Every new movie, especially in the age of social media, is almost immediately debated between its fans and critics. Because the Internet makes it easier than ever for someone to share their opinions about the movies they watch, these films have become more discussed and disputed. During the past five years, in particular, fans have ravenously devoured and reviewed popular genre films, like action movies.
Thanks to social media and movie-based websites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, film fans have more avenues to explore, talk about, and rate their favorite movies. Genre fans, especially for one of the most significant genres, action, frequently contribute to such review sites, resulting in a greater consensus regarding the best action movies of the last five years.
Updated January 26, 2024, by Anthony Jeanetta. Well-directed, expertly choreographed action movies have largely proliferated during the past five years due to the success of franchises like John Wick and Mission: Impossible. This list has been updated to reflect CBR’s most recent style guidelines.
10 Bullet Train Is A Quippy, Fast-Paced Thrill Ride
![Brad Pitt in the front on the Bullet Train movie poster](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/bradd-pitt-in-the-front-on-the-bullet-train-movie-poster.jpg)
Bullet Train
Five assassins aboard a swiftly-moving bullet train find out that their missions have something in common.
- Release Date
- August 5, 2022
- Director
- David Leitch
- Cast
- Brad Pitt , Joey King , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Brian Tyree Henry , Hiroyuki Sanada , Andrew Koji , Michael Shannon , Bad Bunny , Sandra Bullock
- Runtime
- 126 minutes
- Main Genre
- Action
- Writers
- Zak Olkewicz
- Tagline
- The End of the Line Is Just the Beginning
- Story By
- Where to watch
- Netflix
- Studio(s)
- 87North Productions , Columbia Pictures
![Brad Pitt as Ladybug in Bullet Train](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bullet-Train-Brad-Pitt-Film-1.jpg)
REVIEW: Bullet Train Engineers a Fun, Overloaded Action Celebration
Bullet Train is best when indulging fun action/comedy beats between bizarre killers — but loses some of that craft in an overstuffed third act.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
49/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
7.3/10 |
Tomatometer |
54% |
Bullet Train has a stacked ensemble cast, including Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, and Brian Tyree Henry. The movie follows Brad Pitt’s character, Ladybug, an unlucky assassin attempting to do his job peacefully after many of his hits have gone wrong. Unfortunately for Ladybug, while on the world’s fastest train, he finds himself at the center of an unintentional assassin convention, where a group of global foes fight to achieve their connected yet conflicting contracts.
While some critics found Bullet Train’s plot frequently fell off the track, others praised it for its slick action sequences and sense of humor. Brad Pitt and Aaron Talyor-Johnson, in particular, shine as assassins with a tumultuous relationship that blooms into a quasi-friendship by the film’s end. Thanks to David Leitch’s steady direction, Bullet Train’s action is good enough to carry it through an inconsistent narrative.
![Extraction Film Poster](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/extraction-film-poster.jpg)
Extraction
- Release Date
- April 24, 2020
- Director
- Sam Hargrave
- Cast
- Chris Hemsworth , David Harbour , Golshifteh Farahani , Derek Luke
- Runtime
- 116 minutes
- Main Genre
- Action
![](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/extraction-header.jpg)
Generic Action Movie Extraction Is a Misstep for Chris Hemsworth
An adaptation of the Oni Press comic Ciudad, Netflix’s humdrum Extraction isn’t the talent showcase star Chris Hemsworth might have envisioned.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
49/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
7.3/10 |
Tomatometer |
54% |
Like John Wick, a former stuntman-turned-director stepped behind the camera for Extraction. Sam Hargrave, who made his directorial debut with Extraction, was previously a stunt performer and coordinator for films like Avengers: Endgame, Atomic Blonde, and Captain America: Civil War. Based on this background, the action-forward Extraction featured stunning fight choreography that helped it become one of Netflix’s most successful film franchise.
In Extraction, Chris Hemsworth stars as Tyler Rake, a fearless mercenary willing to face anyone. Rake’s skills are put to the test when an imprisoned Indian drug kingpin hires him to retrieve his kidnapped son, Ovi, from a rival drug lord. Alongside a few friends, Rake must rescue and return Ovi safely home. Extraction is full of long takes and excellent fight choreography, accentuating the incredible action.
8 Nobody Is Far Greater Than the John Wick Rip-off Some Believe It Is
![A bunch of anonymous fists hit Bob Odenkirk on the poster of Nobody the film](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/a-bunch-of-anonymous-fists-hit-bob-odenkirk-on-the-poster-of-nobody-the-film.jpg)
Nobody
A docile family man slowly reveals his true character after his house gets burgled by two petty thieves, which, coincidentally, leads him into a bloody war with a Russian crime boss.
- Release Date
- March 26, 2021
- Director
- Ilya Naishuller
- Cast
- Bob Odenkirk , Connie Nielsen , Christopher Lloyd , RZA , Michael Ironside , Gage Munroe
- Runtime
- 92 minutes
- Main Genre
- Action
- Writers
- Derek Kolstad
- Producer
- Braden Aftergood, David Leitch, Kelly McCormick, Bob Odenkirk, Marc Provissiero
- Production Company
- 87North, Dentsu, Eighty Two Films, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, Perfect World Pictures
![](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/nobody-header-1.jpg)
Nobody Is a Ridiculous But Entertaining Action Movie
Bob Odenkirk’s Nobody is an action thriller so ridiculously over-the-top that it’s sometimes hard to tell if it’s meant to be a parody.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
64/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
7.4/10 |
Tomatometer |
84% |
Nobody, penned by John Wick writer Derek Kolstad, begins as a seemingly benign family drama. Bob Odenkirk shines as protagonist Hutch Mansell, the titular nobody who mopes through a boring professional and personal life. A pair of burglars shake up Mansell’s mundane existence when they break into his home, beating him up in the process. To add insult to injury, Hutch’s wife and teenage son pull further away afterward, disappointed he didn’t stand up for his family.
Nobody kicks into high-gear when this disappointment triggers a deep-seated anger in Hutch, reigniting previous instincts from his secret past life and putting him on a path of bloodshed. The resulting skirmishes between Hutch and a Russian criminal cartel make for some of the best recent action sequences. Behind Ilya Naishuller’s (Hardcore Henry) kinetic direction, Nobody shines as one of the best action movies of the last five years.
7 Avengers: Endgame Is An Epic Conclusion To the MCU’s Grand Experiment
![Avengers: Endgame (2019) official poster](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/endgame-dolby-poster.jpg)
Avengers: Endgame
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos’ actions and restore balance to the universe.
- Release Date
- April 18, 2019
- Director
- Joe Russo , Anthony Russo
- Cast
- Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Scarlett Johansson , Chris Hemsworth , Jeremy Renner , Paul Rudd , Mark Ruffalo , Don Cheadle , Karen Gillan , Danai Gurira , Brie Larson , Benedict Wong , Josh Brolin
- Runtime
- 3 hours 1 minute
- Franchise
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Production Company
- Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures
![Avengers-Endgame-banner-poster](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Avengers-Endgame-banner-poster.jpg)
Review: Avengers: Endgame Is the Perfect Ending to An Era of the MCU
Avengers: Endgame is a loving tribute to the MCU, tied together with engaging action sequences and genuine emotional depth.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
78/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
8.4/10 |
Tomatometer |
94% |
Avengers: Endgame isn’t just the conclusion to the MCU’s 12-year experiment in long-form cinematic storytelling; it’s one of the best action movies in recent memory. Endgame, the sequel to Avengers: Infinity War, is an epic depicting the lives of the few remaining superheroes alive. These heroes must grapple with the reality of half of life dying and devise a plan to get them back.
Despite being an appropriately action-packed finale, Avengers: Endgame was also a deeply emotional sendoff for longtime franchise stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. Under Extraction director Sam Hargrave’s coordination, Endgame strikes an ideal balance between CGI action and well-choreographed practical stunt work. It’s a rare feat that few superhero movies have achieved before or after.
6 Birds of Prey Has The Best Action Scenes of Any Non-Batman DC Movie
![Art-style poster of Birds of Prey (2020) with Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/art-style-poster-of-birds-of-prey-with-harley-quinn.jpg)
Birds of Prey
After splitting with the Joker, Harley Quinn joins superheroines Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya to save a young girl from an evil crime lord.
- Release Date
- January 25, 2020
- Director
- Cathy Yan
- Cast
- Margot Robbie , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , Rosie Perez , Ali Wong , Ewan McGregor , Jurnee Smollett-Bell , Ella Jay Basco , Chris Messina
- Runtime
- 109 minutes
- Main Genre
- Action
- Writers
- Christina Hodson
![](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Birds-of-Prey-1.jpg)
Birds Of Prey Is Bold, Bombastic and the Best DC Film In Years
Birds Of Prey (and The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) is a colorful blast that’s the best DC film in recent memory.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
60/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
6.1/10 |
Tomatometer |
78% |
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is the follow-up film to Harley Quinn’s story in 2016’s Suicide Squad. It follows a post-Joker Harley Quinn after their tumultuous breakup, which puts a target on her back. While on the run, she becomes the target of a top Gotham crime boss, Black Mask, leading her to team up with a trio of females to take on the Gotham underworld.
Birds of Prey differentiates itself from other superhero movies in a few ways. First, it’s a female-centric movie, directed by a woman, in a genre that typically centers on men. Additionally, Birds of Prey has a sense of humor that’s less quippy and more character-centric, making the laugh lines hit harder. Finally, Chad Stakhelski, director of the John Wick franchise, served as the movie’s second-unit director and helped craft its fantastic action set pieces.
5 Denis Villeneuve Ensures Dune’s Action Sequences Are Suitably Sensational
![Dune 2021 Movie Poster featuring Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, Timothy Chalanet](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dune-part-one-movie-poster.jpg)
Dune
Original title: Dune: Part One.
A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy’s most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.
- Release Date
- September 3, 2021
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Cast
- Oscar Isaac , Rebecca Ferguson , Timothee Chalamet , Dave Bautista , Zendaya , Josh Brolin , Jason Momoa
- Runtime
- 2 hours 35 minutes
- Writers
- Jon Spaihts , Denis Villeneuve , Eric Roth
- Production Company
- Warner Bros., Legendary Entertainment, Villeneuve Films
![The Dolby Cinema poster for Dune](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Dune-Dolby-Poster-header.jpg)
TIFF: Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Is Epic — and Incomplete
Dune plays like a hybrid of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Lawrence of Arabia — an epic big-screen experience, but one that needs a sequel.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
74/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
8.1/10 |
Tomatometer |
83% |
Dune depicts the story of Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, who, in the year 10191, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe, Arrakis. While in Arrakis, Paul must deal with the harsh natural and insidious political forces to secure his family and people’s future. This precarious situation leads Atreides and the rest of his house to become entangled between two worlds and the target of deadly ire from across the galaxy. Like the series its novel inspired (Star Wars), Dune is a sci-fi epic that effortlessly builds an entire galaxy and multiple unique worlds within it.
Also, like Star Wars, there are plenty of high-tech battles to satisfy any action fan. Dune’s shields serve as force fields that can only be pierced by slow-speed blade attack, making for several terrific hand-to-hand combat scenes. These aspects, and Denis Villeneuve’s always-great direction, make Dune a must-see for any sci-fi or action fan. While it’s an overall excellent film, it’s not a full-fledged action romp like other movies that came out during the time. Still, its sequel remains highly anticipated and promises more action than the first.
4 John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Continues A Great Action Franchise’s Steller Reputation
![John Wick 3 Parabellum starring Keanu Reeves](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/john-wick-3-parabellum-starring-keanu-reeves.jpg)
John Wick 3
John Wick is on the run after killing a member of the international assassins’ guild, and with a $14 million price tag on his head, he is the target of hit men and women everywhere.
- Release Date
- May 17, 2019
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Cast
- Keanu Reeves , Halle Berry , Ian McShane , Asia Kate Dillon , Laurence Fishburne , Lance Reddick , Anjelica Huston
- Runtime
- 131 minutes
- Main Genre
- Action
- Writers
- Derek Kolstad , Shay Hatten , Chris Collins , Marc Abrams
- Tagline
- Every Action Has Consequences.
- Story By
- Where to watch
- Netflix
Rating Scores
Metascore |
73/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
7.4/10 |
Tomatometer |
89% |
Any hardcore fan of the action genre knows there have been two movies since 2010 that completely changed the genre: The Raid in 2010 and John Wick in 2014. While The Raid undoubtedly influenced John Wick, the latter introduced the long-take, meticulously choreographed action style to American audiences. So, it’s no wonder John Wick: 3 – Parabellum ranks as one of the best recent action movies.
Because of his actions in John Wick: Chapter 2, John finds himself on the run with a $14 million bounty on his head to begin John Wick 3 – Parabellum. This bounty tempts every assassin in the area to hunt Wick wherever he goes. Eventually, John must reconcile with his past to move forward. Doing so through waves of enemies, he cuts down with more style than almost any other action movie. John Wick: Chapter 3 upholds the franchise’s stellar tradition of action movie excellence.
3 Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 Is Another Successful And Pulse-Pounding Operation
![Tom Cruise Flies through the air on a motorcycle in Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/review-mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-part-1-wisely-chooses-wild-fun-over-needless-stakes.jpg)
REVIEW: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is a Fun Character-Driven Adventure
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 is more focused on being enjoyable than needlessly heavy. Here’s CBR’s review.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
81/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
7.7/10 |
Tomatometer |
96% |
Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning is one of the best movies of a top-rated series, one of the best and most reliable action movie franchises since Christopher McQuarrie took stewardship of it. This latest installment follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his Mission Impossible Force team as they defend against a new global threat.
Although some people may perceive Dead Reckoning as a step-down from its predecessor, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, it’s only true because there was no way to top Fallout’s dizzying heights. Dead Reckoning has everything a Mission: Impossible or general action movie fan could want, including a few seemingly death-defying set pieces. Dead Reckoning Part 1’s large-scale action scenes make Dead Reckoning worthy of any action movie fan’s attention.
2 Top Gun: Maverick Demonstrates There’s More Fuel Left in the Tank for Tom Cruise
![Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/top-gun-maverick.jpg)
Top Gun: Maverick
After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN’s elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.
- Release Date
- May 27, 2022
- Director
- Joseph Kosinski
- Cast
- Tom Cruise , Miles Teller , Jennifer Connelly , Val Kilmer , Jay Ellis , Jon Hamm , Bashir Salahuddin , Charles Parnell , Lewis Pullman , Glen Powell , Monica Barbaro , Ed Harris
- Runtime
- 130 minutes
- Main Genre
- Action
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- Franchise
- Top Gun
- Story By
- Prequel
- Top Gun
- Cinematographer
- Claudio Miranda
- Producer
- Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison
- Production Company
- Skydance Media, Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films
- Budget
- $170 Million
![Top Gun: Maverick](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/tom-cruise-maverick.jpg)
REVIEW: Top Gun: Maverick Delivers on Aerial Action & ’80s-Style One-Liners
Top Gun: Maverick makes up for the near four-decade wait with stunning aerial performances and one-liners so cheesy you have to love them.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
78/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
8.3/10 |
Tomatometer |
96% |
Top Gun: Maverick is a direct sequel to the iconic 1986 Tony Scott film Top Gun. The movie takes place over 30 years after the original, still tracking the exploits of US Navy Captain Pete Mitchell, call sign Maverick, played by Tom Cruise. After disobeying a direct order again, the Navy is one more misstep away from discharging Maverick from service. At the behest of Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, the Navy gives Maverick a final chance as an instructor at the Top Gun school – the same school he advanced through in the franchise’s first installment.
In Top Gun: Maverick, Mitchell is in an unfamiliar place as the teacher. To win his student’s begrudging admiration by beating them at what he does best: flying fighter jets. His pupils include Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of his deceased best friend, Nick Bradshaw. This emotional link results in tension between the two throughout training, which Maverick must navigate as carefully as he does on the battlefield in a jet. This affecting storyline and stunning aerial cinematography make Top Gun: Maverick one of the best recent action movies.
1 John Wick: Chapter 4 Might Be The Best Entry In A Modern Classic Action Franchise
![Keanu Reeves John Wick 4 theatrical poster 2023](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/keanu-reeves-john-wick-4-theatrical-poster-2023.jpg)
John Wick 4
John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
- Release Date
- March 24, 2023
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Cast
- Keanu Reeves , Donnie Yen , Laurence Fishburne , Bill Skarsgard , Scott Adkins , Lance Reddick , Clancy Brown , Ian McShane
- Runtime
- 169 minutes
- Main Genre
- Action
- Writers
- Shay Hatten , Michael Finch
- prequel(s)
- John Wick 3
![John Wick alongside some candles in Chapter 4](https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/john-wick-chapter-4-film-header.jpg)
REVIEW: The Action-Packed John Wick: Chapter 4 Lives Up to its Sky-High Expectations
Somber, silly, and exciting, John Wick: Chapter 4 more than lives up to expectations while delivering some of the best action in the series.
Rating Scores
Metascore |
78/100 |
---|---|
IMDb Rating |
7.7/10 |
Tomatometer |
94% |
John Wick: Chapter 4 is the ultra-rare sequel (let alone fourth entry) in a franchise that meets or even surpasses the first film’s quality. Despite the resolution in the previous John Wick, Chapter 4 depicts Keanu Reeve’s Wick again on the run, this time from the High Table — the shadowy syndicate that seemingly governs the franchise’s underground society of killers. Pursuing him, on behalf of the High Table, is Marquis Vincent De Gramont, played with scenery-chewing glee by Bill Skarsgård.
John Wick: Chapter 4 continues Chapter 3’s use of multiple locations, bringing Mr. Wick and the ultra-violence that follows him to Osaka, Berlin, and Paris. As importantly, Chapter 4 features arguably the best set pieces in the franchise’s storied history. Besides battling other action icons like Scott Adkins and Donnie Yen, Reeves as Wick has some standout gunfights, most notably in Osaka and on the 300 steps to the Sacré-Coeur in Paris. There are sequences in John Wick: Chapter 4 that rival any other action movie — or video game — in the last five years.