Highlights

  • John Cena has successfully made a transition from a full-time wrestler to a Hollywood actor, following the footsteps of The Rock.
  • Despite facing obstacles, Cena has starred in multiple high-profile movies and has made a name for himself in Hollywood.
  • Cena's best movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes, include "Trainwreck," "Bumblebee," and "The Suicide Squad," which have gained positive reviews and showcased his talent as an actor.

Starting his career as a rookie in WWE, John Cena worked his way up the ladder over the years and became one of the most iconic superstars in the company's history, and now has 16 world championship reigns to his name. As time passed, John Cena realized that his time as an in-ring performer was coming to an end and took on a part-time wrestling role and made a successful transition to Hollywood, following the footsteps of The Rock.

The road was not smooth, but Cena persevered through all the obstacles and has starred in multiple high-profile movies and made a name for himself in Hollywood. With that said, let's take a look at ten of John Cena's best movies ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.

UPDATE: 2024/01/08 07:30 EST BY STEFANO MOCELLA

There's no doubt that Cena has now established himself as a bona fide star in Hollywood. While he may not be raking in the box office numbers that The Rock has, he continues to get some big time roles and he usually plays them very effectively. His first film, The Marine, was panned by critics and fans alike, was released way back in 2006. Now, Cena has grown as an actor and has amassed a nice resume in Hollywood. Stepping away from the WWE as a full-time wrestler has allowed Cena to flourish on the big screen. It's time to revisit some of his best work.

10 12 Rounds - 31%

Cena's Second WWE Studios Film

Release Date

Running Time

Where To Watch (USA)

2009

109 Minutes

Disney+

Following his debut venture as the main star in The Marine in 2006, John Cena starred in the 2009 WWE Studios film 12 Rounds. Directed by Renny Harlin, the story revolves around a New Orleans cop Danny Fisher, who faces the consequences of preventing the antagonist from carrying out his latest heist, resulting in the death of the latter's girlfriend.

The antagonist breaks out from prison and abducts Fisher's fiancée. To save her, Danny Fisher must successfully complete a series of 12 tasks and puzzles. The film gained negative reviews from fans and critics, who noted its similarities with the 1995 movie, Die Hard with a Vengeance. It has a rating of 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics claiming the film to be "Energetic but Empty."

9 Vacation Friends - 59%

Cena Shows Off His Knack For Comedy

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream (USA)

2021

103 Minutes

Hulu, Disney+

Next on the list is the 2021 comedy film Vacation Friends, directed by Clay Tarver. John Cena played the role of Ron, who is a wild and carefree party animal joined by his girlfriend Kyla, played by Meredith Hagner. They befriend a couple, Marcus and Emily (Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji), during a vacation in Mexico, and the rest of the story then revolves around chaotic turns that take place after some excessive partying.

The film received a 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus being:

"The laughs aren't always in steady supply, but the terrific cast makes Vacation Friends a comedy you can stream without serious reservations."

8 F9: The Fast Saga - 59%

Cena Was Brought Back For Fast X

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream (USA)

2021

143 Minutes

Netflix, HBO Max

John Cena became part of the infamous Fast and Furious franchise in their tenth film, F9: The Fast Saga. Cena plays the role of Jakob Toreto, a master thief, assassin, and high-performance driver, who is the estranged brother of the protagonist Dom Toreto, played by Vin Diesel.

The story behind Cena's character plays out how he became an assassin after his brother kicked him out of town over their father's death and how he meets his brother again in unfavorable circumstances.

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The movie received positive reviews from critics and has a 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Cena gained tons of praise for his role in the film and was brought back for the Fast X sequel, which was released this year. Whether he will return for the next installment is still up in the air.

7 Sisters - 60%

Cena Makes A Hilarious Cameo

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream (USA)

2015

118 Minutes

Apple TV

Sisters is a 2015 comedy film starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, directed by Jason Moore. It's a story about two sisters, Kate and Maura Ellis, finding out that they have one week to clean out the junk from their childhood bedroom at their parent's home before it gets sold.

They decide to have one last party at their childhood house before the new owners move in. The chaos that ensues over the party and how the sisters overcame everything and got their lives straight in the process forms the crux of the story.

John Cena only played a minor role in the film as a drug dealer named Pazuzu. The movie received a 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and garnered mixed reviews from the fans.

6 The Wall - 65%

Filmed On A Modest 3 Million Dollar Budget

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream

2017

90 Minutes

Amazon Prime Video

The Wall is a film about two American soldiers trapped by an Iraqi sniper. John Cena plays the role of Staff Sergeant Shane Matthews alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergeant Allen "Ize" Isaac.

When the two soldiers answer a distress call in the Iraq desert, they both get trapped by a hidden sniper who badly injures Matthews while Isaac takes a bullet to his leg.

Assuming that his partner is dead, Isaac takes cover behind an unsteady wall, but as the story unfolds, Matthews regains consciousness and tries to join the fight, only to get taken out with two sniper shots, and the rest of the story is about how Isaac manages to survive the sniper alone.

5 Ferdinand - 72%

Cena Voices The Main Protagonist

Ferdinand the bull Cropped

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream (USA)

2017

108 Minutes

Disney+

Ferdinand is a 2017 animated adventure comedy film directed by Carlos Saldanha. John Cena was the voice actor for the protagonist, Ferdinand the Bull, and the story is about the bull escaping a training camp after his father never returns from a bullfighting showdown.

He gets adopted by a girl who lives on a farm, and when things are looking good for the gentle bull, the authorities return him to his previous captors. The rest of the story is about how Ferdinand was able to escape and free his friends from captivity.

4 Blockers - 84%

Cena Plays An Overprotective And Slow Witted Dad

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream (USA)

2018

102 Minutes

Netflix

Blockers is a 2018 raunchy comedy film directed by Kay Cannon, starring John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, and Leslie Mann. The three protagonists are overprotective parents of their daughters, Kayla, Sam, and Julie.

When the three parents find out about their daughters' pact to lose their v-cards on prom night, they join forces on a chaotic and hilarious quest to stop their children from their succeeding in their plan at all costs.

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The film gained an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus being, "Blockers puts a gender-swapped spin on the teen sex comedy -- one elevated by strong performances, a smartly funny script, and a surprisingly enlightened perspective."

3 Trainwreck - 84%

Arguably Cena's Breakout Film Role

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream (USA)

2015

125 Minutes

Netflix, Amazon Prime

Trainwreck is a 2015 romantic comedy film directed by Judd Apatow and starring Amy Schumer and Bill Hader. The story revolves around Amy Townsend, who is a heavy-drinking, promiscuous party girl, and her struggle with overcoming her father's views about Monogamy not being realistic. John Cena played the role of Steven, one of Amy's transient boyfriends, at the outset of the film. Cena's role really allows his improv skills and his comedic timing to shine, and one might say this role led to more opportunities in comedy for him.

She battles with her feelings as she slowly starts falling in love with Dr. Aaron Conners as it conflicts with the views her father forced into her head.

2 Bumblebee - 90%

Cena Starts Landing The Big-Time Box Office Roles

JOhn Cena in Bumblebee

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream (USA)

2018

114 Minutes

Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime

Bumblebee was the sixth film in the live-action Transformers film series. Golden Globe Award winner Travis Knight directed the movie, and it starred Hailee Steinfeld as the lead actor, with John Cena playing the character of Jack Burns, a former U.S. Army Colonel, and agent of Sector 7.

The movie received tons of positive reviews from fans and critics and gained a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' consensus read, "Bumblebee proves it's possible to bring fun and a sense of wonder back to a bloated blockbuster franchise -- and sets up its own slate of sequels in the bargain."

1 The Suicide Squad - 90%

Cena Joins A Star-Studded Cast For James Gunn's DC Film Debut

Release Year

Running Time

Where To Stream (USA)

2021

132 Minutes

Rent on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Apple TV

James Gunn's Suicide Squad in 2021 turned out to be arguably John Cena's biggest Hollywood venture which gained him tons of momentum. He played the character of Christopher Smith / Peacemaker, an antihero who would take any drastic measure to achieve peace. His performance in the film garnered high praise from the fans, which led to a spinoff series, "The Peacemaker," which aired on HBO Max.

With a star-studded cast including Idris Elba and Margot Robbie, the film turned out to be a huge hit among the fans. It gained a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus reading, "Enlivened by writer-director James Gunn's singularly skewed vision, The Suicide Squad marks a funny, fast-paced rebound that plays to the source material's violent, anarchic strengths."