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2024's best action movies range from big-budget sci-fi epics to martial arts thrillers. There has been a lot of variety in the biggest action movies of the year. Some big franchises returned for highly-anticipated sequels, but there has also been enough room for original stories, some of which could yet act as the launch pad for emerging new talents in the genre. Overall, 2024 has been a strong year for action movies, even though the box office hasn't always reflected this.
Some true greats of the action genre returned to cinemas in 2024. Directors like Guy Ritchie, George Miller, and David Leitch all released new movies, but there were plenty of surprises too. Dev Patel's Monkey Man showcased his talents as a martial arts star and a director, while Jake Gyllenhaal's Road House remake massively surpassed expectations. 2024 has shown that the action genre is alive and well, and as the year comes to a close, certain entries in the genre rank as the best movies of the year.
15 The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a World War II film following a top-secret combat unit who were formed by Winston Churchill to hunt down Nazis. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the book The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops by Damien Lewis.
Release Date April 19, 2024
Runtime 120 Minutes
Guy Ritchie's latest movie bears many of the director's hallmarks, including a fun ensemble cast and a hearty helping of stylized action. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is based on the true story of a group of spies sent on a dangerous mission during World War II, but Ritchie puts his own spin on the narrative, and there's an air of mischief reminiscent of his great gangster movie.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is based on the true story of a group of spies sent on a dangerous mission during World War II, but Ritchie puts his own spin on the narrative.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare revels in its Nazi-bashing violence. This is the type of movie designed to be cheered and hooted at, so it doesn't worry too much about character depth or nuance. The most important things to know about each member of Gus March-Phillips' ragtag Special Forces team is spelled out in bold letters, and this leaves plenty of room for Ritchie to get to work on the action sequences and the pithy dialogue which clearly interest him the most.
14 Bad Boys: Ride Or Die
Will Smith And Martin Lawrence Team Up Once Again For More Fast-paced Thrills
Bad Boys: Ride or Die continues the action-packed saga of Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. The film follows the duo as they face new threats and personal challenges, blending intense action scenes with the camaraderie fans have come to love in the Bad Boys series.
Director Adil El Arbi , Bilall Fallah
Release Date June 7, 2024
Runtime 115 Minutes
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence's Bad Boys movies were always popular with audiences, even if critics panned Michael Bay's first two movies. With Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah taking over directing duties for the reboot, Bad Boys for Life, critics have finally started to come around to the franchise's explosive delights. Bad Boys: Ride or Die continues this trend, and the box office numbers speak for themselves.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a mindless, fun movie without much to say, and this makes it perfect popcorn entertainment.
Over 20 years since their first movie together, Smith and Lawrence are still a tough team to beat. Their delightful comedic dynamic is as fresh as ever, but Ride or Die delivers hair-raising action when it matters. Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a mindless, fun movie without much to say, and this makes it perfect popcorn entertainment. Fans of the franchise who know what they're in for will not be disappointed.
13 Badland Hunters
A Zombie Thriller With Plenty Of Creative Action Set Pieces
Badland Hunters is a South Korean action film directed by Heo Myung-haeng and released in 2024 and is the sequel to 2023's Concrete Utopia. After Seoul is nearly annihilated following an earthquake and the land is turned into a lawless wasteland, a retired hunter named Nam-san returns to the field to save a teenager helped captive by a mad doctor and a group of cultists.
Director Heo Myung-haeng
Release Date January 26, 2024
Runtime 107 Minutes
Ma Dong-seok will be most familiar to American audiences for his role in Marvel's Eternals, but he also starred in the brilliant Korean zombie horror film Train to Busan. Badland Hunters sees him fighting zombies once more, this time as a wasteland scavenger who tries to rescue one of his kidnapped villagers from a mad scientist. Badland Hunters is a sequel to Concrete Utopia, but it features a new cast and it works as a standalone movie.
Badland Hunters delivers enough thrilling action to make up for its derivative narrative. It uses the familiar framework of the genre to have fun with inventive, punchy action sequences.
Badland Hunters is equal parts horror and action. Although it doesn't exactly seek to reinvent the zombie genre, recycling many of the same tropes and plot points that have been reliably trotted out countless times before, Badland Hunters delivers enough thrilling action to make up for its derivative narrative. It uses the familiar framework of the genre to have fun with inventive, punchy action sequences.
12 The Beekeeper
Jason Statham Plays To His Strengths In This Confident Revenge Thriller
The Beekeeper is a 2024 action-thriller film by director David Ayer. Jason Statham stars as "Mr. Clay," a former member of a secret organization known as the "Beekeepers," who steps back into the field after a close friend is wronged in a phishing scam. To set things right, Mr. Clay will wage a violent war as he discovers that the truth behind the scammers may be more sinister than he realized.
Director David Ayer
Release Date January 12, 2024
Runtime 105 Minutes
Jason Statham has been a consistent box office draw throughout his career, but The Beekeeper still outperformed its expectations. Although Statham is allowed to strut around in tailored suits and make snide quips like most of his other blockbusters, The Beekeeper succeeds by reminding everyone that he's also one of the biggest martial arts stars working in Hollywood. Many of Statham's more prominent roles are too restrictive, but The Beekeeper showcases his talents.
The Beekeeper 's box office success suggests that there is still an appetite for these types of pared-back action thrillers.
The Beekeeper is a throwback to a different style of action movies. It could easily have been made in the 1980s with Sylvester Stallone in the lead role, blasting bad guys away and looking generally grumpy while he tries to keep his righteous rampage going for as long as possible. The box office success suggests that there is still an appetite for these types of pared-back action thrillers.
11 Kill
A Brutal Fight For Survival Aboard A Speeding Train
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Kill
When army commando Amrit (Lakshya) finds out his true love Tulika (Tanya Maniktala) is engaged against her will, he boards a New Delhi-bound train in a daring quest to derail the arranged marriage. But when a gang of knife-wielding thieves led by the ruthless Fani (Raghav Juyal) begin to terrorize innocent passengers on his train, Amrit takes them on himself in a death-defying kill-spree to save those around him — turning what should have been a typical commute into an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride.
Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Release Date September 7, 2023
Cast Lakshya , Raghav Juyal , Tanya Maniktala , Abhishek Chauhan , Ashish Vidyarthi , Harsh Chhaya
Runtime 105 minutes
Another international movie that wowed global audiences, Kill is an Indian film that delivers white-knuckle thrills from beginning to end. The movie follows a former commando who boards a train on a mission to stop the love of his life from marrying a man she does not love. While that setup sounds like a love story, things take a turn when armed thugs board the train and start threatening everyone on board, sending the would-be romantic on a mission to save the day.
There have been many great action movies set on trains, from Runaway Train to Unstoppable, and Kill makes for a worthy entry into that subgenre. The fight scenes are brutal and visceral, delivering the kind of action fans don't typically get in Hollywood movies. Kill provides a worthwhile reminder that sometimes finding the best action movies requires audiences to broaden their horizons.
10 Twisters
A High-Octane Disaster Movie
A follow-up to the 1996 original film Twister, Twisters is a sequel set years after the original, said to be fast-tracked by Steven Spielberg and Mark L. Smith, with Frank Marshal as producer. Little details exist about the film, but Helen Hunt is expected to reprise her role as Jo, with the film likely to pay homage to the late Bill Paxton.
Director Lee Isaac Chung
Release Date July 19, 2024
Runtime 117 Minutes
2024 saw several long-awaited sequels finally arriving, with Twisters being one of the most crowd-pleasing event movies of the year. Twisters stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as a storm chaser who is called back into the dangerous field following the loss of her team when she is given the opportunity to make a real difference in stopping these devastating storms. While in the center of the storm season, she crosses paths with a charismatic and wild "tornado wrangler," played by Glen Powell.
While none of the original cast members from 199's Twister return, the cast of Twisters helps to make it a truly entertaining blockbuster. Their fun performances are also combined with the grand spectacle of the disaster sequences that capture the thrills of the original flick. The special effects are key to selling these big disaster sequences that make for some perfect popcorn entertainment.
9 Monkey Man
Dev Patel Reintroduces Himself As An Action Hero
Monkey Man is a 2024 action-thriller film directed by and starring Dev Patel. Following his release from prison, a man known as "Kid" makes a living by engaging in anonymous underground fights in a mask where he is beaten down each night. However, after witnessing greed and corruption consuming his city, Kid breaks into the upper echelon of society to find those who destroyed his life and take them down.
Release Date April 5, 2024
Runtime 121 Minutes
Dev Patel's directorial debut shows that he has been keeping his skills as a martial artist quiet. The Slumdog Millionaire actor makes a convincing action hero in Monkey Man, suggesting that he may be gearing up for the next phase of his career. Monkey Man has drawn comparisons to John Wick for its punchy action sequences, but Patel's revenge thriller is far more than just another imitator.
Monkey Man is an urgent story about standing up to corrupt authorities and rejecting totalitarian politics. Hopefully, it will just be the start of Dev Patel's action career.
Monkey Man boasts a revolutionary message of acceptance and community power to go with its exciting fight scenes. There is a lot of joy to be had in watching Patel wade through crowds of enemies using whatever improvised weapons become available to him, but Monkey Man is an urgent story about standing up to corrupt authorities and rejecting totalitarian politics. Hopefully, it will just be the start of Dev Patel's action career.
8 Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool Brings R-Rated Violence To The MCU
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
Director Shawn Levy
Release Date July 26, 2024
Runtime 127 Minutes
Deadpool returns for his third movie, made all the more exciting given the fact that it is his first entry in the MCU. The vulgar mutant hero doesn't tone down his style for Disney, delivering the first R-rated MCU movie that embraces the blood and gore as much as the profanity and crude jokes. The story also has another returning icon as Deadpool & Wolverine sees Hugh Jackman reprise his role as Wolverine from the Fox X-Men movies as the two heroes partner to save the multiverse.
Not surprisingly, Deadpool & Wolverine is a hilarious comedy, but it does not forget to deliver on the action. There are some standout sequences that have fun with the pure violence the R-rating allows. This includes the cameo-filled fight in the Void, the two heroes taking on an army of Deadpools, and a hilariously brutal fight between Deadpool and Wolverine inside a Honda Civic.
7 Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes
The Prequel Series Continues Its Fine Form
Set several years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the next installment in the Apes saga. Ape clans have taken up residence in the oasis that Caesar sought to colonize, but humans have reverted to their animalistic nature in their absence. Now battling between enslavement and freedom, outliers in the Ape clans will take sides in a newly burgeoning society.
Director Wes Ball
Release Date May 10, 2024
Cast Kevin Durand , Freya Allan , Peter Macon , Owen Teague , Eka Darville , Sara Wiseman , Neil Sandilands
Runtime 145 Minutes
After the outstanding War for the Planet of the Apes capped a trilogy in 2017, the future of the Planet of the Apes franchise looked a little uncertain. Seven years later, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes proved that there can still be life after the story of Caesar, as the story jumps forward a few hundred years to examine how ape culture has evolved amid the crumbling ruins of human civilization.
The visual effects are as polished as ever, and this lends the action sequences a sense of real jeopardy.
The world seen in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is filled with new factions tussling for control. Thankfully, the visual effects are as polished as ever, and this lends the action sequences a sense of real jeopardy. The villain, Proximus Caesar, is also a welcome addition to the franchise, and his presence raises all sorts of questions about the world beyond his coastal kingdom. The future of the Planet of the Apes franchise looks bright.
6 Road House
Jake Gyllenhaal Steps Into Patrick Swayze's Shoes For An Adrenaline-fueled Remake
Road House is a remake of the original 1989 film, which followed protagonist Dalton, a Ph.D. educated bouncer at the roughest bar in the south known as the Double Deuce. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Dalton, with two major changes including Dalton being a retired UFC fighter and the bar locale being in the Florida Keys.
Director Doug Liman
Release Date March 21, 2024
Runtime 121 Minutes
Road House director Doug Liman was desperate to secure his movie a theatrical release, and its popularity on Amazon Prime Video suggests that he anticipated its impact. Jake Gyllenhaal takes on the role of Dalton, a stoic bouncer with the fighting skills to drop almost any opponent in mere seconds, as he goes to clean up a rowdy bar in the Florida Keys and finds much more than he bargained for.
UFC legend Conor McGregor makes his film debut in Road House. Frankly, he's no actor, but he brings a manic, volatile energy to the action that is hard to resist.
While the original movie is a cult classic, the Road House remake makes a few improvements. With a much bigger budget and a script that tries to dig a little deeper into Dalton's character, this Road House is bigger and louder than its predecessor, but the simple joy of watching Dalton toss troublemakers around the bar is evergreen. UFC legend Conor McGregor makes his film debut in Road House. Frankly, he's no actor, but he brings a manic, volatile energy to the action that is hard to resist.
5 Rebel Ridge
Aaron Pierre Is A Force Of Nature In Bringing Justice To Some Corrupt Cops
Former Marine Terry Richmond travels to Shelby Springs to post bail for his cousin, only to find his savings unjustly seized by a corrupt local police force. With the help of court clerk Summer McBride, Terry uncovers a deep-seated conspiracy and vows to bring justice to the town.
Director Jeremy Saulnier
Release Date September 6, 2024
Runtime 131 Minutes
One of the best Netflix Original movies in a long time, Rebel Ridge became a surprise hit for the streamer and one of the most unexpected thrill rides of the year. From writer-director Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge stars up-and-coming actor Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond, a former soldier traveling through a small community in the hopes of helping his incarcerated cousin. However, when he runs into the corrupt police force of the small town, he is forced to find justice through his own means.
Rebel Ridge is a fantastic example of the action movie trend of bad guys discovering that they picked the wrong man to mess with. Pierre is terrific as the grounded action hero. His methodical and calculating takedown of his enemies shows that he is not just stronger than them, but smarter too. Saulnier continues to prove himself a terrific director of gritty thrillers, but the restraint the movie shows makes it an even more endearing entry into the action genre.
4 Gladiator II
Ridley Scott Triumphantly Returns To The Arena With An Epic Action Ride
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott's award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
Release Date November 22, 2024
Runtime 148 minutes
Director Ridley Scott's return to one of his most beloved movies helped make Gladiator II one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Taking place more than 20 years after the death of Maximus, Paul Mescal stars as a soldier living a peaceful life until his land is invaded by the Roman army. Losing everything and being sold into slavery, he becomes a gladiator in order to take revenge on the Roman general (Pedro Pascal) who took everything from him.
Without Russell Crowe returning as Maximus, Mescal and Pascal are joined by an exciting new cast of characters, including Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Denzel Washington in a scene-stealing villain role. However, the highlight of the movie is seeing the legendary Scott take on such grand action sequences. From the opening invasion to chaotic gladiator sequences to the climactic one-on-one fight, Scott proves he is still one of the best filmmakers in the genre.
3 The Fall Guy
David Leitch's Tribute To Stunt Performers Uses Plenty Of Practical Effects
The Fall Guy is an action thriller from Bullet Train and Deadpool 2 director David Leitch. Ryan Gosling stars as a stuntman who is forced to find a missing movie star, investigate a conspiracy, and repair his relationship with the love of his life. The film was written by Drew Pearce and inspired by the 1980s TV series of the same name.
Director David Leitch
Release Date May 3, 2024
Runtime 126 Minutes
David Leitch was a stunt performer before he became a director. He doubled for stars like Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, and The Fall Guy is his love letter to the global community of stunt people who hurl themselves into danger to get the perfect shot. Ryan Gosling stars as Colt Seavers, a stuntman who accepts a job on a sci-fi blockbuster in Australia before stumbling onto a murder plot.
The production even broke the world record for the most cannon rolls in a car, with stuntman Logan Holladay flipping over eight and a half times.
In typical David Leitch fashion, The Fall Guy prefers practical effects over CGI, and this means that a lot of stunt people get lit on fire, slammed into cars, and dropped from helicopters. The production even broke the world record for the most cannon rolls in a car, with stuntman Logan Holladay flipping over eight and a half times. This is all riotously entertaining to watch, and the credits roll over behind-the-scenes footage which is just as captivating.
2 Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
George Miller Returns For More Fast-paced Apocalyptic Mayhem
A prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa is an action-adventure film that tells the origin story of the headstrong and fearless Furiosa. Set shortly after the beginning of the "end of the world," Furiosa is kidnapped and brought before a powerful warlord, now forced to work for him. To find her way back home, Furiosa will adapt to the new harsh and arid world as she grows into the Furiosa she becomes known to be.
Director George Miller
Release Date May 24, 2024
Runtime 148 Minutes
George Miller already directed one of the best action movies of the 21st century with 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road, and his apocalyptic prequel carries on his impressive streak. Max Rockatansky is sidelined in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which focuses on the origin story of the character first played by Charlize Theron. Anya Taylor-Joy steps in as a younger version, and she takes to the action genre surprisingly well.
Like Fury Road, Furiosa showcases explosive practical effects which manage to bridge the gap between the real world and the harsh desert landscapes of the movie.
Furiosa reveals some more information about the world of Mad Max, but it's designed to be just as enjoyable for newcomers to the franchise as it is for hardcore fans. Like Fury Road, Furiosa showcases explosive practical effects that manage to bridge the gap between the real world and the harsh desert landscapes of the movie. Chris Hemsworth's performance as the eccentric villain Dementus accentuates the franchise's melodramatic quirks, but he injects a lot of humor.
1 Dune: Part Two
Denis Villeneuve's Sci-fi Sequel Conquers The So-called "Unfilmable" Novel
Dune: Part Two continues the epic saga of Paul Atreides as he allies with Chani and the Fremen. Pursuing retribution for his family's devastation, Paul grapples with a significant decision impacting his personal desires and the universe's future, attempting to avert a dire destiny that only he anticipates.
Release Date February 27, 2024
Runtime 167 minutes
Despite its seminal impact on the sci-fi genre, Frank Herbert's novel Dune has gone decades without a suitable film adaptation. It had been widely tagged as "unfilmable," but Denis Villeneuve disproved this axiom with his two-part approach. 2021's Dune introduced the world of Arrakis and the feeble hold that House Atreides has on it, and the sequel dives deeper into the rich mythos of the saga.
Villeneuve's two Dune movies are a cinematic alley-oop, with the first movie setting everything in motion, and the sequel bringing them home in spectacular fashion.
Villeneuve's two Dune movies are a cinematic alley-oop, with the first movie setting everything in motion, and the sequel bringing them home in spectacular fashion. It helps that the sequel also improves on most of the things that the original already does very well. The action scenes are more engaging and the ensemble cast is teeming with strong performances. Austin Butler is one particular standout as Feyd-Rautha, a villain who provides more focus to the saga. Dune: Part Three has already been confirmed.
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