Known mostly for his streak of ’90s and early ’00s movies, Brendan Fraser is an indelible element of that era and has amassed quite a few followers. For many, watching an old Brendan Fraser movie can be a nostalgic comfort to return to. That’s why fans are so excited about Fraser’s recent return to the limelight. This enthusiasm is heightened by his role in the highly anticipated film The Whale, which could be an Oscar-worthy performance.
There are a lot of people out there who have a favorite Brendan Fraser movie, and that’s what we’re here to celebrate. From George of the Jungle to his iconic performance in The Mummy, these are our picks for the 10 best Brendan Fraser movies of all time.
10. Airheads (1994)
Starting with one of Brendan Fraser’s silliest movies, Airheads is a pretty goofy comedy with a fun cast of characters and a unique story. Three mates from a rock band end up taking a radio station hostage because they haven’t played their demo, and yes, they’re not very smart. Starring Adam Sandler, Steve Buscemi, Brendan Fraser, and an ever-welcome appearance from Chris Farley, this movie is sure to have some die-hard fans somewhere in this world.
9. The Man from California (1992)
For the first time, and not the last, Brendan Fraser plays a cartoon troglodyte in The Man from California. Two high school students try to dig a pool in their backyard and end up finding a frozen caveman in the ice, so they name him and adopt him as their own, earning the attention of his classmates. The best parts of this movie are Brendan Fraser as Link the caveman and Pauly Shore doing his Pauly Shore thing, which really ends up carrying the movie.
8. George of the Jungle (1997)
Five years after The California Man comes George of the Jungle: a wacky yet witty slapstick comedy that introduced Fraser to millennial audiences. Raised by gorillas in the jungle, George is a clumsy Tarzan who crashes into a bunch of trees and falls in love with a wandering woman from San Francisco. George instantly became an icon to younger audiences with this film, giving Fraser what would turn out to be a supportive young adult demographic later on.
7. Gods and Monsters (1998)
Moving away from the comedy genre comes Gods and Monsters, a life story about the last days of James Whale -director of Frankenstein (1931)- and his habits. Ian McKellen gives a stellar performance, which helps enhance Fraser’s performance. Fraser does a good job as the angry and slightly homophobic Clayton Boone, an ex-military landscaper for Whale. Fraser surprises with a good dramatic performance, but still lacks a bit of the authenticity aspect that he brings in other films.
6. To hell with the devil (2000)
Back in one of his more comfortable comedic roles, Fraser dances with the devil in To Hell with the Devil. Elliot (Brendan Fraser), a socially awkward office worker, gets the chance to make his dreams come true for a price: give his soul to the devil (Shannon Elizabeth). For the 7 wishes granted to him, he spends his time wishing for power, wealth, sentience and intelligence and of course there is always a catch. Fraser does a great job of exploring multiple different roles in one movie. This movie is definitely not for everyone, but send a page to 666 with any complaints you might have (not everyone will get that reference).
5. Private school (1992)
In what is probably his best dramatic performance, Brendan Fraser plays a Jewish student named David Greene at a high school plagued by anti-Semitic discrimination. Coming from a tougher neighborhood than his new classmates, Greene is noted for his toughness and talent. Fraser’s overall performance in Private School is impressive and amusingly foreshadows his future films (Tarzan’s jungle cry in George of the Jungle, the big band and swing dancing in Finding Eve). This movie also features some performances from a young Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Chris O’Donnell, which helps the quality a bit.
4. The Mummy Returns (2001)
Reprising the most Fraser role of his career, Brendan Fraser returns as Rick O’Connell in The Mummy Returns. While this sequel wasn’t as celebrated as the first, it still delivers the action-packed comedy that audiences loved so much. Aside from some pretty shoddy Dwayne Johnson CGI towards the end, this movie doubles down on the action of the first movie and makes it work in its own way. In any case, Brendan is willing to play with the same exaggerated energy that was required of him to make this film a worthy sequel.
3. The Quiet American (2002)
In the most modern film on this list, Brendan Fraser shines as Alden Pyle in The Quiet American. Set in Saigon during the Vietnam War, expats Thomas Fowler (Michael Caine) and Alden Pyle are there for their own reasons, but end up pining for the same fascinating woman. Although the plot is a bit convoluted, once the film reaches its conclusion, it really does work out as more than meets the eye. Once again, together with a living legend, both complement each other much better than one would expect. In a simple story of two wandering knights, nothing is what it seems.
2. Looking for Eve (1999)
In a funny if slightly dated comedy, Brendan Fraser wins everyone’s heart as the honestly sweet Adam Weber in Finding Eve. Due to Calvin Weber’s (Christopher Walken) obsessive doomsday preparation habits and a plane malfunction that crashes in his backyard, the Weber family spends 35 years underground in their bomb shelter. As Adam’s whole life has been underground, he has learned a lot thanks to his also very intelligent father Calvin. This adds to the hilarity of each situation, while Fraser sells each and every innocent line with total perfection. With Christopher Walken, Brendan Fraser, and Sissy Spacek, this movie has a lot going for it.
1. The Mummy (1999)
Endlessly entertaining, exciting (for its time), and downright funny, The Mummy is hands down Brendan Fraser’s greatest film of all time. This movie, which propelled Fraser to stardom, certainly has his typical ’90s moments, but it delivers all the action and scares that audiences didn’t even know he was looking for. True Fraser fans look to this film to rewatch as a comforting classic. Fraser is the perfect action hero: charming, funny, dangerous, and especially charismatic. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a great cast of characters alongside him, all doing their part to make this as good as it is, but it would be nothing without the irreplaceable presence of our man: Brendan Fraser.
