Every Margot Robbie Movie, Ranked from Worst to Best
#24: “Vigilante” (2008)
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It’s a movie so bad, we’re not even sure if it really exists at all. But it does have an IMDb page, so we’re counting it here. “Vigilante” is Margot Robbie’s very first film, and let’s just say we’re glad she got to take another whack at the business afterward. The Australian movie is about a young man who vows revenge when his fiancée is murdered. It’s not a particularly interesting take on the revenge narrative, and Robbie’s role is relatively small and not very well written. If anything, we guess we’re glad this jumpstarted what has become such an important career. But if you were thinking of watching it? Our advice would be to skip.
#23: “I.C.U.” (2009)
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Robbie’s second film found her in the throes of a thriller that’s really not very thrilling at all. The movie stars Robbie as a woman who begins spying on her neighbors, and then later finds herself being hunted by a murderer. The actress is alright in the movie, but she doesn’t actually have much to work with in terms of a script. The plot is pretty derivative, and the third-act twist comes out of nowhere. There’s not too much more to say about this movie. Luckily for everyone, Robbie soon moved onto bigger and better things.
#22: “Suicide Squad” (2016)
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Robbie has made a pretty strong career out of playing DC Comics icon Harley Quinn. Each time she shows up in the role, she usually runs away with whatever movie she’s in. And nowhere is that more apparent than in 2016’s “Suicide Squad.” While it performed well at the box office, critics slammed its convoluted plot and dire aesthetic. Most of the performances are okay, but Jared Leto’s turn as the Joker leaves much to be desired. Really, the only bright spot in the entire endeavor is Robbie’s performance. Her version of Harley Quinn has the spunk and depth that make the character great, and we’re so glad we got to see more of her in the DC canon.
#21: “Terminal” (2018)
Sometimes a star takes a big swing. While we’re happy Margot Robbie tried something different with “Terminal,” we’re not quite sure the result is what everyone wanted. The film spotlights different characters – including assassins, a school teacher, and a waitress – as they find themselves involved in a murder plot. Robbie delivers a stellar and sinister performance, and the movie’s visuals are quite compelling stylistically speaking. But the plot and pacing of the narrative never quite gel to meet an exciting fever pitch, and a lot of the different story beats feel painfully unoriginal.
#20: “The Legend of Tarzan” (2016)
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After Robbie had her break out in the early 2010s, she tried her hand at quite a few different types of projects. While we understand her likely desire to star in a giant, adventure epic, we maybe would have picked different source material. “The Legend of Tarzan” stars Robbie as Jane against Alexander Skarsgård in the titular role. While there are plenty of enjoyable action sequences in the film, it’s just a bit too overstuffed to ever settle on making a point. It also steps dangerously into a white savior narrative, which it was critiqued for at the time. Robbie and Skarsgård give their all, but even their combined talent can’t save this one.
#19: “Slaughterhouse Rulez” (2018)
Comedy horror can be a fine line to walk. Most attempts at the genre don’t end up in the coveted “Evil Dead II” position. And “Slaughterhouse Rulez” falls well below the mark. The movie takes place at an upscale boarding school that quickly becomes permeated with bloodshed and murder. The film boasts a stellar cast, starring the likes of Michael Sheen, Nick Frost, and Simon Pegg. Yet it’s never able to be fully funny or scary, making it sort of a dud in terms of entertainment. Robbie only has a small cameo role as Pegg’s sometimes love interest, and she’s pretty good in what otherwise feels like a disappointment.
#18: “Amsterdam” (2022)
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Director David O. Russell has never been known as an easy person to work with. And misconduct allegations have just made him and his work more controversial. So, perhaps it’s no wonder his 2022 film “Amsterdam,” completely bombed at the box office. But we don’t think it’s fair to blame this flop entirely on Russell’s reputation. The movie is also just pretty plain bad. Robbie stars alongside Christian Bale and John David Washington as friends who become involved in a murder scheme. While that might sound like a fun set up, nothing about this movie is very fun at all. It boasts an incredible cast, but none of them are delivering their best work.
#17: “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” (2021)
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Flopsy heads, unite! Robbie doesn’t make an actual live appearance in this “Peter Rabbit” sequel, but she does lend her voice to the character of Flopsy Rabbit, Peter’s sister. She also provides the narration. While this movie isn’t all that bad, it does run into a recognizable sequel problem. “Peter Rabbit 2” attempts to capitalize on the joyfulness of the original. It never quite captures that magic, but it’s still a pretty hoppin’ good time. However, we can’t exactly attribute that good time to Robbie. Most of the film’s charm comes from its live-action characters, played by Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, and David Oyelowo. Still, Robbie’s Flopsy has enough of her charisma to make it work.
#16: “Dreamland” (2019)
After watching “Dreamland,” all we have to say is sign Margot Robbie up for a Bonnie and Clyde movie, STAT! That’s basically the central premise of this 2019 film. Robbie plays bank robber Allison Wells, who falls in love with a young man named Eugene, played by Finn Cole. The two embark on a life of crime, which of course, ends in a bout of tragedy. While there are sparks of what make the Bonnie and Clyde story so irresistible in this movie, it never quite gels thematically or narratively. Still, Robbie is magnetic in her role. We really hope she gets another chance at this genre soon.
#15: “Peter Rabbit” (2018)
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If you thought we were done talking about Flopsy, you were wrong! With “Peter Rabbit,” we’re taking it back to the moment all the hype started. Much like the film’s sequel, Robbie stars as Flopsy Rabbit and also acts as the narrator. She does fairly well with the latter task, lulling the audience into comfort with her pleasant voice. Of course, she’s also a great Flopsy. The movie is sweet and fun, and Robbie often steals the show from everyone, including star James Corden. While the rabbits are cute, however, most of the film’s appeal still comes from its live-action players.
#14: “Bombshell” (2019)
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Sometimes, you’re nominated for an Academy Award for the wrong movie. Such was arguably the case for Margot Robbie in 2019. She starred in two Oscar-buzzy films that year, one of which was “Bombshell.” It’s based on the story of women at Fox News who accused CEO Roger Ailes of sexual harassment. Robbie’s character is fictionalized and serves as a sort of entry way for the audience into the world. While the cast is excellent, the film itself never dares to dive beneath the surface of the Fox News scandal. It prefers to sanitize its characters, not trusting its audience to have empathy for women they might not agree with politically when they go through something so horrible.
#13: “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” (2016)
Throughout her career, it seems Robbie has been involved with many movies where the acting is praised, but the script has issues. Well, we’ve got another example of that here with “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.” The movie stars Tina Fey as a journalist who decides to take a war correspondent job in an effort to revitalize her career. Along the way, she befriends a BBC reporter played by Robbie. Fey and Robbie have pretty good chemistry, and the latter actress in particular is effortlessly charming in the role. But even that effervescent charisma can’t overcome an unsurprising, formulaic plot.
#12: “Suite Française” (2014)
We think that a war romance movie starring Margot Robbie is something that everyone in the world would love. She isn’t necessarily the star of “Suite Française” – far from it, in fact – but we think her performance proves that she should be elevated to that role immediately. This 2015 film stars Michelle Williams, a French woman who falls in love with a German soldier in German-occupied France. Robbie has a small, but similarly-themed role to Williams, and handles her character’s few scenes with gravitas. All we’re saying is we think she should have the chance to headline one of these on her own!
#11: “Goodbye Christopher Robin” (2017)
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Sometimes, nostalgia is all you need to make a bunch of adults go see a movie. And in the case of “Goodbye Christopher Robin,” nostalgia is mostly enough to make it work! The movie is about A. A. Milne, the creator of the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh character, and focuses on his relationship with his boy, Christopher Robin. Robbie plays Daphne, Milne’s wife. While the story sometimes fails to mix youth fantasy and the realities of adulthood together effectively, it’s anchored by good performances. Robbie has wonderful chemistry with Domhnall Gleeson, who plays Milne, and their relationship serves as a perfect focal point.
#10: “About Time” (2013)
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“About Time” is one of the most underrated romantic comedies of the 2010s. It’s a bit messy and there are aspects of it that don’t always work. But the ideas the film puts forth about life and death are expertly wrought, and Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams are adorable together. It could be argued, however, that one of the things that doesn’t work about the film is Margot Robbie’s character. She plays Charlotte, who is the initial love interest to Gleeson’s Tim. There’s nothing really inherently wrong with Charlotte – she’s just incredibly tropey and underwritten. Robbie wasn’t super far along in her career, and we’re glad she got a part in this movie. We just wish it were better.
#9: “Mary Queen of Scots” (2018)
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If there’s one person we love as much as Margot Robbie, it’s got to be Saoirse Ronan. So, imagine our glee when we learned that the two would be starring in a period piece about Queen Elizabeth I, and Mary, Queen of Scots. But while the film is an amazing showcase for these two talented actors, it’s a bit bumpy script-wise. Robbie and Ronan elevate the material in a way that not many actors can, showing the nuances and intricacies of their characters that might not necessarily be there on the page. We love watching these two women work together, and we definitely hope we get to see it again someday.
#8: “Z for Zachariah” (2015)
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Listen – we get if apocalypse dramas aren’t really your thing. But for “Z for Zachariah,” might we kindly ask that you make an exception? The film stars Margot Robbie as a woman who thinks she is the last survivor of a nuclear accident, but then finds herself joined by two men. From there, it turns into a three-hander between Robbie, Chris Pine, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The movie provides thoughtful commentary on isolation, intimacy and relationships, and is downright chilling at times. While Pine and Ejiofor are delivering their usual greatness, it’s Robbie who stands out. She’s fascinating and introspective, proving her merit as a dramatic actress.
#7: “Focus” (2015)
Who says chemistry is lost? If you ask us, Margot Robbie and Will Smith proved it’s still kicking in their 2015 movie “Focus.” Smith stars as a con artist who takes Robbie’s character on as a sort of apprentice. Of course, as the two’s attraction to one another grows, things get complicated. “Focus” feels like a throwback to crime romance films of yore, languishing in the glamor of its settings and stars. Sure, it takes on a bit too much at times, and makes us sit through more surprise developments than necessary. But when Robbie and Smith are on screen together, it’s simply electric.
#6: “The Big Short” (2015)
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Okay, we know – Margot Robbie doesn’t have a huge role in this film. But she delivers one of the better celebrity cameos in recent memory, and the movie is stellar, so we had to include it. “The Big Short” takes on the huge task of explaining to the general public how the housing market contributed to causing the 2008 financial crisis. Throughout the film, there are different scenes featuring celebrities cosplaying as themselves, attempting to shed light on different facets of finance. Robbie joins the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Selena Gomez in giving the audience a quick run down on the events in the story. She does so from the comfort of a bubble bath, delivering lines with ease as only she could.
#5: “The Suicide Squad” (2021)
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If at first you don’t succeed, try try again! This must have been Warner Brothers’ philosophy with the characters involved in DC’s Suicide Squad team up. After a disastrous 2016 film, James Gunn helmed this 2021 sequel, giving us another chance to see Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. The film immediately became more popular than its predecessor, and audiences loved its aesthetic and action sequences. And while this time the film around her was a better one, Robbie once again easily stole the show. Her Harley is so funny, so outrageous, and deliciously brash. We couldn’t imagine her any other way.
#4: “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” (2020)
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If you hadn’t watched 2020’s “Birds of Prey,” the 2021 “Suicide Squad” film was the first time you had seen Robbie’s Harley Quinn in quite a few years. But if you had seen “Birds of Prey,” then you know she’d already delivered us the goods. It’s arguably the best DC film, with its signature style and suckerpunch of a lead performance. Robbie’s Harley Quinn continues to be one of if not the most interesting characters in the DC universe, and she’s joined by a plethora of other amazing women. “Birds of Prey” is feminist without kicking you over the head with trite “girl power” metaphors, and we chalk a lot of that up to Robbie’s layered portrayal.
#3: “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” (2019)
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When Robbie was nominated for an Oscar for “Bombshell”, many of us were probably all thinking the same thing: what about “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?” Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 masterpiece co-stars Robbie alongside Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio. Tate and the Manson murders are not the central focus of the film – although they do play a pretty brilliantly twisty role in the film’s finale. But while she’s not the star, it’s impossible not to look at Robbie every time she’s on screen. She fills Tate with such a bright light, and embodies the actress’ physical habits and demeanor perfectly.
#2: “I, Tonya” (2017)
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In “I, Tonya,” Robbie delivers one of the best performances of her lifetime. The film spotlights Tonya Harding, the U.S. figure skater, and chronicles her role in the 1994 assault on athlete Nancy Kerrigan. The script expertly takes a story we think we know and throws information at us in a way that leaves us to choose what we believe. Robbie infuses her portrayal of Harding with so much empathy and authenticity, and you can tell she spent a lot of time studying the skater’s mannerisms. She really inhabits the character, allowing us to look back at the story through a new lens.
#1: “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013)
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When someone blasts onto the mainstream scene the way Margot Robbie did in 2013, there’s nothing you can do but sit back and take notice. Going into “The Wolf of Wall Street,” we were all prepared for Leonardo DiCaprio to deliver an eccentric, electrifying performance. What we weren’t prepared for, however, was for Robbie to go toe-to-toe with him. She portrays Naomi Lapaglia, the spouse of DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort, and is seductive in a way that should be illegal. Her scenes with her on-screen partner are so intriguing, especially given the way the actors play with power. The give and take between the two should be studied in acting classes from here on out.
