The Best Ken Watanabe Movies
List of the best Ken Watanabe movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Ken Watanabe's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Ken Watanabe movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Ken Watanabe movies will be at the top of the list. Ken Watanabe has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Ken Watanabe movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Ken Watanabe films to end the squabble once and for all.
If you think the best Ken Watanabe role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Ken Watanabe performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.
Items on this list include Hei no naka no chûgakkô and Bruce's Fist of Vengeance.
"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Ken Watanabe movies?" and "What are the greatest Ken Watanabe roles of all time?"Christopher Nolan and Clint Eastwood are among those who have directed Ken Watanabe at one point or another during their careers in the film industry.
- 1Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Timothy Spall
- Released: 2003
- Directed by: Edward Zwick
Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is an American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army in the art of modern warfare. As the government attempts to eradicate ...more - 2Zhang Ziyi, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Rob Marshall
In the 1920s, 9-year-old Chiyo (Suzuka Ohgo) gets sold to a geisha house. There, she is forced into servitude, receiving nothing in return until the house's ruling hierarchy determines if she is of ...more - 3Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Long-buried missives from the island reveal the stories of the Japanese troops who fought and died there during World War II. Among them are Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya), a baker; Baron Nishi (Tsuyoshi ...more - Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page
- Released: 2010
- Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a thief with the rare ability to enter people's dreams and steal their secrets from their subconscious. His skill has made him a hot commodity in the world of ...more - 5Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Christopher Nolan
A young Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels to the Far East, where he's trained in the martial arts by Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), a member of the mysterious League of Shadows. When Ducard reveals ...more - 6John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Josh Hutcherson
- Released: 2009
- Directed by: Paul Weitz
Darren (Chris Massoglia) is just like any other teenager, until the day he encounters the Cirque du Freak and a vampire named Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly). After Crepsley turns him into one of ...more - 7Ken Watanabe, Kōji Yakusho, Tsutomu Yamazaki
- Released: 1985
- Directed by: Juzo Itami
Dandelion (aka Tampopo) is a 1985 Japanese comedy film by director Juzo Itami, starring Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kōji Yakusho, and Ken Watanabe. The publicity for the film calls it the ...more - 8John Cusack, Gong Li, Chow Yun-Fat
- Released: 2010
- Directed by: Mikael Håfström
In the months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, an American intelligence official (John Cusack) investigates a friend's death in 1941 China. - 9Ken Watanabe, Asami Mizukawa, Teruyuki Kagawa
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Yukihiko Tsutsumi
Ashita no Kioku/Memories of Tomorrow is a 2006 Japanese drama film starring Ken Watanabe, Higuchi Kanako and directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi. The film is based on a novel of the same title published by ...more - 10Nao Matsushita, Ken Watanabe, Erika Toda
- Released: 2009
- Directed by: Setsurō Wakamatsu
Shizumanu Taiyō is a 2009 Japanese film directed by Setsurō Wakamatsu. It is also known as The Unbroken in the United States. Shizumanu Taiyō is based on a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki which centers on ...more - 11Ken Watanabe, Houka Kinoshita
- Released: 1998
- Directed by: Kichitaro Negishi
Kizuna is a film directed by Kichitaro Negishi. - 12Ken Watanabe, Takako Matsu, Satoshi Tsumabuki
- Released: 2001
- Directed by: Shunsaku Kawake
Chushingura 1/47 is a 2001 Japanese historical movie based on the kabuki tale of the Forty-seven Ronin. The film was made for the Fuji TV Network and was directed by Shunsaku Kawamo. The story tells ...more - 13Ken Watanabe, Sayuri Yoshinaga
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Isao Yukisada
Year One in the North is a film directed by Isao Yukisada. - 14Ken Watanabe, Eiji Okuda, Kyōko Kishida
- Released: 1986
- Directed by: Kei Kumai
The Sea and Poison is a 1986 Japanese film directed by Kei Kumai and based on a novel by Shusaku Endo. It tells the true story of downed American fliers in WW II are vivisected by Japanese surgeons ...more - 15Ken Watanabe, Masako Natsume, Juzo Itami
- Released: 1984
- Directed by: Masahiro Shinoda
MacArthur's Children is a 1984 Japanese film. Describing the impact of the United States' occupation of Japan from the perspective of the inhabitants of a small, rural island community, the film ...more - 16Ken Watanabe, Kyōka Suzuki, Kaori Momoi
- Released: 1997
- Directed by: Kōki Mitani
Welcome Back, Mr.McDonald is a 1997 Japanese film directed by Kōki Mitani. It was popular in Japan upon its release and won 3 Japanese Academy Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Sound, and Best ...more - 17Ken Watanabe, Bruce Le, Jim Gaines
- Released: 1984
- Directed by: Bill James
Bruce's Fist of Vengeance is a 1984 Bruceploitation martial arts movie from the Philippines starring notorious Bruce Lee imitator Bruce Le. - 18Ken Watanabe, Renji Ishibashi, Yōsuke Eguchi
- Released: 2012
- Directed by: Tomoyuki Takimoto
Shouwakusei tansaki hayabusa: Harukanaru kikan is a 2012 Drama film written by Takuya Nishioka and directed by Tomoyuki Takimoto. - 19Ken Watanabe, Yui Natsukawa
- Released: 2010
Tômawari no ame is a 2010 Comedy Drama film written by Taichi Yamada. - 20Ken Watanabe, Hideji Otaki, Joe Odagiri
- Released: 2010
- Directed by: Makoto Kiyohiro
Hei no naka no chûgakkô is a 2010 Drama film written by Makiko Uchidate and directed by Makoto Kiyohiro.