In a cinematic landscape in which most majoraction moviesare part of billion-dollar franchises, it’s tragically easy for amazing films to get buried in terms of pop culture relevancy. From superhero franchises likethe Marvel Cinematic Universeto critical darlings like theJohn Wicksaga, action movies can have a difficult time standing out.
It’s safe to say that even if a given action flick doesn’t get its justified praise from contemporary viewers, it’s certain to become a cult classic as the years go on. While only time can tell if several amazing action movie releases in the last few years will get this treatment, it’s safe to say the last decade has seen the release of some of thegreatest action movies ever made.
Few high-profile action films have had an influence on the 2010s quite liketheJohn Wickfranchise, clad in strobing neon lights, pulsing electronic scores, and visceral, fast-paced action.Monkey Mancertainly follows in Keanu Reeves' footsteps as John Wick while still taking the time to establish its own identity, going thoroughly underappreciated.
Dev Patel stars as a scrappy underground fighter who scrapes by, famed for the ape mask he wears as he engages in brutal tear-down brawls for a living. With all the style and flair of the 2010s' greatest revenge films, the unique Indian setting peppers in substance to go with it, thanks to some political undertones that are sure to age gracefully.
Extremely violent revenge movies needn’t always be self-serious affairs with deadly real-world implications, as proven by more lighthearted action romps likeBoy Kills World.Bill Skarsgård stars as the titular lad, who is left deaf and mute after his family is murdered by a state-run execution show. After studying under a martial arts master, he vows revenge.
Boy Kills Worldhas some truly bloodthirsty action that bleeds through its stylish retro-dystopian setting, allpunctuated by John H. Benjamin’s hilarious voice-over narration as the voice inside Boy’s head. The film went tragically unnoticed at the time of its release, but is sure to gradually acquire a cult following thanks to its novel charm.
While Michael Bay might be better known these days for his hand inthe infamous live-actionTransformersmovies, it can’t be said that he doesn’t know how to direct a thrilling action movie. Enter 2022’sAmbulance, a frenetic, high-strung chase film with enough explosions to be worthy of the Bay seal of approval.
Like many of Michael Bay’s original IP action films,Ambulancehas gone underappreciated in its time. The more intimate setting of a hijacked ambulance used as an ad-hoc escape vehicle for a pair of heist-pulling brothers works wonders for Bay’s ability to explore some quirky characters alongside his typical spectacle.
Ambulanceis far from the only exciting action film of recent years to make the most out of a tight-knit vehicular setting. EnterBullet Train, which sees a dozen high-profile assassins stack into a speeding Japanese Shinkansen in hopes of murdering their targets and claiming a high-value briefcase.
The simple but effective premise is carried out excellently by the star-studded cast, especially Brad Pitt’s leading Ladybug, who has some excellent chemistry with his fellow killers even while trading blows with them.Bullet Trainis far better than its box office performance and lukewarm critical impression implies;it’s seeming destined for cult classic status already.
There’s an argument to be made thatZack Snyder’s filmsare at their best when he’s focusing on zombies, andArmy of the Deadseems to prove this further. The Netflix original stars Dave Bautista, who is hired by Hiroyuki Sanada’s eccentric billionaire to retrieve a vault full of illicit cash from a Vegas zombie quarantine zone before the whole city is nuked into oblivion.
Army of the Deadis laden with the typical number of Zack Snyder plot holes, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fun and creative combination of two action flick subgenres that rarely intersect. The colorful cast and Las Vegas setting are the perfect backdrop to pour some gory zombie mayhem over, and the film deserves more credit for it.
Zack Snyder may have made contributions to the all-female-cast action ensemble genre before, but his filmSucker Punchhas since been outdone by the likes ofGunpowder Milkshake.The 2021 film stars Karen Gillan as an assassin who finds herself being hunted by her mysterious former employers, focused on protecting her daughter.
Gunpowder Milkshakedelivers on an amazing female cast of assassins, including the welcome appearance of legacy names like Michelle Yeoh, Angela Basset, and Carla Gugino. The hyper-stylized, kinetic violence carried between each fight scene helps fill out the larger-than-life world with a rich flavor.
Speaking of the undead, Vin Diesel played a walking corpse in 2020 in a film that deserves a bit more love than it ever received. Though Diesel already had a great stake in the comic book movie boom as everyone’s favorite talking tree,Bloodshotsees him take center stage as the titular anti-hero, resurrected from beyond the grave with nanomachines.
Bloodshotis perfect for those who can enjoy a campy sci-fi action flick that borders on so-bad-its-good territory. Diesel’s mildly disengaged performance and the blistering number of cuts per fight giveBloodshotthe earnest charm of an early 2000s edgy action fest that somehow came out right when the movie industry was crashing under the weight of COVID-19.
Bloodshotis far from the only action movie hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, withThe Suicide Squad’s kickoff ofthe new DCUgoing unfairly overlooked. A fresh attempt at the concept of a team of villains compelled to do good by explosive devices after the disastrous 2016 film, James Gunn’s version of events is properly bloody fun, R-rated for a good reason.
Despite the wackiness of the world and CGI monstrosities populating it, James Gunn’s campy comic book world comes off as earnest, with a few genuine emotional beats buried beneath the action. That being said, the spectacle is far and away the biggest draw, and no one who gives the film a chance will walk away disappointed.
Sometimes,being the sequel to one of the greatest action movies ever made can be a huge detriment to a given film’s pop culture profile. EnterFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga,George Miller’s prequel to the geniusMad Max: Fury Road.Here, a young Furiosa’s life is shown clawing and fighting for survival in a desolate post-apocalypse that only wants her dead and exploited.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Sagacertainly has its problems, falling far short of its progenitor’s impossible line of quality, but that still puts it at a great remove from most other action films in terms of sheer spectacle. George Miller’s eye for haphazard wasteland contraptions and pulse-pounding chase scenes is not to be overlooked, and will surely be appreciated in due time.
Thepost-Potter career of Daniel Radcliffehas resulted in some delightfully strange films, including a daring action movie calledGuns Akimbo.Here, Radcliffe plays a programmer who is kidnapped by the organizers of a live-streamed battle to the death, with two M1911 pistols bolted to his hands forcing him to compete in the bloodshed.
Guns Akimbohas a haphazard, meandering plot punctuated with some amazing firefights that make the most of Radcliffe’s sharp sense of humor in an absurdly deadly scenario. Certainly an underratedaction film,Guns Akimbois likely to be kind to future movie archaeologists who dig it up while surveying the 2020s.
