Action movies often have some of the biggest budgets in cinema, and many of the most popular and well-funded have storylines that are considered a little outlandish. However, having a silly plot doesn’t mean that a film can’t be good or even critically acclaimed. The action genre has aged well and has become an important part of cinema because movies within the genre are often less self-serious than their dramatic counterparts. When filmmakers prove themselves and have shown that their projects connect with viewers, they’ll often be rewarded with larger budgets that allow them to experiment and push boundaries.
Money can be used for many things in film, including paying high-profile actors or incorporating large set pieces.
Some of the greatest summer blockbusters of all time have been big-budget action movies that surprise audiences with their depth and amazing performances. The differences in critical and commercial successes of action movies have long indicated that the gap between what audiences enjoy and what critics deem to be worth watching needs to be bridged. A large budget doesn’t necessarily indicate the success or failure of a film, only that the creative team had the tools to create the product they wanted. Money can be used for many things in film, including paying high-profile actors or incorporating large set pieces.
Related 8 “Rotten” Action Movies That Became Classics Anyway
Though critics & audiences often differ on the reception of movies, action films can still gain popularity despite negative reviews & low scores.
3
10 Con Air (1997)
Budget: $75,000,000
Con Air RActionCrimeThriller Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Con-Air is a 1990s action crime-thriller starring Nicholas Cage as former U.S. Ranger turned to convict Cameron Poe. Poe, in an act of self-defense and passion, is court-martialed for accidentally killing the man he protected his wife from. Having served his time and achieving Parole, Poe is on his way home with one problem – the transport plane he’s on has been hijacked by several dangerous convicts, led by one of the worst in the United States.
Director Simon West Release Date June 5, 1997 Studio(s) 20th Century Cast John Cusack , Dave Chappelle , Ving Rhames , John Malkovich , Steve Buscemi , Nicolas Cage Runtime 115 minutes
Con Air
is chock-full of high-stakes and explosive tension, as the movie primarily takes place on a prison transport plane that’s supposed to be taking Cage’s character, Cameron Poe, home to his wife.
John Malkovich is a terrifying evil mastermind in Con Air, a feature led by Nicolas Cage in an early example of the campy narratives that would come to define his work. Con Air is chock-full of high-stakes and explosive tension, as the movie primarily takes place on a prison transport plane that’s supposed to be taking Cage’s character, Cameron Poe, home to his wife. However, the plane also houses Malkovich’s Cyrus Grissom and a host of other dangerous criminals who hijack the flight to escape custody.
Con Air features a surprisingly high-profile cast, as Cage and Malkovich are joined by John Cusak and Steve Buscemi in the midair crime drama. It’s difficult to ignore the more outlandish elements of Con Air that undercut the serious premise and insert elements of accidental comedy. However, it’s all in good fun, as Con Air is a throwback to the classic cult hits of the late 1990s that don’t concern themselves with realism or accuracy, leaning into entertainment value above all.
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Con Air (1997) |
58% |
75% |
(via Box Office Mojo)
9 Bullet Train (2022)
Budget: $85,900,000 (estimated)
Bullet Train 6
Your Rating
5 stars4.5 stars4 stars3.5 stars3 star2.5 stars2 stars1.5 stars1 stars0.5 star Rate Now Submit Rate Now Edit Leave a Review
Your comment has not been saved
Not Yet RatedThrillerAction Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Packing a stellar cast with the likes of Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Zazie Beetz, David Leitch’s Bullet Train tells the story of an assassin for hire who bumps into multiple dangerous criminals aboard a high-speed Shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. The 2022 action comedy is an adaptation of Kōtarō Isaka’s novel “Maria Beetle”.
Director David Leitch Release Date July 29, 2022 Studio(s) Sony Cast logan lerman , Karen Fukuhara , Hiroyuki Sanada , Joey King , Brian Tyree Henry , Andrew Koji , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Masi Oka , Brad Pitt , Zazie Beetz , Michael Shannon , Sandra Bullock Runtime 126 minutes
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Bullet Train (2022) |
53% |
76% |
The hyper-stylized and well-choreographed Bullet Train is a testament to how important editing and sound are in the action genre. Directed by David Leitch, who would go on to make the blockbuster hit The Fall Guy, Bullet Train is in the same vein as Guy Ritchie or Matthew Vaughn. These filmmakers have cornered the market on raunchy and violent blockbusters that appeal to older audiences and are in conversation with older movies that have influenced what audiences expect from thrillers.
The basic idea of Bullet Train is intriguing and creates many opportunities for unique set pieces and innovative fight choreography. However, the actuality of a litany of assassins all being on board the same train and after the same briefcase is a little difficult to wrap your head around. Additionally, the interweaving storylines and hidden connections between characters quickly become convoluted and difficult to follow. Each assassin is somehow related and owes the other a debt, which complicates the already intricate plotting.
(via IMDb)
8 Demolition Man (1993)
Budget: $57,000,000 (estimated)
Demolition Man RActionCrimeSci-FiThriller Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
In the 1993 action movie Demolition Man, Sylvester Stallone stars as time-displaced police officer John Spartan, who struggles to adapt to the year 2032 after being cryogenically frozen for messing up a job. However, his old-school skills come in handy for innocent cop Lenina Huxley (Sandra Bullock) and the futuristic city of San Angeles when the criminal Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes) is thawed and the complacent authorities don’t know how to react.
Director Marco Brambilla Release Date October 8, 1993 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Cast Sylvester Stallone , Wesley Snipes , Sandra Bullock , Nigel Hawthorne , Benjamin Bratt , Bob Gunton Runtime 115 minutes
Stallone’s character, John Spartan, is an LAPD officer who is sentenced to imprisonment in a cryogenic tomb alongside his nemesis, Simon Phoenix (Snipes).
Sylvester Stallone co-stars with Wesley Snipes and a young Sandra Bullock in Demolition Man, a film with a premise so improbable that some of the characters have a hard time believing it. Stallone’s character, John Spartan, is an LAPD officer who is sentenced to imprisonment in a cryogenic tomb alongside his nemesis, Simon Phoenix (Snipes). When the pair wake up, decades have passed, and in the future, L.A. has become a peaceful city upon which Phoenix starts wreaking havoc, and only Spartan and his new ally Lenina Huxley (Bullock) can stop him.
The film draws inspiration from the seminal work of dystopian literature, Brave New World, and other classic works of sci-fi, but it doesn’t capture the themes and tones of such lofty work. However, this opens the door for Demolition Man to lean into its outlandish elements and reap the benefits of blending action with sci-fi. Since Stallone has so much experience within the genre, his past as an action star greatly informs the plotting and tone of Demolition Man.
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Demolition Man (1993) |
63% |
67% |
(via IMDb)
7 Armageddon (1998)
Budget: $140,000,000
Armageddon 1
Your Rating
5 stars4.5 stars4 stars3.5 stars3 star2.5 stars2 stars1.5 stars1 stars0.5 star Rate Now Submit Rate Now Edit Leave a Review
Your comment has not been saved
PG-13ActionAdventureSci-FiThriller Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
In Michael Bay’s sci-fi action thriller Armageddon, a colossal asteroid is found barrelling toward Earth, guaranteed to wipe out all life. To stop it, NASA concocts a plan that involves drilling into its core to denote a nuclear bomb inside of it – and to make that happen; they’ll need the right crew. Led by the head of an oil drilling company, Harry Stamper, a group of blue-collar workers are given the crash course for Astronaut preparation as the crew races against time to save the planet.
Director Michael Bay Release Date July 1, 1998 Studio(s) Disney Cast Bruce Willis , Billy Bob Thornton , Liv Tyler , Ben Affleck , Will Patton , Peter Stormare , Keith David , Steve Buscemi Runtime 151 minutes
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Armageddon (1998) |
43% |
73% |
Armageddon might be one of Bruce Willis’ best science fiction movies, but that doesn’t mean the film doesn’t include its fair share of plot holes. To this day, one of the biggest issues with Armageddon comes from a flaw in the story’s internal logic. When an asteroid is heading for Earth, it’s determined that drilling into its core in space to blow it up from the inside is the only way to stop it. A group of drillers led by Willis’ character, Harry, must carry out the mission. While they’re a ruggedly skilled group, they’re no astronauts.
While it’s a romantic and cinematic idea that the face of the world rests on the shoulders of blue-collar drillers, it would make a lot more sense for astronauts to be trained in drilling instead. Fortunately, Armageddon is less concerned with making sense than it is with supplying an incredible spectacle and building strong relationships between its characters. Though a giant asteroid will likely not crash into Earth anytime soon, Armageddon is a fun reimagining of the disaster genre.
(via Box Office Mojo)
6 The Expendables (2010)
Budget: $80,000,000
The Expendables 1
Your Rating
5 stars4.5 stars4 stars3.5 stars3 star2.5 stars2 stars1.5 stars1 stars0.5 star Rate Now Submit Rate Now Edit Leave a Review
Your comment has not been saved
RAdventureThrillerAction Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
The Expendables is the first film in the action franchise that follows the exploits of a close team of mercenaries that complete dangerous jobs worldwide. Hired by a covert operator, the Expendables are tasked with heading to South America to deal with a dangerous dictator and liberate a country from his oppressive rule. However, they soon learn that the dictator is a front, leaving them caught in a dangerous mission with a threat higher up the chain than they could have imagined.
Director Sylvester Stallone Release Date August 13, 2010 Studio(s) Lionsgate Cast Mickey Rourke , Steve Austin , Bruce Willis , Jet Li , Sylvester Stallone , Dolph Lundgren , Charisma Carpenter , Arnold Schwarzenegger , Jason Statham , Eric Roberts , Randy Couture , Terry Crews Runtime 103 minutes Franchise(s) The Expendables Expand
The enormous and skilled cast of characters comes together to overthrow a corrupt government using their various expertise in an
Ocean’s Eleven
-type plot but for the action genre.
The Expendables franchise has totaled four movies so far, and each has delivered on the high bar set by the first film. Featuring an ensemble cast of some of the best action stars in history, including Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, and Jet Li,The Expendables doesn’t take itself too seriously even while these great stars lead the cast. Directed and co-written by Stallone, The Expendables has no shame in taking part in the well-worn tropes of the genre, but it has the budget and talent to back up these choices.
The enormous and skilled cast of characters comes together to overthrow a corrupt government using their various expertise in an Ocean’s Eleven-type plot but for the action genre. The Expendables assembled this illustrious cast, who must have cost a fortune to employ, in order to pay tribute to the classic action flicks of the ’80s and ’90s that many of the performers starred in. It’s a globe-trotting adventure that allows the audience to let loose and enjoy the campy aspects of the genre.
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
The Expendables (2010) |
42% |
64% |
(via Box Office Mojo)
5 6 Underground (2019)
Budget: $150,000,000 (estimated)
6 Underground RActionThriller Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
From director Michael Bay, 6 Underground centers on a group of elite individuals that track down criminals and terrorists that the government won’t pursue. The action film stars Ryan Reynolds alongside Mélanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Adria Arjona, and Dave Franco as ghost One, Two, Three, Four, Five, and Six, respectively.
Director Michael Bay Release Date December 13, 2019 Studio(s) Netflix Writers Paul Wernick , Rhett Reese Cast Ryan Reynolds , Ben Hardy , Corey Hawkins , Manuel Garcia-Rulfo , Adria Arjona , Mélanie Laurent Runtime 128 minutes Expand
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
6 Underground (2019) |
36% |
60% |
Ryan Reynolds leads 6 Underground as One/Magnet S. Johnson, a member of the elite team the movie revolves around who plots to take down corrupt governments and terrorist groups. This vigilante super squad takes the law into its own hands, and the members use their unique abilities to fake their deaths and move as ghosts in the world. While this concept is highly improbable and involves many fictional countries, there is plenty of entertainment value in 6 Underground. Reynold’s other major action franchise, Deadpool, also pushes boundaries in terms of tone and plot.
Deadpool & Wolverine‘s box office success shows how much audiences connect with Reynolds’s brand of humor and raunchiness. Michael Bay is known for making impressively high-budget and high-octane action movies, and 6 Underground is no exception. The film takes this to new heights as 6 Underground incorporates elements of spy movies and action thrillers but is exceptionally well-made. It’s clear that the significant budget paid off in terms of the realistic special effects and massive stunts that 6 Underground pulls off flawlessly.
(via IMDb)
4 Bright (2017)
Budget: $90,000,000 (estimated)
Bright 1
Your Rating
5 stars4.5 stars4 stars3.5 stars3 star2.5 stars2 stars1.5 stars1 stars0.5 star Rate Now Submit Rate Now Edit Leave a Review
Your comment has not been saved
TV-MAFantasyActionCrimeThriller Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
In an alternate Los Angeles, mystical creatures live side by side with humans. When police officer Daryl Ward is partnered with the division’s first Orc officer, the two must overcome the racism and police corruption in their way, in order to stop a magical artifact and mythical figure from wreaking havoc in the city.
Director David Ayer Release Date December 22, 2017 Studio(s) Netflix Cast Will Smith , Joel Edgerton , Noomi Rapace , Kenneth Choi , Brad William Henke , Lucy Fry Runtime 118 minutes
Despite the existence of magic, the world has developed similarly to ours, and social and cultural discrimination and prejudice run rampant between the different species.
Bright takes place in a fantastical reality similar to the real world, but with magical beings like orcs and elves living alongside humans. However, despite the existence of magic, the world has developed similarly to ours, and social and cultural discrimination and prejudice run rampant between the different species. The crux of Bright is the budding tolerance between a human police officer, Daryl Ward (Will Smith), and his orc partner, Nick Jakoby (Joel Edgerton). They slowly build trust and come to rely on each other as they uncover their city’s dark secrets.
The fantasy element alone isn’t enough to set Bright apart for its story, as many great action movies blend other genres into their premises. However, Bright leans too far into the gritty police drama without letting the magic aspects shine and become a central part of the script. It feels like Smith and Edgerton are in two different films, as the world isn’t fully fleshed out and appears the same as normal life, but with costumes and makeup thrown in. Fortunately, this didn’t sway the audience’s opinion, as Bright connected with the many viewers who watched it on Netflix.
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Bright (2017) |
26% |
83% |
(via IMDb)
3 The Fall Guy (2024)
Budget: $125,000,000 (estimated)
The Fall Guy 3
Your Rating
5 stars4.5 stars4 stars3.5 stars3 star2.5 stars2 stars1.5 stars1 stars0.5 star Rate Now Submit Rate Now Edit Leave a Review
Your comment has not been saved
PG-13ActionDramaThriller Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
The Fall Guy is an action thriller from Bullet Train and Deadpool 2 director David Leitch. Ryan Gosling stars as a stuntman who is forced to find a missing movie star, investigate a conspiracy, and repair his relationship with the love of his life. The film was written by Drew Pearce and inspired by the 1980s TV series of the same name.
Director David Leitch Release Date May 3, 2024 Studio(s) Universal Pictures , Entertainment 360 , 87North Productions Cast Ryan Gosling , Emily Blunt , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Stephanie Hsu , Winston Duke , Hannah Waddingham , Teresa Palmer Runtime 126 Minutes
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
The Fall Guy (2024) |
82% |
86% |
Ryan Gosling makes an explosive return to the action-comedy genre in The Fall Guy alongside Emily Blunt in a goofy but endlessly charming new film. The Fall Guy quickly became a favorite of both critics and audiences, as the movie was in conversation with the film industry, and the director, David Leitch, is an experienced stuntperson himself, making the action and stunt sequences all the more exciting. As a comedy, it makes sense that parts of The Fall Guy are outlandish, and for the tone of the film, this uplifts the narrative as a whole.
The film’s premise revolves around the star of the fictional movie within the movie, Tom (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), going missing and stunt performer Colt (Gosling) and his ex-girlfriend and director of the movie, Jody (Blunt), stepping up to find him and save the day. From here, The Fall Guy erupts into a convoluted narrative of conspiracies and epic visual effects that threaten to ruin Colt’s life forever. However, if the story beats of The Fall Guy seem larger-than-life and straight out of a campy action movie, that’s because they’re supposed to be.
(via IMDb)
2 Madame Web (2024)
Budget: $80,000,000 (estimated)
Madame Web 2
Your Rating
5 stars4.5 stars4 stars3.5 stars3 star2.5 stars2 stars1.5 stars1 stars0.5 star Rate Now Submit Rate Now Edit Leave a Review
Your comment has not been saved
PG-13Action Sci-FiSuperheroAdventure Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Madame Web is a superhero movie based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Taking place in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, the movie revolves around a clairvoyant woman who can look into different dimensions. Dakota Johnson stars in the lead role, with Sydney Sweeney, Adam Scott, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor comprising the rest of the cast.
Director S.J. Clarkson Release Date February 14, 2024 Studio(s) Columbia Pictures , Di Bonaventura Pictures Cast Dakota Johnson , Emma Roberts , Adam Scott , Isabela Merced , Sydney Sweeney Runtime 116 Minutes
The plot points of the characters journeying to Peru and Cassie’s mother’s research are never fully explained and remain a confusing part of the script.
While not every action movie with an experimental premise will necessarily fail, Madame Web turned out to be one of the biggest box office bombs of 2024. Marvel has been pushing for more movies led by female characters and expanding the lore of the universe into lesser-known comics, but Madame Web failed to connect with audiences the way the rest of the Spider-Man franchise has. Starring Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, and many other big names, it’s possible that the budget went toward the actors rather than the production value.
There were technical issues that got in the way of Madame Web‘s success, like the poor pacing and choppy dialogue, but the central plot left a lot to be desired as well. Johnson’s character, Cassie, develops precognitive skills after a near-death experience. However, Madame Web doesn’t push these psychic episodes far enough, nor do the Spider-Man-like abilities of the young women she mentors appear in significant ways. Additionally, the plot points of the characters journeying to Peru and Cassie’s mother’s research are never fully explained and remain a confusing part of the script.
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Madame Web (2024) |
11% |
57% |
(via IMDb)
Related 20 Greatest Action Movie Stars Of All Time, Ranked
The action genre has been lucky to see so many incredible actors over the decades, but of all of them, who are the absolute best action stars?
1 Uncharted (2022)
Budget: $120,000,000 (estimated)
Uncharted PG-13ActionAdventure Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Uncharted is a prequel to the video games it takes its inspiration from, providing backstory into Nathan Drake and how he crossed paths with Victor “Sully” Sullivan, who becomes a friend and mentor.
Director Ruben Fleischer Release Date February 18, 2022 Cast Tom Holland , Mark Wahlberg , Antonio Banderas Runtime 116 minutes
|
Movie |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Uncharted (2022) |
40% |
90% |
Tom Holland has had bad luck with the critical reception of his projects outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Uncharted was a box office hit, performing well with audiences, even if critics found the premise to be less than believable. Based on the popular video game series of the same name, Uncharted was a swashbuckling adventure tale in the style of sweeping epics of old. The confusion of the premise comes through in the too-convenient way the main characters meet and the fact that the story revolves around the hidden Magellan treasure.
Made for over 100 million dollars, Uncharted includes massive set pieces and several sequences filmed on location in Spain and other parts of Europe. These elements show how much went into making the film and how seriously production was taken. Unfortunately, one of the weakest parts of Uncharted was the dynamic between Holland and his costar, Mark Wahlberg, and the idea that Wahlberg’s character would need Holland to achieve his mission. Uncharted ended up being closer in tone and themes to National Treasure rather than Indiana Jones.
(via IMDb)