Few filmmakers can polarize and captivate an audience like Danish auteur Nicolas Winding Refn. Refn started his career with much international success with his Pusher Trilogy before eventually finding acclaim stateside with films such as Bronson and the cult hit Drive, starring Ryan Gosling. Refn's filmography is a varied mix of styles and stories ranging from film noir, crime drama, and Viking epic, to name a few.

While reactions to Refn's filmmaking and execution invoke strong reactions from critics and filmgoers alike, there's no denying his work has had a unique influence on modern cinema. Some have argued about the quality of Refn's filmography, but each film of his has something to take away from it, whether the viewer enjoys it or not. While he created and directed the grim HBO miniseries Too Old to Die Young, Refn hasn't made a feature film in six years, since the box office flop The Neon Demon followed his poorly-received Only God Forgives. Whatever may be in store for the iconoclast in the future, here we're delving into the strange, twisted, yet completely fascinating catalog of Nicolas Winding Refn movies, to see which titles regin supreme.

5 Valhalla Rising

Valhalla Rising
Scanbox Entertainment

With his fascination towards human violence and brutality, Refn's take on the Viking epic with Valhalla Rising is both haunting and surprisingly thought-provoking. The film follows the adventures of Norse warrior One Eye (Madds Mikkelsen) as he travels with a group of Christian crusaders to find the holy land. Valhalla Rising relies less on plot and more on atmosphere, and Refn creates a world full of brutality and beauty. The film also is a strong showcase for Mikkelsen's stoic yet powerful performance, and Refn wisely avoids turning Valhalla Rising into a bombastic traditional epic in favor of focusing on the performances and atmospheric setting. At times, the film may test the patience of viewers looking for a more standard adventure, but Refn's measured approach and abstract storytelling produce some truly compelling results.

Valhalla Rising had a low-key performance when it was released in theaters but has garnered both praise and bewilderment from audiences. In terms of his filmography, Refn's work on Valhalla Rising proved he could adapt to a larger canvas while still retaining his individual style. While it may not be his most accessible or emotional work, Valhalla Rising is still a captivating experience for those willing to meet it on its own terms.

4 Only God Forgives

Ryan Gosling makes a fist in the hallway in Only God Forgives
Radius-TWC

Following up his critical success of 2011's Drive was always going to be a steep feat for Refn. In 2013, he reunited with star Ryan Gosling for the haunting and visceral revenge film Only God Forgives. The film stars Ryan Gosling as Julian, an American living in Hong Kong who finds himself wrapped in a revenge scheme when his brother is murdered by a Thai police chief. Like much of Refn's work, Only God Forgives is full of moody atmosphere and moves at a deliberate pace. Refn's focus relies on the characters and their inner worlds, and Only God Forgives ends up being a haunting and elegantly filmed experience. Gosling's performance here is once again very internal, and Refn gets a hilarious and deadly performance out of Kirsten Scott Thomas as well.

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Upon release, Only God Forgives was met with mixed responses and didn't quite have the impact of Refn's previous films; most people probably forget it even exists. Looking back, however, Only God Forgives has some fascinating qualities of its own, and Refn's exotic visual flair adds a unique rhythm to the proceedings. Critical evaluation has also shifted in the years since, and Only God Forgives has begun to be viewed more favorably since. While it admittedly may lack the emotional weight of his previous works, Only God Forgives reveals itself as a haunting and artful experience even at its most polarizing.

3 The Neon Demon

Neon Demon Trailer Takes Keanu Reeves & Elle Fanning on a Bad Trip

Refn's fascination with the underbelly of human nature (beneath the glitz, glamor, and neon of an artifice) is a common motif in his films, so naturally he'd be drawn to the world of modeling. In 2016's The Neon Demon, Refn explores the underbelly of the modeling world as a gothic thriller; the film follows aspiring model Jesse (Elle Fanning) as she finds herself wrapped up in a mysterious cult while navigating her new surroundings. Refn's visual style is both surreal and flamboyant, and he both satires the fashion industry while also delving into psychodrama and elements of horror. Refn also utilizes a stellar female-led cast and gets strong performances out of Fanning, Jenna Malone, and Bella Heathcote as each performer truly commits to the twisted and surreal nature of the film.

The Neon Demon was considered by some to be a return to form for Refn after the aimless strangeness of Only God Forgives, and has acquired a cult following while being hailed as a challenging film. It's is a strong showcase for Refn's talents and delivers a haunting, darkly comic and wicked time. The Neon Demon is the last feature film Refn directed, but it proves that Refn still has plenty of fascinating ideas left to explore on the big screen.

2 Bronson

Prisoner Charles Bronson Was Off Limits to Tom Hardy Once Biopic Was Finished
Vertigo Films

By 2008, Nicolas Winding Refn had made a handful of films stateside, but finally broke through with the darkly comic and wildly inventive Bronson. The film has a star-making turn from Tom Hardy in an early role as a prisoner named Charles Bronson who became known as one of the UK's most violent inmates. Refn's take on the subject defies convention and plays out as a dark comedy and a twisted fantasy within Bronson's head. Hardy gives a powerhouse performance and sinks his teeth into the vicious yet magnetic personality of Bronson. Refn also doesn't hold back when it comes to exposing the brutality of Bronson's nature, and he stages the action in his trademark grotesque yet artful fashion.

Upon release, Bronson garnered strong critical praise and helped establish Refn as a noteworthy talent. The film also helped solidify the career of a young Tom Hardy and is considered one of Refn's most accomplished works. Bronson proved to be a strong stepping stone for Refn's career, as it proved his abstract style could translate accessibly.

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1 Drive

Drive
FilmDistrict

One of the most distinct films of the 2010s, Nicolas Winding Refn crafted a brutal yet heartfelt love letter to 80s crime cinema and stoic antiheroes with Drive. The film follows a mysterious driver (Ryan Gosling) who stunt-drives by day and is a getaway driver by night, who finds himself wrapped up in the fallout of a job gone horribly wrong. Drive manages to be so captivating because it merges Refn's visceral style with a lush beauty that elevates its source material. Refn's command of his medium from sound and cinematography to it's set pieces are orchestrated seamlessly, and he elicits genuine emotion from the tragic romance between Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. Drive also subverts expectations with it's casting, with Albert Brooks giving a menacing performance along with its equally stacked supporting cast, including Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, and Oscar Issac, among others.

Drive (like all Refn movies) had a low-key box office performance but earned a strong cult following among audiences and a positive critical reception. The film is widely considered to be Refn's best film and helped solidify him as a noteworthy talent. With Drive, Refn displays the strongest showcase yet for his unique talents and creates something both artful and accessible that still holds up today.