Liam Neeson’s Highest-Rated Rotten Tomatoes Movies Couldn’t Be More Different

Liam Neeson has gathered quite a reputation in movies. He’s starred in the Star Wars and Dark Knight franchises, led the Taken films, and even made fans question their devotion to him with films like Clash of the Titans. His filmography is all over the place, so it’s unsurprising that his two highest-rated films are some of the most different films on his resume.

Schindler’s List and The Lego Movie have become known as two of Neeson’s best, and the scores prove that. They have extremely different topics, with one focusing on the Holocaust and the other showing the adventures of plastic figurines. However, Liam Neeson played a big role in both films’ successes, while also proving that he has acting range.

‘The Lego Movie’ and ‘Schindler’s List’ Are Liam Neeson’s Best Movies

On Rotten Tomatoes, reviewers gave Schindler’s List a 98% approval rating and The Lego Movie a 96%, making those Liam Neeson’s highest-rated movies. The critics aren’t wrong either. Even if Liam Neeson didn’t have such a rough track record of starring in unmemorable action films, Schindler’s List and The Lego Movie are good enough to stand on their own as almost any actor’s best movie. The only confusing part about the actor’s top two movies is how different they are.

In Schindler’s List, Neeson plays Oskar Schindler, who runs a factory under Germany’s Nazi rule. As the Nazis take Jewish citizens to concentration camps, Oskar Schindler hires Jewish workers to help protect them from going to the camps. In The Lego Movie, Neeson takes on a much different role, voicing the two-sided plastic yellow figurine, Bad Cop. Bad Cop, who can also switch his face to reveal Good Cop, is the right-hand enforcer of the villain’s evil-doing.

The two movies have what feels like endless differences. Schindler’s List is almost entirely black and white, while The Lego Movie is one of the most colorful films to exist. Schindler’s List is live-action, and The Lego Movie is animated. Many children would love to watch The Lego Movie, but most would be too scared to sit through all of Schindler’s List. The Lego Movie is also a quick watch, at an hour and 41 minutes, whereas Schindler’s List goes for more than three hours. Schindler’s List features Neeson as the protagonist, and The Lego Movie has him playing a villain.

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It’s a bit of a stretch, but perhaps the only connection between the films is the kind of role Liam Neeson plays. In both films, he shows a cold, rule-following exterior. Oskar Schindler pretends to get along with the Nazis and their restrictions, and Bad Cop tries to force Lego residents to follow the rules. However, both characters also exhibit a heartfelt and helpful personality that ends up helping the films’ other characters. Oskar Schindler agrees to help Jewish people escape concentration camps, and Bad Cop uses the other side of his Lego face, Good Cop, to show kindness to other Lego characters. Yes, it’s a stretch, but it’s also the only explanation for why Liam Neeson would be so great in both of these roles.

Liam Neeson’s Best-Rated Movies on Rotten Tomatoes

Neither Film Works Without Liam Neeson

Giving all the credit to Liam Neeson for the success of Schindler’s List and The Lego Movie seems a little silly. The Lego Movie has stunning animation, as well as a large cast that includes Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, and Elizabeth Banks. Schindler’s List is a masterclass in directing by Steven Spielberg, with an emotional plot that’s based on a true story and a powerful score from John Williams. However, Liam Neeson is a standout part of both films and is part of the reason they were both so great. He’s rarely a forgettable part of his movies, but that’s even more true here.

The role in Schindler’s List requires a certain amount of toughness, as the main character has to stand up to the Nazis’ harsh rules. Liam Neeson has the right amount needed, while also being able to act through some of the gentler moments of the film. Playing Oskar Schindler is also the closest Liam Neeson has ever come to winning an Oscar. Schindler’s List gave him his only Oscar nomination, for Best Lead Actor, but the award went to Tom Hanks for Philadelphia. Liam Neeson isn’t the actor you’d most associate with the Academy Awards, but Schindler’s List was the major exception, as it won 10 out of 12, including Best Picture.

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Neeson gets to break out his rarely-seen comedic skills in The Lego Movie, and his tough-guy persona makes the scenes even funnier. His voice is much different from the rest of the characters, but also hearing Neeson do a high-pitched voice for the friendly Good Cop is especially funny. The character is a creative play on the real-life functionality of Lego, and Liam Neeson helps sell that with his voice changes. Even though Bad Cop is Lian’s most memorable comedic role, it’s not his only one, as he’s worked with Seth MacFarlane on quite a few comedies, including the upcoming Naked Gun reboot. It’s just too bad he never played Bad Cop in any of The Lego Movie sequels.

Where To Watch Liam Neeson’s Best Films

Liam Neeson’s best films are so different that they even have different ways for audiences to watch them. The Lego Movie is easy to access, as it’s available to stream on Netflix. Schindler’s List is not so easy to find, and that might be for the best, as it gives viewers some time to think before they commit to an emotional, three-hour journey. Schindler’s List is available to rent or buy on digital retailers like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or Fandango at Home. The movie also has some excellent Blu-ray releases, including a recent Universal Essentials Collection edition, which includes behind-the-scenes of the film and collectible photos.

Fans might be due for Liam Neeson’s third-highest-rated film with his new movie, The Naked Gun, which releases in theaters on August 1.