Liam Neeson's movies ranked

By Bryanne Salazar 8:30am PST, Jan 9, 2018

Liam Neeson is our generation's Clint Eastwood. He's all hero, even when he's playing the rare bad guy. The Irish-born actor's film career began all the way back in 1978 and has seen him perform in a wide array of movie genres (but mostly as the guy with a gun who saves the day). On Jan. 12, 2018, Liam returns to the big screen with the action-packed crime drama "The Commuter" — a film about a man who's pulled into a deadly game on his daily train ride to work. In honor of his newest role, Wonderwall.com is ranking his top 24 films, from good to the greatest. Keep reading to see which of Liam's films made it to our No. 1 spot…

RELATED: Books becoming movies in 2018

No. 24: "Wrath of the Titans"

While the idea of Liam Neeson playing the Greek god Zeus makes total sense to us, we have to admit the storyline of this flick left us a little disappointed. In 2012's "Wrath of the Titans" (which was the sequel to "Clash of the Titans"), Zeus, who's supposedly the god of all gods, has somehow been taken hostage by his brother, Hades, god of the underworld, and Zeus' son Ares, god of war. Of course it's up to Zeus's other son, the half-human Perseus, to free him and stop Hades and Ares from destroying the world. Maybe the reason this sequel landed in our last spot is because Liam doesn't shout "Release the Kraken!" — which is pretty much the best line ever.

No. 23: "A Million Ways to Die in the West"

In the 2014 comedy "A Million Ways to Die in the West," Liam Neeson stars as Clinch Leatherwood, a gun-toting outlaw and husband of Anna (played by Charlize Theron). He's also the guy who wants to kill Albert (played by Seth MacFarlane) dead. While the movie in itself was hilarious, and Liam did a stellar job playing a ruthless villain in the wild, wild west, the movie lacked any real substance, making it more more "hee-haw" and less "comedy for the ages."

No. 22: "Third Person"

Liam Neeson and Olivia Wilde star in the 2013 drama "Third Person," a film about a Pulitzer prize-winning author named Michael (played by Liam) who struggles to write about three varying stories of love. The romantic-ish tales include a couple fighting over custody of their son, a wealthy man who helps a beautiful woman get her daughter back from kidnappers and the writer's own story in Paris as he grapples with his lover (played by Olivia) who won't commit to him. The film was largely slammed by critics and audiences but we can't help but enjoy any movie where Liam gets to show his softer side.

No. 21: "Run All Night"

"Run All Night" is the 2015 mystery drama in which Liam Neeson plays Jimmy Conlon, a hitman for the mob who's forced to kill the mob boss' son in order to save his own son's life. With themes similar to "Taken" (except Liam is a clear bad guy, even though he's doing something good), this action-packed film showcases Liam's talent for portraying the hero in even the most dangerous of situations.

No. 20: "Nell"

In the 1994 drama "Nell," Liam Neeson stars as Dr. Jerome "Jerry" Lovell, a man who discovers a disheveled woman (played by Jodie Foster) hiding in the rafters of her deceased mother's home. Unable to speak coherent English, Jerry enlists the help of a researcher familiar with autistic children (played by Natasha Richardson) to understand her. Spoiler alert: Jerome and the researcher fall in love. In real life, Liam and Natasha also fell in love while filming and were married the year the movie was released. Sadly, Natasha passed away in 2009 after sustaining a head injury during a skiing accident.

No. 19: "Kingdom of Heaven"

In the 2005 historical drama "Kingdom of Heaven," Liam Neeson plays Godfrey, a Christian crusader in the 12th century. As the father of Balian (played by Orlando Bloom), Godfrey encourages his son to fight with him against the incoming Kurdish invasion of Jerusalem. Although Balian first refuses, a murder in his village sets him on the path of righteousness, where he'll eventually lead one of the greatest crusades in history.

No. 18: "The A-Team"

Based on the 1980s action series of the same name, the 2010 film "The A-Team" stars Liam Neeson as Hannibal, the leader of a group of Iraq war veterans who were sentenced to the brig after being framed for a crime they didn't commit. To clear their names, Hannibal devises an escape plan that includes finding out who was behind the mission to take them down. In true Liam style, his character is a total bad a– who can find a way out of any sticky (aka deadly) situation.

No. 17: "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"

In 2005's "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," Liam Neeson voices the all-knowing leader of Narnia, Aslan the lion (he did it again for two sequels, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader"). Awe-inspiring Aslan was in many respects a god among men and creatures and provided the support, wisdom and power to help the Pevensie children recognize their own greatness. Liam was the perfect voice actor for the role, seeing as he naturally sounds like a god among men in real life.

No. 16: "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace"

Liam Neeson stars as Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn in the 1999 sequel/prequel "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace." In the film, Qui-Gon is the one who discovers a young Anakin Skywalker living as a slave on a backwater planet. It is Qui-Gon who frees Anakin, believing he's the Chosen One, then trains him in the way of the Jedi. Liam really was the perfect choice for this character because he emanates a sense of quiet power that's totally Jedi-like.

No. 15: "A Walk Among the Tombstones"

In the gritty 2014 crime drama "A Walk Among The Tombstones," Liam Neeson plays Matthew Scudder, a former cop-turned-unlicensed private investigator who's hired to solve the kidnapping and murder of a drug-trafficker's wife. In his search for answers, Matthew uncovers a dark pattern of abduction and murder that sends him down a dangerous road. Critics called Liam's performance a "return to form" and we can't help but think he was born to play the unlikely hero with slightly villainous impulses.

No. 14: "The Grey"

Liam Neeson kept us on the edge of our seats in "The Grey." The 2011 action drama was about a group of Alaskan oil-rig workers whose plane crashes, stranding eight survivors in the middle of a frozen nowhere. Thankfully, Liam (we mean Liam's character, Ottoway) is one of the survivors and happens to be an expert hunter. That comes in handy when a vicious pack of wolves begins hunting the men down one by one.

No. 13: "Unknown"

Another of Liam Neeson's movies from 2011 was the psychological thriller "Unknown." In the film, Liam stars as Martin Harris, a doctor visiting Berlin with his wife for a major conference on biotechnology. After an accident puts Martin in a coma, he awakens to find his wife doesn't know him while another man claims he is, in fact, the real Dr. Martin Harris. As Martin searches for answers, audiences get to enjoy all the nail-biting, shoot-'em-up action we've come to expect from Liam's films.

No. 12: "Non-Stop"

Liam Neeson officially made us all afraid to fly when he starred in the 2014 crime drama "Non-Stop" alongside Julianne Moore. In the film, Liam plays air marshal Bill Marks, a man who mid-flight is sent a terrifying text that says a passenger on the plane will die every 20 minutes unless $150 million is transferred to an offshore account. Suspicious are raised on the ground when investigators learn that account is registered in Bill's name. As passengers are found dead, Bill has little time left to solve the mystery while trying to clear his name and save everyone else on board.

No. 11: "Michael Collins"

Returning to his Irish roots, Liam Neeson took the title role in the 1996 biographical drama "Michael Collins," a story about the revolutionary leader of the Irish Republican Army who waged war against Britain to create an independent, free state of Ireland. Liam was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his powerful portrayal of the man some call a patriot and others consider to be a traitor.

No. 10: "The Next Three Days"

In the 2010 crime drama "The Next Three Days," Liam Neeson takes on a supporting role as Damon Pennington, a former inmate who broke out of prison and wrote a book about his escape. His sordid tale attracts John Brennan (played by Russell Crowe), a man whose wife has been imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. After speaking with Damon, John forms a dangerous plan to free his wife from prison. The action-packed film was so good that even though Liam wasn't the star, we still had to include it.

No. 9: "Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House"

Liam Neeson plays the title character in the little-seen 2017 drama "Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down The White House," a biographical movie based on a little 1972 political scandal known as Watergate. Mark was a 30-year veteran of the FBI who, under cover of darkness, released information about the FBI's investigation into the White House to reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein under the code name Deep Throat. The story in itself is a fascinating one and Liam shines as a man determined to see justice, even if it means risking everything in the process.

No. 8: "Silence"

Liam Neeson stars as Father Ferreira, a Jesuit priest captured by the Japanese military and tortured into renouncing his Christian faith, in 2016's "Silence." Two of his former disciples, Father Garupe and Father Rodrigues (played by Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield) know there's no way Ferreira would turn against God or his sacred vows, so they set out on a dangerous mission to rescue him.

No. 7: "Les Misérables"

Long before Hugh Jackman and Amanda Seyfried filmed the movie musical "Les Misérables" in 2012, Claire Danes and Liam Neeson filmed a theatrical version in 1998. Based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, the story follows escaped criminal Jean Valjean (played by Liam) who befriends a dying harlot and promises to raise her daughter (played by Claire) as his own. The promise is put to the test when he's forced to evade capture at the hands of a relentless policeman who's made Valjean his No. 1 enemy.

No. 6: "Love Actually"

In the 2003 romantic holiday dramedy "Love Actually," Liam Neeson plays Daniel, a widower and father to young stepson Sam (played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster). In the film, which features several intertwining stories of romance and heartbreak, a shy Daniel coaches Sam on how to express his affections for a young girl. Although Daniel wasn't looking for his own love story, a chance encounter with the mother of one of Sam's classmates offers him a new lease on life.

No. 5: "Gangs of New York"

Let's be clear: 2002's "Gangs of New York" is one of the most epic historical crime dramas ever and would have been an easy choice for our No. 1 spot, if only Liam Neeson had a meatier role in the movie. Instead, Liam played Priest Vallon, the father of Amsterdam Vallon (played by the film's star, Leonardo DiCaprio). Sadly (spoiler alert), Priest is savagely murdered early on, which is important to the storyline but upsetting for those of us who love to see Liam on screen for the entire duration of a movie. Co-starring talented actors like Daniel Day-Lewis, John C. Reilly, Brendan Gleeson and Cameron Diaz, the movie was a fictional retelling of a very real time in New York's history back when Irish immigrant gangs ruled the city's streets.

No. 4: "Taken"

2008's "Taken" is a classic tale of an average, everyday dad who just wants the best for his teenage daughter. Just kidding. In reality, "Taken" stars Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, a former CIA operative who travels to France to rescue his daughter (played by Maggie Grace) who's been kidnapped by Albanian sex traffickers. The film was a satisfying action-packed crime thriller that made us all want to hug our dads a little tighter. While the two sequels that followed were good, neither could match the intensity of the original. Fun fact: In 2017, the TV version of "Taken" debuted starring Clive Standen as Bryan Mills.

No. 3: "Kinsey"

In the the 2004 biographical drama "Kinsey," Liam Neeson stars as Alfred Kinsey, a biologist who controversially studied human sexuality in the 1940s and became known as the father of sexology. Co-starring Laura Linney, Chris O'Donnell and Peter Sarsgaard, the film exposed a little-known area of scientific history that revolutionized the way researchers and the world viewed human sexuality. The role earned Liam a Golden Globe nomination.

No. 2: "Batman Begins"

For the uninitiated, Liam Neeson's role in 2005's "Batman Begins" (and later in "The Dark Knight Rises") might be a little confusing. He was initially credited as Ducard, the man who mentored and trained Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale) ultimately preparing him for the League of Shadows. However (spoiler alert), in "The Dark Knight Rises," we learn Ducard is an alias and that his real name is none other than Ra's al Ghul, the mercenary and warlord who became Batman's biggest enemy.

No. 1: "Schindler's List"

Not only is "Schindler's List" our No. 1 pick for Liam Neeson's best film — it's also widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. Produced and directed by film legend Steven Spielberg, the black-and-white historical drama is based on the real-life story of German businessman Oskar Schindler, who, during the height of World War II, saved more than 1,000 Polish Jews by employing them in his factories. Liam earned an Oscar nomination for his powerful portrayal.