsessed with the petroleum industry’s malfeasance. Wahlberg isn’t known for making radical anti-consumerist sentiments, but he’s amusing as he delivers odd speech after absurd monologue.
3. Boogie Nights (1997)
Boogie Nights is a film about what it means to be famous. When Mark Walberg was developing his own career, he starred as a rising star, and he perfectly embodies the anxiousness of a young actor. Eddie Adams’ journey into the porn icon Dirk Diggler is unexpectedly poignant, and Mark Walberg’s performance might easily have been overshadowed by his outstanding co-stars. Dirk expects to be exploited by producer Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), but he finds his footing when he encounters an unconventional cast and crew who back him up. Dirk experiences the highs and lows of growing up in an unconventional home, thanks to Paul Thomas Anderson, who genuinely humanized the profession.
2. The Fighter (2010)
The Fighter is much more than a motivational boxing film, but it doesn’t make Micky Ward (Mark Walberg) any less of a worthy underdog. Micky is viewed as a “stepping stone” for other fighters, and he is compelled to take responsibility for his chaotic family. Micky works out with his brother Dicky (Christian Bale, who won an Oscar for his portrayal), who is severely underweight owing to his cocaine addiction. Micky faces both physical and emotional challenges as he rises to success, and he knows that Dicky’s main aim is to see him succeed, but he doesn’t know how much longer his brother has.
1. The Departed (2006)
The Departed is one of the finest films of the twenty-first century, with a stellar cast. In a cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin, Vera Farmiga, and Martin Sheen, Mark Walberg manages to steal the show. Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam is the mystery’s foul-mouthed comedic relief, and he may be the only good (and bright) officer who survives. When Mark Walberg isn’t the star, he’s at his best, and in The Departed, he leaves the audience wanting more. While seeing him yell profanities isn’t the only reason The Departed is worth watching again, Mark Walberg‘s acting heightens the film’s dark pleasures.
