10 Most Thrilling Action Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked

Although the 1980s and ‘90s are often thought of as the peak of the genre, the 21st century has provided more than a few modern action classics. Advancing technologies, a growing appreciation for stunt performers, and more interest in reviving classical franchises have led to an era in which action can be considered “prestige.” Although not all of the blockbusters films that dominated the 21st century box office were necessarily of the highest quality, those that stood out as critical successes tended to be commercial hits as well.

There was a great diversity to the best action films in recent memory, as there has certainly been a greater interest in international action cinema. Even some of the more popular English-language films have been unafraid to acknowledge their international influences. Here are the ten most thrilling action movies of the 21st century, ranked.

10 ‘Baby Driver’ (2017)

Directed by Edgar Wright

Baby Driver was the culmination of Edgar Wright’s career, proving that he had far more to offer than just making parodies of popular genres. Although Wright has pulled off some impressive stunt sequences in his buddy cop comedy Hot Fuzz and his adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Baby Driver brought to life a thrilling love story between a charismatic getaway driver (Ansel Elgort) and the young waitress (Lily James) that wins over his heart.

Baby Driver was made all the more thrilling due to the practical filmmaking, as Wright destroyed countless actual cars on set filming the excellent chase scenes. This level of realism is what differentiates elevated cinema like Baby Driver from the more forgettable entries in The Fast and the Furious or Transformers franchises, which are far too reliant on computer generated imagery to do the hard work.

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9 ‘Oldboy’ (2003)

Directed by Park Chan-wook

Oldboy is one of the most disturbing movies ever made, as director Park Chan-wook completely turned the revenge thriller on its head with one of the most shocking endings in the history of cinema. Film fans have certainly been taught to think ahead about the potential twists that could occur within a story, but the twist in Oldboy is so brutal, unexpected, and thoroughly upsetting that almost no one was able to see it coming.

Oldboy has incredibly gritty action sequences, which emphasized the fact that the stars of the film were doing their own stunts. The infamous “hallway” fight was an incredibly innovative moment on Park’s part; it ended up inspiring many imitators that tried to recreate the unfiltered brutality of the scene, including the Bob Odenkirk action thriller Nobody and a memorable episode of the Netflix series Daredevil.

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8 ‘Casino Royale’ (2006)

Directed by Martin Campbell

Casino Royale was the boost of energy that the James Bond franchise needed, as the mixed reception to the last few films that had starred Pierce Brosnan has suggested that the 007 series was no longer as relevant as it once was. Casino Royale went back to the origins of the character, as it served as an adaptation of the very first novel in Ian Fleming’s spy series.

Daniel Craig instantly proved himself to be one of the best Bonds ever, as he was able to capture the mix of cynicism and heroism that made the character so complex. In addition to providing Bond with one of his best love interests ever thanks to the amazing performance by Eva Green, Casino Royale also featured the particularly intimidating villain Le Chiffre, who was played by the incredible Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen.

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7 ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

Top Gun: Maverick was the legacy sequel that no one knew that they needed, as the prospect of Tom Cruise returning to the world of the 1986 classic from Tony Scott was met with skepticism from the moment that it was announced. While it did have more than a few clever nods to the film that had preceded it, Top Gun: Maverick was so engaging on a character level that it was able to become a multi-generational success.

The aerial combat scenes in Top Gun: Maverick are among the best ever filmed, and feel particularly impactful due to the actual flying that Cruise was willing to do. Although Cruise is just as charismatic as he has always been, Top Gun: Maverick put a spotlight on the next generation of movie stars thanks to the terrific roles for Miles Teller and Glen Powell.

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6 ‘Mission: Impossible- Fallout’ (2018)

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Mission: Impossible- Fallout is perhaps the greatest achievement in the Mission: Impossible franchise thus far, which is no small statement considering that the series is among the most consistently excellent ongoing sagas. It’s almost impossible to talk about the success of the entire Mission: Impossible franchise without mentioning the amazing stunt work that Cruise put into it; his commitment to giving the audience the best experience possible makes the experience of watching the film even more entertaining.

Mission: Impossible- Fallout is easily the most emotional installment within the franchise, as it shows how Ethan Hunt is forced to reckon with wanting to save his friends and the world at the same time. While he never got a fair shot at playing Superman in the DCEU, Henry Cavill delivered a terrific performance in Mission: Impossible- Fallout as the villain Walker, who actually poses a serious threat to Ethan.

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5 ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ (2007)

Directed by Paul Greengrass

The Bourne Ultimatum was the culmination of one of the greatest action trilogies of all-time, and added some surprisingly emotional qualities to the series. While the original The Bourne Identity had revolutionized the modern spy thriller and The Bourne Supremacy achieved an incredibly relentless pace, The Bourne Ultimatum served as a satisfying conclusion because it finally provided the titular character (Matt Damon) with the elusive secrets about his past that he had been searching for. Damon certainly is able to show Bourne’s arc over time, but he is at enough distance from the audience that the shocking ending still lands with the most impact possible.

The Bourne Ultimatum is an excellent conspiracy thriller that is able to delve deeply into the government conspiracies. While it was followed by the spinoff The Bourne Legacy and the sequel Jason Bourne, The Bourne Ultimatum remains the most impressive achievement within the series.

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4 ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ (2000)

Directed by Ang Lee

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon almost single-handedly revived interest in the martial arts genre, as Ang Lee crafted a classical epic about love, revenge, betrayal, and honor. Although the themes that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon harked back to the most primal era of mythological storytelling, the film was shot with such gorgeous cinematography that it felt like a complete revelation.

Lee does an excellent job at crafting stylized action, as the film provides many sequences in which the characters appear to levitate in the midst of battle. However, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is certainly not intended to be complete escapism; it offers a very emotional hero’s journey story arc, which is made even more powerful thanks to the breakout performance by Michelle Yeoh. Yeoh’s performance turned her into an icon of the genre, and certainly led to her groundbreaking win for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for Everything Everywhere All At Once.

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3 ‘Gladiator’ (2000)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Gladiator is one of the few action movies that actually won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and the accolade certainly could not have been more deserving. Ridley Scott crafted one of the greatest revenge thrillers ever, as the film centered on the former Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), who is forced to fight in the Gladiatorial arenas in order to get revenge on the Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who murdered his entire family.

Scott weaves in real aspects of history with tremendous action scenes, and succeeds in giving Maximus an inspiring character arc about the importance of retaining democratic institutions. While Crowe’s performance is certainly one of the greatest “movie star” roles in recent memory, Phoenix deserves just as much credit for creating a villain that the viewers could genuinely love to hate because of how evil he was.

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2 ‘John Wick’ (2014)

Directed by Chad Stahelski

John Wick was a complete shock that took the entire industry by surprise, as the film had received almost no marketing, and at one point was almost sent to be a direct-to-DVD style. It was a good thing that it opted to go into theaters, because John Wick proved to be an inventive blend of neo-noir, martial arts, gunplay, and comic book world building that felt like a breath of fresh air.

The stylized action in John Wick was crafted to perfection, which is mostly due to director Chad Stahelski’s actual experience as a stunt performer. Keanu Reeves had been an action icon due to Speed, Point Break, and The Matrix among others, but he gives arguably his best performance in John Wick, as the character is meant to embody his signature characteristics. The film ended up being the beginning of one of the best franchises of the past few years.

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1 ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)

Directed by George Miller

Mad Max: Fury Road was an astounding success on every level that instantly proved to be one of the greatest sequels of all-time. While the original Mad Max trilogy that George Miller had directed certainly set precedents for post-apocalyptic Australian westerns, Mad Max: Fury Road was a nonstop chase thriller that barely gave the viewers a chance to breathe.

Enough good things cannot be said about the practical craftsmanship in Mad Max: Fury Road, as Miller poured his heart and soul into making everything as real as it possibly could have been. Tom Hardy did a great job at playing the title role, and in many ways surpassed the performance that Mel Gibson had given in the original trilogy; however, it was the debut of Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa that became the true action icon of a new generation.

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