Action movies have proven themselves to be some of the most popular and exhilarating genres of movies in cinematic history, with some of the most beloved and successful movies of all time being action movies.

Films likeThe Dark Knight,Kill Bill, andThe Matrixhave stood the test of time as some of the most impactful and iconic stories of all time, still enthralling audiences to this day.

This testament still holds true with modern-day films, as the 2020s have already proven themselves to be a groundbreaking decade for action films as a whole.

The 15 Best Action Movies of the 2020s So Far, Ranked

Image by Zanda Rice

Action movies have come in a wide variety throughout the decade, whether they are continuing films in all-time classic action franchises, or original action movies that evolve and build upon the trends of modern action films to create highly memorable experiences.

While there will surely be even more iconic and unforgettable action films to be released throughout the decade,the amazing great start that the decade has had for action puts the rest of the decade in great hands.

15’Tenet' (2020)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolanhas always been a highly prolific figure when it comes to high-budget blockbuster action films, starting off the decade with one of his most mind-melding ventures yet inTenet.

John David Washington wearing a mask in Tenet

Image via Warner Bros.

The film makes the most of Nolan’s abilities for non-chronological storytelling with its revolutionary take on a time-traveling film.

The film sees its hero embarking on a global journey to save the world from a deadly machine, utilizing a contraption that reverses the flow of time.

While its plot and characters may not be as prolific and in-depth as Nolan’s other works,Tenet’s largest selling point is its top-of-the-line action and production design.

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Nolan perfectly sets up exhilarating sequences of reversed time action, able to combine the forward and backward movement of time together to create unbelievable action sequences that make the most of the cinematic scale.

While Oppenheimer will certainly be the film that defines Nolan’s work in the 2020s,Tenetstill deserves respect as a brilliantlywell-crafted techno-thriller.

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14’The Northman' (2022)

Directed by Robert Eggers

The Northmanis a historical Viking epic that follows the story of Prince Amleth, who was on the verge of becoming a man before his uncle betrayed his family, murdering his father and kidnapping his mother.

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This betrayal puts Amleth on a path of revenge, as he has been training and becoming a powerful Viking for the past 20 years, patiently waiting for his opportunity to strike.

He now finds himself on a mission to rescue his mother, avenge his father, and kill his uncle.

While revenge stories have been a staple of action films for a long time, the undeniable filmmaking chops on display by directorRobert Eggershelp makeThe Northmanan exceptional epic to watch unfold.The film makes expert use of every aspect of its budget in crafting a highly engaging and powerful story of wrath, glory, and honor, complete with numerous mesmerizing action sequences.

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While the filmsadly underperformed at the box office, it didn’t stop it from receiving great amounts of praise and respect from critics and audiences.

13’Prey' (2022)

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg

A complete reinvention of the iconicPredatorfranchise,Preyis a prequel that takes place on the Great Plains in 1719 and follows Naru, a fierce and highly skilled Comanche warrior.

When a mysterious new creature threatens her tribe, it forces Naru to go on the hunt so that protect her people.

Alexander Skarsgård in ‘The Northman’

Image via Focus Features

However, it soon becomes apparent that the prey that Naru is stalking is a highly evolved alien predator with a technologically advanced arsenal.

While thePredatorfranchise as a whole has been middling to forgettable after the first stand-out film,Preyis the first film since the original to recreate the thrill and energy that the first one provided.

The film makes great use of simply going back to the basics of the franchise and having one spectacularly talented warrior going one-on-one with the alien apex predator.

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Part of why the film works so well can also be attributed to the character of Naru, played byAmber Midthunder, who has tremendous screen presence and brutality throughout the film.

12’Monkey Man' (2024)

Directed by Dev Patel

Acting as a directorialdebut for acclaimed actor Dev Patelas a glorious combination of American and Indian filmmaking styles,Monkey Manisa cathartic release of rage and anger on par with the best revenge thrillers out there.

The film sees Patel as Kid, a mysterious young man who makes a meager living spending his nights getting beaten down in an underground fight club while wearing a gorilla mask.

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Sick of the hand that life has dealt him, he concocts a plan to infiltrate his city’s sinister elite class to enact his retribution upon them.

High-octane choreography and compelling camera movement continues to be one of the defining aspects of action filmmaking in a post-John Wickworld, withMonkey Manlargely excelling in this regard.

The film continuously finds ways to one-up itself in terms of enthralling action and stakes, making the tension higher and higher as Kid’s plans for revenge take painful turns and require immediate course correction.

The Predator holds its hand up in a fist in the forest in Prey

Image via 20th Century Studios

Patel proves himself to be a deeply effective director for his feature-length debut, hopefully acting as the beginning of a flourishing career in action filmmaking.

11’No Time to Die' (2021)

Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga

The final installment of theDaniel Craigrun ofJames Bondfilms,No Time to Diesees Bond having left the Secret Service to enjoy a peaceful retirement in Jamaica.

However, he soon finds himself thrown back into action when an old friend returns requesting his help on a mission where the entire world is at stake once again.

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The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist proves itself to be much more treacherous than previously expected, as Bond goes face to face with a new villain armed with a dangerous new technology.

While far from the peak of the Bond films starring Craig in the leading role,No Time to Diewas able to deliver an exceptional final chapter to one of the longest and most beloved renditions of the character.

The film features a great deal of finality, bringing in aspects and characters from throughout the Craig run of films to make for an exceptional end to the story and character of Bond.

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The action is also quite top-notch throughout the film, making use of a number of inventive and creative gadgets, as well as mesmerizing stunts to help make the finale a highly memorable one.

10’Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)

Directed by Jon Watts

The third film in the MCU’sSpider-Mantrilogy,Spider-Man: No Way Homesees Peter Parker no longer having to separate his normal life from his superhero life, following his secret identity being revealed.

After enlisting the help of Doctor Strange to make everyone forget about his secret identity, he accidentally brings in a number of villains from across the multiverse to hunt him down.

Dev Patel wears a Monkey mask while looking into the camera in a boxing ring in Monkey Man

Image via Universal

Now, with an entire array of villains hunting him down, Peter must figure out a way to return these villains to their original dimensions.

Spider-Man: No Way Homewas one of the biggest and most successful superhero movies of the 2020s,bringing together multiplegenerations of Spider-Man characterstogether for one big adventure.

The film acted as both a continuation of the MCU’s version of the character and a love letter and send-off to versions of the character that never got their desired finale.

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This is all on top of the always exceptional action that comes from Spider-Man as a character, bringing a number of great action sequences from an array of classic characters once again to the big screen.

9’Dune: Part Two' (2024)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

While the originalDunewas already a widely beloved and acclaimed sci-fi blockbuster in its own right, the widely anticipated sequel,Dune: Part Two, managed toup the ante and improve upon the original in every conceivable way.

With more emotional moments, a compelling delivery of the themes and buildup of the previous film, and more compelling and effective action throughout, the film further cemented the modernDunefilms as the definitive way to experienceFrank Herbert’s masterpiece.

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Dune: Part Twofinds a great balance between in-depth worldbuilding, the social politics and inner turmoil of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), and some of the most exciting sci-fi action that a modern blockbuster can provide.

The action itself finds a great deal of improvement thanks to the ruthless and aggressive nature of Feyd Rautha (Austin Butler), whose fight sequences in the film are some of the most entertaining in recent memory.

It all comes together for a climactic and powerful knife fight between Paul and Feyd, capping off the film in spectacular fashion.

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8’John Wick: Chapter 4' (2023)

Directed by Chad Stahelski

John Wick: Chapter 4continues the ongoing story of highly trained and highly dangerous assassin John Wick, with an ever-increasing price on his head and continuing to run from The High Table.

Having uncovered a path to finally defeating The High Table, John embarks on a journey to truly earn his freedom but must face off against a new enemy with a number of powerful alliances.

John must face off against a number of enemies across the globe, from new dangerous assassins to old friends turned into foes, to finally reach the freedom he’s been searching for.

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TheJohn Wickfilms have always been able to deliver high-octane action and stunts, building upon each subsequent entry in style, stakes, and action.Chapter 4only further continues this trend as it features some of the most exciting action and best setpieces in the entire series.

This is especially true when the film enters the final act, with John fighting off enemies across the entire city of Paris, and features one of thegreatest individual action sequencesin recent memory.

While this entry gives the impression of the end of the franchise, for now, it ends John’s story with exuberance and grace.

Daniel Craig as James Bond Walking through the streets in No Time to Die

Image via MGM

7’Avatar: The Way of Water' (2022)

Directed by James Cameron

The long-awaited followup to the highest-grossing movie of all time,Avatar: The Way of Watercontinues the story of Jake and Neytiri, now fostering a new family over a decade after the events of the first film.

However, trouble always finds itself back to the Sully family, and now that the notorious Colonel Miles Quaritch has returned, the entire family must leave their home for the sake of the entire village’s safety.

Now finding refuge in the village of the water Na’vi, Jake and his family begin to learn the ways of this other tribe, preparing for if Quaritch ever returns.

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Audiences waited over a decade for the second installment inJames Cameron’s incredible sci-fi adventure, and just as the first film did in 2009,The Way of Wateris a technical marvel in every sense of the word.

The film is filled with countless beautiful set pieces, whether they be the otherworldly underwater sequences or the top-notch action surrounding the destroyed ship in the final act.The Way of Waterproved that theAvatarfranchise still had what it takes to enthrall and mystify audiences well after a number of people had given up on it.

6’Kill' (2024)

Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

While Indian action filmmaking has always been placed in high regard, rarely has the region created such a brutal and vicious display of gore and violence as seen inKill.

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The simple premise of a hardened commando fighting against legions of knife-wielding thieves aboard a train while fighting for his true love is largely elevated by masterful choreography and top-of-the-line directing.

The film doesn’t start off being incredibly violent, yet shifts into an aura of satisfying, gory revenge after a pivotal plot point halfway through the film, complete with a title card to signify the shift in tone.

Rarely has afilm ever made revengeand bloodshed as electrifying and enjoyable as Kill,finding ways to make each takedown and death more impactful and effective than the last.

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When at its best, the film fully lives up to its shockingly blunt title, withLakshya Lalwanigiving a committed lead performance and fully honing his inner wrath and rage.

Its vengeful approach to action makes Kill distinctly different from many other Indian action films as well as a highly entertaining watch.

Spider-Man getting ready to attack in ‘Spider-Man - No Way Home’

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Spider-Man No Way Home Poster

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Austin Butler screaming as Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two

Image via Warner Bros

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Keanu Reeves in John Wick Chapter 4

John Wick Chapter 4 Poster

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Man holding Amrit (Lakshya) neck in Kill (2024)

Image via AA Films

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John Wick: Chapter 4