Denzel Washington has been one of the biggest stars in Hollywood for decades now and is also one of very few actors or actresses that can still drive a movie to success based on just the strength of their personal brand alone. His track record is nearly impeccable, and when you see his name above the title, you just know that you’re in for a good film.
The two-time Academy Award winner can often be found in action-driven blockbusters or smaller-scale independent productions where he can stretch his dramatic muscles a bit more. But no matter what he does, it’s rare to find him attached to something you’d classify as a bad movie.
Perhaps one of his best pieces of work though is also one of his earliest. Yes, 1989’s Glory was one of his first major film roles and really marked him as an actor to watch out for. A status he would certainly more than earn after following it up with a string of hits. But if you’ve never seen the historical drama, you’ll soon have the chance to, as it lands on Netflix on September 1st.
For those unfamiliar, the war pic is helmed by Edward Zwick and follows “the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the Union Army’s second African-American regiment in the American Civil War,” showing “the soldiers of the 54th from the formation of their regiment to their heroic actions at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner.”
An incredible film on all fronts, it currently holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%, with critics praising it for the “exceptional cinematography, powerful storytelling” and, of course, an outstanding, Oscar-winning performance by Washington. Glory has since gone on to earn classic status and truthfully, it’s earned it, as it still holds up even several decades later.
If you’ve never seen it and want to catch Denzel Washington in what remains as one of his finest efforts, be sure to check out the film when it hits Netflix next month. Trust us when we say it’s two hours well spent.
