Antonio Banderas (often misspelled or misheard as “Tony Banderas”) is one of the most recognizable and versatile actors of the last four decades. Born in Málaga, Spain, in 1960, he first gained international fame through collaborations with Pedro Almodóvar in the 1980s, then crossed over to Hollywood in the early 1990s and quickly became a global star. His filmography is unusually broad: romantic dramas, action blockbusters, animated family films, thrillers, musicals, horror, and auteur-driven arthouse cinema.
This ranking of Tony Banderas movies covers his most significant and/or commercially relevant English-language and major Spanish-language feature films (excluding short films, television movies, cameos, and voice-only roles in non-feature projects). The list is subjective but informed by critical consensus (Rotten Tomatoes / Metacritic), audience reception, cultural impact, awards recognition, and lasting rewatch value.
Rankings are ordered from best (#1) to worst (#25).
1. Pain and Glory (2019) – Pedro Almodóvar
Metascore: 93 | RT: 91% | Audience: 82%
Widely considered Banderas’s finest performance and one of the strongest films of his career. He plays Salvador Mallo, a film director clearly modeled on Almodóvar himself, who is battling chronic pain, creative block, and memories of his past. The film is intimate, melancholic, visually lush and deeply personal. Banderas won Best Actor at Cannes, was nominated for the Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA and won multiple European and Spanish awards. Many critics and cinephiles call this his career-best work.
2. Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (¡Átame!) (1990) – Pedro Almodóvar
Metascore: 73 | RT: 69% | Audience: 79%
One of the most controversial and defining early Almodóvar films. Banderas plays Ricky, a recently released psychiatric patient who kidnaps a former porn star (Victoria Abril) in an attempt to make her fall in love with him. The performance is raw, disturbing, charismatic and strangely vulnerable. It marked Banderas’s international breakthrough and remains one of the most discussed films in his filmography.
3. The Skin I Live In (2011) – Pedro Almodóvar
Metascore: 70 | RT: 81% | Audience: 74%
A dark, twisted psychological thriller / horror film about obsession, identity and revenge. Banderas plays Dr. Robert Ledgard, a brilliant but unhinged plastic surgeon. The role required him to be both coldly clinical and emotionally shattered; critics praised the restrained intensity of his performance in a film that is deliberately unsettling and stylish.
4. Philadelphia (1993) – Jonathan Demme
Metascore: 78 | RT: 80% | Audience: 91%
Banderas’s first major Hollywood role and still one of his most emotionally open performances. He plays Miguel, the devoted partner of Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) in this landmark AIDS drama. His quiet, loving presence in the second half of the film is heartbreaking and earned him significant praise at a time when Latino actors were rarely given such substantial dramatic roles.
5. Desperado (1995) – Robert Rodriguez
Metascore: 55 | RT: 66% | Audience: 76%
The film that turned Banderas into an international action star. Playing the guitar-slinging, vengeance-driven mariachi El Mariachi, he combined physicality, charisma and romantic melancholy. The stylish gun-fu sequences, Antonio’s chemistry with Salma Hayek, and the iconic bar shootout made this a cult classic and launched the Mexico Trilogy.
6. Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) – Robert Rodriguez
Metascore: 49 | RT: 66% | Audience: 71%
The final chapter of the Mexico Trilogy. Banderas reprises El Mariachi in a bigger, more chaotic story with Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe and Salma Hayek. While the film is messier than Desperado, Banderas delivers one of his most charismatic and tragic performances, especially in the final scenes.
7. The Mask of Zorro (1998) – Martin Campbell
Metascore: 63 | RT: 82% | Audience: 74%
Banderas’s first true Hollywood blockbuster role. He plays the new Zorro, trained by the aging Anthony Hopkins. The film is romantic, swashbuckling fun, and Banderas brings charm, athleticism and old-school leading-man energy. The “I am the ghost of the past” speech and the rooftop sword fight remain iconic.
8. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) – Pedro Almodóvar
Metascore: 85 | RT: 90% | Audience: 89%
One of Almodóvar’s most beloved comedies. Banderas plays Carlos, a young, naive lawyer caught in the whirlwind of women unraveling around him. His wide-eyed innocence contrasts beautifully with the chaotic energy of the female leads.
9. Talk to Her (2002) – Pedro Almodóvar
Metascore: 86 | RT: 91% | Audience: 90%
Banderas plays Marco, a journalist who falls into a deep, platonic love with a comatose dancer. The performance is understated, tender and deeply moving—one of his most emotionally naked roles.
10. Spy Kids (2001) – Robert Rodriguez
Metascore: 71 | RT: 93% | Audience: 62%
Banderas plays Gregorio Cortez, the suave, gadget-loving secret-agent father. The role is pure charm and camp, and he clearly enjoyed playing a larger-than-life superhero dad. The film became a surprise hit and spawned three sequels.
11. Shrek 2 (2004)
Metascore: 75 | RT: 89% | Audience: 71%
Banderas voices Puss in Boots, the charismatic, swashbuckling cat who quickly became the breakout character of the franchise. His performance is full of swagger, humor, and heart; Puss became so popular he received his own spin-off.
12. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Metascore: 76 | RT: 95% | Audience: 93%
Widely regarded as one of the best animated films of the 2020s. Banderas gives a career-highlight performance as an older, more vulnerable Puss confronting mortality. The film’s emotional depth, stunning animation, and Banderas’s nuanced delivery make this a standout.
13. The 13th Warrior (1999) – John McTiernan
Metascore: 42 | RT: 33% | Audience: 68%
Banderas plays Ahmed ibn Fadlan, an Arab poet exiled and forced to join Viking warriors fighting a mysterious enemy. Despite studio interference and reshoots, Banderas delivers a charismatic, dignified performance.
14. Evita (1996) – Alan Parker
Metascore: 56 | RT: 62% | Audience: 73%
Banderas plays Che Guevara (the narrator) in the film adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. He holds his own opposite Madonna and brings passion and cynicism to the role.
15. The Mask of Zorro (1998) sequel – The Legend of Zorro (2005)
Metascore: 49 | RT: 37% | Audience: 58%
A step down from the original, but Banderas still brings charm and physicality to the aging Zorro.
16. Take the Lead (2006)
Metascore: 50 | RT: 44% | Audience: 74%
Banderas plays ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine who teaches inner-city kids. The film is formulaic, but his charisma and dancing skills carry it.
17. Acts of Vengeance (2017)
Metascore: 43 | RT: 57% | Audience: 58%
A brutal revenge thriller. Banderas plays a lawyer who takes a vow of silence and trains to become a fighter. The film is violent and over-the-top, but he commits fully.
18. The Skin I Live In (2011) – Pedro Almodóvar (again)
Already ranked higher (#3), but worth noting again for how different it is from his action roles.
19. Femme Fatale (2002) – Brian De Palma
Metascore: 47 | RT: 49% | Audience: 56%
Banderas plays a photographer caught in a jewel heist. Stylish but ultimately forgettable.
20. Haywire (2011) – Steven Soderbergh
Metascore: 62 | RT: 80% | Audience: 49%
Small supporting role as a villain. The film is more remembered for Gina Carano’s action scenes.
21. The Expendables 3 (2014)
Metascore: 35 | RT: 32% | Audience: 58%
Brief but memorable role as a villain. The film is widely considered the weakest in the series.
22. Life Itself (2018) – Dan Fogelman
Metascore: 37 | RT: 13% | Audience: 52%
Banderas plays a Spanish father in this multi-generational drama. The film was heavily criticized, but his performance was one of the few praised elements.
23. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015)
Metascore: 62 | RT: 81% | Audience: 65%
Voice role as Burger Beard. Fun but forgettable.
24. Security (2017)
Metascore: 36 | RT: 38% | Audience: 48%
Low-budget action thriller. Banderas plays a mall security guard protecting a girl from assassins. Critics called it generic.
25. Untitled (various low-profile projects)
Several direct-to-video or low-budget films from the 2010s–2020s round out the lower end of his filmography. These are often action thrillers with minimal theatrical release.
Conclusion
Antonio Banderas has built an extraordinarily diverse career: arthouse master with Almodóvar, swashbuckling action hero, animated cat legend, and dramatic actor capable of profound vulnerability. The best of his work combines charisma, physicality, emotional depth, and a willingness to take risks.
The top of this list is dominated by his Almodóvar collaborations and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish—projects that allowed him to showcase both his dramatic range and his enduring star power.
FAQ
Q1: What is considered Antonio Banderas’s best movie? Most critics and cinephiles point to Pain and Glory (2019), where he gives his most emotionally naked and critically acclaimed performance.
Q2: How many times has Banderas worked with Pedro Almodóvar? Eight feature films: Labyrinth of Passion (1982), Law of Desire (1987), Women on the Verge… (1988), Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990), High Heels (1991), Kika (1993), Talk to Her (2002), and Pain and Glory (2019).
Q3: Is Puss in Boots: The Last Wish really that good? Yes. It currently holds a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and is widely considered one of the best animated sequels ever made, with Banderas’s performance frequently cited as the heart of the film.
Q4: What was Banderas’s first English-language film? The Mambo Kings (1992), though he had small roles in several Hollywood films earlier.
Q5: Why did he stop being Zorro? The Legend of Zorro (2005) underperformed at the box office and received poor reviews, effectively ending plans for a third film.
Q6: Has Banderas ever been nominated for an Oscar? Yes, for Best Actor for Pain and Glory (2019).
Q7: What is his most commercially successful film? Shrek 2 (2004), which grossed over $928 million worldwide.
Q8: Has he done any musicals besides Evita? Yes, he starred in the Broadway revival of Nine (2003) and won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Q9: What is his most recent major film (as of 2026)? Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) remains his most recent widely seen performance. He has since focused on smaller projects and theater.
Q10: Is he still acting? Yes. While he has slowed down blockbuster output, he continues to act in film, television, and theater, and remains active in producing and directing.