No question about it, Vin Diesel is one of the most prolific blockbuster stars of the modern era. Probably best known for his continuing role as Dominic “Dom” Toretto, the ringleader of the sometimes-criminal, sometimes-black ops crew of expert drivers and technicians which make up the world of the Fast & Furious franchise. He has also been the face of both the action franchise XXX about a pro-athlete-turned-special agent named Xander Cage, as well as the cult science fiction action Riddick series. He is also a part of the massive Marvel property The Guardians of the Galaxy as the voice of the tree-alien Groot who can only say his own name. Indeed, he has had little trouble continually finding work between these four blockbuster franchises — as well as a number of other noteworthy pieces like Saving Private Ryan and The Iron Giant. Here are Diesel’s ten best films.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Diesel rounds out the star-studded cast of Steven Spielberg’s World War II film. He plays Private Caparzo, one of the seven men in Army Ranger Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks)’s team assigned to find down the last surviving son of the Ryan family so that they can send him home. The film is often touted as the best of Spielberg’s later career.
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Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Years from now, it is entirely likely that Justin Lin’s turn helming the Fast & Furious franchise—from Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift to Fast & Furious 6 — will be remembered as the best. Diesel’s Dom, now a wealthy fugitive living in Brazil — after the success of his last job — is sought out by a former rival, Federal Agent Jack Hobbs (Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson). At Hobbs’ behest, he re-assembles his squad for a new mission to seek out another expert criminal street racer, Owen Shaw (Luke Evans).
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Fast Five (2011)
Fast Five sees the introduction of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to the franchise — as well as the shift from street racing to heists. As Federal Agent Jack Hobbs, he looks to capture the recently-escaped Dom and his crew while they, in turn, look to steal millions in Rio de Janeiro.
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Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
In Lin’s entry into the franchise, Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, an Arizona teenager with a need for speed (Lucas Black) is sent to live with his U.S. Navy officer father in Tokyo. There, he learns to race their way and hopes to work his way to the top tier of street racers. Diesel’s role is only a cameo — but a very satisfying one in this great film.
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Furious 7 (2015)
Furious 7 was, sadly, the last time audiences got to see the powerhouse duo of Dom and Brian O’Conner due to the latter’s untimely death. Following the events of the last film, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is looking for revenge on the Dom’s crew for what happened to his brother Owen in the previous film.
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The Iron Giant (1999)
In The Iron Giant, directed by Brad Bird — director of The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol — Vin Diesel gave his voice to the titular giant robot. He is found and befriends by a young boy at the height of the Cold War. It is perhaps the most heartfelt film in all of Diesel’s oeuvre.
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Fate of the Furious (2017)
Fate of the Furious tested the waters of how the franchise could perform after the loss of Walker. It did so to relatively — and surprisingly — solid results. More minor characters were given more to do as a result. This time, Dom is blackmailed by a dangerous hacker (Charlize Theron) into doing wrong, and it’s up to his friends to stop — and hopefully save — him.
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Fast & Furious (2009)
With Fast & Furious, Lin brings various characters from the first three films into the fold. Brian is now an FBI agent and he and Dom are once again forced together by extenuating circumstances While it isn’t quite the best of the franchise, it would certainly foreshadow better things to come.
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Pitch Black (2000)
Pitch Black is the first installment of the Riddick franchise of films. Diesel plays Richard B. Riddick, a dangerous criminal whose prison transport crash lands on a desolate planet. He and the rest of a small group of survivors must fend off vicious alien creatures while trying to mount their escape. It is a cult hit which inspired two sequels — a third is reportedly in the works.
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The Fast and the Furious (2001)
The original The Fast and the Furious film is — compared to the rest of the franchise — somewhat weak. It is a slow melodrama above anything else and lacks the sharp, quippy nature of future films. However, it deserves credit for kicking off the franchise—and developing the relationship between Dom and Brian, which would be critical to the series for years,
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