Every single Emma Watson movie, ranked
Meghan Cook
- Emma Watson is best known for playing Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" franchise.
- Her best-reviewed films include "Ballet Shoes" (2007) and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" (2011).
- But some of her other movies, such as "The Circle" (2017) and "Regression" (2016), didn't fare as well with critics.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Emma Watson first rose to fame playing Hermione Granger in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001) and its seven subsequent sequels.
Outside of the series, Watson has played a variety of roles, from Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" (2017) to Meg March in the Oscar-nominated drama "Little Women" (2019).
Here is every movie in Watson's filmography, ranked according to critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Note: All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change. Films without critical scores were not included.
Read the original article on InsiderHer highest-rated film is "Ballet Shoes" (2007).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Summary: Based on the novel by Noel Streatfeild, "Ballet Shoes" takes place in 1930s London and follows three orphans — Pauline (Watson), Petrova (Yasmin Paige), and Posy (Lucy Boynton) — who are raised by their caretaker Nana (Victoria Wood) in a colorful house full of eccentric lodgers.
A shining and splendid adaptation of the original book, the made-for-TV family drama was praised by critics.
"There are plenty of pleasures in this involving and uplifting tale which the young protagonists aspire to be actors, aviators, and ballerinas," Louise Keller wrote for Urban Cinefile.
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In "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" (2011) she played Hermione Granger for the last time.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
Summary: In the final "Harry Potter" film, Harry (Radcliffe), Ron (Grint), and Hermione (Watson) return to Hogwarts to fight one final battle against Lord Voldemort (Fiennes) and his army of Death Eaters.
Highly anticipated by both book lovers and movie critics alike, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" managed to surpass expectations and finish off the eight-film franchise on a moving note.
"For a grand finale to a truly epic, good-natured franchise, this is a perfect goodbye that's very hard to beat," Ed Gibbs wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald.
She portrayed Meg March in "Little Women" (2019).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
Summary: Adapted from the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott, "Little Women" centers on the March sisters — Amy (Florence Pugh), Beth (Eliza Scanlen), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), and Meg (Watson) — as their lives change for better and worse in the final years of the American Civil War.
Walking a creative tightrope, director Greta Gerwig managed to stay faithful to the source material while infusing the movie with her unique energy and passion.
"A work of poetic smuggling: a movie made within the norms of the industry that also reflects Gerwig's own personal artistic ideas, ideals, and obsessions," Richard Brody wrote for The New Yorker.
The actress played Hermione in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Summary: In "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," Harry returns to school with Ron (Grint) and Hermione (Watson) as rumors circulate that Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), one of Voldemort's prized supporters, has escaped from a high-security prison to come after Harry.
Under director Alfonso Cuarón's imaginative eye, "Prisoner of Azkaban" set a new, darker tone for the "Harry Potter" universe and pushed its young actors to new limits.
"The right word for 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' is wonderful — as in full of wonders, great and small," Joe Morgenstern wrote for The Wall Street Journal.
In "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005), Watson returned as Hermione.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%
Summary: In "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," the trio enters their fourth year at Hogwarts and a Triwizard Tournament unfolds. Harry (Radcliffe), Ron (Grint), and Hermione (Watson) confront dragons, riddles, and the fear of asking someone to the school dance.
Adapted from a lengthy book, "Goblet of Fire" integrated numerous elements from the source material while always bringing the focus back to the central trio.
"'Goblet of Fire' is more effective in these smaller, more intimate moments than in the bloated bombast of its larger set pieces," Christy Lemire wrote for the Associated Press.
She starred as Sam in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%
Summary: Based on the coming-of-age novel by Stephen Chbosky, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" follows new kid Charlie (Logan Lerman) as he befriends seniors Sam (Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller). They introduce him to a world of parties, drugs, and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Written and directed by Chbosky, the movie was met with a wave of positive reviews for the filmmaker and his talented cast.
"'Perks' seems like the work of a much more experienced director, maintaining fidelity to the source material without sacrificing any cinematic qualities, triggering genuine sentimentality and nostalgia through interaction between sound and image," Ian Buckwalter wrote for The Atlantic.
Watson played Hermione in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
Summary: In "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," Harry (Radcliffe) eagerly returns to Hogwarts for his second year with Ron (Grint) and Hermione (Watson), only to find secrets and whispers of murder lurking within the castle's corridors.
Despite a lengthy runtime and some hefty world-building, "Chamber of Secrets" was praised as an edgier and smarter film than its predecessor.
"'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' is darker, funnier and finer than its forerunner,'" Lizzie Rusbridger wrote for The Guardian.
She was Hermione in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2009).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
Summary: In "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," Harry (Radcliffe), Hermione (Watson), and Ron (Watson) enter their sixth year at Hogwarts where they struggle with growing affection and teenage heartbreak as Lord Voldemort (Fiennes) grows in power.
With sweeping set pieces, magical special effects, and a strong central cast, the sixth film in the series charmed critics.
"With its deft handling of teen yearning and affection, 'Half-Blood Prince' maneuvers mysteries of heart and hankering that resound in worlds magic and muggle," Lisa Kennedy wrote for The Denver Post.
The actress played Lucy in "My Week With Marilyn" (2011).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
Summary: Based on a true story, "My Week with Marilyn" details the seven days that set assistant Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) spent with famous actress Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) as he grew closer to the surprisingly vulnerable celebrity.
Emma Watson had a supporting role in the film as Lucy, a wardrobe assistant who Colin was dating.
Although the film itself was simple, critics fell in love with the lead performances by Williams and Redmayne.
"Williams is a more three-dimensional Monroe than the love goddess herself," Joe Williams wrote for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "The performance is both an eerie imitation and a touching revelation."
In "This Is the End" (2013), Watson appeared as herself.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
Summary: Playing heightened versions of themselves, actors James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson all hunker down in a house together as the world comes to an end in the apocalyptic comedy "This Is the End."
Acting as a parody version of herself, Watson had a brief cameo in the film where she loots the actors' house.
Gleefully violent and packed with jokes and cameos, "This Is the End" was an adrenaline-filled ride in most critics' opinions.
"A cheerfully crass, enjoyably puerile entertainment that doesn't scrape the bottom of the barrel as much as it blows the barrel to pieces with a sawn-off shotgun," Chris Blohm wrote for Little White Lies.
She originated her role as Hermione in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%
Summary: In the first "Harry Potter" installment, young Harry (Radcliffe) is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he learns magic and befriends Hermione (Watson) and Ron (Grint).
Critics adored "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" for deftly building the magical world and appealing to audiences of all ages.
"Harry Potter's first venture onto the screen is a solid blockbuster," Jami Bernard wrote for the New York Daily News.
In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2007), she continued as Hermione.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%
Summary: In "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," Harry (Radcliffe) enters his fifth year at Hogwarts and is tortured by visions of Lord Voldemort's (Fiennes) return. With Hermione (Watson) and Ron (Grint) at his side, the trio combats rumors from the Ministry of Magic and their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton).
Though the film lagged in places, critics admired the maturing cast and the innovative work of director David Yates, who would go on to direct the four remaining "Harry Potter" films.
"We do get terrific work from the all-star British cast, and the special effects are as seamless as ever," Richard Roeper wrote for Ebert & Roeper.
She was Hermione Granger in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1" (2010).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%
Summary: In the seventh installment of the "Harry Potter" film franchise based on the books by J.K. Rowling, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint) leave Hogwarts behind as they search for a way to destroy Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).
Critics applauded the central cast and the film's quieter moments, even if it felt more like a precursor than a stand-alone story.
"Maturing performances are a bonus, but the show's the thing, and by now it seems much richer than any theme park that could ever be made from it," David Elliott wrote for the San Diego Reader.
The actress played Ila in "Noah" (2014).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%
Summary: In "Noah," a father (Russell Crowe) protects his wife Naameh (Jennifer Connelly), their adopted daughter Ila (Watson), and their three sons (Logan Lerman, Douglas Booth, and Leo McHugh Carroll) from a devastating global flood by building a massive ark.
Although some critics were exhausted by the plotting, most were impressed by director Darren Aronofsky's ability to cover a lot of biblical ground within a short period of time.
"For all the high-tech showmanship on display, this retelling of Noah and the Ark marks a serious effort to engage with the Old Testament as a literary text," wrote Ben Sachs for the Chicago Reader.
In Disney's live-action "Beauty and the Beast" (2017), Watson portrayed Belle.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%
Summary: In the live-action adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast," Belle (Watson) confronts a monstrous Beast (Dan Stevens) after he captures her father and begs to take his place. Held captive in a castle filled with enchanted objects, Belle begins to befriend the Beast and see him for the man he once was.
A few critics felt like the film relied too heavily on computer-generated effects, but most were charmed by the ensemble cast led by Watson.
"The sheer dexterity is overwhelming, and only the sternest viewer will be able to resist the onslaught of such thoroughly marketed magic," Anthony Lane wrote for The New Yorker.
She starred as Nicki in "The Bling Ring" (2013).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 59%
Summary: Based on a true story, "The Bling Ring" follows a group of Hollywood teenagers who break into celebrity's houses and steal their possessions. Driven by greed, the group spirals out of control until rebellious Nicki (Watson) is caught red-handed.
Although at times the film seemed as vapid as the people it portrayed, critics praised the sharpness of Sofia Coppola's script and the beauty of the film's cinematography.
"This is a funny, snarky, bang-on portrayal of the freakiness of celeb obsession," Cath Clarke wrote for Time Out. "The story would sound outrageous — if it wasn't true."
In "The Tale of Despereaux" (2008), she voiced Princess Pea.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 57%
Summary: In the animated adventure "The Tale of Despereaux," a small but brave mouse named Despereaux (voiced by Matthew Broderick) befriends the lonely Princess Pea (voiced by Watson). When Pea is kidnapped, Despereaux leaps into action.
Packed with characters and too many twists and turns, the animated tale wore critics out.
"It's like 'Ratatouille' meets 'Upstairs Downstairs' to go sort of cross-generational but it didn't really work on any level," Ben Mankiewicz wrote for At The Movies.
She was Lena in "Colonia" (2016).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%
Summary: Based on a true story, "Colonia" follows Lena's (Watson) race to save her boyfriend Daniel (Daniel Brühl) after she suspects that he has been abducted by the infamous cult, Colonia Dignidad, which was led by a former Nazi.
Although many praised the acting talents of Brühl and Watson, some critics couldn't look past the nature of the film itself, which often came across as insincere.
"Watson and Brühl give it their best, and [Michael] Nyqvist makes a powerful villain, but 'Colonia' winds up being a movie that wants to get its way on too many levels, and winds up not satisfying on most of them," Glenn Kenney wrote for RogerEbert.com.
The actress played Angela Gray in "Regression" (2016).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%
Summary: Set in 1990s Minnesota, "Regression" follows Detective Bruce Kenner (Ethan Hawke) and psychologist Kenneth Raines (David Thewlis) as they work to uncover a horrifying crime centered on Angela Gray (Watson) and her father John (David Dencik).
Reviews for "Regression" were largely negative despite a top-notch cast. Some critics cited the scattershot plot and superficial characters as the major downfalls.
"Well-intended seriousness dismantles 'Regression,' a not-exactly-horror horror movie that's also a mystery with no mystery," wrote Robert Abele for the Los Angeles Times.
One of Watson's lowest-rated films is "The Circle" (2017).
Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%
Summary: Based on the novel by Dave Eggers, "The Circle" follows Mae (Watson), who begins working under the supervision of tech magnate Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks). His groundbreaking technology forces her to choose between personal freedom and contributing to a revolutionary experiment.
Critics were underwhelmed by "The Circle," which was built on an intriguing premise but failed to follow through with an engaging plot.
"As a satire, 'The Circle' might have been worth a few giggles, but as a deadly serious drama, it's laughable in an entirely different way," David Sims wrote for The Atlantic.
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