Only 8 Action Movies of the 2020s Are Genuinely Perfect
The action genre continues to grow and evolve during each distinct era of filmmaking, as every decade has its own selection of standout action films that largely influence the genre in their success. However, even with so many great and influential action films released in each decade, only a select few action films are among the upper echelon of the genre to be considered genuinely perfect in their execution. Even the 2020s, despite the decade having not finished yet, has had a select few action films that have achieved such perfection.
Between all the great modern action films of the 2020s, only 8 exceptional action films are absolutely perfect in their craft and execution of the action genre. From high-flying sequels to acclaimed action franchises that push the genre forward to dynamic original films that strikingly execute on an impactful and energizing original concept. While there is certainly room for more perfectly crafted action films to be released before the decade ends, these action films stand as the best action films of the 2020s so far.
8
‘Rebel Ridge’ (2024)
A striking and electrifying action thriller that utilizes a mixture of compelling, relevant themes with stylish and original renditions of action sequences to create a joyously refreshing time, Rebel Ridge is one of the absolute best action films that streaming services have provided. The film sees Aaron Pierre as a former marine fighting for the freedom of his cousin, entangling himself into a web of lies and madness when a corrupt small town police force unjustly seizes his bail money. As he fights for personal justice, he ends up falling down a deep rabbit hole of corruption from the small town police force.
While the dynamic themes of police corruption certainly help the narrative of Rebel Ridge feel striking and defiant compared to its contemporaries, the real overwhelming strength and perfection of the film comes from the exceptional directing of Jeremy Saulnier. Action scenes maintain high energy and stakes throughout, keeping up the weight and prowess of the lead hero while also keeping him in massive danger due to the beast of a threat he’s up against. This absolute gem of a Netflix original thriller is about as perfect as an original streaming release one could ask for.
7
‘Kill’ (2024)
India as a region has been on a seemingly unstoppable hotstreak when it comes to their action filmmaking offerings in the 2020s, with the greatest elements of the region’s distinct style being put into overdrive in recent years, as well as an increased tendency to experiment and break new ground within the region. One especially notable case of groundbreaking action from India is Kill, a ruthless and blood soaked take on the classic one-man-army archetype of action film that presented itself as India’s bloodiest action film.
The film sees an army commando fighting off against a legion of knife-wielding thieves that are aboard his train as he attempts to win back the affection of the woman he loves. Any movie that has the gall to name their movie Kill has to deliver on the ruthless carnage of the title, and while it certainly takes a bit of stage setting and emotional build-up, once the blood begins to spill it doesn’t let up. Its sense of bruality is unlike anything else that Indian action has to offer, making it a one-of-a-kind blending of culture that makes for the perfect gruesome crowdpleaser.
6
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2023)
The original Top Gun was already an icon of 80s action and an absolute crowd pleaser that helped launch Tom Cruise into household name status. After decades of waiting, it seemed all but inevitable that Cruise would return to the iconic fighter pilot world, but Top Gun: Maverick managed to surpass the already high expectations to be not just a massive box-office success, but an even better action film than the original Top Gun. It amplifies all the excitement and prospects of a fighter jet action film to the modern era of blockbuster filmmaking, utilizing a sense of scale and craft largely unmatched by other blockbuster action films.
There’s an inherent joy and passion that emanates from every second of Top Gun: Maverick, as while it would be so easy for it to simply replay the greatest hits of the original film, it instead uses the original film as a blueprint for something greater, more dynamic, and simply more perfectly crafted. It’s the exact type of perfectly crafted action blockbuster that people that come to associate Tom Cruise’s career with, at times even feeling like the quintessential Cruise movie.
5
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ (2024)
The John Wick franchise has proven to be one of the most striking and highly exhilarating original action franchises of the 21st century, with each additional entry managing to up the ante and feel more entertaining than the last. This has allowed John Wick: Chapter 4 to not only be an exceptionally perfect adrenaline-fueled action thriller, but arguably the absolute height of this already legendary franchise. It takes all of the explosive, expertly choreographed action and sleek worldbuilding that make the franchise work so well and maximizes it to the largest scale yet.
Even with its over two and a half hour runtime, the film doesn’t lose any momentum or impact for even a second, feeling highly energized as it moves from one exceptional setpiece to the next. It also has an exceptionally layered reflection and finality to the character of John Wick, with him coming to terms with the true end of his journey and all the death he has had to cause in order to get there. Chapter 4 is everything that one would want out of a John Wick film and more, and could arguably be considered Keanu Reeves‘ best action film since The Matrix.
4
‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023)
Godzilla has been an absolute icon of destructive disaster films ever since its inception, whether it be through haunting symbolism of nuclear destruction or simply having giant kaiju battle it out and causing chaos wherever they go. However, it’s always been difficult for the Godzilla franchise to balance this sense of cathartic action with the symbolic brilliance that helped launch the franchise, an issue that has been effortlessly solved by Godzilla Minus One. It’s the ultimate example of a film having its cake and eating it too, having not just the unmatched destruction of a modern Godzilla film, but all the emotional pain and symbolic brilliance of a classic Godzilla film.
It’s this distinct blending of the greatest attributes of the franchise in a singular, complete package that has made Godzilla Minus One not just one of the best Godzilla films ever made, but an undeniably perfect kaiju movie. Especially compared to the relatively goofy and unserious Godzilla films that Legendary has been releasing in recent years, Godzilla Minus One shows that powerful, exceptional filmmaking can still be accomplished with Godzilla as a character. With a highly anticipated sequel set to release this year, the substantial legacy of this modern classic continues to grow day after day.
3
‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ (2023)
Few action franchises have been as consistently acclaimed and pushed the action genre forward with exceptional stunt work and maximized spectacle quite like the Mission: Impossible franchise. While the franchise has had many widely acclaimed entries that could be considered perfect action films, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning still largely stands out as one of the absolute highlights of this legendary action franchise. What’s interesting is that this film doesn’t exactly revolutionize the Mission: Impossible concept or break new ground, simply executing upon the ingrained strengths of this franchise to absolute perfection.
The action set pieces are as energizing and high in spectacle as ever, the characters, both new and old, are an absolute blast to watch on-screen, and the high stakes keep the entire film thrilling and exciting throughout. It even manages to have a timely central message about the dangers of artificial intelligence that proved to be so effective that it impacted political policy. For what touted itself as the first half of the final chapter of this franchise, long-time fans of the Mission: Impossible franchise couldn’t ask for an action blockbuster more bombastic and well-executed than this.
2
‘RRR’ (2023)
Among all the great strides made by Indian action films throughout the 2020s, the large levels of success and notoriety wouldn’t be nearly as high without the impact and massive worldwide success of RRR. This dynamic, high-energy rendition of the story of two classic Indian revolutionaries and their friendship fighting for Indian independence from Britain makes for an absolute blast of spectacle that any self-respecting action fan should witness. Its presentation is designed for maximum impact and awe through its visuals, using top-notch music and slow-motion to transform its stars into seemingly unstoppable titans.
Throughout its 3-hour runtime, the film continues to up the ante and deliver exceptionally crafted scenes of action, dancing, emotional pain, and everything in between. It’s a fully complete action epic in every sense of the term, pushing Indian blockbuster filmmaking to its absolute limits and revolutionizing the very region in the process of its success. The film continues to be vastly celebrated as one of the all-time greatest Indian action films in the years since its release, as its massive legacy appears to have only just begun as a masterpiece of spectacle.
1
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
It may seem a little obvious to place the dynamic, universally acclaimed and Best Picture-winning action film at the top of this list, but that only goes to show just how well-crafted an experience Everything Everywhere All at Once is that its spot at the top was a foregone conclusion. The film simply exudes perfection and filmmaking mastery in every aspect, from beautifully woven performances to limitless creativity that amplifies the fun and explosive nature of its highly entertaining action. While the overwhelming hype has simmered a bit since its release, the film is still an undeniable masterclass of sci-fi action filmmaking whose influence continues to be felt years later.
No other action film has managed to be this entertaining and stylish in its execution while still having the room to tell a creatively flourishing and emotionally striking story. It feels like it took hold of all the trends that were persisting in action comedies in the decade prior and executed upon them with such perfection that it made those action comedies feel like child’s play. This absolute fan-favorite had cemented itself in the annals of cinematic perfection as soon as it was experienced by wider audiences, with its legacy only continuing to grow as the defining action movie masterpiece of the 2020s.
