The 10 Most Underrated Will Smith Movies, Ranked (From Least to Most Underrated)

Will Smith’s filmography stretches across action, drama, sci-fi, and more, with many titles that slipped past the spotlight despite notable craft and ambitious ideas. This countdown looks at ten projects that showcase different sides of his career, from early stage-to-screen work to large-scale experiments with new technology.

You will find thrillers, character studies, and genre blends that pair Smith with acclaimed directors and ensembles. Each entry includes key production details, settings, and context so you can see where it fits in his career and why it stands out in the broader picture of his work.

10. ‘Gemini Man’ (2019)

Ang Lee directs this action thriller in which Smith plays a government assassin who confronts a younger clone of himself. The production used high-frame-rate presentation in select theaters and extensive digital de-aging to create the younger character, with visual effects teams building a photoreal performance for close-up dialogue and action scenes. Filming took place in locations such as Cartagena and Budapest alongside stateside shoots.

The cast includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead as an intelligence operative, Clive Owen as the head of a private program, and Benedict Wong as a pilot who assists the lead. The story follows an operative trying to retire while a covert project targets him, leading to set pieces on city streets, canals, and historic sites. The release positioned the film as a technology showcase while pairing Smith with a director known for pushing format boundaries.

9. ‘Collateral Beauty’ (2016)

David Frankel’s ensemble drama centers on an advertising executive coping with loss who writes letters to Love, Time, and Death. The narrative introduces three struggling actors hired to embody those themes, which places Smith opposite Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, and Jacob Latimore in scenes that blend street encounters and staged conversations across New York City. The production used Manhattan neighborhoods and holiday-season backdrops to frame its story.

The supporting cast also features Edward Norton, Naomie Harris, Kate Winslet, and Michael Peña as friends and colleagues who set the plan in motion. The film explores workplace dynamics, theatre rehearsal spaces, and family therapy sessions, with intersecting subplots that resolve through meetings, performances, and reconciliations. Warner Bros. released the movie during the end-of-year corridor with a wide rollout.

8. ‘Hancock’ (2008)

Peter Berg directs this original superhero movie about a powerful man with public-relations problems who is introduced to a branding expert played by Jason Bateman. The screenplay is credited to Vy Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan, and it presents an origin that unfolds through memory gaps and personal connections. The production combines practical stunts with large-scale digital work for destructive set pieces in downtown settings.

Charlize Theron co-stars in a role that reframes the lead character’s history and abilities. The film tracks community outreach efforts, media strategies, and city government responses as the hero’s image is reshaped. It opened in the summer corridor and led the box office on its debut, later adding an extended cut for home release with additional character material.

7. ‘Focus’ (2015)

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, this crime drama follows a veteran con artist who takes on a new recruit played by Margot Robbie. The story moves from training sessions and controlled lifts in New Orleans to a high-stakes operation in Buenos Aires, using luxury hotels, racetrack boxes, and corporate hospitality suites as key locations. The production emphasizes wardrobe and close-up sleight-of-hand to sell its techniques.

Supporting players include Rodrigo Santoro and Gerald McRaney, who anchor the South America chapter through security details and executive entourages. The film sets up rules for long cons, team roles, and the use of misdirection in crowded spaces. Warner Bros. handled distribution, and the soundtrack blends contemporary cuts with jazz cues to match the setting transitions.

6. ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ (1993)

This adaptation of John Guare’s stage play casts Smith as a charming young visitor who insinuates himself into the lives of Manhattan art dealers. Fred Schepisi directs the film with a focus on gallery circles, Upper East Side apartments, and dinner parties where the protagonist spins stories about family ties and celebrity connections. The screenplay preserves the play’s structure while opening scenes to city exteriors and campus spaces.

The ensemble features Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland, whose characters recount the chain of events to friends and acquaintances. The production traces how a single encounter ripples through a network of social contacts, including art buyers, actors, and students. Channing received an Academy Award nomination for her performance, and the film remains a key early credit that broadened Smith’s dramatic profile.

5. ‘Men in Black 3’ (2012)

Barry Sonnenfeld returns for this time-travel entry that sends Agent J back to the late sixties to work with a younger Agent K. Josh Brolin portrays the younger partner with vocal and physical mannerisms that mirror the established character, while Jemaine Clement appears as the antagonist whose plan intersects with the Apollo launch window. The movie recreates period details across diners, motor lodges, and Cape Canaveral-adjacent sets.

New York City locations provide present-day sequences, including headquarters walk-and-talks and a rooftop chase. The film integrates practical creature effects with digital aliens and features a cameo that places the agents inside a factory of pop art. Danny Elfman returns to score, continuing the signature musical identity of the series.

4. ‘I, Robot’ (2004)

Alex Proyas directs this near-future thriller that draws on ideas and terminology from Isaac Asimov’s stories. Smith plays a detective who investigates a death at a robotics corporation while encountering a machine with atypical behavior performed through motion capture by Alan Tudyk. The production builds a skyline with elevated roadways and automated traffic to depict a tech-forward version of Chicago.

Bridget Moynahan co-stars as a company scientist, and Bruce Greenwood appears as an executive whose decisions drive the corporate timeline. The plot references the Three Laws and introduces a central AI system that oversees household helpers and industrial units. Action sequences move through labs, storage sites, and tunnels, mixing practical rigs with CG swarms of robots for large-scale visuals.

3. ‘Concussion’ (2015)

Peter Landesman’s drama tells the story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist who identifies a degenerative brain disease in professional football players. Smith portrays the doctor’s research process, including autopsy work, peer review, and publication that triggers responses from league representatives and medical consultants. The production uses Pittsburgh facilities and office interiors to stage hearings, meetings, and press interactions.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays Prema Mutiso, while Alec Baldwin appears as a former team doctor who becomes an ally. The film tracks case studies that connect symptoms across athletes and shows how findings move from lab slides to national discussion. Smith received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the leading role.

2. ‘Enemy of the State’ (1998)

Directed by Tony Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, this thriller pairs Smith with Gene Hackman as a surveillance specialist who helps a lawyer escape a targeted manhunt. The story features encrypted pagers, satellite feeds, and hidden cameras to depict how data collection affects movement through urban spaces. Set pieces include chases through Washington corridors, Baltimore streets, and suburban stores.

Jon Voight appears as an official whose operation relies on a team managing taps, bugs, and location triangulation. The production uses rapid cutting, telephoto lenses, and multi-angle coverage to simulate a live monitoring feel. The film connects political intrigue with consumer tech of its era, showing how small devices carry personal and legal consequences.

1. ‘Seven Pounds’ (2008)

Gabriele Muccino directs this character study about a man who seeks to transform the lives of several strangers while carrying a private burden. Smith’s character interacts with people facing medical, financial, and personal challenges, including a greeting card printer with a heart condition played by Rosario Dawson and a call center worker played by Woody Harrelson. Scenes move through hospitals, state offices, and coastal houses as the plan unfolds.

The narrative uses a non-linear structure that reveals motivation through flashbacks and withheld details. Columbia Pictures handled distribution, and the score emphasizes strings and piano to underline the emotional through line. The film concludes with legal and medical procedures that connect the characters in precise ways, tying earlier meetings and phone calls to final outcomes.

Share your own picks for overlooked Will Smith performances in the comments.