Entertainment
The 8 Most Fun Action Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked
There’s something intrinsically exciting and high-energy about action movies that makes the genre one of the most fun and explosive styles of filmmaking that cinema has to offer. From massive-scale blockbusters that make the most out of their glorious setpieces to smaller-scale films with a raw dedication to choreography, incredibly fun action movies can take all different shapes and sizes. This has been even further exemplified within the 21st century, with so many amazing and incredibly fun action movies being released.
More than simply the most successful or recognizable action movies of the 21st century, these films have an inherent fun factor that keeps audiences engaged from beginning to end, with their stellar action still leaving an impact after audiences finish witnessing its greatness. Considering just how much fun factor can impact the memorability and lasting impact of a film, it doesn’t come as a surprise that these incredibly fun action movies are also some of the most celebrated of the 21st century.
8
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)
With exceptional directing from Gore Verbinski and a stylish combination of practical action and groundbreaking visual effects, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl made waves as a deeply enthralling icon of action-adventure. A lot of the film’s continuous fun factor can be traced back to the sheer memorability of these characters and set pieces, from Johnny Depp‘s legendary turn as Jack Sparrow to the fledgling duo Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley).
Seeing these memorable characters in wild action setpieces aboard the high seas, especially when the plot delves into massive fantasy elements, makes it one of the most engaging and electrifying blockbuster experiences that the 2000s have to offer. It makes the absolute most out of every aspect of its massive budget, with Verbinski’s distinct style of action filmmaking utilizing the blockbuster scale better than many modern blockbusters could hope to achieve. It all comes together to make the action movie incredibly rewatchable and a fan-favorite that has stood the test of time and only grown in appreciation in the decades since its release.
7
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
Rarely does a legacy sequel ever live up to the stature and quality of the original film, especially when said sequel releases 36 years after the original iconic action film. However, Top Gun: Maverick is the rare exception to the rule, being a legacy sequel that not only lives up to the stature of the original film, but in many ways surpasses it to create an even more fun and even more enthralling action experience. It does just about everything one would want a legacy sequel to do, raising the stakes and upping the ante while still staying true to the timeless strengths that made the original such an icon in the first place.
Tom Cruise is as charming and charismatic as ever; the supporting cast each shine in their own distinct ways and leave a prominent impact, and the practical fighter jet action is a glorious sight to experience on the big screen. It’s a beautiful marriage of old and new action filmmaking styles that deeply resonated with audiences, being one of the faces of blockbuster success in the 2020s and a pillar of Cruise’s modern career.
6
‘RRR’ (2022)
Arguably more than any other culture of action filmmaking, Indian action movies have a fundamental understanding of spectacle and fun-factor that many traditional Hollywood blockbusters could only dream of coming close to. However, no action movie from India has broken through cultural barriers and become a worldwide phenomenon quite like RRR, whose story of revolution and fighting against tyrannical oppressors, with glorious spectacle, made waves across the world. The execution proves to be so invigorating that it never falters in amping up the audience, whether it be through slow-motion action or high-energy dance numbers.
Especially for those not familiar with the filmmaking trends of Indian action films, RRR came across as a breath of fresh air and a glorious explosion of spectacle and flair. This signature sense of raw, powerful energy and setpieces makes it an exceptionally fun time, even when it delves into darker subject matter, because it always finds this balance that has the audience rooting for the heroes in moments of pure wonder. At the very least, no other action movie utilizes its top-notch choreography to create a one-of-a-kind musical number, complete with the scale of a flash mob and extremely catchy music.
5
‘Baby Driver’ (2017)
A great and well-suited soundtrack can make all the difference in terms of getting the audience invested in an action movie, with great music doing a lot to amplify the style and energy of an already great action sequence. Baby Driver understands this phenomenon more than any other action film, setting up many of its action sequences specifically to align with the tempo and energy of the soundtrack. It makes for an incredibly satisfying blending of action and music that is unlike any other action movie out there.
The stylish and satisfying editing of the film works at every moment to create all sorts of fun for the viewer, as it just feels good when the action lines up with the music so seamlessly, especially when said music includes all-time greats from Queen, The Beach Boys, and Focus. It never loses its appeal and fun factor no matter how many times it’s watched, being one of the most creative and distinctly original takes on an action movie in the 21st century.
4
‘The Raid’ (2011)
One specific region of the world that has truly found its calling in the world of exceptional action filmmaking built on choreography and masterful stuntwork is Indonesia, with the undeniable face of extremely fun Indonesian action being Gareth Evans‘ masterpiece, The Raid. This ultraviolent action movie understands the sheer catharsis and joy of watching such ruthless carnage unfold on-screen, with the magnitude and craft of its action elevating the stakes to create one of the most consistently engaging action movies out there.
It’s one of those cases where the exceptional craft on display in the film serves to amplify the fun of the entire experience, as each amazing moment of action and stunt choreography proves to be more hype and awe-inspiring than the last. Rarely has non-stop death around every corner and visceral carnage been so wildly fun to experience, yet The Raid capitalizes on the fun of its carnage to create an unforgettable icon of the action genre.
3
‘Kill Bill Vol. 1’ (2003)
A love letter to martial arts movies and action movies of the past, the first film in Quentin Tarantino‘s action movie masterpiece, Kill Bill Vol. 1, might just be the most cathartic and entertaining revenge movie ever made. With an iconic soundtrack, a stern and powerful lead performance by Uma Thurman, and a great array of blood being spilled in cathartic action sequences, the film has been at the forefront of extremely fun R-rated action movies ever since its release. The various battles in Japan, especially, are some of the wildest and most fun action scenes of the 2000s that almost single-handedly cemented the film’s classic status.
Tarantino’s love and appreciation for the action genre is on full display in this film, as it combines elements from martial arts films, westerns, and 70s exploitation films to create a full display of personality and charm. The film’s influences and stature within the action genre have only grown over the years, with its overwhelming sense of fun standing tall as one of its greatest strengths.
2
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
Fueled by a seemingly endless sense of creative possibilities and some highly impressive action choreography and stunts, Everything Everywhere All at Once‘s sense of energy and fun was so infectious that it became the first action film to win Best Picture since The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The multiverse as a concept simply lends itself to a base level of comedic fun, yet Everything Everywhere All at Once goes all out to maximize the comedy, satisfying action, and emotional impact of the multiverse in the cinematic form.
The film became an immediate fan-favorite for good reason, as it has such a joyous, tongue-in-cheek tone in every aspect of its filmmaking, having such a blast creating all of these action sequences and concepts that said joy translates to fun for the audience. It also certainly adds to the fun of the film that Everything Everywhere All at Once is as much a comedy as it is an action film, embracing a sense of absurdity and wild comedic nonsense that has audiences laughing at the action as often as they are impressed by it. All of this comes together to make an extremely fun viewing experience and easily one of the best films of the 2020s so far.
1
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
Not a particularly surprising choice for the top spot, yet George Miller‘s ruthless post-apocalyptic masterpiece Mad Max: Fury Road lives up to its reputation and more so as one of the greatest action movies not just of the 21st century, but of all time. This unrestrained mixture of practical action, dynamic characters, and outright madness took the world by storm and elevated the Mad Max franchise into the modern age, with a sense of catharsis that sees action filmmaking at its very best and most fun.
For a film that is primarily a massive-scale vehicle chase across the desert, it continuously finds ways to stay engaging and extremely fun in its execution, utilizing its blockbuster budget and scale to create a beautiful concoction of chaos and carnage. The film is as impressive to witness as it is electrifyingly fun to experience, being the type of extremely entertaining action masterpiece that blockbuster filmmaking was made for. It was already heralded as one of the best action movies when it was released, and will continue to build up its legacy throughout the rest of the 21st century.
Mad Max: Fury Road
- Release Date
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May 15, 2015
- Runtime
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121 minutes
- Director
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George Miller
- Writers
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Brendan McCarthy, George Miller, Nico Lathouris
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