Daniel Radcliffe has ended up in quite a tricky position career-wise. On the one hand, he has become a great actor and seems so incredibly lovely as a person that it’s almost unbelievable. On the other hand, he is arguably one of the most famous faces in cinema, which ends up typecasting him a little.
While this list is designed to explore the wider career of Radcliffe, you should still be prepared for a major influx of Harry Potter content alongside his lesser-known appearances. Let's check out his five best and five worst roles, according to the IMDb.
BEST: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010): 7.7
The first part of the dramatic finale to the Harry Potter franchise is The Deathly Hallows Part 1. It might not be the most intense, action-heavy film in the world, but the sheer length of time Harry, Ron and Hermione spend in the forest does provide a lot of interesting character development.
People may not have liked Radcliffe’s acting in the earlier films, but it’s impossible to deny that he has improved by this point.
WORST: Now You See Me 2 (2016): 6.5
The sequel to the Jesse Eisenberg-starring, twist-heavy, magic spectacular Now You See Me didn’t come close to receiving the reception of its predecessor.
However, it did introduce Daniel Radcliffe into its ensemble cast and he does very well in his role as Walter Mabry, Arthur’s (Michael Caine) son.
BEST: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005): 7.7
The Goblet Of Fire might be built on a concept that seems so dramatic and important that surely it would have been mentioned at some point in one of the three years Harry had been at Hogwarts so far, but its dramatic actions sequences and the transition Harry and Ron undergo from innocent children to moody teenagers is great.
WORST: The Woman In Black (2012): 6.4
Despite coming from a classic horror novel, The Woman In Black didn’t get the reviews it was striving for, no matter how well-received Radcliffe’s performance was.
One interesting fact: when The Woman In Black was first adapted for the screen back in 1989, Adrian Rawlins took on the starring role that Radcliffe is now known for. That very same actor went on to play James Potter (Harry's father) in the Harry Potter franchise.
BEST: Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004): 7.9
Despite being directed by the least famous of all of the Harry Potter directors, The Prisoner Of Azkaban is often seen as the most cinematically brilliant film in the series.
It looks great, it sounds incredible and the storyline is the most unique of them all, even if it does have some very dodgy time travel. This is another thing you’d really think would be mentioned more often ...
WORST: Guns Akimbo (2019): 6.3
One of Radcliffe’s most recent films sees the ex-child star taking on the lead role of Miles. The film might be a lot darker than Harry Potter, but the comedic thread running through it keeps things light-hearted.
The 6.3 rating reflects that the film has pretty much been considered absolutely average.
BEST: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (2017): 8.1
The only non-Wizarding World film that makes it into Daniel Radcliffe’s top five best roles according to IMDb is Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.
Never heard of it? That’s because it’s actually a filmed version of a stage production. Radcliffe executes a role that Sirius Black himself (Gary Oldman) played in the 1990 film to perfection, while the idea to focus on two minor Hamlet characters is a genius one.
WORST: Victor Frankenstein (2015): 6.0
This 2015 film is based around various modern adaptations of the story of Frankenstein, told from the perspective of the titular doctor’s assistant, Igor, who is played by Radcliffe.
It ended up as a huge box office bomb and received almost exclusively negative reviews.
BEST: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011): 8.1
The Harry Potter film was a cinematic spectacular when it was released in 2011. Fans flocked to see the massive saga draw to a close and they weren’t disappointed. The film is, in essence, a two-hour-long action sequence.
Seeing Daniel Radcliffe depart from a character he has embodied since he was 11 years old as a man (and, in the flash-forward, quite an old man) is truly emotional.
WORST: Beast Of Burden (3.6)
Radcliffe’s lowest review comes from the 2018 action film Beast Of Burden. It’s a lifeless, unoriginal and frankly very boring film that doesn’t do anything original or exciting. Radcliffe is the star: a pilot smuggling cocaine across the US border while dealing with the Cartel, the DEA and his marriage.