Mark Sinclair, professionally known as Vin Diesel, is one of the highest-earning actors in the world and has seen his fair share of movies over the past 20 years. In addition to acting, the action star has written and produced his own films.

He established the American production company One Race Films, which allowed him to serve as executive producer on several of his greatest productions. Diesel also formed Racetrack Records, a musical label under One Race Films, and Tigon Studios, a video game development company.

And if this is any indication, we might presume that his track record in the industry is ever-growing. This is especially true given that his most recent film, Fast X, was released in theaters earlier this year. He has been in numerous action films, so this Vin Diesel movies list will primarily include action films. However, he has a wide range and has been in major films from other genres.

1. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Rating: 8.6/10 (IMDB), 94% (Rotten Tomatoes)

“Saving Private Ryan” is the first movie in this Vin Diesel movies list. With nearly $481.8 million in total revenue, this movie was the second-highest-grossing movie of 1998. Steven Spielberg directed, and Robert Rodat wrote the film. It is set in 1944 in France during World War II. The eponymous protagonists of the film are played by Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller and Matt Damon as Private James Ryan. Adrian Caparzo, a hardened soldier with a sensitive heart, was played by Vin Diesel. The film follows a group of troops commanded by Miller on their mission to save Ryan.

Of course, the film earned a lot of appreciation, with ex-veterans hailing the film scenes as being true to their actual wartime experiences.

2. Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)

Rating: 8/10 (IMDB), 92% (Rotten Tomatoes)

Considering how well-known these films are, it’s surprising that many people are unaware Vin Diesel is featured as one of the title characters in this James Gunn classic. He voiced Groot, a tree-like humanoid and Rocket Raccoon’s accomplice and sidekick. In this film, Peter Quill (Pratt) and the other Guardians flee after stealing an extremely powerful artifact.

He later reprised his role as Groot in “I Am Groot,” a Disney Plus animated miniseries, “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” (2022), “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (2023), and “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), in which the complete ensemble of heroes faced Thanos. Of course, the film and character are clearly in the top three of this Vin Diesel movies list for being one of Vin Diesel’s most memorable (and endearing) performances.

3. Furious 7 (2015)

Rating: 7.1/10 (IMDB), 81% (Rotten Tomatoes)

Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), and the rest of the team have split up to resume normal lives after defeating the worldwide terrorist Owen Shaw. However, Owen’s older brother, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), is eager to exact retribution. In return for helping to free a kidnapped computer hacker who has created a powerful monitoring program, a government agent promises to assist Dom and the team in taking care of Shaw.

Brian and Dom say goodbye to one another and depart in separate cars as the film ends. After seeing Dominic and Brian’s final interaction onscreen, fans showered the film affectionately.

4. The Fast And The Furious (2001)

Rating: 6.8/10 (IMDB), 55% (Rotten Tomatoes)

Although it would be a crime to omit the entire Fast series from this Vin Diesel movies list, there is no denying that the first film, which starred Vin Diesel as the title character, was among the greatest. Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, and Chad Lindberg are among the cast members of the Rob Cohen-directed film. In the film, Brian O’Connor (Walker) is an undercover LAPD officer who is looking for the reason behind a string of carjackings. Brian seeks to gain Dominic Torretto’s (Diesel) favor by becoming more involved with the group.

5. Find Me Guilty (2006)

Rating: 7/10 (IMDB), 62% (Rotten Tomatoes)

This courtroom comedy-drama directed by Sidney Lumet is based on the real-life longest Mafia trial in history. In addition, it stars Peter Dinklage, Linus Roache, Alex Rocco, and Ron Silver. Jackie DiNorscio, played by Vin Diesel, has been waiting for his racketeering trial to commence for a year in the 1980s. While on bail, he is set up for a drug sting by the DEA but is shot in an unrelated incident.

6. Pitch Black (2000)

Rating: 7/10 (IMDB), 59% (Rotten Tomatoes)

The Riddick franchise was introduced in this sci-fi action horror film written and directed by David Twohy. A spacecraft called the Hunter-Gratzner is transporting people in the far future, including a deadly criminal named Richard B. Riddick (Diesel). He has surgically altered eyes that allow him to see in the dark (though his vision is extremely sensitive to light). So, when micrometeoroids lead the ship to crash on a desert planet, which just happens to have photosensitive monsters that begin picking off the passengers one by one, the survivors negotiate a bargain with Riddick to evacuate them safely.

If everyone on the planet survives, he will be set free. Riddick accepts the offer and the war with these beasts starts. Although the premise is slightly lacking, critics appreciated Vin Diesel’s performance in the franchise’s highest-rated film. Pitch Black has a 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while Vin Diesel was nominated for the 2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor.

7. The Chronicles Of Riddick (2004)

Rating: 6.6/10 (IMDB), 29% (Rotten Tomatoes)

“The Chronicles of Riddick” is another great science fiction film in this Vin Diesel movies list. This sequel to “Pitch Black,” also written and directed by David Twohy, has Vin Diesel resume his role as Richard B. Riddick. He also works as a producer alongside Thandiwe Newton. Keith David, Karl Urban, Colm Feore, and Alexa Davalos round out the cast. The film begins with Riddick as a fugitive who must dodge bounty hunters and mercenaries. A chain of events leads to Riddick reconciling with Imam, a guy he saved him five years before.

Imam informs Riddick that a sinister power has been conquering worlds. He says that this force, known as the Necromongers, will take over Helion Prime next. Riddick decides to stop them on his own.

8. XXX (2002)

Rating: 5.8/10 (IMDB), 48% (Rotten Tomatoes)

This is the first film in the XXX film franchise, directed by Rob Cohen. Xander Cage, the titular character, is played by Diesel. In this film, Diesel plays a renegade athlete and extreme sports enthusiast who grudgingly accepts a job as a spy for the National Security Agency. He is dispatched to acquire a biological weapon known as the ‘Silent Night’ from Anarchy 99, a group of Russian militants.

After being transported to Prague, Cage infiltrates the squad intending to gain their trust to locate the weapon. The movie grossed $277.4 million worldwide and starred other industry heavyweights such as Samuel L. Jackson.

9. XXX: Return Of Xander Cage (2017)

Rating: 5.2/10 (IMDB), 45% (Rotten Tomatoes)

This sequel to “XXX” is another epic film on this Vin Diesel movie list. When a gadget capable of commanding satellites to fall from the sky to particular areas as improvised warheads fall into the hands of the wrong people, CIA Agent Jane Marke chases down former agent Xander Cage. She learns that he feigned death and has been living peacefully in the Dominican Republic. Despite his refusal, she persuades him to assist her, and he rejoins the service to search down the ‘Pandora’s Box’ device.

10. Billy Lynn’s Long Half-Time Walk (2016)

Rating: 6.2/10 (IMDB), 43% (Rotten Tomatoes)

This military drama, directed by Ang Lee, is based on Ben Fountain’s 2012 novel. Joe Alwyn plays Billy Lynn, a 19-year-old United States Army specialist who becomes renowned after a video showing him bringing his wounded Seargent to safety after a fierce shootout in Iraq. Vin Diesel plays Sergeant Virgil “Shroom” Breem, who bled out and died while Billy attempted to protect him on the battlefield.

Billy fights to maintain a normal life while dealing with the tragedy of the Iraq war throughout the movie. Billy experiences flashbacks about his time with Shroom, portraying the Sergeant as a vital anchor in difficult circumstances. Furthermore, it depicts the circumstances leading up to Shroom’s death.

11. Bloodshot (2020)

Rating: 5.7/10 (IMDB), 31% (Rotten Tomatoes)

“Bloodshot” is a superhero film based on the comic book character of the same name created by Rob Liefeld. Diesel plays Ray Garrison, a US Marine kidnapped and slain by a group while on vacation with his wife.

Ray awakens in a lab with partial memory loss. He is informed that he is the first successful human subject in their Bloodshot experiment. His bloodstream is replaced with nanite technology which makes him stronger than humans, but he must recharge the nanites regularly or he will die again.

12. The Pacifier (2005)

Rating: 5.6/10 (IMDB), 21% (Rotten Tomatoes)

The idea of Diesel babysitting a gaggle of children is tough to imagine, which is why this entertaining action-comedy drama film is included in this Vin Diesel movies list. Adam Shankman directed the film, which stars the actor as Shane Wolfe, a US Navy SEAL lieutenant. After failing to rescue a man named Howard Plummer from Serbian separatists, he is assigned to care for Howard’s now bereaved family. Furthermore, he must explore the family home for the top-secret project known only as GHOST, which Howard was working on.

He disguises himself as a babysitter and finds the youngsters difficult. Shane, however, swiftly discovers and works to repair a problem for each of them. After saving them from armed ninjas, he becomes much closer to the family, eventually gaining the children’s trust.

13. Knockaround Guys (2001)

Rating: 6.1/10 (IMDB), 21% (Rotten Tomatoes)

“Knockaround Guys” is an action film released in 2001. Matty Demaret, played by Barry Pepper, is the son of a mob boss trying to prove himself to his father. When a bag goes missing, Demaret employs the help of his friends, one of whom is Diesel’s character. The crew of misfits proceed on a wild goose chase to get the bag while at the same time endangering their own lives.

14. The Last Witch Hunter ( 2015)

Rating: 5.9/10 (IMDB), 18% (Rotten Tomatoes)

The fantasy action picture “The Last Witch Hunter,” released in 2015, follows the exploits of witch hunter Kaulder, played by Diesel. Kaulder is immortal due to a witch queen’s curse. As he is the last living witch hunter, it is up to him to stop the queen’s resurrection and thus rescue the entire human race.

Kaulder discovers evidence of dark magic and foul play when the priest assisting him dies in his sleep. He must now work with a teenage witch named Chloe (Rose Leslie) to find and stop this evil.

15. A Man Apart (2003)

Rating: 6/10 (IMDB), 11% (Rotten Tomatoes)

“A Man Apart” is an action/crime film released in 2003. The main characters are Sean Vetter and Demetrius Hicks, played by Vin Diesel and Larenz Tate, respectively. They are former gang members who now work as undercover DEA agents combating drug cartels on the California/Mexico border.

When the DEA imprisons Memo, one of the drug mafia’s key figures, things take a turn for the worst. Diablo takes over Memo’s criminal enterprise, giving Sean and Hicks a new target. Diablo instructs his minions to murder Sean’s wife. Sean turns to Memo for assistance because of his determination to get revenge and his grief at losing his beloved wife. Sean and Hicks navigate the entire hierarchy to reach Diablo.

Why You Should Watch Everything On Vin Diesel’s Movies List

Vin Diesel has been in the entertainment industry since 1990. Fans always look forward to Vin Diesel’s forthcoming films because he delivers blockbusters and dominates the show. You may have watched other Vin Diesel movies, but the Fast and Furious franchise movies are the most famous and are regarded as the best in Vin Diesel’s career.

Dr. Diana Rangaves, PharmD

Writing since August 2023 · 2 stories contributed