Entertainment
The 10 Most Universally Loved Action Movies of the Last 30 Years, Ranked
The action genre has produced several of the greatest masterpieces in the history of cinema, and that’s because, just like cinema itself, it’s a genre all about constant movement and non-stop excitement. As such, over the years, many action movies have garnered tremendous praise—but only on a few occasions has that praise been truly universal.
Needless to say, there are bound to be some people out there who hate these action gems; but you’d be seriously hard-pressed to find those people. From huge blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War to international indie masterpieces like Oldboy, the past 30 years in particular have seen the release of many action films which were—and still are—loved by critics, diehard cinephiles, and general audiences alike.
10
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)
Ever since the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been nothing but uneven and inconsistent; but its lackluster current state doesn’t detract from the fact that if it managed to become the highest-grossing movie franchise in film history, it’s because it was so near-universally beloved for so long. And as far as universally beloved MCU movies go, it doesn’t get much more widely acclaimed than Avengers: Infinity War.
You get a little bit of everything in Infinity War: a hyper-ambitious crossover event that’s exciting without feeling overstuffed, an emotional story that has the guts to go in surprisingly dark directions, some of the best production values of any MCU film, and—of course—some of the most compelling action the franchise has ever seen. All in all, it’s one of the most intense superhero movies of all time, and certainly one of the most beloved.
9
‘Children of Men’ (2006)
There are few dystopian movies that are perfect from the first scene to the last, and Children of Men is certainly one of them. Based on P. D. James‘ novel of the same title, this action thriller further enshrined Alfonso Cuarón as one of the most admirable visionaries working in Hollywood. It was a commercial flop upon release, but age has only been kind to it.
It may not have received as much love as it deserved back in 2006, but as the years have passed and Children of Men has become more and more of a cult classic—widely praised as Cuarón’s Hollywood magnum opus—, it can now be considered nothing but universally beloved. Suspenseful, atmospheric, and philosophically fascinating, it’s proof of the full range of the wonders that post-apocalyptic sci-fi is capable of as a genre.
8
‘Gladiator’ (2000)
Ridley Scott‘s filmography has been somewhat hit-or-miss throughout the 21st century, but right before the end of the 20th, he delivered what many would consider one of his best action films: Gladiator, winner of five Academy Awards (including Best Picture). And on top of its awards prestige, the film was widely lauded by critics and grossed nearly half a billion dollars worldwide.
From the powerhouse performances delivered by Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, to Hans Zimmer‘s legendary musical score, to the incredible visuals and the convincing recreation of 2nd-century Rome, Gladiator has only kept aging like fine wine. Its action scenes are brutal and incredibly entertaining, but what has kept it one of the most beloved movies of the 2000s is its emotional character-driven narrative.
7
‘Oldboy’ (2003)
South Korea has been producing exceptional thrillers since many decades ago, but it was Park Chan-wook‘s Oldboy that largely helped catapult the country’s thriller film production into international mainstream prominence. That should hardly come as a surprise, since this adaptation of the Japanese manga Old Boy really is one of the most perfect action thrillers the big screen has ever seen.
Oldboy is also one of the most disturbing crime movies ever made, so it’s certainly not fit for the faint of heart. Those with the stomach for a film full of brutal action and gut-wrenching twists, however, have had nothing but good things to say about Park’s masterpiece over the years. It may not exactly be a crowd-pleaser, but Oldboy is certainly worthy of universal acclaim.
6
‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1’ (2003)
Ever since he made his stunning feature debut in the ’90s with the cult classic Reservoir Dogs, Quentin Tarantino only kept growing in popularity and universal acclaim as his career went on. Going into the 21st century, however, he hadn’t yet proven himself capable of making a big, action-driven studio blockbuster. Enter Kill Bill: Vol. 1, which cemented Tarantino as a true studio filmmaking titan.
Some may say that the movie favors style over substance, but closer examinations of this wonderful pastiche extravaganza reveal that the style is the substance. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 wears its influences—from spaghetti Westerns to samurai and martial arts classics—on its sleeve with the utmost pride, and that’s what has allowed it to remain one of the most universally beloved ultraviolent action movies of all time.
5
‘Inception’ (2010)
There are remarkably few filmmakers so great that their movies usually earn universal or near-universal praise, and Christopher Nolan is one of those filmmakers. His filmography is not without its detractors, but even several of those detractors should be more than willing to admit that the sci-fi action thriller Inception is an absolute blast from top to bottom.
One of the most ambitious sci-fi movies of the last 25 years, Inception finds Nolan at his most committed to practical effects, jaw-dropping action sequences, and impeccable pacing. From the iconic spinning hallway fight scene to the film’s many memorable shootout sequences, what could an action movie fan possibly not love about Inception? Its plot may not be the deepest, but as an action blockbuster, it leaves very little to be desired.
4
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ (2023)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse took the world by storm, almost instantly becoming one of the most universally beloved superhero movies the world had ever seen. How can you possibly follow up a movie that has already set the bar sky-high? With a sequel that’s somehow even better, of course. You’d have a hard time finding someone unable to understand why Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is widely considered one of the best superhero movies in film history.
For one, Across the Spider-Verse may very well be one of the most visually stunning movies ever made, what with its having some of the most stunningly complex and vibrant animation the world has ever seen. Then, there’s the emotionally riveting story, the nuanced character development, the powerful meta study of the whole Spider-Man mythos, and—of course—the most creative and exciting action scenes the Wall-Crawler has ever participated in.
3
‘The Matrix’ (1999)
Back in 1999, the Wachowskis completely revolutionized both the action and sci-fi genres with The Matrix, a blockbuster that was unlike anything else audiences had ever seen before. The years have passed, and not only has The Matrix not lost one bit of its “wow” factor, it has arguably even managed to get better with age.
On the one hand, there’s the movie’s deep thematic complexity, with its functioning both as a powerful trans allegory and a hard-hitting philosophical study of technology, determinism, and the nature of reality. But that’s only the foundation of what has kept The Matrix as one of the most universally beloved sci-fi action movies ever made: the actual action, which is some of the most delightfully idiosyncratic and creative that Hollywood has ever produced.
2
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)
Winner of a whopping 11 Academy Awards (the most of any film in history, tied with Ben-Hur and Titanic), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is deserving of many a superlative. It’s one of the most thrilling cinematic epics in history, one of the greatest fantasy films of all time, one of the most universally beloved movies of the 21st century, and definitely one of the most acclaimed action movies ever.
What’s not to love about what Peter Jackson and his team managed to achieve here? Return of the King doesn’t cease to be jaw-droppingly impressive for a single second of its 200-minute runtime. The epic action sequences are as exciting as they are emotional, the character development feels wonderfully cathartic with the trilogy coming to a close, and the way the movie adapts the perfection of J. R. R. Tolkien‘s work is worthy of applause.
1
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
There is perhaps no blockbuster filmmaker currently working in Hollywood more universally acclaimed than Christopher Nolan, but he wasn’t always the king of contemporary Hollywood blockbusters. It was thanks to The Dark Knight trilogy that he was able to enshrine himself in that throne, and it was The Dark Knight in particular that proved just how incredible his big-budget movies could really be.
It’s no surprise that the most acclaimed chapter of one of the most universally loved movie trilogies of all time also happens to be the most universally acclaimed action film in history. The Dark Knight, far more than just the most acclaimed comic book and superhero movie of all time, is a proper action thriller superior to most others that the big screen has ever held. Thrilling, visually perfect, well-acted, and impeccably directed, it’s worthy of every single last bit of the hype it tends to get all across the board.
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