10 Best Action Thrillers of the 2010s, Ranked (2024)

The 2010s were certainly a hectic period of time to be a movie fan. Superhero films grew to be the dominant form of storytelling, with some cinephiles beginning to feel fatigued by the genre; at the same time, the dominance of Netflix and other streaming services challenged traditional understandings of what constituted the difference between television and film. However, great action thrillers could be relied upon to provide solid entertainment. The terrific genre films produced over the course of the 2010s provided reason enough to be optimistic about the future of the industry.

While many of these films have impressive set pieces, a truly great action thriller does more than just collect incoherent action sequences. These films must get the audience invested in inspiring movie heroes and give them a reason to invest in both the characters and the story. Impressively, the 2010s saw the emergence of both films that pushed the boundaries of technology and those that felt like throwbacks to a more old-fashioned side of filmmaking. Here are the ten best action thrillers of the 2010s, ranked.

10 ‘Jack Reacher’ (2012)

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels have been increasingly popular, making any adaptation of the series a highly anticipated event for fans. While Tom Cruise is a lot shorter than the characters in the novels, Jack Reacher is a brutal action thriller that nails the mystery elements of Child’s novel. Director Christopher McQuarrie, who would go on to helm many of the best installments in the Mission: Impossible franchise, concocts a clever mystery that sees Reacher coming in to solve a mysterious series of assassinations.

Jack Reacher nails the problem-solving abilities and intelligence that make the character so beloved and delivers the type of bare-knuckled brawls that fans were hoping for. Although the sequel, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, was an unfortunate disappointment that brought the series to an early close, the first installment is still a thrilling adventure that is well worth revisiting.

Jack Reacher

PG-13

Action

Crime

Documentary

Thriller

Release Date

December 21, 2012

Director

Christopher McQuarrie

Cast

Tom Cruise , Rosamund Pike , Richard Jenkins , David Oyelowo , Werner Herzog , Jai Courtney

Runtime

130 Minutes

Watch on Paramount+

9 ‘Snowpiercer’ (2014)

Directed by Bong Joon-ho

Bong Joon-ho is an impressive filmmaker who has managed to synthesize outstanding feats of spectacle with thought-provoking philosophical ideas. While it has no shortage of brutal action sequences, Snowpierceris an insightful commentary on the danger of environmental collapse and the perils of the class divide. Set in the not-so-distant future where humanity is confined to a train that circles the globe, Snowpiercer focuses on a rebel leader’s (Chris Evans) attempts to break into the upper sections of society and end the division between classes.

Snowpiercer features stylized action sequences that are reminiscent of its comic book origins yet also provoke existential questions about the future of humanity. While the film inspired an acclaimed television series of the same name, Bong’s original Snowpiercer effectively builds a unique world while offering nuanced commentary on the issues that affect the world today.

Snowpiercer

R

Action

Documentary

Drama

Sci-Fi

Release Date

August 1, 2013

Director

Bong Joon-ho

Cast

John Hurt , Chris Evans , Jamie Bell , Tilda Swinton , Ed Harris , Alison Pill

Runtime

126

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8 ‘The Equalizer’ (2014)

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

Based on the popular classic television series, The Equalizerwas yet another successful collaboration between director Antonie Fuqua and Denzel Washington. Washington stars as a mysterious stranger who is called into action to save an innocent girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) from a gang of ruthless criminals. Washington conveys the intelligence, chivalry, and charisma of the character in one of his most heroic roles. Washington reprised his role in two sequels that managed to live up to the lofty expectations set by the first film.

Fuqua incorporates impressive hand-to-hand combat sequences inThe Equalizer, as well as a blood-soaked finale that felt like a darker take on the traps of Home Alone. While Washington’s performance is reason enough to watch both The Equalizer and its sequels, the film also allowed the popular Stranger Things actor David Harbour to succeed in one of his darkest roles.

The Equalizer (2014)

R

Action

Crime

Drama

Thriller

Release Date

September 24, 2014

Director

Antoine Fuqua

Cast

Denzel Washington , Marton Csokas , Chloe Moretz , David Harbour , Haley Bennett , Bill Pullman

Runtime

131

Watch on Netflix

7 ‘Looper’ (2012)

Directed by Rian Johnson

Time travel is admittedly a challenging concept to bring to life on screen, as skipping through story beats can easily leave viewers confused or disoriented. Thankfully, Rian Johnson had a brilliant story in mind for Looper that challenged the audience to think about character development in a different way. Set in the distant future where time travel is possible, Looper centers on the assassin Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is sent to track down and kill his future self (Bruce Willis).

Johnson uses the ticking time clock device to create suspense, questioning how a younger Joe’s actions will affect his future. While it's a film that provokes serious questions about the value of life and the impact of choices, Looper is also a stylized thriller with some visually inventive ideas about futuristic technology. The material never gets so dense that it is not enjoyable.

Looper

R

Action

Crime

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Release Date

September 26, 2012

Director

Rian Johnson

Cast

Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Bruce Willis , Emily Blunt , Paul Dano , Noah Segan , Piper Perabo

Runtime

118

Watch on Netflix

6 ‘Sicario’ (2015)

Directed by Denis Villenueve

Sicario is a great example of a writer and director who are perfectly suited to each other's sensibilities; the film combines the edgy, neo-western style of Taylor Sheridan’s screenplay with the slick direction of Denis Villenueve. Sicario starts with an intense moment and doesn’t dip in energy for its entire run. Set on the U.S.-Mexico border during the height of the drug war, the film follows FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) as she forges a complex alliance with the ruthless bounty hunter Alejandro (Benicio del Toro).

Sicario analyzes the cyclical nature of violence and the malicious actions taken by governmental bodies in order to achieve justice. Del Toro and Josh Brolin reprised their roles in the underrated sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and a third entry in the series is set to bring it to an exciting conclusion.

Sicario

R

Action

Crime

Drama

Thriller

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Release Date

October 2, 2015

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Cast

Emily Blunt , Benicio Del Toro , Josh Brolin , Victor Garber , Jon Bernthal , Daniel Kaluuya

Runtime

121 Minutes

Watch on Amazon

5 ‘The Town’ (2010)

Directed by Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck’s Boston-set crime thriller The Townis a throwback to old-fashioned bank robbery movies yet features stylized filmmaking techniques that feel distinctly modern. The film follows a lifelong thief (Affleck) who falls in love with a hostage (Rebecca Hall) after he and his cousin (Jeremy Renner) rob a series of banks. It provokes an interesting moral conundrum in which the audience is forced to question whether the protagonist is worthy of redemption.

Aflleck’s passion for his hometown is evident, as The Town utilizes the most iconic locations in Boston to create some truly exhilarating heist sequences. Impressively, Affleck also incorporates an emotional father-son storyline that allows the film to cut deeper than most heist films. It marked a step up for Affleck as a filmmaker, and it also featured a more earnest and gritty performance than he was typically known for.

The Town

R

Crime

Documentary

Drama

Thriller

Release Date

September 15, 2010

Director

Ben Affleck

Cast

Ben Affleck , Rebecca Hall , Jon Hamm , Jeremy Renner , Blake Lively , Slaine

Runtime

123

Rent on Amazon

4 ‘Mission: Impossible - Fallout’ (2018)

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

While it’s a franchise that has retained a remarkable consistency of quality, Mission: Impossible - Falloutis the most exhilarating and emotional installment in the entire Mission: Impossible franchise. The film questions what lengths Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) will go to in order to protect his friends Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson). Although circ*mstances would seem to indicate that he can’t save both his friends and the world, Mission: Impossible - Fallout explores Ethan’s attempts to do both.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout is a jaw-dropping spectacle that includes a vertigo-inducing HALO jump, a jaw-dropping truck heist sequence, an intense helicopter fight, and a hectic motorcycle chase through the streets of Europe. The now iconic bathroom brawl featuring both Ethan and Henry Cavill’s Agent Walker is the epitome of everything that the Mission: Impossible franchise does best.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Thriller

Release Date

July 27, 2018

Director

Christopher McQuarrie

Cast

Tom Cruise , Henry Cavill , Ving Rhames , Simon Pegg , Rebecca Ferguson

Runtime

147 minutes

Watch on Paramount+

3 ‘Baby Driver’ (2017)

Directed by Edgar Wright

Edgar Wright is a filmmaker known for creating films that lampoon classic genres, but Baby Driveris a sincere action thriller that retains a cheeky sense of humor. In a throwback to old-fashioned getaway car chase films, Baby Driver focuses on the driver, Baby (Ansel Elgort), as he falls in love with the waitress, Debra (Lily James). Wright spared no expense in making the chases feel authentic; the crew destroyed several vehicles while pulling off its high-octane stunts.

Baby Driver is best known for its now iconic soundtrack, which synthesizes memorable needle drops with the movement of vehicles during the chase sequences. Somehow, the inclusion of Queen’s “Brighton Rock” or Blur’s “Intermission” managed to make the frantic collision of cars feel even more exhilarating. There’s certainly the type of self-referential humor that one would expect from a Wright film, but Baby Driver doesn’t shy away from the darker elements either.

Baby Driver

R

Action

Comedy

Crime

Release Date

June 28, 2017

Director

Edgar Wright

Cast

Jamie Foxx , Jon Hamm , Jon Bernthal , Ansel Elgort , Lily James , Eiza Gonzalez , Kevin Spacey

Runtime

113 minutes

Watch on Netflix

2 ‘Drive’ (2011)

Directed by Nicholas Winding Refn

Drive is an exhilarating neo-noir thriller with strong arthouse qualities. It is an existentialist masterpiece about the impossibility of escaping the criminal world. Ryan Gosling gives one of the best performances of his career as an unnamed getaway driver who falls in love with a single mother (Carey Mulligan) while trying to pay off a debt to a vengeful criminal (Albert Brooks). Drive is both punishingly violent and surprisingly romantic; the eclectic musical score gives it an oddly beautiful, ethereal quality.

Drive is a film worth revisiting due to the many interpretations of its ending, as it leaves somewhat ambiguous what the fates of the characters are. Refn is a filmmaker who some have used of being “all style and no substance,” but the strong emotional qualities that Drive has indicated that he is capable of writing three-dimensional characters. It’s certainly the greatest accomplishment of his career thus far.

Rent on Amazon

1 ‘John Wick’ (2014)

Directed by Chad Stahelski

In the same way that Die Hard inspired a wave of imitators upon its debut in 1988, John Wickbecame the first entry in a new generation of neo-noir action thrillers. Chad Stahelski’s groundbreaking directorial debut combined classic noir mystery elements, comic book-style worldbuilding, international hand-to-hand combat, and a brutal revenge storyline into a wholly unique piece of pop entertainment. The sheer number of memorable supporting characters has ensured that the franchise can improve with each subsequent entry.

John Wick succeeded in giving Keanu Reeves his comeback role, proving once again why he was one of the greatest action stars of all time. Although Reeves’ work in the aftermath of The Matrix trilogy may have been somewhat underwhelming, the success of the John Wick series allowed him to be at the height of his powers once more. The line “I’m thinking I’m back” couldn’t feel more self-referential.

John Wick

R

Thriller

Action

Release Date

October 24, 2014

Director

Chad Stahelski

Cast

Keanu Reeves , Adrianne Palicki , Willem Dafoe , Bridget Moynahan , Jason Isaacs , Alfie Allen

Runtime

101 minutes

Watch on Tubi

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