Some stars burst into the mainstream and become household names overnight thanks to hugely popular debut projects. For Jason Momoa, one of the most famous leading faces in Hollywood today, he had to earn his stardom the hard way. Making his debut as Jason Ioane in the action series Baywatch: Hawaii, Momoa spent the best part of 10-15 years working his way through projects, waiting for the break to come.
Thankfully, that moment arrived via the small screen phenomenon Game of Thrones, with Momoa’s performance as the intense Khal Drogo in the first season helping pave the way for a shift into Hollywood. Since Westeros, Momoa’s career has taken him to far-flung fantasy lands, gritty action settings, and even a block-based dimension, with his career-defining role coming in the form of the DCEU’s Aquaman. But how do Letterboxd users rate Momoa’s now many movie performances? Here’s a look at his highest-rated.
10
‘The Last Manhunt’ (2022)
Letterboxd Rating: 2.7/5
When thinking of Momoa movies, one might not first imagine a Western. However, in 2022, Momoa starred in an American Western from a story he co-created with Thomas Pa’a Sibbett. Based on a true story, the movie follows a forbidden love across tribal lines as a young couple are forced to flee following a tragic incident.
A movie far from flawless, The Last Manhunt boasts a meandering central plot that fails to quite ever hit top gear. However, some superb supporting performances, including a scene-stealing turn from Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone as Carlota’s (Mainei Kinimaka) mother, help make The Last Manhunt an overall worthwhile viewing experience.
9
‘Sugar Mountain’ (2016)
Letterboxd Rating: 2.7/5
One of the more forgotten entries into Momoa’s filmography, director Richard Gray‘s Sugar Mountain follows two brothers who, in an attempt to forge a perfect story to retell, fake a disappearance in the Alaskan wilderness. However, the harsh reality of their thoughtlessness makes their ill-conceived ruse come true.
All the components of a great thriller are present throughout Sugar Mountain. Gripping central performances, a plot worth getting hooked to, and a polished visual style all combine for what should be an entertaining 106 minutes of cinema. Alas, there is a lack of heart to Sugar Mountain, and these components fail to cohesively come together, a reality that pushes the movie to the back of one’s mind almost as soon as it’s finished.
8
‘Braven’ (2018)
Letterboxd Rating: 2.7/5
An underrated action effort in the Hawaii-born actor’s filmography, Braven stars Momoa as the titular logging company owner and family man, who, after taking his father to a family cabin to help him heal from a violent attack, finds that the secluded safety of the mountains is far from a reality.
Audiences are so used to Momoa’s kick-ass, no-nonsense action leads that his role as Joe Braven is likely to take them by surprise. A fairly passive, soft-spoken character, this turn proves Momoa’s range as an action star, with Braven offering its audience plenty of moments worth standing and cheering for as justice is served.
7
‘The Wrecking Crew’ (2026)
Letterboxd Rating: 2.8/5
The latest entry into Momoa’s filmography had no right being this much fun. A straight-to-streaming buddy cop action movie that few expected to be worth their time, Prime Video’s The Wrecking Crew blends laugh-out-loud humor with a central quest for justice worth staying for. Who knew that Momoa and Dave Bautista had so much franchise potential as a duo?
The film follows estranged half-brothers Jonny (Momoa) and James (Bautista), as the mysterious death of their father sends them on the hunt for answers in the criminal underbelly of Hawaii. Also starring Temuera Morrison (Chief of War), Claes Bang (The Northman), Jacob Batalon (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Stephen Root (Playdate), and Morena Baccarin (Deadpool & Wolverine), The Wrecking Crew is enormous fun and is destined for a sequel.
6
‘Aquaman’ (2018)
Letterboxd Rating: 2.8/5
Even with many years of performances to come in his career, it is unlikely any will prove more defining than Momoa’s Aquaman. The sixth film in the DCEU, Aquaman stars Momoa as Arthur Curry, the heir to the throne of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. When war between the land and the sea is threatened, Arthur is tasked with preventing his kingdom’s collapse.
In a superhero franchise packed with disappointments, Aquaman proved a solid enough entry that reminds fans of the DCEU why they put their trust in this universe. Action-packed and electric, what this movie lacks in emotional depth it makes up for in incredible technical prowess, especially in the CGI department.
5
‘Slumberland’ (2022)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.0/5
As fans of A Minecraft Movie know, Momoa is just as accomplished with family-friendly material as he is in the action genre. This is proven with Francis Lawrence‘s Slumberland, the tale of a young girl named Nemo (Marlow Barkley) who discovers a magical world that exists only in dreams following the loss of her uncle.
Starring Momoa alongside the likes of the aforementioned Barkley and Chris O’Dowd, Slumberland may have faced backlash from critics when it first debuted in 2022, but general viewers proved much more receptive. Boasting an 85% approval rating from audiences on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the majority could thankfully see through this touching tale’s flaws.
4
‘The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part’ (2019)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.1/5
Momoa is much more acclimatized to live-action projects, with animation a rare occurrence in his filmography. However, let that take nothing away from the meta brilliance of his only major animated role to date, a role in which he perfectly captures the essence of his Aquaman character and deftly transfers it to the chaotic comedic detail of a beloved franchise.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, the sequel to the hugely popular The Lego Movie, sees the people of Bricksburg facing another threat, this time in the form of invaders from outer space. Taking Momoa’s imposing Aquaman character and blending it with the endearing quirks of Lego make for one of his most entertaining roles to date in a movie that deserves much more praise than it gets.
3
‘Road to Paloma’ (2014)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.1/5
Momoa isn’t just accomplished in front of the camera, with his 2014 directorial debut impressively his third-highest-rated movie on Letterboxd. Directed, co-written by, and starring Momoa, Road to Paloma follows one man’s mission to evade the FBI on his journey to scatter his mother’s ashes, after avenging her death.
Although proving divisive at the time of release, there is enough to like in Road to Paloma to make its high position in this list somewhat justified. Featuring a stand-out performance from Momoa as the chopper-riding Wolf, this throwback to classic road movies perfectly packs an emotional punch.
2
‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ (2021)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.4/5
After the disappointment of 2017’s Justice League, Zack Snyder returned with his version of the movie that, despite clocking in at four hours long, is a considerable improvement on the original. The movie, set in the aftermath of Superman’s (Henry Cavill) death, sees a team of metahumans assembled to defend humanity from Steppenwolf (voiced by Ciaran Hinds).
Allowing more time to explore the character depths of the likes of Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), Aquaman (Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), compared to its predecessor, this extensive, ambitious project stands as one of the very best DC Comics movies of this century.
1
‘Dune’ (2021)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9/5
For anyone with even the slightest interest in Momoa’s career, the appearance of Dune at the top of the list should come as no surprise. Falling just short of the 4.0 score on Letterboxd, director Denis Villeneuve’s visionary masterpiece takes the once-thought-unadaptable source material and transforms it into one of the decade’s greatest sci-fi triumphs.
As Duncan Idaho, the swordsmaster of House Atreides, Momoa stands tall amongst a stacked cast featuring some of the very best actors working today. It is because of these performances, Villeneuve’s detailed directorial eye, genius special effects, and a gripping central story, that Dune is more than deserving of being named the highest-rated Momoa movie on Letterboxd.
Dune
- Release Date
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September 15, 2021
- Runtime
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155 minutes
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