Kiefer Sutherland, no matter if he is playing unsettling villains in some of the best ‘80s movies or one of the greatest TV heroes, is one of those actors who gives performances you just can’t help but watch. The incredibly prolific and charismatic actor has long been incredibly fascinating whenever in front of the camera, which may just be the case for his latest project, the Paramount+ original series, Rabbit Hole.
But before we’re taken off on yet another adventure with the Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe winner, let’s take a look back at the best Kiefer Sutherland movies and TV shows, titles that show the range and dedication of one of most well-known actors of our time.
24 (2001 - 2010)
Over the course of 24’s nine seasons and nearly 200 episodes, Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer was a morally-ambiguous counter-terrorism agent who would do anything and everything to thwart disaster on the national, and even global scale. This combination of elements from political thrillers, high-stakes action stories, and the spy genre worked to create not only one of the best shows of the early 21st century but also a hero unlike anyone who came before.
24 stood out from the pack because of Sutherland’s iconic character and a unique narrative structure that saw each episode take place in real time.
Stream 24 on Hulu.
Buy 24 on Amazon.
The Lost Boys (1987)
There were plenty of vampire movies in the ‘80s, but few have withstood the test of time better than Joel Schumacher’s 1987 summer horror classic, The Lost Boys. The movie follows brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam Emerson (Corey Haim) as they move to Santa Clara, California, only to discover that the seaside town carries a dark and deadly secret: motorcycle-riding, leather jacket-wearing vampires.
Kiefer Sutherland’s David Powers, one of the lead vampires, might not be the best horror villains of all time, but few, if any, look as cool and stylish as this charming and devilish vampire.
Rent/buy The Lost Boys on Amazon.
Stand By Me (1986)
One of the best Stephen King adaptations, Rob Reiner’s 1986 coming-of-age drama Stand By Me follows four longtime friends as they set off into the woods to locate the body of a missing boy on the final day of their summer break. What starts out as a normal hiking trek through the Oregon forest, quickly turns into a journey to childhood’s end.
Adapting Stephen King's The Body: Looking Back On The Nostalgic Beauty Of 1986’s Stand By Me
Kiefer Sutherland, showing up as the unforgettable villain, John “Ace” Merrill, is so good at playing the bad guy, and that’s even before you see him threaten a group of kids with a switchblade..
Stream Stand By Me on Showtime.
Rent/buy Stand By Me on Amazon.
Flatliners (1990)
Joel Schumacher’s 1990 psychological horror thriller, Flatliners, centers on a group of medical students as they set out to solve the mystery of death. But over the course of their experiments, which involve briefly stopping their hearts, the scientists learn that actions have consequences, and you can’t cheat death.
The Flatliners cast is filled with great actors from top-to-bottom, with everyone from Julia Roberts to Kevin Bacon to Oliver Platt playing meaningful roles, but at the core of the film is Kiefer Sutherland’s Nelson Wright, the group’s ambitious and daring ringleader.
Stream Flatliners on Tubi.
Rent/buy Flatliners on Amazon.
A Few Good Men (1993)
A Few Good Men, the 1992 military courtroom drama written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Rob Reiner, follows Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) as he tries to prove that two Marines accused of murdering a fellow soldier were acting on orders from high command, which proves to be no easy task.
Though the movie is mostly remembered for the back-and-forth between Cruise and Jack Nicholson’s characters, it also features a key performance from Kiefer Sutherland, who commanded the Marines to carry out a “Code Red” order.
Stream A Few Good Men on Tubi.
Rent/buy A Few Good Men on Amazon.
Young Guns (1988)
After the man who hired them and treated them as his own is gunned down, a group of the misguided youth, led by Billy the Kid (Emilio Estevez) seek vengeance against those responsible for the misjustice. But in doing so, the gang of outlaws draw the attention of every authority figure in the American West.
Christopher Cain’s 1988 Western, Young Guns, is full of young stars in the making, including Charlie Sheen, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dermot Mulroney, Casey Siemaszko, and Kiefer Sutherland. The second-generation actor kills it (quite literally) in his portrayal of Old West icon Doc Scurlock.
Dark City (1998)
Alex Proyas’ 1998 sci-fi flick, Dark City, follows everyman John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) as he awakens to find he has a spotty memory and is implicated in a string of murders he doesn’t remember if he committed or not. But with each attempt to make sense of the situation, Murdoch falls a little deeper down.
Kiefer Sutherland’s complex Dr. Daniel Schreber is one of the more fascinating characters in Dark City, which is saying something considering the all-time great performances by William Hurt and Jennifer Connelly.
The Fugitive (2020)
The short-lived Quibi streaming service put out a handful of great shows, including The Fugitive, a reimagining of the classic TV drama of the same name. This time around, the show centers on Mike Ferro (Boyd Holbrook) a parolee who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time during a terrorist attack.
Though Quibi ceased operations in 2020, you can still watch Kiefer Sutherland’s outstanding take on Detective Clay Bryce on The Roku Channel. And with each of the 14 episodes ranging anywhere from six to nine minutes apiece, it won’t take long to finish.
Stream The Fugitive on The Roku Channel.
Phone Booth (2002)
Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell) finds himself in quite the situation after making the mistake of picking up a payphone in Times Square, and is forced to play a sinister game with a sadistic killer who has him in his sights.
Joel Schumacher’s 2002 thriller, Phone Booth, is an 81-minute thrill-ride that happens to feature one of the best Kiefer Sutherland performances, even though it’s largely a voice performance. The menacing tone and cadence of “The Caller” is enough to send shivers down your spine.
Rent/buy Phone Booth on Amazon.
Melancholia (2011)
Lars von Trier’s tense and somber end-of-the-world drama, Melancholia, explores the effects depression and impending doom have on different people as the two sisters – Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) – prepare for a rogue planet to crash into Earth.
Kiefer Sutherland is a driving force throughout Melancholia with his portrayal of Claire’s husband, John, who is skeptical of the ensuing disaster, at least he claims to be. This moody and dramatic affair isn’t for everyone, but it does serve as a nice change of pace for the disaster film genre.
Stream Melancholia on Kanopy.
Rent/buy Melancholia on Amazon.
Designated Survivor (2016 - 2019)
One of the most inventive shows to use the presidential line of succession as a plot device, Designated Survivor follows Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) as he comes to terms with being the leader of the free world after everyone else in the government is killed in the bombing of the U.S. Capitol building. But this is just the beginning of his problems in this political thriller.
The series, which was canceled by ABC after two seasons and later revived by Netflix (only to be given the ax again), saw Sutherland’s character in a number of tense and exciting situations, and did a fun job of playing with its terrifying premise.
Stream Designated Survivor on Netflix.
Buy Designated Survivor on Amazon.
This is just a portion of Kiefer Sutherland’s decades-long career, but maybe we’ll touch on those at a later date. For now, take a look at the 2023 TV schedule to see when you’ll see Sutherland on the small-screen once again.
