The 20 Best Action Movies of the 2020s So Far, Ranked
Updated
Writing from the Chicagoland area in Illinois, Robert is an avid movie watcher and will take just about any excuse to find time to go to his local movie theaters. Robert graduated from Bradley University with degrees in Journalism and Game Design with a minor in Film Studies. Robert tries his best to keep up with all the latest movie releases, from those released in theaters to those released on streaming. While he doesn't always keep up with the latest TV shows, he makes it a goal to watch nearly every major new release possible. He has been honing his craft and following any and all movie news all his life, leading up to now, where he has a vast knowledge of film and film history. He also logs every movie that he watches on his Letterboxd page, and has hosted a weekly online movie night with his closest friends for over 6 years.
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Action movies have proven themselves to be some of the most popular and exhilarating genres of movies in cinematic history, with some of the most beloved and successful movies of all time being action movies. Films like The Dark Knight, Kill Bill, and The Matrix have stood the test of time as some of the most impactful and iconic stories of all time, still enthralling audiences to this day. This testament still holds true with modern-day films, as the 2020s have already proven themselves to be a groundbreaking decade for action films as a whole.
Action movies have come in a wide variety throughout the decade, whether they are continuing films in all-time classic action franchises, or original action movies that evolve and build upon the trends of modern action films to create highly memorable experiences. While there will surely be even more iconic and unforgettable action films to be released throughout the decade, the amazing great start that the decade has had for action puts the rest of the decade in great hands.
20 'Tenet' (2020)
Christopher Nolan has always been a highly prolific figure when it comes to high-budget blockbuster action films, starting off the decade with one of his most mind-melding ventures yet in Tenet. The film makes the most of Nolan's abilities for non-chronological storytelling with its revolutionary take on a time-traveling film. The film sees its hero embarking on a global journey to save the world from a deadly device, utilizing a contraption that reverses the flow of time.
While its plot and characters may not be as prolific and in-depth as Nolan's other works, Tenet's largest selling point is its top-of-the-line action and production design. Nolan perfectly sets up exhilarating sequences of reversed time action, able to combine the forward and backward movement of time together to create unbelievable action sequences that make the most of the cinematic scale. While Oppenheimer (and another film later on this list) will certainly be the films that define Nolan's work in the 2020s, Tenet still deserves respect as a brilliantly well-crafted techno-thriller.
19 'The Northman' (2022)
The Northman is a historical Viking epic that follows the story of Prince Amleth, who was on the verge of becoming a man before his uncle betrayed his family, murdering his father and kidnapping his mother. This betrayal puts Amleth on a path of revenge, as he has been training and becoming a powerful Viking for the past 20 years, patiently waiting for his opportunity to strike. He now finds himself on a mission to rescue his mother, avenge his father, and kill his uncle.
While revenge stories have been a staple of action films for a long time, the undeniable filmmaking chops on display by director Robert Eggers help make The Northman an exceptional epic to watch unfold. The film makes expert use of every aspect of its budget in crafting a highly engaging and powerful story of wrath, glory, and honor, complete with numerous mesmerizing action sequences. While the film sadly underperformed at the box office, it didn't stop it from receiving great amounts of praise and respect from critics and audiences.
18 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)
The third film in the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy, Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Peter Parker no longer having to separate his normal life from his superhero life, following his secret identity being revealed. After enlisting the help of Doctor Strange to make everyone forget about his secret identity, he accidentally brings in a number of villains from across the multiverse to hunt him down. Now, with an entire array of villains hunting him down, Peter must figure out a way to return these villains to their original dimensions.
Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of the biggest and most successful superhero movies of the 2020s, bringing together multiple generations of Spider-Man characters together for one big adventure. The film acted as both a continuation of the MCU's version of the character and a love letter and send-off to versions of the character that never got their desired finale. This is all on top of the always exceptional action that comes from Spider-Man as a character, bringing a number of great action sequences from an array of classic characters once again to the big screen.
17 'Rebel Ridge' (2024)
While many Netflix original action movies strive to be just middle-of-the-road experiences to be forgotten about in the months after their release, Jeremy Saulnier's Rebel Ridge is an action thriller that delights and excites in a way that still feels memorable years later. The film sees Aaron Pierre as a former marine who goes head to toe against a corrupt police force in a small town after they unjustly seize the bag of cash he needs to post his cousin's bail.
From Pierre's electrifying lead performance to the sinister and haunting supporting performance of Don Johnson in the villain role and the stellar directing of Saulnier, Rebel Ridge continuously delights as one of the biggest surprises of Netflix's action catalog. What makes it so effective is that while so many other action films are focused on death on all fronts, Rebel Ridge finds ways to be inventive and captivating in its action while primarily focusing on non-lethal combat.
16 'Prey' (2022)
A complete reinvention of the iconic Predator franchise, Prey is a prequel that takes place on the Great Plains in 1719 and follows Naru, a fierce and highly skilled Comanche warrior. When a mysterious new creature threatens her tribe, it forces Naru to go on the hunt in order to protect her people. However, it soon becomes apparent that the prey that Naru is stalking is a highly evolved alien predator with a technologically advanced arsenal.
While the Predator franchise as a whole has been middling to forgettable after the first stand-out film, Prey is the first film since the original to recreate the thrill and energy that the first one provided. The film makes great use of simply going back to the basics of the franchise and having one spectacularly talented warrior going one-on-one with the alien apex predator. Part of why the film works so well can also be attributed to the character of Naru, played by Amber Midthunder, who has tremendous screen presence and brutality throughout the film.
15 'Ne Zha 2' (2025)
While there is a prominent history of exceptional animated action when it comes to long-lasting series, it's a genre that feels largely untapped within the scope of cinematic animation. However, the clear standout animated action film of the 2020s is Ne Zha 2, the massive cultural phenomenon from China that grew to be the highest grossing animated movie of all time and one of only 8 movies to gross $2 billion worldwide. It continues the story of the previous film, following the duo of Ne Zha and Ao Bing working together and undergoing a series of trials to be able to rebuild their bodies.
The action is explosive, high-energy, and utilizes its massive budget and scale to create one of the most captivating and electrifying animated experiences out there. It creates wild action sequences that are only possible in the realm of animation, with immortal deities battling with impossible martial arts and godly powers. While the film was a massive hit for Chinese audiences, it was massively overlooked by Western audiences, a shame considering just how well-crafted the film is.
14 'Monkey Man' (2024)
Acting as a directorial debut for acclaimed actor Dev Patel as a glorious combination of American and Indian filmmaking styles, Monkey Man is a cathartic release of rage and anger on par with the best revenge thrillers out there. The film sees Patel as Kid, a mysterious young man who makes a meager living spending his nights getting beaten down in an underground fight club while wearing a gorilla mask. Sick of the hand that life has dealt him, he concocts a plan to infiltrate his city's sinister elite class in order to enact his retribution upon them.
High-octane choreography and compelling camera movement continues to be one of the defining aspects of action filmmaking in a post-John Wick world, with Monkey Man largely excelling in this regard. The film continuously finds ways to one-up itself in terms of enthralling action and stakes, making the tension higher and higher as Kid's plans for revenge take painful turns and require immediate course correction. Patel proves himself to be a deeply effective director for his feature-length debut, hopefully acting as the beginning of a flourishing career in action filmmaking.
13 'No Time to Die' (2021)
The final installment of the Daniel Craig run of James Bond films, No Time to Die sees Bond having left the Secret Service to enjoy a peaceful retirement in Jamaica. However, he soon finds himself thrown back into action when an old friend returns requesting his help on a mission where the entire world is at stake once again. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist proves itself to be much more treacherous than previously expected, as Bond goes face to face with a new villain armed with a dangerous new technology.
While far from the peak of the Bond films starring Craig in the leading role, No Time to Die was able to deliver an exceptional final chapter to one of the longest and most beloved renditions of the character. The film features a great deal of finality, bringing in aspects and characters from throughout the Craig run of films to make for an exceptional end to the story and character of Bond. The action is also quite top-notch throughout the film, making use of a number of inventive and creative gadgets, as well as mesmerizing stunts to help make the finale a highly memorable one.
12 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' (2026)
Building off of the already exceptional No Way Home to create what might just be the best live-action Spider-Man film since the Sam Raimi trilogy, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a glorious return to form and reinvention of the classic superhero. The film sees Spider-Man having built himself up and reestablished himself as the hero of New York following everyone forgetting him, still grappling with the pain of seeing his old friends move on without him. This ends up causing physical change to his body, made all the worse when a mysterious villain who takes control of people's bodies is on the loose.
Through the direction of Destin Daniel Creeton, Brand New Day features easily the best action sequences of an MCU Spider-Man film in the MCU, with Tom Holland truly tapping into the strengths and emotional depth of this legendary character. It's the best that an MCU Spider-Man has gotten to the classic strengths of the character, being unshackled by previous hindrances and showing pure Spider-Man greatness in its purest form.
11 'Dune: Part Two' (2024)
While the original Dune was already a widely beloved and acclaimed sci-fi blockbuster in its own right, the widely anticipated sequel, Dune: Part Two, managed to up the ante and improve upon the original in every conceivable way. With more emotional moments, a compelling delivery of the themes and buildup of the previous film, and more compelling and effective action throughout, the film further cemented the modern Dune films as the definitive way to experience Frank Herbert's masterpiece.
Dune: Part Two finds a great balance between in-depth worldbuilding, the social politics and inner turmoil of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), and some of the most exciting sci-fi action that a modern blockbuster can provide. The action itself finds a great deal of improvement thanks to the ruthless and aggressive nature of Feyd Rautha (Austin Butler), whose fight sequences in the film are some of the most entertaining in recent memory. It all comes together for a climactic and powerful knife fight between Paul and Feyd, capping off the film in spectacular fashion.
Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz
Which Action Hero Would Be
Your Perfect Partner?
Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt
Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn't work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.
🎖️Rambo
🍸James Bond
🏺Indiana Jones
🔧John McClane
🎭Ethan Hunt
01
You're dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.
02
You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.
03
You're pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.
04
The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.
05
How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.
06
Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.
07
Things go badly wrong and you're captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.
08
What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn't replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn't know you had.
09
Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.
10
It's the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.
Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…
Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.
Rambo
Your partner doesn't talk much, doesn't need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you've finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You'll never need to ask if he has your back. You'll just know.
James Bond
Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it'll take you a moment to remember what's actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You'll never be bored. You'll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.
Indiana Jones
Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar's eye and a brawler's instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn't matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you'll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.
John McClane
Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren't so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.
Ethan Hunt
Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you've finished reading the briefing, and the plan he's settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn't exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.