Joss Whedon’s Movies from Best to Worst – RT Critics

Joseph Hill Whedon (born 23 June 1964) is an American filmmaker, composer and comic book writer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-founder of Bellwether Pictures. His best known television work includes creating the TV series’ Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003), Angel (1999-2004), Firefly (2002), Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008), Dollhouse (2009-10), Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-20) and The Nevers (2021). His best known film work includes writing Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997); co-writing Toy Story (1995) and Justice League (2017); writing and directing Serenity (2005), Much Ado About Nothing (2012), The Avengers (2012) and Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), the latter two of which are among the highest-grossing films of all time; and for co-writing and producing The Cabin in the Woods (2011). The following are his 25 films – including credits as writer, director, producer, second unit director, composer and editor, director of reshoots/additional photography, additional dialogue and rewrites – arranged in order from “best” to “worst” according to the collective opinions of Rotten Tomatoes film critics. Contained is each film’s critical approval, average rating and critical consensus (if there is one).

Toy Story (1995)

100% – 9.1/10 (94 reviews)

Entertaining as it is innovative, Toy Story reinvigorated animation while heralding the arrival of Pixar as a family-friendly force to be reckoned with. Read critic reviews

Chance (2002)

100% – 8/10 (1 review)

Speed (1994)

94% – 8/10 (71 reviews)

A terrific popcorn thriller, Speed is taut, tense, and energetic, with outstanding performances from Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, and Sandra Bullock. Read critic reviews

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

92% – 7.9/10 (289 reviews)

The Cabin in the Woods is an astonishing meta-feat, capable of being funny, strange, and scary — frequently all at the same time. Read critic reviews

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014)

92% – 7.8/10 (335 reviews)

Guardians of the Galaxy is just as irreverent as fans of the frequently zany Marvel comic would expect — as well as funny, thrilling, full of heart, and packed with visual splendor. Read critic reviews

The Avengers (2012)

91% – 8.1/10 (363 reviews)

Thanks to a script that emphasizes its heroes’ humanity and a wealth of superpowered set pieces, The Avengers lives up to its hype and raises the bar for Marvel at the movies. Read critic reviews

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

90% – 7.6/10 (308 reviews)

Suspenseful and politically astute, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a superior entry in the Avengers canon and is sure to thrill Marvel diehards. Read critic reviews

Much Ado About Nothing (2012)

86% – 7.6/10 (176 reviews)

Lighthearted to a fault, Much Ado About Nothing‘s giddy energy and intimate charm make for an entertaining romantic comedy — and a Shakespearean adaptation that’s hard to resist. Read critic reviews

Serenity (2005)

82% – 7.2/10 (187 reviews)

Snappy dialogue and goofy characters make this Wild Wild West soap opera in space fun and adventurous. Read critic reviews

X-Men (2000)

82% – 7/10 (174 reviews)

Faithful to the comics and filled with action, X-Men brings a crowded slate of classic Marvel characters to the screen with a talented ensemble cast and surprisingly sharp narrative focus. Read critic reviews

Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope (2011)

82% – 6.9/10 (56 reviews)

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

79% – 7/10 (273 reviews)

With plenty of pulpy action, a pleasantly retro vibe, and a handful of fine performances, Captain America is solidly old-fashioned blockbuster entertainment. Read critic reviews

Marvel Studios’ Thor (2011)

77% – 6.7/10 (291 reviews)

A dazzling blockbuster that tempers its sweeping scope with wit, humor, and human drama, Thor is mighty Marvel entertainment. Read critic reviews

Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

76% – 6.8/10 (376 reviews)

Exuberant and eye-popping, Avengers: Age of Ultron serves as an overstuffed but mostly satisfying sequel, reuniting its predecessor’s unwieldy cast with a few new additions and a worthy foe. Read critic reviews

Marvel Studios’ Thor: The Dark World (2013)

66% – 6.2/10 (285 reviews)

It may not be the finest film to come from the Marvel Universe, but Thor: The Dark World still offers plenty of the humor and high-stakes action that fans have come to expect. Read critic reviews

The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998)

62% – 6/10 (13 reviews)

Twister (1996)

61% – 6.1/10 (67 reviews)

A high-concept blockbuster that emphasizes special effects over three-dimensional characters, Twister‘s visceral thrills are often offset by the film’s generic plot. Read critic reviews

In Your Eyes (2014)

61% – 6.1/10 (18 reviews)

The Quick and the Dead (1995)

58% – 5.9/10 (40 reviews)

The Quick and the Dead isn’t quite the draw that its intriguing premise and pedigree suggest, but fans of nontraditional Westerns should have some rootin’ tootin’ fun. Read critic reviews

Alien Resurrection (1997)

54% – 5.7/10 (82 reviews)

Alien Resurrection marks a slight improvement over its predecessor, but still lacks the emotional stakes that helped make the franchise’s first two entries sci-fi/horror classics. Read critic reviews

Titan A.E. (2000)

50% – 5.7/10 (103 reviews)

Great visuals, but the story feels like a cut-and-paste job of other sci-fi movies. Read critic reviews

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

49% – 5.5/10 (144 reviews)

Atlantis provides a fast-paced spectacle, but stints on such things as character development and a coherent plot. Read critic reviews

Waterworld (1995)

46% – 5.5/10 (63 reviews)

Though it suffered from toxic buzz at the time of its release, Waterworld is ultimately an ambitious misfire: an extravagant sci-fi flick with some decent moments and a lot of silly ones. Read critic reviews

A Place Among the Dead (2020)

40% – 4.5/10 (5 reviews)

Justice League (2017)

39% – 5.3/10 (408 reviews)

Justice League leaps over a number of DC movies, but its single bound isn’t enough to shed the murky aesthetic, thin characters, and chaotic action that continue to dog the franchise. Read critic reviews

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

36% – 4.4/10 (53 reviews)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s supernatural coming of age tale is let down by poor directing and even poorer plotting — though Kristy Swanson and Paul Reubens’ game performances still manage to slay. Read critic reviews

The Getaway (1994)

33% – 4.9/10 (24 reviews)

Index of films

Index of films 2