Action movies have always been known for their explosive and dynamic visual effects, from massive explosions to CGI disaster scenes. However, in the '90s, things changed drastically, and action movies became more and more polished, creating visual experiences film fans need to see on a theater's movie screen in order to take in the breathtaking visuals on display.
Sadly, as the years have gone by, some of the biggest budgeted action movies have cared more about creating these visual spectacles than telling a good story. However, looking at the 21st century, there are still those movies that look amazing and tells a great action story. Here is a look at the 10 most visually stunning action movies of the 21st century.
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
In 1999, the Wachowski siblings created an action movie that changed how Hollywood made action movies with The Matrix. Since that movie, Bullet Time has been used so much it isn't seen as groundbreaking anymore.
However, in The Matrix Reloaded, the siblings created even more impressive action scenes that were as visually stunning as anything in the first movie. While the third movie let many fans down, this sequel still broke ground and remains influential to this day.
Hero (2002)
In 2002, Zhang Yimou created the visually stunning Chinese wuxia film Hero. This continued the wuxia craze started two years earlier with the Oscar-nominated film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
This movie starred Jet Li as a Nameless warrior who shows up at the Quin capital city and tells the story of how he defeated three assassins sent to kill him. The film was released in America in 2004 and was the first Chinese film to reach number one in the U.S.
John Wick (2014)
In 2014, Keanu Reeves roared back to the public consciousness with the action movie John Wick. The film stars Reeves as the title character, a man who lived alone with his puppy, the final gift from his wife before she passed away.
However, when some men break into his house, steal his car, and kill his puppy, he sets out to kill everyone involved. Director Chad Stahelski used techniques used in anime and martial arts films to create one of the most visually stunning action movies of the last two decades. There have been two sequels to date.
Red Cliff (2008)
For years, John Woo created some of the best looking Hong Kong action movies in history and even took his talents to America in the '90s, where he worked on some of that decade's most visually dynamic films. He has delivered less production over the last 20 years but returned for one massive epic in 2008.
That film was Red Cliff, which was an epic foreign war film set at the end of the Han Dynasty. The film checks in at over four hours and was as visually stunning as anything he had made previously, winning Best Art Direction, Best Costume and Make-up Design awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
Fast Five (2011)
Everything changed for the Fast & Furious franchise in 2011. What was once a movie about fast cars, with fantastic editing and stunt driving, morphed into the heist movie genre in Fast Five.
With Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson joining the franchise, everything got bigger in this film, including one of the most visually stunning action scenes in the franchise as they lead a car chase while pulling a secure vault stolen from the police station
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
One of the most culturally influential Chinese action movies ever released in the United States hit in 2000 with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Directed by Ang Lee, this was the film that made wuxia filmmaking famous and included breathtakingly beautiful and visually stunning shots of battles across treetops and water.
The film picked up 10 Oscar nominations, the most ever for a non-English language film. It won for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography and also received the Best Picture and Best Director nominations.
Kill Bill (2004)
Quentin Tarantino has made some of the best movies over the last 30 years, but his films were often recognized for things other than visuals. Films like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction are known for their dialogue and iconic scenes, but not its visual flair. That all changed with Kill Bill.
Released in two parts, Kill Bill was Tarantino's love letter to martial arts action movies and starred Uma Thurman as The Bride, a woman whose wedding party was massacred and she left for dead. To see some of the most visually stunning scenes in the 21st century, look at her battle in the House of Blue Leaves and the subsequent battle in the snow.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
The sixth movie in the Mission: Impossible franchise hit in 2018, and while there were great movies all along the trip, the Mission: Impossible - Fallout was the best of them all. Tom Cruise has mastered the character of Ethan Hunt, and in this movie, he is joined by Henry Cavill as a CIA assassin sent out with Hunt for his latest mission.
While all the movies in the Mission: Impossible series had terrific action, this one even topped what came before and was a thrill ride from start to finish, resulting in the highest-grossing film in the entire franchise.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
There are over 20 movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Marvel went all out with the conclusion to its Avengers Saga. In 2019, Avengers: Endgame finished the story that started in Iron Man in 2008, and this movie had all the visually stunning action scenes fans had come to expect.
The final battle between The Avengers and Thanos was a fantastic construction, and that was just part of it, as the story went into space, to other planets, and into the past and future. This movie had it all.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Arguably, the most visually stunning movie of the 21st century so far hit in 2015 with Mad Max: Fury Road. The film was the fourth in the series, released over 30 years after the first Mad Max movie, and took everything great about that movie and ramped up the action, explosions, and chases to unbelievable levels.
The movie hit several best-of lists for the year. It was also a shocking addition to the Oscars, with 10 Oscar nominations, winning six of them, including Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.