Will Smith is one of Hollywood's biggest stars and he is set to return to the big screen this week with his new drama Concussion.
Will Smith in Concussion
Concussion sees Smith take on another real-life role as he plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, who uncovers the truth about the damage being done to footballers who suffer repeated concussions. His findings see him try to take on the NFL.
The movie sees Peter Landesman back in the director's chair and the movie is based on a GQ article by Jeanne Marie Laskas. The film is the first time that Smith has teamed up with the filmmaker.
To celebrate the release of Concussion this week, we take a look at the top three Will Smith movies so far... and there are plenty to choose from.
- Independence Day (1996)
By the time Independence Day hit the big screen in 1996, Smith was already a star on the rise with TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and movies such as Bad Boys and Six Degrees of Separation under his belt. However, Independence Day was the movie that cemented Smith as a bona fide leading man and action hero.
Hard to believe that Independence Day is 20 years old this year but it still remains an action-packed movie that looks fantastic. It is one of my favourite action/sci-fi films and one I could watch again and again.
Smith teamed up with filmmaker Roland Emmerich for the first time as he took on the role of Captain Steven Hiller, who finds himself at the forefront of defending the earth from an unexpected alien invasion.
Of course, character development is a little thin on the ground in Independence Day, instead, it is a visual spectacle that is driven by the special effects and the iconic set pieces - the destruction of the White House and the Empire State Building remains some of the best blockbuster movie moments.
Having said that, it is a commanding performance from Smith as he mixes elements of action-hero with funny man; he and Jeff Goldblum make a terrific comedy team and it is such a shame that we will not be seeing them reunite in the upcoming sequel.
Independence Day is an entertaining movie from start to finish and is a film that has aged well in twenty years. This was the movie that really showed that Smith could lead one of these big budget blockbusters - a genre he has gone on to star in many times over the last two decades.
Independence Day was a huge box office hit when it was released and went on to gross over $817 million at the global box office; becoming the second highest grossing film at the time.
- Ali (2002)
In 2002, Smith moved away from the comedy and the blockbuster projects as he took on the role of boxer Muhammad Ali in biopic film Ali.
The movie saw Smith team up with filmmaker Michael Mann for the first time as he returned to the director's chair for the first time since The Insider in 1999. The movie followed Ali's early years in the ring, his refusal to fight in Vietnam, to his iconic Rumble in the Jungle bout in 1974.
Smith is joined on the cast list by Jade Pinkett Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, Jeffrey Wright, and Mykelti Williamson but it is Smith who truly shines.
The transformation that Smith undergoes to take on this role is astounding - he also has a look of the iconic boxer. Smith brings a real emotional depth to his performance while never trying to gloss over Ali's shortcomings of flaws as a man.
It is a fascinating film that is filled with many iconic moments from Ali's fighting career as well as tackling Ali's religion and the racial issues of the time.
Ali remains one of Smith's greatest big screen performances and he was rewarded with his first Best Actor Oscar nomination. He was to lose out to Denzel Washington for Training Day - Russell Crowe, Sean Penn, and Tom Wilkinson were also nominated that year for A Beautiful mind, I Am Sam, and In the Bedroom.
- The Pursuit of Happyness (2007)
In 2007, Smith took on another real-life role as he played Chris Gardener in the fantastic The Pursuit of Happyness. For me, this remains Smith's best and most emotional role to date.
The Pursuit of Happyness saw Smith team up director Gabriele Muccino for the first time, who he would go on to work with for a second time with Seven Pounds in 2008 - which saw Smith give another terrific performance.
The Pursuit of Happyness followed Gardener, a struggling salesman who takes custody of his son whilst starting out as an intern stockbroker; he is amongst twenty others who are competing for just one paid job.
Smith gives such a powerful performance as a man who is desperately trying to change his fortunes and make a better life for his young son, played by Jaden Smith. As father and son in real-life, the two share a fantastic onscreen chemistry and it is this relationship that pushes the film forward and keeps you hooked.
The scene where the pair are forced to stay in a restroom because they are homeless is one of the moments in the film that is the most powerful and will truly tug at your heartstrings. It is this heartfelt performance from Smith that really does elevate this film to something more and you are rooting from this character from the moment that you meet him.
The Pursuit of Happyness saw Smith nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for the second time - this time missing out to Forest Whitaker for his performance in The Last King of Scotland.
Other Will Smith movies that are not to be missed include Men In Black, Hitch, I Am Legend, and Enemy of the State.
Concussion is released 12th February.
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