(Photo by Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection. REBEL RIDGE.)
We’re cutting to the chase: 50 of the highest-rated action movies of the past year, to satisfy all your stunt-driving, barrel-smashing, limb-pummeling urges.
The list starts with Certified Fresh movies, which includes: Rebel Ridge, the new one from director Jeremy Saulnier; highest-grossing R-rated movie ever Deadpool & Wolverine; Kill and Monkey Man, bone crunchers from India; hybrids with sci-fi (Furiosa, Dune: Part Two), rom-com (The Fall Guy, Hit Man), and horror (Arcadian).
After that are Fresh movies, many of them box office hits, like Jason Statham’s The Beekeeper, and the Will Smith/Martin Lawrence Bad Boys reunion Ride or Die. Eddie Murphy put the heat back on with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, and, on schedule, Zack Snyder’s out her rehabilitating his new movie with some acceptable director’s cuts (Rebel Moon – Part Two).
Then come the Rotten-rated on the Tomatometer, a few of which have balancing positive Popcornmeter scores from audiences, like Boy Kills World, Argylle, and The Crow.
#1
Adjusted Score: 110708%
Critics Consensus: A stellar showcase for the talented June Squibb, Thelma avoids cheap laughs as it finds the lighter side of some serious issues.
#2
Adjusted Score: 111783%
Critics Consensus: A deceptively dark thriller that’s also loaded with laughs, Hit Man is an outstanding showcase for leading man Glen Powell — and one of the most purely entertaining films of Richard Linklater’s career.
#3
Adjusted Score: 98229%
Critics Consensus: An intelligent and gripping vehicle for Aaron Pierre’s star-making performance, Rebel Ridge lays down the law on its action-thriller contemporaries.
#4
Adjusted Score: 123812%
Critics Consensus: Visually thrilling and narratively epic, Dune: Part Two continues Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the beloved sci-fi series in spectacular form.
#5
Adjusted Score: 119333%
Critics Consensus: Retroactively enriching Fury Road with greater emotional heft if not quite matching it in propulsive throttle, Furiosa is another glorious swerve in mastermind George Miller’s breathless race towards cinematic Valhalla.
#6
Adjusted Score: 95047%
Critics Consensus: A relentless thrill ride grounded in raw emotional stakes, Kill serves up a knuckle sandwich that action fans will gleefully eat up.
#7
Adjusted Score: 110166%
Critics Consensus: An audacious effort from debuting director Dev Patel, Monkey Man dispenses action and sociopolitical commentary with equal aplomb.
#8
Adjusted Score: 88694%
Critics Consensus: Picking up where its predecessor left off, The Three Musketeers: Part II – Milady proves there’s still swashbuckling fun to be had in modern adaptations of the Dumas classic.
#9
Adjusted Score: 108052%
Critics Consensus: With action, comedy, romance, and a pair of marvelously matched stars, The Fall Guy might be the rare mainstream movie with something to entertain everyone.
#10
Adjusted Score: 108510%
Critics Consensus: Tough and unsettling by design, Civil War is a gripping close-up look at the violent uncertainty of life in a nation in crisis.
#11
Adjusted Score: 102333%
Critics Consensus: Carving out a new era for The Planet of the Apes with lovable characters and rich visuals, Kingdom doesn’t take the crown as best of the franchise but handily justifies its continued reign.
#12
Adjusted Score: 107021%
Critics Consensus: Ryan Reynolds makes himself at home in the MCU with acerbic wit while Hugh Jackman provides an Adamantium backbone to proceedings in Deadpool & Wolverine, an irreverent romp with a surprising soft spot for a bygone era of superhero movies.
#13
Adjusted Score: 84385%
Critics Consensus: Led by a trio of strong performances, Arcadian blends family drama and post-apocalyptic horror to visceral, emotionally stirring effect.
#14
Adjusted Score: 101562%
Critics Consensus: Summoning a storm of spectacle and carried along by the gale force winds of Glen Powell’s charisma, Twisters‘ forecast is splendid with a high chance of thrills.
#15
Adjusted Score: 91596%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#16
Adjusted Score: 59935%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#17
Adjusted Score: 60076%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#18
Adjusted Score: 81558%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#19
Adjusted Score: 80766%
Critics Consensus: A colorful spectacle that competes with Hollywood blockbusters while retaining its own distinctive flavor, Kalki 2898 AD marks a rousing breakthrough in Tollywood sci-fi cinema.
#20
Adjusted Score: 83417%
Critics Consensus: Cheerfully undemanding and enjoyably retrograde, The Beekeeper proves that when it comes to dispensing action-thriller justice, Statham hasn’t lost his sting.
#21
Adjusted Score: 41915%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#22
Adjusted Score: 80031%
Critics Consensus: Cranking up a true story of derring-do into a high-octane action flick that’s heavy on spectacle if not suspense, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is another solid entry into Guy Ritchie’s pantheon.
#23
Adjusted Score: 71958%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to some exciting set pieces and a smartly assembled cast, Land of Bad stands as a solid survival thriller in spite of an overall reliance on genre formula.
#24
Adjusted Score: 68593%
Critics Consensus: Badland Hunters entertains with all-out action, even if the story’s far less impressive than the fight scenes.
#25
Adjusted Score: 80583%
Critics Consensus: Content to let a very game Eddie Murphy bring all the heat, the fourth Beverly Hills Cop coasts on nostalgia but marks a welcome return for Axel Foley.
#26
Adjusted Score: 29117%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#27
Adjusted Score: 81937%
Critics Consensus: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence remain good company even when Bad Boys strains to up the ante, proving there’s still life left in this high-octane franchise.
#28
Adjusted Score: 67093%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#29
Adjusted Score: 61310%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#30
Adjusted Score: 43270%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#31
Adjusted Score: 73094%
Critics Consensus: Road House updates a cult classic for a new generation, happily replicating the original’s emphasis on cheesy brawn over narrative brains.
#32
Adjusted Score: 67879%
Critics Consensus: Bolstered by Bill Skarsgård’s all-in performance, Boy Kills World may offer just enough action thrills to offset its thinly written characters and predictable plot.
#33
Adjusted Score: 60792%
Critics Consensus: John Woo recaptures some of his legendary action bravura in this gallic reimagining of his very own The Killer, although the kinetic set pieces don’t quite compensate for the overall lack of personality.
#34
Adjusted Score: 29071%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#35
Adjusted Score: 64260%
Critics Consensus: Damsel has an appealing action hero in Millie Bobby Brown, whose gutsy performance is often enough to balance the scales against the film’s underpowered story and occasionally unconvincing effects.
#36
Adjusted Score: 55317%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#37
Adjusted Score: 50594%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#38
Adjusted Score: 53385%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#39
Adjusted Score: 36215%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#40
Adjusted Score: 21760%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#41
Adjusted Score: 44164%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#42
Adjusted Score: 28693%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#43
Adjusted Score: 50010%
Critics Consensus: The alchemy of Casey Affleck and Matt Damon’s knucklehead rapport provides some charm, but this laidback caper unravels due to a lack of intrigue and pulse.
#44
Adjusted Score: 43104%
Critics Consensus: While its imprint may dissolve soon after the credits roll, The Union could provide sufficient thrills to household duties.
#45
Adjusted Score: 35240%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#46
Adjusted Score: 54021%
Critics Consensus: Argylle gets some mileage out of its silly, energetic spin on the spy thriller, but ultimately wears out its welcome with a convoluted plot and overlong runtime.
#47
Adjusted Score: 35250%
Critics Consensus: Despite having a cast and crew of comedy all-stars on hand, Jackpot! provides little payout thanks to a puerile script and erratic pacing.
#48
Adjusted Score: 33104%
Critics Consensus: Lift may be a passable streaming option for viewers seeking mindless entertainment, but that doesn’t excuse its thinly written characters or formulaic, haphazardly written story.
#49
Adjusted Score: 29521%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
#50
Adjusted Score: 30114%
Critics Consensus: Dreary and poorly paced, this reimagining of The Crow doesn’t have enough personality or pulse to merit the resurrection.