Ron Perlman is one of the most prestigious actors in the world today. He has a very extensive career, being active in the industry for almost 50 years, leading to many roles in many different series and films.
He rose to fame for his roles in Quest for Fire and The Name of the Rose. He also became well known for his roles in films such as Drive and The City of Lost Children, and several Guillermo del Toro projects, such as Nightmare Alley, Hellboy, and Pacific Rim. He has also lent his voice to several animated films and, in recent years, he has served as a producer on projects. Below, you can find a list of Ron Perlman's best movies of his career, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
20 Pacific Rim – 72%
Pacific Rim is a science fiction film that was directed by Guillermo del Toro. It was released in 2013 and includes futuristic and monster elements. The plot revolves around Raleigh Becket, who’s a retired pilot, who teams up with Mako Mori, a rookie. Both try to overcome the oppression of the Kaiju, sea monsters, who invaded Earth in the future. This is by means of Jaegers, or giant-sized humanoid mechas.
Ron Perlman plays Hannibal Chau. He’s a black-market dealer, trading Kaiju organs for a living. In the beginning, he’s wanted in the movie to buy a Kaiju brain.
19 I Sell the Dead – 73%
I Sell the Dead is a film that includes elements of horror and comedy. It was directed by Glenn McQuaid and was released in 2008. The plot is set in the 19th century when there is a guillotine murder of one of the most wanted thieves in a village. From this, a story will develop about two grave robbers, Willie and Arthur. Ron Perlman plays Father Duffy, who early on in the film tries to get a confession from Arthur Blake, to make him an anecdote for the village. Thus, during the development of the plot, the grave robber will tell his story.
18 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – 74%
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a movie released in 2016. With a fantasy theme, this is the first installment of the Fantastic Beasts saga. Besides that, it’s a spin-off of the Harry Potter universe. The plot of the movie revolves around Newt Scamander, a British magizoologist, who arrives in New York. He has to search for some lost animals from his case with the help of Tina, Queenie, and Jacob.
Perlman gave his voice to Gnarlak, a goblin gangster, who owns a nightclub called The Blind Pig. He leads the main characters through the magic bar so that they can retrieve the last lost creature.
17 The Name of the Rose – 75%
The Name of the Roses is a historical mystery film that was directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. It was released in 1986 and was based on the 1980 novel of the same name, which was written by Umberto Eco. The plot revolves around William de Baskerville and his disciple, who try to solve a deadly mystery in a medieval abbey. They must confront the Abbot and an inquisitor, who want to blame the devil instead of solving the case.
Perlman plays Salvatore, who’s a hunchback who speaks several languages. He was a member of a heretical sect and is one of the suspects in the mystery.
16 The Adventures of Huck Finn – 75%
The Adventures of Huck Finn is a comedy, drama, and adventure film that was released in 1993. It was directed by Stephen Sommers and the plot was based on the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which was written by Mark Twain and came out in 1884. The film centers on Huckleberry, a boy,= who meets a slave, Jim, who’s a runaway. They overcome various obstacles along the way as they travel down the Mississippi River.
Perlman played Pap Finn, who is Huckleberry's father. Pap is a drunk who attacks his own son one night while under the influence of alcohol. But, fortunately, the protagonist escapes danger.
15 The Last Winter – 77%
The Last Winter is a horror film released in 2006. It was directed by Larry Fessenden. The plot revolves around a climate change warning base located in northern Alaska. The development of the film focuses on a team, working for an oil company, trying to establish a base to drill underground. However, everything gets complicated when a member turns up dead.
Ron Perlman plays the protagonist of the story, Ed Pollack. He leads the team of environmentalists at the base, and their primary mission, having been to comply with the government's agreement, becomes one of survival on the site.
14 The City of Lost Children – 80%
The City of Lost Children is a 1995 fantasy film, which integrates science elements into the plot. It was directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The plot revolves around Krank, a mad scientist who kidnaps children and blurs their dreams in order to reverse their aging. Krank kidnaps One's brother, the protagonist, who decides to rescue his brother while being accompanied by Miette.
Perlman plays One himself, who’s a fisherman and former circus strongman. He makes a living doing jobs for criminals and then meets Miette to rescue his brother from the clutches of the scientist.
13 The Bleeder (Chuck) – 81%
The Bleeder (also known as Chuck) is a sports drama film that was released in 2016. It was directed by Philippe Falardeau. Tthe plot revolves around Chuck Wepner, a heavyweight boxer. He has a 1975 title fight with Muhammad Ali, the reigning heavyweight champion. The movie is based on true events.
Perlman plays Al Braverman, Wepner's trainer and manager. He’s in charge of guiding him in the fight against Ali. For his part, Al is in charge of taking his calls and advising him along the way.
12 Nightmare Alley – 81%
Nightmare Alley is a film of the neo-noir and psychological thriller genre. It was released in 2021 and was directed by Guillermo del Toro. It is also based on the 1946 novel of the same name, which was written by William Lindsay Gresham. The film is set in the 1940s, in New York. The plot revolves around a manipulative hustler who teams up with a negligent psychiatrist to swindle upper-class citizens.
Ron Perlman plays Bruno, a carnival worker, who offers Stan a temporary job for the night. This character didn’t have many scenes in the film, although he was still well-received by the audience.
11 Hellboy – 81%
Hellboy is a superhero movie that was released in 2004. It was directed by Guillermo del Toro and is based on the Dark Horse Comics character of the same name. The plot centers on Hellboy, a charismatic demon, who was turned into an investigator from birth. He works for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, which is secret, and aims to combat paranormal threats.
Ron Perlman plays Hellboy himself, which is one of the best performances of his career. During the film, after being raised by Trevor Bruttenholm, he becomes a force for good. He must resist corruption by a sorcerer, who wants Hellboy to unleash the apocalypse as part of his destiny.
10 Happy, Texas – 81%
Happy, Texas is a comedy film released in 1999. It was directed by Mark Illsley and the plot of this film focuses on two escaped prisoners, who must pose as the owners of a van in disrepair. They also have to pretend they’re a gay couple and that they’re producers of a beauty pageant in the town of Happy, Texas.
Perlman plays Marshal Nalhober in the film. This role, despite not being as relevant in the plot and having a few brief appearances, was liked by the audience from the first moment.
9 The Book of Life – 83%
The Book of Life is a 3D animated film that was released in 2014. It was directed by Jorge R. Gutiérrez, and Guillermo del Toro supported its production. The story centers on Manolo, who’s a young bullfighter who wants to fulfill his family's expectations. The protagonist becomes involved in an adventure where he must traverse three fantastic worlds and overcome his deepest fears.
Perlman plays Xibalba, who’s the ruler of the Land of the Forgotten. He’s also the husband of La Muerte and will be a character who will try to harm the protagonists in order to take his wife's kingdom.
8 Sergio and Sergei – 86%
Sergio and Sergei is a 2017 drama film that was directed by Ernesto Daranas. This film is set in 1991 when the USSR disintegrates and Cuba's economic crisis is in its beginnings. The main character is Sergio, who’s a Marxism professor and doesn’t know which path to choose for his life. He meets Sergei, a Soviet cosmonaut who’s also going through a difficult situation, and they become friends while supporting each other in their respective countries.
Ron Perlman plays Peter, who’s an American ham radio operator. He sends a modern radio to the protagonist, being the device with which he contacts Sergei.
7 Hellboy II: The Golden Army – 86%
Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the second film in the Hellboy franchise. It was directed and written by Guillermo del Toro and was released in 2008. It follows the events of its prequel, but now Hellboy must face a mythical prince. He plans to take over the world so that his magical relatives can live.
Hellboy is again played by Ron Perlman, who’s a very powerful demon, working for the Bureau. He also enlists the help of Abe and Liz to stop his new enemy in this installment.
6 Quest for Fire – 88%
Quest for Fire is an adventure, prehistory, and fantasy film that was released in 1981. It was directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, being the film adaptation of a Belgian novel of the same name. This story is set 80,000 years ago in Paleolithic Europe. Here, early humans attempt to control the power of fire to their advantage.
Perlman played Amoukar, who’s one of the men sent by the tribal elder to find the fire. This character, along with his companions, encounters various dangers along the way, which they must learn to survive.
5 Tangled – 89%
Tangled is a 3D-animated film that features comedy, adventure, and fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It was released in 2010 and tells the story of Rapunzel, which is from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. She’s a young princess, who’s lost and has extremely long and magical hair. She accepts the help of an intruder to guide her through the new world she wants to discover.
Perlman voices the Stabbington brothers, characters that appear very little in the film. The brothers were Flynn's partners, and when Flynn abandons them, they decide to go after him in revenge.
4 Cronos – 90%
Cronos is a horror and drama film. It was released in 1992 and was directed by Guillermo del Toro. The plot revolves around an alchemist in 1535, who builds a mechanism encapsulated inside a rather small golden artifact. This object is discovered by Jesus Gris in 1997, who learns that the possessor will have eternal life, as is the case with its maker, who survived more than 400 years.
Ron Perlman plays the Guardian Angel, an American thug who is sent by Dieter, his uncle. His plot revolves around the fact that he’s always abused by his uncle over an inheritance. He also helps Gris throughout the film, who returns to his youth after finding the object.
3 Drive – 93%
Drive is an action-drama film that was directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and released in 2011. It was inspired by the novel of the same name by James Sallis, which was released in 2005. The plot revolves around a Hollywood stunt driver who works as a getaway driver. He establishes a connection with Irene and her son, after her debt-ridden husband is released from prison, and they all end up involved in a failed million-dollar heist.
Perlman plays Nino "Izzy" Paolozzi, who’s Bernie Rose's partner and is of half-Italian descent. The two are convinced by Shannon, an auto store owner, to buy a car for the driver to race.
2 Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – 96%
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a fantasy, drama, dark, musical animated film that was recently released in 2022. As the name says, it was directed by Guillermo del Toro, and also by Mark Gustafson. It’s inspired by the 1883 Italian novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio, by Carlo Collodi. It has several adaptations, but this one is a different approach to the original story.
Ron Perlman played Podesta, who’s a fascist government official with an extremely strict attitude. He turns Pinocchio into a soldier after seeing his rebirth.
1 Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox – 100%
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is an animated superhero film that was released in 2013. It was directed by Jay Oliva and is an adaptation of Flashpoint, a 2011 DC comic book crossover. The movie centers on Barry (The Flash), who wakes up in a reality that is not his own. He then discovers that the Justice League is not made up of any of the heroes he knew, except for Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Batman.
Perlman plays Slade Wilson (Deathstroke). This is a supervillain of the DC universe, being a mercenary, who has no mercy. He’s one of the most lethal assassins in these comics and is biologically enhanced. This is considered the best performance of Ron Perlman according to Rotten Tomatoes.