The 10 Greatest Action Movies Released Since ‘Mission: Impossible
It’s no secret that the Mission: Impossible franchise is one of the most popular action franchises of all time. The entry that hit theaters in 2018, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, is known as one of the best in the entire series and one of the better movies of the late 2010s. Action films certainly didn’t peak here, though. Ever since this release on July 27th, 2018, there have been some absolutely iconic action movies to grace the theaters across the planet.
Whether it be a more recent release like the likes of One Battle After Another, or a film that came out directly after, like John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, fans of this genre have been treated very well in the last seven years. The scenes, characters, visuals, and stories brought to life through these movies are unforgettable and some of the best in action.
10
‘Bullet Train’ (2022)
One of the most favorited non-franchise action movies of the last few years is quite easily David Leitch‘s Bullet Train. This isn’t just some stereotypical fast-paced, hard-hitting flick, but is filled with bright visuals, snappy fight scenes, innovative choreography, and some hilarious castings. This was a bit of an unexpected heater, with not much hype around it before it was released, and people discovering just how much Leitch cooked when in the directing chair for this one.
This is an incredibly rewatchable movie that not only delivers great fights and spectacle, but is pretty dang funny, too. Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and the rest of the cast bring some great performances forward that deliver characters who are really enjoyable to watch and get invested in.
9
‘Tenet’ (2020)
Christopher Nolan is a director that absolutely rules Hollywood at the moment. He’s made what is known as one of the best superhero trilogies of all time, one of the best science fiction films of all time, and is currently crafting a phenomenal-looking adaptation of The Odyssey with a cast unlike any other in a Hollywood film before.
All of this in mind, it makes total sense when one hears that he crafted one of the most unique action films in recent years. The way Nolan utilizes time travel in Tenet is incredibly interesting and mind-bending, in a way that not only adds to the story, but the action scenes, too. The rewind mechanic is quite the visual spectacle and makes for scenes that truly can’t be found in any other action film.
8
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ (2023)
Ever since the series debuted in 2014, the John Wick franchise has consistently pushed the limits of the genre and provided some of the best fight sequences, too. While it’s not the best in the series, the fourth entry, John Wick: Chapter 4, is another perfect example of this. The kinds of things that Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski do in this final (hopefully) John Wick movie are wild.
Whether it be the top-down camera-angle gunfight or the lengthy stairs gauntlet, John Wick: Chapter 4 has some of the best action in the series. While it may be the final movie in the series, Stahelski and Reeves decided to go big or go home and deliver absolutely iconic work for people to enjoy, making it a great rewatch.
7
‘The Fall Guy’ (2024)
DO NOT USE
While, upon its announcement, jokes hit the internet that David Leitch would be directing a film about the fun and silly game of a similar name, Fall Guys, the quality that made up The Fall Guy when it released was abundant and took many by surprise. Much like his work on Bullet Train, he crafted a fast-paced, lighthearted, and poppy flick that is enjoyable through and through. It’s a love letter to the stunt people in the film industry, and is proof of why they more than deserve it.
With the ever-charismatic Ryan Gosling helming the lead role, The Fall Guy ended up being one of the most entertaining films of 2024. It’s clear that Leitch knows how to make a good action movie and the proof continues to appear in the pudding as audiences consumed his most recent project. The Fall Guy became one of the higher-rated movies of the year, and it continues to be a flick that people remember a whole year later.
6
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (2024)
2024 seems like it was a great year for movies, with the likes of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga releasing the same year as The Fall Guy. The Mad Max franchise has always been beloved, so to see another entry release, specifically about one of the fan favorite characters, was a great thing to see get released into theaters. Not to mention it stars the one and only Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth.
As per usual with the Mad Max series, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga did very well critically and even took home a lot of awards (28 wins and 127 nominations in total). Anya Taylor-Joy brought her A-game—also as per usual—and captured the character of a young Furiosa perfectly. She did an incredible job paying respect to the role originally played by Charlize Theron while making it her own.
5
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
While there may not be fast-paced or hard-hitting fight scenes in Top Gun: Maverick, it is action-packed nonetheless. The high-flying jet action is depicted perfectly and has stakes unlike any other. Top Gun: Maverick quickly became one of the best action films—films in general—of 2022 and beloved by many. Tom Cruise knows how to deliver an action flick, probably better than anyone else in the game.
A huge part of what makes Top Gun: Maverick so amazing is how the film was made, and how that process led to the way the project looks and feels. A large portion of the jet sequences were done practically, or mostly practically. It’s this aspect of Tom Cruise’s films that makes them so great, engaging, and makes the action feel all the more legitimate.
4
‘One Battle After Another’ (2025)
One of the best films of 2025 comes in the form of Leonardo DiCaprio‘s newest flick, One Battle After Another, directed by the legendary Paul Thomas Anderson. With a phenomenal 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, One Battle After Another is most certainly up for some Oscar nominations in the 2025 Oscar season, and that alone makes it one of the better action movies in the last few years.
As always, DiCaprio brings an awesome performance to his role as the main character, Bob. This, clearly, makes for a protagonist that is easy to buy into and follow, keeping the audience interested and caring about the plot/character arcs. This, paired alongside raw action makes for a film that will most definitely become a cult classic for years to come.
3
‘Monkey Man’ (2024)
Nobody expected Monkey Man to be as incredible as it is—a lot didn’t even know it was coming out until it did. However, the directorial debut of the iconic Dev Patel blew pretty much everyone away for a plethora of reasons. Whether it be because of how great the plot and characters are, or the way the movie was produced, Monkey Man is absolutely wonderful.
The action in it is astoundingly hard-hitting, raw, and well-choreographed. Not to mention, at one point, Patel even broke a hand and performed the rest of the film with his hand broken, pushing through to make sure the film came out well regardless. It’s so clear the amount of love, blood, sweat, and tears put into the movie and audiences can tell through the content put forth. This movie is truly an astounding one, and well worth the watch for any fan of action.
2
‘Prey’ (2022)
The Predator franchise has been one of the most popular and successful action/science fiction series ever since its release all the way back in 1987, and one of the best in the long line of films is easily Prey, directed by Dan Trachtenberg. Traveling 300 years into the past from the modern day, taking place in the Comanche Nation, Prey finds itself following a young woman, Naru (Amber Midthunder), as she faces off with a whole new species of prey.
Prey was extremely well-received when it released and finds itself being one of the highest-rated films in the whole Predator franchise. Amber Midthunder took the screen and owned the film, acting circles around many, and becoming a new favorite actress for many. She did a wonderful job bringing the character Naru to life, keeping people invested in her the whole way through.
1
‘John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum’ (2019)
John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum is commonly known as the fan favorite of the John Wick series, and for very good reason. With some of the most inventive action sequences in quite some time (he literally rides a horse through New York City to get away from and fight motorcyclists), this third John Wick movie contains everything that a good John Wick film needs to have.
Aside from the creativity behind each and every action sequence, the stakes in John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum have never been higher. With pretty much the entire world out to get John, he’s on the run and fighting anyone and everyone that comes his way. It also uses this opportunity to expand the world of this franchise better than any other project in the series does, thanks to astounding worldbuilding.
