With the MCU releasing a whopping three movies this year, action-oriented superhero movies have dominated theaters for the entirety of the 2010s. While a few other action franchises such as John Wick and Mission Impossible have managed to stay afloat, there are a ton of little action movies that fell under the radar for mainstream audiences.
These are all movies that didn't quite get the notoriety they totally deserve. Ranging from small budget gritty action flicks to blockbuster bombs, these action movies are well-worth a fun afternoon for you to watch.
Hanna - 6.8
Hanna focuses on a teenage girl, the titular Hanna (Saoirse Ronan), who was raised by her father (Eric Bana) to be the perfect assassin. A mysterious CIA operative (Cate Blanchett) seeks to eradicate both of them for mysterious reasons.
The most interesting bit of trivia about this movie is it's directed by Joe Wright, whose best work at that point was the extremely different Pride and Prejudice. This shows off an impressive directorial range to go from snappy Jane Austen romance adaptation to gritty spy thriller.
The Guest - 6.7
The Guest focuses on a family who is visited by a man named David (Dan Stevens) claiming to be a friend of their deceased son, a U.S. soldier. While charismatic and protective of the family, especially the son Caleb, there is an unsettling quality to his "kindness" that threatens to boil over.
The Guest is a strange mix of horror and action. Adam Wingard contrasts the harsh reality of violence with a slick and entertaining style. Dan Stevens portrays a broken and violent man incredibly well, and the movie goes out of its way to keep audiences guessing about his true nature.
The A-Team - 6.7
The A-Team is a film adaptation of the classic '80s action series of the same name. The ragtag group of commandos consists of the unorthodox planner Col. John "Hannibal" Smith (Liam Neeson), charismatic point man Lt. Templeton "Face" Peck (Bradley Cooper), boisterous bruiser Cpl. Bosco "B.A." Baracus (Quinton Jackson), and the "allegedly insane" Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Sharlto Copley).
In all honesty, the plot doesn't really matter in this movie. They are framed for a crime they didn't commit and must clear their name by finding the framer and putting him to justice. There are two real selling points for this movie. First, the character dynamics are incredibly fun (even more so than in The Expendables), and second, they blow up fighter jets from a free-falling tank. That tank scene alone is worth the watch.
Hardcore Henry - 6.7
Hardcore Henry is Ilya Naishuller's first foray into film-making and it is intense. With an absurd plot involving cybernetic augmentations, telekinetic warlords, and tons of clones, Hardcore Henry's plot is as insane as its awesome action scenes. Not to mention, the entire movie is set entirely from Henry's first-person perspective.
While a few folks might find the perspective increasingly nauseous, getting past that gives viewers one of the most unique action movies ever. It's unlikely for another movie like this to be made because Hardcore Henry set the bar for first-person action movies insanely high. While not from the 2010s, Nobody (2021) is also directed by Naishuller and stars Bob Odenkirk in an unorthodox badass role.
Atomic Blonde - 6.7
Atomic Blonde is the first solo movie by David Leitch, who is best known for his work on the John Wick films. The movie is set in 1989 Berlin, towards the end of the Cold War. An MI6 agent (Charlize Theron) is sent out to take down a spy ring that killed an agent she loved. Along with Berlin station chief David Percival (James McAvoy), they work together to take down this looming threat to the West's shaky peace.
For a first-time director, David Leitch manages to make Atomic Blonde a unique movie from the likes of John Wick. It's messier, cruder, and heavy on betrayals and espionage. Charlize Theron must be applauded as well for doing a lot of the stunt fighting herself, much like Keanu Reeves does in John Wick.
Dredd - 7.1
Dredd is a comic book adaptation that deserves a lot more love than it got on release. The movie focuses on Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) taking the rookie Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) on a drug raid against the notoriously brutal crime lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). Dredd is a small-scale story that makes full use of its intimate setting.
Dredd systematically destroys Ma-Ma's regime while his partner, Anderson, finds herself struggling with the moral implications of her new career. Dredd is a simple premise executed incredibly well, and the gimmick of the drug Slo-Mo (filmed by Gavin Free of The Slow Mo Guys) makes for some beautifully violent action scenes.
The Nice Guys - 7.3
The Nice Guys is a black comedy buddy-cop film noir by director Shane Black. So yeah, a classic Shane Black movie. The premise focuses on Private Detective Holland March (Ryan Gosling) investigating a missing person case when Jackson Healy (an enforcer) beats him up to "send a message" telling him to stop looking for the person.
Only for Healy to be told the next day to help March find a high official's daughter, prompting him to make peace with a man whose arm he had just broken recently. The Nice Guys is Shane Black at his best, and the dynamic between Crowe and Gosling is hilarious. It is an absolute shame that The Nice Guys flopped on release, but it has quickly become a cult classic.
Upgrade - 7.5
Upgrade is a sci-fi action thriller from Blumhouse written and directed by Leigh Whannel. The film follows technophobe mechanic Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green). Grey is coping with the death of his wife Asha after a mugging left her dead and him a paraplegic. A mysterious billionaire inventor visits and offers him an experimental procedure that will fix his spine.
Wanting to regain some sense of normalcy, he accepts. STEM, the AI implanted into his spine, sympathizes with his tragic story and helps him find his wife's killers. The movie has incredibly unique camerawork, using gyroscopes to show how "'out of sync" Grey feels while STEM takes over the fighting for him. The action is unorthodox and the plot is very heavy on the fears of technology overrunning normal life. Upgrade is a worthwhile watch for any sci-fi action-thriller fan.
13 Assassins - 7.5
13 Assassins is directed by the legendary Takashi Miike (Audition, Blade of the Immortal) and follows the tale of jaded samurai Shinzaemon (Koji Yakusho) as he is tasked with forming a group of twelve warriors to defeat a notorious warlord. It's like Seven Samurai, but with a hundred times more bloodshed and violence.
Takashi Miike is infamous for his brutalist filmmaking, and 13 Assassins is no different. The heroes here are all bloodthirsty warriors who are finding one last chance to die a true warrior's death, and saving lives is just a bonus. There is no mention of honor. It's because the movie makes a point of how quickly "honor" goes out the window when fighting against viciously cruel men.
Edge of Tomorrow - 7.9
Edge of Tomorrow is the first (and as of now only) light novel ever adapted to live-action and made with a Hollywood budget. Edge of Tomorrow focuses on Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) as he is thrust into battle against the Mimics and dies horribly. A few moments later, Cage wakes up and finds himself trapped in a Groundhog Day loop. With the help of war hero Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), they live, die, and repeat until they can find out a way to end the Mimic threat for good.
Despite becoming a sleeper hit in recent years, too few people are aware of just how unique an action experience Edge of Tomorrow is. The premise of an action-oriented Groundhog day is squeezed for all of its emotional, action-packed, and even comedic potential. While a sequel was announced, it's been stuck in an endless loop of its own, thanks to the director and both leads being extraordinarily busy.