Though action movies first showed up in the 1920s and 1930s, they began to shift to the action movies audiences know today in the 1980s. Blockbuster films like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Die Hard (1988), and Lethal Weapon (1987) began defining the genre, making way for the big action films of the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. Movies like The Avengers (2012), Bad Boys (1995), and The Fast and the Furious (2001) have become prominent fixtures in the cultural zeitgeist, making action films an important component of the entertainment industry.

As action movies grew in the 1990s and 2000s, audiences began to see video games and comic books come to life on the big screen, taking the genre to a whole new level with big franchises spanning multiple films. Outside the big franchises of the last several decades, some incredible stand-alone films have helped to make the action and adventure genre what it is today.

10 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Brought the Classic Game to Life

2001

Based on the Tomb Raider video game, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider starred Angelina Jolie as the title character, an adventurer and archaeologist who spends the film searching for artifacts and trying to secure them before the Illuminati can get them. Throughout the film, Croft works with Alex West (Daniel Craig) and communicates with her deceased father, played by Jolie’s real-life father, Jon Voight.

Considered the film that made Jolie an international superstar, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider made waves at the box office and became known as one of the best video game adaptations. The film is exciting and thrilling, and audiences will find themselves rooting for Croft’s success from the very beginning.

9 Gladiator Took Historical Action to a New Level

2000

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When Hispano-Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) refuses to swear his allegiance to the new Emperor, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), he is arrested, and his wife and son are murdered. Though Maximus escapes his captors, his injuries keep him from traveling very far, and he ends up in the hands of slavers before being sold to the gladiator trainer Proximo (Oliver Reed, who died from a heart attack during a drinking match with British sailors while they were filming Gladiator). Maximus is trained to be a fighter and gains enough popularity to make it to the Colosseum, where he faces off with other gladiators and, eventually, Commodus himself.

Gladiator had a tumultuous filming — not only did Reed pass away, but there were multiple injuries on set, and the script wasn’t complete when filming began. Despite everything the cast and crew encountered, the film went on to win 5 Academy Awards and is considered the film that elevated Russell Crowe to the status of leading man and made Joaquin Phoenix a celebrity. Gladiator is a historical drama that feels as epic as it sounds, and audiences will enjoy seeing both Crowe and Phoenix shine in the film.

8 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Featured a Balance of Fun and Action

2005

John and Jane Smith are in marriage counseling. John (Brad Pitt) believes his wife to be a tech support consultant. Jane (Angelina Jolie, whose current project was one of the few to receive a SAG-AFTRA waiver) believes her husband to be a construction executive. Both John and Jane are actually contract killers who work for opposing firms. When they are assigned to the same target and prevent the other from achieving their goal, the Smiths are contracted to kill each other, which means they finally have to decide — is their marriage worth saving, and will they be able to save it before someone else kills them both?

Mr. & Mrs. Smith is an action-filled romantic comedy that audiences have long loved. The film was a box-office hit, but even more than that, it was the impetus for Pitt and Jolie’s personal relationship, which lasted until their separation in 2016. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is an iconic part of the 2000s because of the film and the relationship it brought to life.

7 The Bourne Identity Redefined Spy Action

2002

Based on Robert Ludlum’s 1980 novel of the same name, The Bourne Identity begins when some Italian fishermen rescue a wounded man from the Mediterranean Sea. Though he can’t remember anything, he has a number for a safe deposit box in Zurich, so he chooses to head there, finding several currencies, passports, and IDs waiting for him. He chooses the American passport, becomes Jason Bourne, and then immediately has to go on the run. Chased by the CIA, Bourne must protect himself and the German woman helping him (Franka Potente) before the men on their tale can attempt to kill him — again.

As Jason Bourne, Matt Damon insisted on doing most of his own stunts and spent three months training for the role. In The Bourne Identity, Damon does an incredible job of connecting the audience to the character and not just relying on the action to tell the story. All four Bourne films starring Damon and The Bourne Legacy (starring Jeremey Renner) eventually became an iconic action franchise.

6 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Changed Martial Arts Cinema

2000

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Directed by Ang Lee, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon remains one of the finest wuxia martial arts films ever made. In the Mandarin-language film, Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat) is a Wudang swordsman who is in love with his best friend, Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), who is a warrior in her own right. After “Green Destiny,” a 400-year-old sword, is stolen from Mu Bai’s benefactor, Sir Te, in Beijing, Mu Bai and Shu Lien must work together to retrieve the sword — and that’s only the beginning of this epic tale.

After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2000, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was released in the United States in December. The film was subtitled in certain markets, including the U. S., and yet was a surprise hit, eventually becoming the first foreign-language film in the U. S. to bring in $100 million. The film received high praise from numerous critics and several awards, and audiences will find themselves enthralled by this action-packed love story.

5 The Fast and the Furious Started a Staple Action Franchise

2001

At the beginning of The Fast and the Furious, LAPD officer Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) is put undercover by a joint LAPD-FBI task force to find the crew responsible for hijacking a semi-truck carrying electronic goods. After getting connected to a street-racing crew run by Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian finds himself becoming part of the family and even dating Dom’s sister Mia (Jordana Brewster). When the crew ends up in danger, Brian has to make some quick decisions about where his loyalties lie.

Since The Fast and the Furious came out in 2001, there have been nine more films, including the landmark tenth film, Fast X, released in May 2023. The franchise has a large fan base, and the numerous films have made the Fast & Furious franchise the seventh highest-grossing film series in the world. Viewers who haven’t seen the film will enjoy the high-speed chases and action scenes and might even find themselves wanting to be part of Toretto’s crew.

4 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Wasn’t Beloved But Had Action to Spare

2009

The fourth film in Marvel’s X-Men film series, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, serves as a prequel to X-Men and X2: X-Men United and the first of Marvel’s solo Wolverine outings. The film focuses on Wolverine’s childhood and his time as a member of the black ops team “Team X,” and audiences learn about Weapon X, the genetic research program that bonded indestructible metal adamantium to Wolverine’s bone structure, making him the mutant viewers met in X-Men.

Starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, the film might not even be Jackman’s favorite, but it sets up the story of a character audiences quickly fell in love with. 2013’s The Wolverine, and 2017’s Logan proved even better, making Wolverine’s story one of the most notable X-Men stories, even for folks who weren’t originally fans of the comics. Outside the Wolverine movies, the character has appeared in other X-Men films and will join Deadpool 3, which is currently filming.

3 The Dark Knight Set a New Standard For Comic Book Movies

2008

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After the unexpected success of 2005’s Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight was released in July 2008 to critical acclaim. One of Heath Ledger’s final films, The Dark Knight, tells the story of how the Joker (Ledger) terrorizes Gotham City and tears apart the partnership between Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Commissioner James Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale). Eventually, The Joker’s actions lead Dent to become Two-Face, a turn that Batman hopes to conceal.

The Dark Knight‘s release was highly anticipated, particularly after the untimely death of Ledger, who fans originally felt would not do the Joker justice. Ledger proved audiences wrong, and the film was praised for its mature themes, dark tone, and visual style. The Dark Knight became the fourth-highest-grossing film of its time and has often been referred to as one of the greatest superhero movies ever made. Viewers will find themselves deeply invested in the film’s storylines and performances, and new viewers will want to watch Batman Begins first and then The Dark Knight Rises (2012) to wrap up the trilogy.

2 Iron Man Kickstarted the Marvel Cinematic Universe

2008

The first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), 2008’s Iron Man introduces viewers to Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), a “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” running Stark Industries, the multinational tech, aerospace, and security conglomerate started by his father, Howard Stark. After being captured by the terrorist organization Ten Rings, Tony works with Yinsen, who saved his life with an electromagnet, to build a suit of powered armor that will help them escape. Once home, Tony can’t seem to put away his suit and turns himself into an international superhero.

Iron Man received much praise upon its release in 2008, including for Downey, Jr.’s electric performance. Iron Man sets the stage for the first phase of the MCU films and rockets Downey, Jr. to a new level of fame. It’s a superhero movie that audiences love to talk about and return to again and again.

1 Kill Bill, Vol. 1+ Vol. 2 Homaged Kung Fu Classics

2003 & 2004

When The Bride (Uma Thurman), a former Deadly Viper assassin, is pregnant and rehearsing for her wedding, her old crew interrupts, shooting everyone present. Four years later, The Bride comes out of her coma, horrified to discover that she is no longer pregnant. After rebuilding her strength, The Bride begins hunting down the assassins who ruined her wedding and put her in a coma. While her end goal is to come face-to-face with Bill, along the way, The Bride kills assassin Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) in a knife fight, defeats the Japanese Yakuza and their leader O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) with a sword from the legendary Hattori Hanzō (Sonny Chiba), escapes being buried alive, sicks a Black Mamba (also her codename) on Bill’s brother Budd (Michael Madsen), and blinds Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah). But once she gets to Bill (David Carradine), the surprise waiting for her could change everything.

Kill Bill was originally intended to be one film, but after the development of the characters and the story, writer and director Quentin Tarantino split the film in half so that nothing had to be taken out. The two volumes were filmed in a single production and released in back-to-back years. Both films received positive reviews and several awards, and The Bride ranked 66th on Empire‘s list of “100 Greatest Movie Characters.” Though the films might be considered too gory for some, most viewers have found that Tarantino’s ode to martial arts films and spaghetti westerns is a fascinating look at aggression and revenge that keeps them enthralled from beginning to end.