Robert Pattinson is experiencing an upsurge in popularity due to the release of The Batman, which has proven to be a hit both critically and commercially. The movie can be seen as the actor’s return to center stage after starring in several other films over the years that have received great reviews.
Scores on Metacritic are an easy way to see which of the credits where Pattinson appears have been the best. These are the reviews provided by approved critics, so there’s no doubt that the films that make up the top-10 are definitively the ones that the majority of reviewers have found to be the pick of the bunch.
The Rover (2014) - 64 - Stream On Showtime
This dystopian western drama is set in the Australian outback during a global economic collapse. Protagonist Eric (Guy Pearce) is a mysterious loner whose car is robbed, prompting him to hunt his attackers. Robert Pattinson plays Reynolds, a young man who is part of the robbers, who is caught by Eric.
The movie is about the strange relationship that forms between Eric and Reynolds as the former arduously searches for his car for unknown reasons. Pattinson’s performance was praised for the conflicted and morally grey character he played, with The Rover one of the first films where he started to diversify his acting credits.
Maps To The Stars (2014) - 67 - Stream On iTunes
A rather bizarre satirical movie, Maps to the Stars dramatizes and parodies the bid for fame that Hollywood stars take, featuring a variety of characters who do terrible things just to become popular. Pattinson appears as a struggling actor and limo driver who’s among the many people to shed their integrity to make it big.
Maps to the Stars wasn’t particularly well-received by viewers, but the majority of critics were won over for the way it makes light of celebrity culture. Pattinson plays a supporting role that turns out to be significant since his actions and everyone else’s tip the protagonist’s psyche to the edge.
The Childhood Of A Leader (2016) - 68 - Stream On AMC+
Robert Pattinson took a bold approach by starring as a member of a fascist state, playing a man called Charles Marker. The Childhood of a Leader is about a young boy (Tom Sweet) whose innocence is shredded over time as he’s groomed into learning the fascist mentality.
Pattinson also appears as the older version of the child, which goes to prove that Charles Marker was the boy’s father all along. The movie is a dark version of the coming-of-age genre, with the characters corrupting the boy and the journey showing how it is done.
Tenet (2020) - 69 - Stream On HBO Max
There aren’t too many movies similar to Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, which makes it a real mind-bender. Robert Pattinson appears as Neil, the handler to John David Washington’s CIA protagonist, with the two characters working together to stop a future threat from annihilating the world.
The film is considered as Pattinson’s return to the mainstream, as the actor had been starring in smaller projects for a number of years prior to Tenet’s release. It stays true to Nolan’s style of direction where there are more questions than answers and Pattinson’s character is just as mysterious as the rest.
The Batman (2022) - 72 - Stream On HBO Max
The leap into joining another big-time franchise paid off for Robert Pattinson with The Batman. The superhero movie has received great reviews, with most approving of Pattinson as the Caped Crusader. Its story sees Batman team up with Catwoman as the pair attempt to track down The Riddler.
The Batman hasn’t reached greater heights than Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies rank, but they’ve brought the Dark Knight back into cinemas after about a decade without the hero’s presence in a standalone movie. Its dark backdrop and violent characters have been lauded for making the Batman world as scary as it’s supposed to be.
High Life (2018) - 77 - Stream On Fubo TV
In what may be one of Robert Pattinson’s underrated movies, High Life is a dark sci-fi film where he plays a prisoner in space. The premise is about criminals being sent to a black hole to extract energy where most of them lose their lives in terrible ways.
Pattinson’s character has the task of raising a child in space, with problems arising as the rest of the prisoners and the harsh environment prove to be a hurdle. High Life is somewhat confusing to understand because it’s told in a nonlinear perspective, but it’s certainly thought-provoking.
The Lost City Of Z (2017) - 78 - Stream On Amazon Prime Video
This adventure movie went under the radar at the time of release but has picked up steam since its stars have gained popularity. It stars Charlie Hunnam, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson as a group who look to head into the Amazonian rainforest to find an ancient lost city.
It carries a somber tone compared to other adventure films, with The Lost City of Z depicting the trials and tribulations of men who have nothing but their faith to guide them. Pattinson plays a supporting role as Henry Costin, who ventures in with the others but chooses not to stick around too long.
Good Time (2017) - 80 - Stream On Fubo TV
Robert Pattinson garnered his highest critical acclaim in a starring role at the time when the Safdie brothers’ Good Time was released. Here, Pattinson plays Connie, a young man who breaks out his developmentally disabled brother and goes on the run with him.
As with the Safdie brothers’ usual works, the story takes place across a short span of time where numerous hijinks take place. Pattinson received great reviews for playing against type, transforming into another person entirely to show off his acting skills.
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire (2005) - 81 - Stream On HBO Max
It’s hard to overlook all the magical scenes to see in Harry Potter even after all this time. The fourth movie remains one of the best-received ones, where Robert Pattinson announced himself to the world as Cedric Diggory. The story sees Cedric take part in the Triwizard Tournament against Harry without realizing that Voldemort is pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
Pattinson has gone on to play popular roles like Edward Cullen and Batman, but it’s unlikely that mainstream audiences will stop associating him with Cedric. The actor remains a fan favorite in the role as new viewers continue to find his performance in the highly popular franchise.
The Lighthouse (2019) - 83 - Stream On Amazon Prime Video
Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson teamed up for The Lighthouse, which is interpreted to be anything from a survival film, to a psychological thriller, to a straight-up horror movie. The simplistic plot is about two men stranded at a lighthouse that culminates with them descending into madness.
The Lighthouse was the greatest test of Pattinson’s acting ability since only he and Dafoe are the main actors. It paid off well since critics loved the movie, although it’s considered to be something of an acquired taste for filmgoers due to a number of gory elements.