2025 has come to an end and we have put together our Top Ten Action Movies of the Year in no particular order:
The Gorge
One of two crackers Scott Derrickson gave us in 2025. Whilst Black Phone 2 is purely a horror movie, The Gorge has some terrific action scenes to warrant its inclusion here.
Miles Teller and Anya Taylor Joy make for a winning couple, with their relationship essentially carrying the movie. That is until we find out what’s really inside the Gorge. The last 3rd of the film is where the majority of the action takes place, with Derrickson getting to cut loose. The only drawback was that the film was made for streaming, as its visuals really deserved to be seen on the big screen.
Legend of the Condor Heroes
Tsui Hark’s return to the wuxia genre may not be on par with his finest work, but Legend of the Condor Heroes shows that he has not lost his ability for large scale spectacle. Stunning visuals mixed with great costume & set design already raises the film above other period actioners which coupled with typically imaginative action scenes sets the bar pretty high.
It may not reach the lofty heights of Hark’s most memorable works such as Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983) or Peking Opera Blues (1986) but it more than holds it own alongside his later films like Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011) and Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back (2017).
As he did in Hark’s earlier The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2014), Tony Leung Ka-fai steals the show as the film’s main villain. Almost unrecognizable, Leung Ka-fai chews the scenery as an over the top bad guy, far removed from his ruthless turn in this year’s The Shadows Edge (2025).
Sinners
Some may say that Sinners is just an update of From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), with its mixture of gangster movie and vampire tale, but anyone who watched it would be able to recognize it is much more than that. Sinners is easily my favorite film of the year, with Ryan Coogler more than making up for the disappointment of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).
A perfectly realized genre hybrid, Coogler expertly brings together all the disparate strands to make a totally satisfying whole. Beautifully filmed, with excellent performances to match, Sinners is proof that Hollywood is still capable of making worthwhile genre cinema.
It may not be as action packed as some of the other films on this list, but when the action comes it is all the more impactful. There isn’t a poor performance on show, with Michael B. Jordan excelling in dual roles and the likes of Delroy Lindo, Hailee Steinfeld and Jack O’Connell all doing great work. However it is young Miles Caton who truly impresses, here making his film debut. It is a perfect calling card for his talents, and if there is any justice it should lead on to an illustrious career.
The Last Bullet (Lost Bullet 3)
The final part of a trilogy that really should be better known. The Lost Bullet series got better with each consecutive movie, with The Last Bullet being the best of the three.
Alban Lenoir once again makes for a great action lead, with there being multiple opportunities for him to show off his action skills. The only thing you will find yourself asking whilst watching is why isn’t he a bigger star than he already is.
Tying together all the plot elements left from the first two movies, The Last Bullet leads to an exciting conclusion that will satisfy any fans of the series. For those unaware of the series, I would urge you to rectify this as soon as possible.
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
Whilst it wasn’t the best the franchise had to offer, Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie ended Ethan Hunt’s adventures on a high note, filled with the expected death defying stunts that Cruise has become known for.
Admittedly, at this point the plot has become increasingly convoluted. Although I did appreciate the work that was put in to tie the entire franchise together, with even seemingly disposable characters from the first film turning out to have important parts to play.
Teetering more into sci-fi territory than ever before, The Final Reckoning once again has Cruise’s Ethan Hunt going beyond the call of duty to save the world. The overall length could be considered excessive, but the film never drags.
Cruise and his team are all on point, with the only drawback being how underused Esai Morales’ villain is. Altogether, The Final Reckoning is an Emotionally satisfying finale with awe inspiring set pieces that make it one of the best action movies of the year.
King Ivory
Another terrific thriller from the perpetually underrated John Swab. Like his previous Long Gone Heroes (2004), King Ivory isn’t a straightforward action thriller, favoring character and plot over mindless action scenes. There are some solid set pieces throughout, all perfectly realized by Swab.
With a plot torn from the headlines, King Ivory focuses on the deadly world of fentanyl and those involved in its distribution as well as those who work to put an end to it.
The ever dependable James Badge Dale gives yet another terrific performance, with the supporting cast being equally impressive. Ben Foster turns in a well nuanced role as one of the film’s villains, with the late, great Graham Greene as another, still able to inject a level of menace to his character even at this late stage in his career. Then there’s Swab regular George Carroll a.k.a. Slaine who more than holds his own alongside his more prolific co-stars.
Hopefully John Swab’s career will really take off now, with him recently being announced as the director of Will Smith’s Fast and Loose, replacing the departing Michael Bay.
Samurai Fury
With fine action choreography, camerawork, commanding performances and a gripping plot, Samurai Fury is one of the year’s best action movies. Tailor made for fans of Jidaigeki, Samurai Fury both pays homage to the classic Chanbara films that came before while at the same time feeling modern. On occasion, the tone may seem somewhat inconsistent, but this in no way negates the quality of the film and the story being told.
Predator: Badlands
I know that Predator: Badlands is a polarizing film for many fans of the franchise, with some complaints being levied at the film as being Disneyfied. However, I can’t say I agree with this. The PG-13 rating isn’t indicative of the film’s content, with director Dan Tratchenberg still getting away with many violent set pieces. Sure, it pales in comparison to John McTiernan’s Predator (1987), but honestly you are really missing out on a classic movie if you gauge quality merely on blood and guts.
What Predator: Badlands gives the franchise is a different perspective, making the feared Yautja/Predator the main protagonist. It was a risky move, but one that Trachenberg more than pulls off with this being another quality franchise entry from the multi talented director. It may not be as notable a work as Prey (2023), but it more than holds its own amongst the best the franchise has to offer.
The Shadow’s Edge
I remember a few years back when it was announced that Jackie Chan would be making a sequel to Benny Chan’s New Police Story (2024). While I was typically excited for a new Chan movie, I knew that there was no way that the action could match what had come before. After all, Chan was nearing 70 (at this time), and expecting him to pull off similar fight scenes as he had done over 20 years ago was frankly ridiculous. Or so I thought.
Whilst the sequel to New Police Story hasn’t come to fruition, Larry Yang’s The Shadow’s Edge perfectly shows how it could be pulled off, with this being one of Jackie Chan’s best starring vehicles in years. Smartly playing to his age, the film still gives Chan multiple opportunities to kick ass, with several perfectly choreographed fight scenes peppered throughout the film. The action is different from vintage Chan, being more rough and ready, but it is totally in line with the tone of the film.
Marking Chan’s second film with Yang after the dramatic Ride On (2023), The Shadow’s Edge couldn’t be more different. A loose remake of Yau Nai-hoi’s Eye in the Sky (2007), with Chan now playing the veteran surveillance officer on the trail of Tony Leung Ka-fai’s master criminal the Shadow, with Ka-fai pretty much reprising his role from the original film.
Similarly to the previous remake of Eye in the Sky, the South Korean Cold Eyes (2013), The Shadow’s Edge seriously ups the action quotient. It’s no surprise that Chan excels in the action but what was surprising was to see Ka-fai walk away with one of the film’s most memorable and brutal set pieces, where he takes on a small army single-handedly, armed only with a small switchblade. The level of violence certainly took me aback. Not that I don’t love me a violent actioner, but the level of blood and gore here isn’t typical for a Chan movie.
The Shadow’s Edge is perfect for anyone complaining that Chan was slumming it with the likes of A Legend (2024) and Panda Plan (2024), with this being a real return to form for the action legend.
Lone Samurai
I had no expectations for Lone Samurai. Sure the trailer looked interesting, but I just expected it to be another throwaway actioner.
Instead, this genre hybrid turned out to be one of my favorite action films of the year. Obviously it isn’t for everyone, and I can’t argue that there are better action movies made this year. However, based on how different Lone Samurai was from the norm, I just had to include it. The different genres that make up the film, ranging from swordplay to Cannibal horror should be jarring, but director Josh Waller manages to bring them together to make for a truly satisfying whole.
Honorable Mentions
The Prosecutor
Something of a change of pace for martial arts legend Donnie Yen, The Prosecutor finds Yen stretching himself once again not only as a performer but as a director. The Prosecutor gives Yen a chance to stretch himself as an actor, with The Prosecutor being as much of a drama about the practice of law as it is an action movie.
Supported by a superior cast that includes the likes of Francis Ng, Kent Cheng, Michael Hui and Julian Cheng in a rare villainous role, the film combines what we have come to expect from a Donnie Yen actioner with something quite different, with as much focus given to the plot and characters as there is to the well choreographed fight scenes.
Eye for an Eye 2
Eye for an Eye 2 is that very rare sequel, one that is wholly superior to the original, with even better production values, an intriguing plot and expertly choreographed action scenes.
Carrying on the tale of blind swordsman Cheng Yazi (Xie Miao), the sequel seems more epic, feeling like it was made for cinema screens rather than streaming at home. Telling a more tragic tale, you will certainly be gripped until the end with the assortment of fight scenes peppered throughout just being a taster of what to expect come the finale.
Once again Xie Miao shows that he should be a bigger star, something I hope the release of Kenji Tanigaki’s Furious (2026) will rectify.
The Accountant 2
Like Eye for an Eye 2, this is another sequel that is easily on par with the original. Whilst it may not surpass it, The Accountant 2 changes things up enough that it doesn’t simply feel like a retread of the first movie.
Gavin O’Connor takes what worked in the original movie, primarily Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal’s characters, and puts them into a dangerous adventure. A bullet strewn buddy movie, The Accountant 2 takes an old school approach with a stronger focus on character and plot than we typically see in a Hollywood blockbuster.
Havoc
Whilst it may not have lived up to his Raid movies, Gareth Evans homage to Hong Kong action films still showed he hadn’t lost the knack for creating imaginatively staged action scenes. Admittedly, there is some atrocious CGI used throughout the film, which I was never sure was intentional as it results in the film having an almost comic book feeling, but you quickly get used to this as the film progresses. To be fair, I have seen worse CGI in bigger productions.
As well as sub par special effects, the plot is somewhat lacking, merely being a catalyst for the on screen action. Even so, Evans still manages to get decent performances from his cast, with this being a much better starring vehicle for Tom Hardy than any of his Venom movies.
Considering the length of time it seemed to be in production, I will admit I expected more from Havoc. This is why its merely situated in the “honorable mentions” section and not in my top ten of the year. However, there’s still some great stuff here to make it worth your time.
Ballerina
I was quite surprised that Ballerina wasn’t a bigger hit than it was. It has everything we have come to love from the John Wick franchise, and even if it doesn’t come close to the greatness of John Wick Chapter 4 (2023), it’s still a terrific action movie. Ana de Armas more than holds her own in the film’s various set pieces. The scale of the action builds as the film progresses, with the final third being truly memorable. Even without the inclusion of Keanu Reeves extended cameo, Ballerina would still be more than worth your time.
Then there’s the additional pleasure of another appearance from martial arts legend Daniel Bernhardt. It doesn’t matter that he had already appeared in the series as a different character, any opportunity to have him feature is welcome.
Blood Brothers Bara Naga
I went into Blood Brothers Bara Naga with very little expectations. Released on Netflix, I assumed that it would be just another enjoyable but disposable actioner. From the first 10 minutes it was obvious that this was more than that. With its beautiful cinematography and excellent action choreography, Blood Brothers Bara Naga truly impressed.
The plot line may not be the most original but the talented cast sold it, with nary a dull performance amongst them. There is even the odd addition of humor which helps lighten the otherwise serious mood. With a runtime of over 2 hours, directors Abhilash Chandra and Syafiq Yusof still manage to keep the pace relatively tight and gripping. It helps that you’re never waiting too long for another great action scene. Only some slightly sub par CGI hampers matters, but that is now to be expected.
Ghost Killer
Ghost Killer is director Kensuke Sonomura’s third time in the director’s chair after Hydra (2019) and epic Yakuza actioner Bad City (2022). Whilst his first two films were certainly enjoyable, Ghost Killer surpassed them with an exciting mixture of supernatural thriller, Yakuza movie and martial arts action, with Sonomura excelling with the action scenes.
Masanori Mimoto and Akari Takaishi make for an enjoyable double act, with Ghost Killer also working as a fine showcase for Mimoto’s martial arts skills. The lengthy final fight is a real standout and easily one of the best fight scenes of the year.
Affinity
With him also appearing in Diablo, 2025 was a good year for Marko Zaror. Affinity saw him taking center stage for an action film that far exceeded my expectations. Director Brandon Slagle and his team created a visually stylish actioner with finely choreographed action scenes. Sure the plot may not have been the best, but there were some interesting additions that separated it from other typically brainless actioners. Running at a brisk 80 minutes, Affinity is a perfect showcase for Zaror. Throw in a terrific supporting performance from the always welcome Louis Mandylor and you have a great time at the movies.
Prisoner of War
It was actually a toss up whether I would opt for Prisoner of War or Diablo to be put into the list. To be honest, each is as good as the other, with the only reason behind my choice being that it was a different film from what I was expecting. From the trailers, I thought this would be a retread of Adkins’ Undisputed series, just with a WW2 setting. Thankfully, it turned out to be much more than that, and while there are multiple opportunities for Adkins to cut loose with his martial arts skills, Prisoner of War also allows him to show off his acting skills (something Diablo also afforded him).
Prisoner of War was also of interest to me due to who was directing. Louis Mandylor always entertains in front of the camera, lightening up the screen whenever required, but of late he has also been showing considerable skills behind the camera. Being independent productions, these films have some limitations, but you can still see everyone’s hard work on screen. Prisoner of War is no different, with it easily being Mandylor’s finest work to date as director, with him excelling with both the action and drama.
Thieves Highway
Typically, any film that has Jesse V. Johnson’s name attached has me interested. Reteaming with his Chief of Station (2024) leading man Aaron Eckhart, Thieves Highway is an old fashioned action thriller that has more in common with the films of Budd Boetticher and Sam Peckinpah than modern day genre fare.
Whilst set in modern time, Thieves Highway is essentially an old school western, with Eckhart as the upright lawman that wants to “enter his house justified”. Focusing on modern day cattle rustling, Johnson creates a lean and fast paced Western that has just the right amount of action for the tale being told. Unsurprisingly for Johnson, the violence when it comes is hard hitting, but it isn’t exploitative, with the repercussions felt throughout.
Johnson has certainly made larger and more elaborate films. Whilst this doesn’t come near my favorite of his work, his love for the Western genre is infused throughout the whole film and shows once again what can be achieved with limited resources.
Bottom Five
Invasion
I have to say, the trailer for Invasion certainly piqued my interest. It looked like a change from typical Hollywood action movies, and while that is true, it wasn’t necessarily in a good way.
The film starts well, and has a nice visual sheen but it all falls apart when the actual invasion part of the film comes into play. A couple of decent action scenes aside, I felt that calling a film Invasion shouldn’t be such a small scale affair. Rather than showing the titular invasion unfold, the filmmakers instead focus on a small team of characters undertaking a dangerous rescue attempt. The film then ends on a damp squib, with our heroes returning to essentially be told that “the invasion is over lads, cheers for the help”.
To put this into perspective, it would be like watching Black Hawk Down (2001), but rather than being shown the action unfold we just cut to a talking head telling us what happened.
It’s a shame as Invasion had the potential to be a cracking action film. Being a Dutch production, it could have offered a fresh perspective, different from typical Hollywood war movies, but it ultimately doesn’t fulfill its promise.
Karate Kid: Legends
Karate Kid: Legends isn’t necessarily a terrible film, just a disappointing one. I didn’t go into Karate Kid: Legends expecting a masterpiece. Still, I did at least expect it to be on par with the 2010 reboot. Whilst it certainly has a more likeable lead in Ben Wang, the film fails to live up to what came before. In fact, In terms of the cinematic offerings of the franchise, I would only rate Legends slightly above The Next Karate Kid (1994).
The inclusion of Ralph Macchio seems like an afterthought, with him having very little in the way of screen time, and while Jackie Chan may get top billing, make no mistake this is yet another supporting turn for the martial arts movie legend, and one that doesn’t use him to the film’s advantage. Surprisingly, considering this is a Karate Kid movie, it is Joshua Jackson that makes the biggest impression with his relationship with Wang being the most engaging part of the movie.
Ice Road Vengeance
The first Ice Road was a fairly disposable, albeit enjoyable, actioner. As a Liam Neeson fan, it had enough scenes of him kicking ass to keep me entertained, even if I couldn’t see myself returning to it. I can’t say that I was hotly anticipating a sequel, but at the end of the day it’s another Neeson action movie so I’m still going to give it the time of day.
As much as I love Neeson in action mode, this was the first time I personally found myself thinking that he was probably too old for this kind of thing. I’m not saying someone his age couldn’t convincingly pull off action, but when you have him facing off against trained mercenaries a quarter his age it starts to become implausible. It doesn’t help that director Jonathan Hensleigh’s direction lacks any energy, with the action scenes becoming unmemorable. This is a shame, as I mentioned in my full review, Hensleigh has shown skill behind the camera previously, but he appeared to be working on autopilot here.
Red Sonja
Stuck in development hell for years, I suppose it was wishful thinking that Red Sonja would turn out to be even halfway decent. I did however expect something better than the lackluster fantasy we were given.
The likes of Robert Rodriguez and Bryan Singer have been attached to the property throughout the years to no avail. It was finally left to M.J. Bassett to bring this new take on the character to the screen. Not a bad choice as director considering she had helmed the under appreciated Solomon Kane (2009), another adaptation of a beloved Robert E. Howard character.
In Basset’s defense, the serious lack of budget hampers the film from the get go. No matter their talent, any director would struggle to overcome this. Sub par CGI and production design really impact your enjoyment of the film, with even the action scenes being disappointing which was surprising considering Basset’s history with the Strike Back (2012) franchise.
However, the worst thing Red Sonja does is being dull. Sure, Richard Fleischer’s 1985 take on the character was certainly no classic, but it was fun. To give the film some props, Matilda Lutz is a more engaging Sonja than what Brigitte Nielsen originally played. If only the production matched her we could have been on to a winner.
The Running Man
This is probably a controversial opinion, but I thought Edgar Wright’s re-imagining of Stephen King’s The Running Man was a travesty. Sure, people will disagree, or try and say I didn’t understand it as if it was so highbrow and intelligent, overlooking how poorly written a film it was. Was Glen Powell’s Ben Richards meant to be a complete dick, or was Wright hoping we would overlook how unlikeable a character he is? Powell did well in the film’s handful of action scenes, but this is not the film to make him an action star.
As well as some serious pacing issues, The Running Man seems to be totally devoid of humor, with any attempts falling flat. This is particularly surprising considering Wright’s pedigree in the comedy genre, although he did have Simon Pegg as co-writer back then. As mentioned, the writing/logic leaves a lot to be desired. Throughout the film, Josh Brolin’s Killian speaks about Richards being the greatest Running Man there has ever been, but never once during the film do we witness this. Most times he is a complete screw up, with him setting buildings on fire by mistake or surviving by the skin of his teeth. Christ, Michael Cera takes out more bad guys than Powell does in the film.
The few bright spots for me were picking out the Glasgow locations where much of the film was shot and the final action scene which finally has Powell being a bad ass, facing off against a wasted Lee Pace. Sorry to all the fans of this one. I’m glad you enjoyed it but I left the cinema extremely disappointed.