The 21 Greatest Action Movies of the Last Ten Years
If you like great action movies, then the past decade has given you quite the fix. From "John Wick" to "Mad Max: Fury Road" to "Deadpool" and "Fast Six," these films prove that action stars still know how to kick ass and take names.
'The Dark Knight' (2008)
"Batman Begins" was a solid return to form for the Batman franchise, but director Christopher Nolan really blew the doors off with this stellar sequel.
'Ip Man' (2008)
Want to see martial arts demigod Donnie Yen absolutely destroy ten opponents -- at once -- with lightning-quick Wing Chun moves? Look no further than "Ip Man," a literally hard-hitting martial arts movie loosely based on the life of the guy who taught Bruce Lee how to kick ass.
'Ong Bak 2: The Beginning' (2008)
"Ong Bak 2" is only loosely connected to its predecessor, as it takes place hundreds of years in the past in feudal Siam. But in terms of satisfying action and superhuman physicality, it's very much an extension of the original. Tony Jaa is even more impressive here, particularly during the long climax where he cycles through nearly every armed and unarmed fighting style known to man.
'13 Assassins' (2010)
Anyone who claims you can't have great action and a great story in the same film should really give "13 Assassins" a try. A remake of the 1963 classic of the same name, "Assassins" features plenty of stylized violence without ever forgetting about the character-first stakes.
'Fast Five' (2011)
For many fans, the "Fast and the Furious" franchise peaked in its fifth installment. This sequel really perfected the series now-trademark blend of ridiculous missions, death-defying stunts and gorgeous street racing heroes. Apparently, all you need to make a good series even better is to add a little Dwayne Johnson to the mix.
'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' (2011)
Like "The Fast and the Furious," the "Mission: Impossible" series is one of those rare action franchises that gets better with age. The fourth movie featured "The Incredibles" director Brad Bird finally making his live-action debut, while also delivering some of Tom Cruise's most impressive and death-defying stunts yet.
'Dredd' (2012)
"Dredd" could almost be viewed as an English-language remake of "The Raid," as it features the same basic setup and laser focus. Needless to say, it was an improvement in every way over Hollywood's previous attempt at translating the Judge Dredd comics to film.
'The Raid: Redemption' (2012)
"The Raid" exposed martial arts fans to a whole new wave of up-and-coming stars. Director Gareth Evans delivers a brutally efficient action movie about a SWAT raid gone horribly wrong. Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian immediately won over legions of martial arts fans thanks to this movie.
'Skyfall' (2012)
The James Bond franchise has certainly seen its share of ups and downs, but the ups don't get much better than "Skyfall." Daniel Craig's third go-round as 007 featured some of the franchise's best action scenes -- and one of his greatest villains with Javier Bardem's Silva.
'Jack Reacher' (2012)
Please, try hard not to get hung up on the fact that Tom Cruise isn't the exact height of Lee Childs' titular character. And please embrace the film's commitment to presenting a boots-on-the-ground procedural/thriller firmly rooted int the gritty action movies For Adults of the '70s, '80s, and '90s. Standout action scenes include: A parking lot fight that literally doesn't pull its punches, a close-quarters brawl in a bathroom where the bad guys pretty much take themselves out as they attack Reacher, and this beautifully-executed, hand-to-hand combat sequence in a rain-soaked quarry.
'Furious 6' (2013)
It's not necessarily the overall best in the franchise (we'd give the edge to "Fast Five"), but "Fast & Furious 6" is the current reigning champ when it comes to best action scenes. The series became even bigger and more bombastic here, with our physics-defying heroes becoming bouncing human pinballs and racing against fully-loaded tanks.
'Man of Tai Chi' (2013)
When most people hear the words "Tai Chi," they picture senior citizens exercising in a park. But as Tiger Chen proved here, a Tai Chi master can kick ass with the best of them. Half the fun with this violent martial arts romp is in seeing Keanu Reeves (who also directed) play the villain for a change.
'Edge of Tomorrow' (2014)
What do you get when you combine the premise of "Groundhog Day" with aliens, mech suits, and Emily Blunt wielding a giant propeller blade sword? You get "Edge of Tomorrow," easily one of the best entries in Tom Cruise's long action movie resume.
'John Wick' (2014)
Keanu Reeves finally reclaimed his Hollywood action hero status with "John Wick," which featured a retired assassin seeking bloody, semi-automatic vengeance for (naturally) his murdered dog. The film is stylish, hyper-violent, and proves that Reeves is at his best when he plays grizzled anti-heroes.
'The Raid 2' (2014)
Like any good sequel should, "The Raid 2" took everything fans loved about the original and dialed it up to 11,000. It's bigger and somehow even more violent, culminating in a breathtaking showdown between Iko Uwais and Cecep Arif Rahman that left an entire kitchen in ruins.
'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015)
Gather the War Boys and pour an icy glass of Aqua Cola, because action movies have a new gold standard. "Mad Max: Fury Road" proved that neither the post-apocalyptic hero nor director George Miller have gone soft with age. "Fury Road" is essentially the biggest, most elaborate, and most stylishly filmed car chase ever, and we can't get enough of it.
'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation' (2016)
If it didn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor, the fifth "Mission: Impossible" nonetheless serves as a worthy continuation of this long-running franchise. It offers up more death-defying stunts, more globetrotting espionage, and more of Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt bringing down the bad guys.
'Deadpool' (2016)
With "Deadpool," Fox proved that you can make Marvel Studios-levels of money on a relatively modest budget and by catering specifically to adults. Not just the raunchiest superhero movie on the block, "Deadpool" is also one of the most visually stunning. It turns out there's a lot you can accomplish when your main hero is immortal and unafraid to make himself look stupid.
'Logan' (2017)
Maybe the hard R-rating is the way to go with the X-Men franchise. "Logan" capped off Fox's trilogy of Wolverine solo movies in gory, compelling fashion. The movie showed us a grizzled, aging Wolverine who isn't afraid to leave body parts in his wake. At the same time, it also delivered a Wild West-infused take on the franchise, with the former Wolverine as the dying gunslinger on one last ride.
'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' (2017)
The latest entry to the main Star Wars saga delivers a double whammy. It tells a great story about a new generation of heroes rising up to save the galaxy in place of their crusty old forebears. It also gives fans some of the coolest and most visually bedazzling action sequences in the entire franchise, from that awesome throne room lightsaber battle (left) to the final confrontation on Crait.
'Upgrade' (2018)
Gritty and inventive, using its low-budget, Blumhouse-y production scale to its narrative's advantage, "Upgrade" explores every inch of its novel conceit to exciting, action-packed results. When Black Mirror,” and kick-ass low-budget alternatives to tamer mainstream fare.
