Top 10 Action Movies That Were Way Better Than We Expected
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Top 10 Action Movies That Were Surprisingly Good
Top 20 Action Movies That Were Better Than We Expected
Who doesn’t like a pleasant surprise? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top ten action movies that were surprisingly good. For this list, we’ll be counting down action movies that far surpassed expectations. We’ll be excluding superhero movies, which deserve their own list.
#10: “Dredd” (2012)
Perhaps it was the all-too-fresh memories of the cringeworthy Sylvester Stallone film from 1995, but most people didn’t have much faith in the second attempt to bring the beloved comic character to the big screen. But imagine our surprise when attempt number two turned out to be a fantastically fun and hard-hitting action movie, with Karl Urban nailing the title role hard enough to wipe Sly and his codpiece from our memories. Add in some fantastic and original slo-mo effects and a tone that captures the satirical edge of the comics surprisingly well, and you have a movie with cult hit written all over it.
#9: “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (2011)
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Remember what we said before about reviving old properties? Well this 2011 reboot of the “Planet of the Apes” franchise is another exception. Anchored by a fantastic performance by the king of mo-cap himself, Andy Serkis, this account of how hyper-intelligent apes took their first steps toward global domination surprised audiences with its intelligence and pathos, crafting a lead who was both sympathetic and relatable despite the whole “being a monkey” thing. Rather than a cheap cash-in attempt to revive a dead franchise, this entry revitalized the “Apes” series, leading to a whole new series that continued with “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” just a few years later.
#8: “Edge of Tomorrow” (2014)
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A film that could be easily summarized by calling it “‘Groundhog Day’, but with aliens and Tom Cruise” is a hard sell to put it mildly, and by the time of the film’s release most audience members had already dismissed it as another braindead Cruise actionfest. And yet, those who gave the film a chance found themselves watching an intelligent and well-crafted film, with Cruise the most likable and human he’s been in years, to say nothing of a surprisingly badass turn from the film’s leading lady, Emily Blunt. If only we could relive the day of the film’s release and be surprised all over again.
#7: “Alita: Battle Angel” (2019)
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When it comes to live-action adaptations of manga, expectations are generally low. Fans have been burnt before. Published in the early 90s, Yukito Kishiro’s cyberpunk manga “Battle Angel Alita” received its first adaptation with an animated OVA in 1993. Based on the first two volumes of the manga, it became an instant cult classic. So when a live-action adaptation finally climbed out of development hell and onto the big screen, there was both excitement and trepidation. Critical reception was mixed, with many pointing out plot holes, but praising the immersive visuals. It received a much better reaction from audiences, who gave it a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
#6: “Mission: Impossible - Fallout” (2018)
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Over the years, “Mission: Impossible” has just gone from strength to strength . . . provided of course we ignore that disappointing second entry. After the excellent “Ghost Protocol” and “Rogue Nation”, audiences could have been forgiven for assuming that the franchise had peaked. But “Fallout” proved that that wasn’t the case at all - with Tom Cruise still nailing the stunts and action sequences even in his mid-50s. With a welcome return for Rebecca Ferguson and Sean Harris, and the addition of Henry Cavill, the movie was a well-rounded, consistent, action-packed extravaganza that set a new benchmark for the series.
#5: “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)
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Reviving a property that’s been stalled for over 20 years rarely turns out well, but director George Miller’s return to the series that put him on the map has since been hailed as one of the greatest action movies of the decade. With a new lead in the form of Tom Hardy and bigger, badder, and more explosive action than any of the previous installments, the fourth entry in the “Mad Max” franchise wins additional points for a phenomenally crafted story, endearing and memorable characters and an amazing score by Junkie XL. Miller spent years working to get this film made, and against all odds his work paid off.
#4: “The Terminator” (1984)
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Here in the far-flung future, we know that this is one of the most beloved action films of all time, but bear in mind that the two biggest names to come out of the seminal film, star Arnold Schwarzenegger and director James Cameron, were virtually unknown back in the early 80s. Arnie’s biggest film before this was “Conan the Barbarian,” and Cameron’s only previous directorial credit was “Piranha II: The Spawning.” Who would have guessed that the passion project of a little-known director starring an Austrian bodybuilder with relatively little acting experience would redefine sci-fi action films as we know it? Certainly not us.
#3: “John Wick” (2014)
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This Keanu Reeves vehicle didn’t look like anything too special from initial trailers, and mostly seemed like just another revenge thriller but with a dead dog rather than a murdered wife or girlfriend. But when Keanu suits up and sets out to avenge his dearly departed doggy, the resulting carnage is some of the most breathtaking gunplay in early 21st century cinematic history. Rather than the shaky camera work and frantic editing of many contemporary action films, directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch opted to keep the action clear and coherent, and the result is pure action movie bliss.
#2: “The Matrix” (1999)
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What do you get when you combine martial arts, Japanese animation, and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave? Throw in some Descartes’ “First Meditation” for good measure. Well, turns out what you get is one of the greatest science-fiction films of all time! “The Matrix” took everyone by surprise. In terms of sci-fi, 1999 was supposed to be the year of “The Phantom Menace”. The Wachowskis had only ever directed a single feature film, and Keanu Reeves’ previous forays into sci-fi “Johnny Mnemonic” and “Chain Reaction” had been critically panned. But together, they opened our eyes to a frightening, but thrilling new world - sweeping up four Oscars and launching a blockbuster franchise in the process. Before we unveil our top pick, why don’t you have a look at these honorable mentions: “Jack Reacher” (2012) “Shoot 'Em Up” (2007) “World War Z” (2013) “Bumblebee” (2018) “Point Break” (1991)
#1: “Die Hard” (1988)
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It’s an action movie classic . . . and one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made! Since “Die Hard’s” release, actor Bruce Willis has become synonymous with “action hero”. But at the time, he was a sitcom actor known best for the comedy-drama “Moonlighting”, where he played a wisecracking detective. In fact, the role of John McClane was originally offered to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Harrison Ford, and a string of others. They all turned it down, uninterested in the project, which actually started out as a sequel to 1968’s “The Detective”, starring Frank Sinatra. Fortunately, Willis signed on, and the rest is cinematic history!
