10 Greatest Hidden-Gem Action Masterpieces of the 21st Century, Ranked

Ever since the genre burst onto the scene as a bona fide blockbuster drawcard in the 1980s, action cinema has been something of a defining force of the mainstream. At its best, it exudes a sense of spectacle and scale that is unmatched. It epitomizes the popcorn-consuming glee of watching movies, presenting films that are so absorbing and exhilarating that they leave viewers exhausted but grinning ear-to-ear.

The modern landscape of cinema is so rich with dazzling action extraordinares that it isn’t at all uncommon for some great genre gems to go unnoticed. Ranging from star-studded, low-budget indie treats to gritty period revenge thrillers, these action hidden gems showcase the variety and visceral impact the genre holds even when going unnoticed. Some marry the genre with elements of sci-fi, folklore horror, and war hysteria, while others simply revel in exhibiting action purity in all its glory. However, every one of these movies makes for essential viewing for all action lovers.

10 'Shoot ‘Em Up' (2007)

Presenting a spectacle of unrestrained, over-the-top action in its purist form, Shoot ‘Em Up is a blitzing, brutal, bombastic tour-de-force of ultra-violent intensity that embraces the genre at its most propulsive and absurd. Clive Owen stars as Smith, a drifter and former black ops soldier who finds himself embroiled in a senator’s heinous plot when he saves a newborn baby from assassins. Teaming up with DQ (Monica Bellucci), a street prostitute, Smith fights to keep the baby safe from further attacks as a relentless and insane hitman strives to take it.

Combining immersive, visceral volatility with an air of self-aware parody while thriving off the back of Owen’s deadpan lead and Paul Giamatti’s scenery-chewing villainy, Shoot ‘Em Up is the embodiment of mindless entertainment at its maniacal best. All style and no substance, it is a masterpiece of hyperactive carnage, one that was perhaps misinterpreted upon release, as it received only mixed reviews and slumped as a box office flop. While it has amassed a cult following, it remains a largely undiscovered gem of audacious action awe that thrills from its opening minutes.

9 'Brotherhood of the Wolf' (2001)

While it was a box office hit in its native land, Brotherhood of the Wolf failed to make a significant impact beyond French borders. In the years since its release, it has dwindled as a forgotten treat not only of action insanity, but of period piece playfulness, folk horror mythology, and political conspiracy thrills as well. Set in 18th-century France, it follows a knight and his American Indian companion as they investigate the slaughter of hundreds of people and animals in Gévaudan province by an unknown and ferocious beast.

Its action is sublime, meshing together a litany of influences, including Hong Kong-style martial arts choreography, to create an inspired and innovative spectacle of constantly evolving fight sequences that exude kinetic energy and sharp artistry. Bolstered by a captivating Gothic atmosphere that blends drama, horror, romance, and tragedy, Brotherhood of the Wolf is a bold and brilliant spectacle of camp and stylish excess.

8 'What Happened to Monday' (2017)

One of Netflix’s most underappreciated releases, What Happened to Monday excels as both a tight and tidy action thriller and a high-concept sci-fi that soars on the back of Noomi Rapace’s lead performance. Set in a dystopian 2073 where overpopulation has seen the government enforce a strict one-child policy, it follows a family of septuplets named after each day of the week. As they all adopt the moniker of Karen Settman, the day they are named after becomes the day they are allowed to go outside to live as Karen. When Monday doesn’t return home, the others must use their respective skillsets to rescue her while avoiding detection.

Rapace’s ability to bring depth and nuance to all seven characters she plays is astonishing in its own right, but the film also finds defining strengths in the frenzied pacing of its high-concept mystery story and the gritty intensity of its action sequences. Becoming not only a hidden gem of action cinema, but a criminally underrated sci-fi as well, What Happened to Monday stands as a unique and marvelously ambitious picture that deserves far more recognition than it gets.

7 'Overlord' (2018)

Marred by a confusing marketing campaign that failed to showcase how it blended genres and refused to address speculation of it being a continuation of the Cloverfield franchise (which it wasn’t), Overlord suffered commercially despite being a surprise critical hit. Assertive and confident, it brilliantly juggles war cinema, action intensity, and body horror brutality that excels with its propulsive narrative momentum, impressive production value, and its enthralling high-stakes premise.

Set on the eve of D-Day during WWII, it follows a small unit of American paratroopers tasked with destroying a German radio-jamming tower. Their simple assignment takes a horrifying turn, however, when they discover a laboratory of Nazi experiments and find themselves outnumbered in a fight against a wave of undead mutants. Presenting action-horror in all its gory glory with a subtle eye for revisionist war drama, Overlord is an impressive triumph of commitment as well as an unreserved descent into extreme zombie gruesomeness.

6 'The Shadow Strays (2024)

Indonesian cinema has given the world some of the best and most visceral action movies of the 21st century, a fact spearheaded by the iconic titles like The Raid and cult hits of the genre like The Night Comes for Us. 2024 saw yet another masterpiece from the nation, though far too few are aware of its existence. Written and directed by Timo Tjahjanto, The Shadow Strays delivers 145 minutes of non-stop action fueled by brilliant and bruising performances and stunning fight choreography.

It follows a young prodigal assassin who goes against her mentor and the orders of her organization to rescue and protect a young boy from a ruthless crime syndicate. It is the epitome of overkill, a no-holds-barred blitz of bravado and brutality that never runs out of creative new ways to dispatch criminal goons, ensuring a relentless roller-coaster of ultra-violent artistry. Also imbued with an undercurrent of simple but effective emotional storytelling, The Shadow Strays excels as a pulsating action-thriller that stands tall among the best examples of the genre in recent years.

5 'Mayhem' (2017)

Combining elements of razor-sharp comedy, social satire, and a lean commentary on economic angst in a blood-soaked bonanza of creative chaos, Mayhem is a work of over-the-top genius from director Joe Lynch. Starring Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving, it unfolds as a law firm office building is quarantined following the outbreak of a virus that causes those afflicted to act out their wildest impulses. Trapped amid the turmoil, a recently-fired lawyer and his vindictive former client work together to survive the fallout and fight their way to the top floor to confront the execs and settle the score.

With a tight runtime of just 86 minutes, Mayhem enraptures viewers with its frenetic pacing as much as it does with its sense of excess. Yeun and Weaving are both typically magnificent in their roles as they indulge in the hysteria around them while striking a faultless balance between the film’s comedic outbursts and thematic undercurrent. Also tinged with no small amount of horror indulgence, Mayhem soars as a fast and frenzied descent into immorality and impulse that, above all else, offers one hell of a good time.

4 'Riders of Justice' (2020)

Coasting on the excellence of Mads Mikkelsen’s lead performance, Riders of Justice presents an action extravaganza of blitzing brilliance that also features notes of poignant dark comedy and rich emotional drama. In the aftermath of a train accident that killed his wife, Danish soldier Markus (Mikkelsen) returns home to care for his teenage daughter while dealing with his grief. However, his heartache turns to vengeance when a survivor of the wreck informs him that the collision was no accident, but rather a heinous attack to kill a key witness about to give evidence in court against the leader of the motorcycle gang “Riders of Justice.”

Flaunting a wonderfully eclectic array of characters around Mikkelsen’s brooding and stoic lead, Riders of Justice masterfully compounds the wrath of its action violence with quirkiness and quiet contemplation. Director Anders Thomas Jensen proves himself a maestro of action bravura, but his ability to seamlessly blend the bombast with a deep, character-focused exploration of trauma, grief, and anger proves to be his masterstroke. Riders of Justice is so much more than an ultra-violent revenge thriller; it's an underrated gem of subversion and substance in the genre.

3 'Free Fire' (2016)

Featuring an incredible ensemble cast that includes Cillian Murphy, Brie Larson, Jack Reynor, and Sharlto Copley, Free Fire functions as a masterpiece of contained chaos, a ruthless scenario of criminal ambition, constant betrayal, and gunfire. Set in Boston in the late 1970s, it focuses on the carnage that ensues when a deal between a black-market arms dealer and members of the IRA cascades into a volatile shootout. As individual rivalries simmer and momentary truces form, the battle between the two groups devolves into a frenzied free-for-all.

In terms of its narrative punch, Free Fire is as simple and bare-bones as it can be, but the movie finds an incredible strength in the sharpness of its special awareness. Director Ben Wheatley even planned out the progression of the story and the movement of the characters in a Minecraft server to ensure continuity is never broken. With its relentless action, astute execution, comedic indulgences, and its litany of strong personalities, Free Fire delivers a delirious treat of high-stakes entertainment that is executed with precision and effervescence that all genre lovers can appreciate.

2 'Upgrade' (2018)

Seeing modern horror master Leigh Whannell depart the cinematic terror he is known for in favor of a story of impactful action and cautionary sci-fi suspense, Upgrade thrives as a blitzing low-budget beauty from Australia. In 2046, mechanic Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) is left paralyzed after his self-driving car malfunctions and crashes in a rough part of town, leading to his wife being murdered by thugs. Defeated and depressed, Trace gets a chance to exact revenge when a scientist gives him a STEM implant that not only gives him control of his body again, but also endows him with superhuman strength and advanced combat skills.

Complemented by humor and a grimy cyberpunk aesthetic, Upgrade delivers a fresh spin on revenge action, a brilliantly realized and thematically loaded sci-fi flick imbued with a penchant for extreme violence. Also featuring an impressive technical display that ensures every action sequence is as punchy and impactful as it is gloriously bloody, Upgrade is a clever expansion on a set formula that is a treat for action fans, especially those who enjoy a sinister science-fiction edge as well.

1 'Black ’47' (2018)

As grim and gritty as it is gratifying, Black ’47 soars as a punishing historical revenge flick that realizes the genre with a ravishing rawness, a succinct and savage simplicity that makes for a rewarding spectacle of vengeance and violence. Set amid the height of the Great Irish Famine, it follows Irish soldier Martin Feeney (James Frecheville) as he deserts his post and returns to a homeland of death and despair. When the occupying English authorities kill his nephew and leave his remaining family to freeze to death in a destroyed house, Feeney embarks on a vendetta to kill everyone involved in his family’s downfall.

Black ’47 excels with its venomous spite, thriving as not only a divine spectacle of action wrath, but also a cathartic tale of one man’s ire, sewing terror into an oppressive regime. Frecheville embodies a commanding presence of stoic determination, and he is supported by a fantastic cast—including Hugo Weaving, Jim Broadbent, and Barry Keoghan—who bring sympathy and spite to the story where needed. Explosive and exhilarating, Black ’47 is one of the most underappreciated action films of all time, a triumph of style and tone that conjures one of the most arresting revenge movies in recent decades.