10 Great Action Movies From The 2020s That Nobody Talks About

Thanks to the rise of things like streaming services, more movies than ever are accessible to the masses each year. While we do get major releases in theaters and indie projects continue to get limited theatrical runs, there’s just an abundance of films available at any time. As good as that is, it does make it so that far too many movies get overlooked or forgotten about when they deserve more attention. During this half-decade, that has certainly been the case in the action genre.

The best action movies of the 2020s include some legitimate modern classics like Top Gun: Maverick, John Wick: Chapter 4, RRR, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, No Time to Die, and the two most recent entries in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Incredible quality like that has made it much easier for some really good horror movies to get lost in the shuffle. They either flopped at the box office, came and went on a streaming service without much impact, or were well-received but nobody mentions them anymore, even if they’re still relatively new.

In some ways, these are the hidden gems of the action genre. In other ways, these are movies that deserve a second look. From superhero projects to action comedy films to overlooked sequels, they’re great action flicks.

My Spy (2020)

Dave Bautista has established himself as one of the most charismatic and versatile actors around, cementing himself as the best wrestler-turned-actor in Hollywood. One of his most fun projects is My Spy, which sees him play a CIA agent who forms a bond with a young girl while working surveillance.

Reviews were mixed, mostly because the film doesn’t do anything fresh with its premise. However, there’s no denying that it’s fun to watch Bautista and that Chloe Coleman is great. There’s a reason she has popped up in several action movies since, including the sequel.

Blue Beetle (2023)

Blue Beetle was a movie that was kind of destined to be forgotten, which is a shame. It’s the 14th of 15 films in the DCEU and arrived at a time when everyone knew the franchise was wrapping up and starting over with James Gunn at the helm. That meant a lot of people figured it wasn’t worth a viewing.

Those who gave Blue Beetle a chance found that it’s simply a fun superhero flick. Xolo Maridueña gives a strong performance as the lead, the family dynamic at the core is heartfelt, and the action is a blast in this underrated DC movie.

Army Of Thieves (2021)

When Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead hit Netflix, it was a big hit for the platform. As a zombie heist movie, it felt different from a lot of what we get from those genres individually. While that film was big and is remembered by Snyder fans, the prequel doesn’t get talked about much.

Army of Thieves leans more into the comedy realm, yet there’s still some fun action to be had. You’re not going to get gunfights and explosions the way you would in other action films, but you’re engaged in the pulse-pounding heist antics from start to finish.

Boy Kills World (2023)

When most people think about Bill Skarsgård, their minds go to his terrifying roles like as Pennywise in It or as Count Orlok in Nosferatu. He’s something of a modern king of horror, which means that his work in action films has been glossed over by many.

Anyone who watches Boy Kills World will see just how great he is in that avenue. The film stars him as Boy, a deaf-mute who goes on a quest for revenge against the people who killed his family when he was younger. With a fun supporting cast and a cool concept of the protagonist’s inner voice being from a video game, this is a great time.

Novocaine (2025)

Novocaine might be the newest film on this list, yet it has still seemingly been forgotten already. The movie stands out for its interesting premise, centering on Nathan (Jack Quaid), a man with the inability to feel pain, as he tries to rescue his crush from work when she gets kidnapped by bank robbers.

Quaid is great in the lead role, while Amber Midthunder steals the show as Sherry, his crush. There’s also a twist about midway through that changes the way you see everything. The film flopped commercially but was a hit with critics.

Kate (2021)

There’s an entire subgenre of action movies that focuses on badass female assassins and they typically lead to some great films. Kate is another entry in that world, which sees Mary Elizabeth Winstead portray the titular character and kick all sorts of butt.

Kate plans on getting out of the assassination game but on her last day, she learns that she’s been poisoned and only has 24 hours to live. She uses that time to find out who poisoned her and exacts revenge. Kate is a stylish action movie with a good cast and Winstead is great.

Love And Monsters (2020)

Love and Monsters is one of the many films that didn’t succeed at the box office because of the pandemic. It grossed just over $1 million on a budget of around $30 million and wasn’t even a huge hit when it hit streaming services and on-demand. It deserved so much better because Love and Monsters is fantastic.

The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where monsters roam free and sees Joel (Dylan O’Brien) go on a quest to reunite with his love, Aimee (Jessica Henwick). Reviews were sparkling, with Love and Monsters sitting at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Monkey Man (2024)

Dev Patel became a star in Hollywood thanks to his incredible performance in Slumdog Millionaire in 2008. He has continued to have a strong career since then and has branched out into writing and directing, which he did for Monkey Man.

Patel also stars in it as Kid, a man who seeks vengeance for the murder of his mother at the hands of corrupt leaders. It’s not a new premise but it is one that’s well executed here. Critics appreciated Patel’s performance and stylish directorial debut, which earned him a BAFTA nomination.

Kill Boksoon (2023)

South Korea is a great place to find some tremendous movies and Kill Boksoon is one of the best from the past few years. It’s another entry into the aforementioned subgenre of female assassin projects.

The twist in Kill Boksoon is that the titular character is great at her job but struggles as a single mother in her home life. That’s where the emotional aspect of the film comes into play, but the action is still what you come to see and Kill Boksoon has a lot of it. Some of the fight scenes are remarkable to see unfold.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

Pretty much everyone agrees that Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the greatest action movies ever made. Despite that film’s success, people didn’t come out to see Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, with the film barely outgrossing its large budget.

The film is a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, telling the origin story of Furiosa, with Anya Taylor-Joy taking over the role from Charlize Theron. The action is just what we’ve come to love about George Miller films, Taylor-Joy is fantastic in the lead role, and Chris Hemsworth is better than ever as the main villain.