10 Action Movies From the Last 10 Years That Can Be Called Masterpieces, Ranked
Action films continue to be some of the most widely celebrated and most successful films released, laying claim to many bonafide classics over the years that have forever changed the industry as a whole. From massively successful blockbusters like Raiders of the Lost Ark to award-winning darlings like Gladiator, there is a massive range and depth to the action genre that has allowed it to thrive for generations. This has easily continued into the modern era of filmmaking, with the last 10 years seeing the release of many highly acclaimed action masterpieces.
From newer entries in long-running franchises that use modern technology and filmmaking techniques to maximize what wasn’t possible before to original, groundbreaking new visions in action, the genre has certainly been going through a renaissance in recent years. Every year manages to release a select few new brilliantly crafted action films, as the genre consistently continues to grow and evolve as a staple of modern filmmaking. It’s difficult to find modern movie experiences more exhilarating and bombastic than these action masterpieces.
10
‘The Northman’ (2022)
While director Robert Eggers is most commonly recognized for his elevated horror films like The Witch and Nosferatu, The Northman gives him a larger budget and sense of scale to create a sprawling, glorious Viking epic. The film tells a classic story of revenge, with a young prince being upended after his father is brutally murdered by his uncle and his mother is kidnapped. Now, after two decades of training and dedicating himself to being a ruthless Viking warrior, he sets his path back towards his uncle in order to save his mother and avenge his father.
Eggers’ chops and experience telling distinctly compelling period pieces work perfectly with the mythos and world of Viking brutality, with a wide array of dynamic action sequences making each scene more impactful than the last. The dedication and love towards Viking mythology goes hand in hand with action to create one of the most effective and singular action experiences of recent memory. While the film didn’t particularly perform at the box office, it has largely maintained high acclaim from critics and audiences as a historical action masterpiece of the decade.
9
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (2024)
While George Miller‘s action masterpiece Mad Max: Fury Road just barely misses the list by being 10 years and 5 months old, the long-awaited prequel film, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, does a great job of living up to the legacy of its predecessor. The dynamic prequel has the same level of bombastic action and exceptional visuals that have made Miller’s entire filmography a sight to behold, with its central story of revenge being a compelling twist on the classic Mad Max formula.
Anya Taylor-Joy fills herself into the role of Furiosa brilliantly, giving her own taste of stern, underlying rage and strength to the character and further defining them as an action icon of the 21st century. While the film at times can feel like a repeat of Fury Road, it’s hard to complain when the film is utilizing many jaw-dropping action setpieces, wildly entertaining characters, and a revenge story that grips you from beginning to end.
8
‘Ford v Ferrari’ (2019)
While films about the high-octane and dangerous world of competitive high-speed racing have been a staple of dramatic action filmmaking for years, Ford v Ferrari was a massive step forward for the subgenre as a whole. The film follows the incredible true story of American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and British-born driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale). The duo is given the seemingly impossible task of creating a car capable of defeating the seemingly unstoppable race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.
More than simply being an engaging action blockbuster that utilizes the speed and energy of racing to their absolute limits, Ford v Ferrari is a feel-good story of American ingenuity and strength that struck a chord with many audiences. The film is as much focused on its story, characters, and themes as it is on its dynamic action setpieces, with these moments of emotion and buildup creating maximum payoff for some beautifully crafted race sequences.
7
‘One Battle After Another’ (2025)
While the film may seem too recent to be considered an action masterpiece to some, the undeniable narrative strength and captivating presence of One Battle After Another has made it among the decade’s most critically acclaimed action films. The film handles a lot of different moving pieces and genres, with action filmmaking acting as only one part of the mastery and captivating presence that the film provides. Even when there isn’t a larger action scene taking place, there is an underlying tension and heightened energy to large chunks of the film that give it the feel of an action thriller.
However, the film undeniably features one of the greatest action sequences of the 21st century during its final act, with a generational chase sequence taking place on the desert hill roads of California that single-handedly earn it a spot on the list. Every aspect of the film builds towards this masterfully crafted action scene, sticking with the audience in a way few movies are able to do and fully engrossing them into its characters and world.
6
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
The original Top Gun was already considered a defining action classic of the 80s, with its bombastic soundtrack and exciting fighter pilot action being a major reason as to why. However, even despite all the pressure in the world for long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick to deliver, the film not only lived up to the legacy of the original, but managed to even exceed its quality in the eyes of fans. The film amplifies and energizes everything that made the original film work and brings it up to the modern standard of glorious, real-life fighter jet action.
It serves as not only a beautiful love-letter to the original film, but an engaging and compelling action blockbuster in its own right, with a wide array of memorable characters and great action scenes delivering top-notch crowd-pleasing glory. It’s the rare reboot film that simply does the impossible and makes considerable improvements upon the original without alienating original fans. The film will only continue to be beloved and solidified as a modern action masterpiece as the years go by, just as the original Top Gun had for decades prior.
5
‘Baby Driver’ (2017)
Edgar Wright has consistently proven himself to be one of the most electrifying and dynamic directors out there, with each of his films, action or otherwise, engrossing audiences with their satisfying flourishes and attention to detail. In terms of Wright’s action films, Baby Driver especially stands out as one of the director’s best works, perfectly utilizing its top-notch soundtrack to create a high-octane thrill ride from beginning to end.
The film utilizes pinpoint precision and pitch-perfect timing to create maximum impact with its action, always lining up with the music to create an emphatic and entertaining experience from beginning to end. It’s an energizing and wildly creative approach to action that is unlike any other action movie that has been released, being a wild achievement in filmmaking that has only grown more appreciated over the years. It’s the type of film that maintains its entertainment value on each subsequent rewatch, being one of the most satisfying viewing experiences action filmmaking has to offer.
4
‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)
Few action franchises have been as consistently enthralling and acclaimed as they continued to raise the bar for what is possible in action like Mission: Impossible. While any number of the recent films in the franchise could earn a spot on the list, Mission: Impossible – Fallout stands out as the definitive height of the franchise in terms of both action and storytelling. The film’s sense of scale and exceptional villain twist help elevate the film even among the best films in this highly beloved franchise.
The film features some of the most exhilarating and impactful sequences in the entire series, raising the franchise as a whole to a new bar of quality with its shocking stunts, brilliant twists, and great evolution of the Mission: Impossible formula. While the series has continued to have great moments and memorable films since, Fallout continues to stand as the best film in the franchise and one of the most exciting movies of all time.
3
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ (2023)
The John Wick franchise has similarly been one of the defining action franchises of the 21st century, with each new entry somehow managing to outdo the previous installment in terms of pure, adrenaline-pumping action. The final chapter in Wick’s story, John Wick: Chapter 4, serves as a culmination of over a decade’s worth of impactful, choreographed action filmmaking and world-building, showcasing the franchise at its absolute best.
All the inherent strengths of the franchise are refined to absolute perfection within the film, with engaging stunts and mesmerizing choreography elevating its heightened story of revenge and escaping the cycle of destruction. New additions to the cast, such as Donnie Yen and Bill Skarsgard, significantly enhance the scope and scale of the world, while Keanu Reeves continues to deliver an exceptional lead performance, characterized by charisma and a stern, cold energy. Even as the series continues to release new installments and spinoffs, Chapter 4 acts as the perfect finale for the character of John Wick.
2
‘RRR’ (2022)
While Hollywood is largely the most popular industry when it comes to enthralling blockbuster action films, various other film industries across the world have also lent their hand to creating exceptional action films. India, especially, has been an ever-rising force when it comes to dynamic and captivating action films, with one of the best recent examples being RRR, a wild, bombastic take on the story of two real-life revolutionaries. The film has a glorious sense of scale and visual acuity that makes each sequence burst off of the screen for maximum impact.
The film quickly broke through the cultural barrier and became a widely acclaimed action masterpiece across the world, surpassing the heights of many other Indian action films and even winning an Academy Award for its iconic central song, Naatu Naatu. Especially compared to many other traditional blockbusters that have been released, RRR is full of such life and color with its filmmaking that it got many worldwide audiences hooked on the culture and world of Indian cinema.
1
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
A breathtaking combination of action, comedy, sci-fi, and heartfelt emotion that quickly took the world by storm and became the quintessential original action film of the 2020s, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a modern masterpiece whose reputation precedes itself. The film blossoms with creativity and limitless multiversal possibilities with each moment, taking full advantage of its wild premise to create a cathartic explosion of passion in film.
The film takes inspiration from many great action films of old with its approach to filmmaking and stylized, choreographed action, yet the combination with manic absurdist comedies and a high-concept sci-fi world makes the film a deeply memorable experience. The film quickly became a defining fan-favorite of the decade, riding the hype all the way until the Academy Awards, where it absolutely swept and cemented its status as the definitive modern action experience. The film has already proven itself to have an influence on the action and sci-fi genres as a whole, as one can only imagine how much more of a legacy and impact it will have in the coming years.
