The Greatest Elijah Wooden Films
Elijah Wood has gone from a stand-out child star to someone just as impactful and memorable as an adult. While many will know him as Frodo, he brought so many other roles to life across numerous genres.
The best Elijah Wood movies include films across action, fantasy, thriller, dramas, and more. He continues to show that he is a force in Hollywood that no one should forget long after his stint in The Lord of the Rings. Have a look at the 22 best Elijah Wood movies ranked.
1 – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Visually arresting and incredibly paced, this is the high point of the beloved Tolkien trilogy. Elijah Wood goes through some of his most impactful moments as Frodo, while everything about the movie is turned to a 10.
The action, battle sequences, writing, and characters all hold up impressively well, making for a must-watch for any fantasy and film fanatic.
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
This romance film is unlike any you’ve seen before, pushing Jim Carrey to his acting limits in a story about literally trying to physically forget about his ex. Heart-wrenching and full of memorable moments, it is also helped by its other cast members, including Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, and many more.
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The third and final movie in the trilogy is easily its second-best. The stakes are high, the characters go in some brilliant directions, and the action is as good as ever. It is also one of the strongest films for Wood’s Frodo as he concludes his long journey.
4. The Wind Rises (2013)
The Japanese anime production company, Studio Ghibli, is the best of its kind for a reason, and The Wind Rises is a prime example of that. As one of the final movies from fabled director Hayao Miyazaki, it tells the emotional and gorgeous story of Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi and those around him, brought to life by a wonderful cast of Elijah Wood and others.
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
While Elijah Wood was a known quantity before the long-awaited film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel classic, this movie blasted his fame through the roof. Starring as the lovable and relatable hobbit, Frodo, he sets out on a slow but incomparable adventure.
6. The Panama Papers (2018)
This riveting and shocking documentary tells the story of the journalists who risked their lives to release personal financial information about influential figures and wealthy people. The crux here is the dramatization of this plot, helped by Wood’s voiceover as the whistleblower, John Doe.
7. A Band Called Death (2012)
Elijah Wood plays a significant role in helping to tell this story of the Hackney Brothers and how they skyrocketed into popularity. Besides the monumental musical ideas it showcases, it reveals the tremendous hardship that built this rock power group.
8. Happy Feet (2006)
Elijah Wood stars as Mumble, a penguin with no singing talent who must use dancing to find a mate. It is a strange and hilarious premise, leading to one of the most colorful and memorable animated flicks of the 21st century.
9. Sin City (2005)
Wood plays a smaller role in this classic noir thriller about the City of Sin. While his role is a bit diminished in this ensemble cast of four stories, it balances its characters and fascinating style well. There is still nothing quite like this movie.
10. The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)
There’s no denying that the source material and this adaptation are problematic in countless ways. With that in mind, this movie does its story quite well, helped by the lovable duo of Wood’s Huck Finn and Courtney B. Vance’s remarkable Jim.
11. The Good Son (1993)
You rarely get to explore the disturbing possibilities of children in horror, but that is precisely what this movie explores. The juxtaposition between Wood’s Mark and his evil rival in Macaulay Culkin’s Henry is incredible, as the former tries to expose his psychopathic cousin.
12. 78/52 (2017)
Elijah Wood appears in and gives his thoughts on this riveting documentary that is a must-watch for slasher and horror fans worldwide. It takes a fascinating and deep look at the infamous shower slasher scene from Psycho that changed cinema forever.
13. Mandy (2018)
Elijah Wood stepped back from the acting side into the producing realm with this horrific mystery thriller. Nicolas Cage is undeniable in this strangely twisted and disturbing role as a man hellbent on vengeance against an evil cult.
14. I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)
Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood are impeccable together in this bizarre crime drama. The two pair up in a chase to find a group of dangerous criminals who did Lynskey’s Ruth wrong. While it sounds typical, its execution is surprisingly dark and anything but predictable.
15. Color Out of Space (2019)
Elijah Wood put on the producer hat for this underrated sci-fi horror flick about Nicolas Cage and a bunch of other stars surviving against a sudden alien threat. It has some solid visuals and a nice mix of seriousness and levity.
16. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Wood’s Frodo has a tiny role in this long-awaited adaptation of the prequel novel, but it is always a joy to see him reprise this character. While it may not be the strongest film in the series, it is nice to see Tolkien’s world with more modern visuals.
17. The Ice Storm (1997)
This comedy-drama is a joy to watch for its take on the idealistic 1970s suburban American life. Affairs, teenage romance, and the like are at the heart of this movie, with an all-star cast of members like Sigourney Weaver, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood, Tobey Maguire, and Katie Holmes.
18. Everything Is Illuminated (2005)
Liev Schreiber’s directorial debut is solid, featuring Elijah Wood as a Jewish-American man searching for more about his family’s history in World War II. Though it isn’t quite on par with its source material, it trims the fat in some solid ways.
19. Happy Feet Two (2011)
This animated family film sees Wood return to the role of the bumbling penguin Mumble in a long-awaited sequel. With an all-star cast and solid animation, it is only held back by a fairly derivative plot that doesn’t feel different enough.
20. Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
This third entry in this family-friendly series relies so much on CG effects. The VR-style video game world competition was a novel idea at the time, and you get to see Wood in a unique role for him, but this is a movie that hasn’t aged the best.
21. Come to Daddy (2019)
Wood returns to his thriller roots in this gritty and gory horror comedy about a guy returning to see his deranged father after 30 years. Its writing can sometimes be a bit deeper than it sounds, leading to a wild entry in the series.
22. Green Street Hooligans (2005)
Certainly one of the stranger soccer sports films out there, Elijah Wood stars as a student who gets wrapped up in a hyperactive soccer support community. It turns out to be a fighting movie more than anything, but it has some entertaining moments, at least.
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