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But these following movies? They’re a ton of fun in their own right, yet they seem to have come closer to being swept under the run than those aforementioned favorites. If you haven’t seen them, you’d do well to give them a shot.
10) Safe House
We’re ranking Daniel Espinosa’s Safe House last not because of a lack of quality, but rather because it’s probably the most talked about movie (in the 2020s) on this list. It was also a pretty sizable hit back in 2012.
But like Law Abiding Citizen it’s not given quite enough credit for being as well-constructed and intense as it is. Credit, yes, but not enough of it. The script is so-so, but the chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington carries this bullet-flying odd couple movie far.
Stream Safe House on Starz.
9) The Losers
Did you know there was a DC movie starring Marvel stalwart performer Chris Evans? Well, if the answer is no, that’s not too surprising, since The Losers was unfairly passed over in theaters back in April 2010.
It’s a shame, because The Losers is an extremely well-cast (most of whom saw their stars rise right after this), breezy, fun rollercoaster ride of a goofy action-comedy. It never takes itself too seriously and invites the audience to do the same.
Stream The Losers on YouTube TV.
8) The Book of Eli
There was once supposed to be a The Book of Eli prequel series starring the Star Wars sequel trilogy’s John Boyega, but nothing ever came of that, so it seems this one remains an underrated early 2010s post-apocalypse actioner.
The Book of Eli is Mad Max if Max was visually impaired and carrying around a mysterious, super important book that is, predictable spoiler alert, the Bible. With an appeal to those who love Westerns, enthusiastic Gary Oldman villain performances, and commanding lead roles for Denzel Washington, The Book of Eli is a worthy addition to the post apocalypse subgenre.
Stream The Book of Eli on YouTube TV.
7) Drive Angry
Drive Angry isn’t quite the best knowingly grindhouse movie of the 2010s (We’ll get to that one in a bit, though), but it is a ton of fun for those who can get on board with its style over substance approach. Like Mandy it involves a devil cult, but that is certainly a movie you can take more seriously. Though, ironically, Nicolas Cage is far more subdued here than he was there.
This is a movie that wants to be trashy and capitalize on the then fairly fresh post-Avatar 3D boom. It succeeded on at least that first front, but it came and went from theaters. That’s understandable, but it’s also an enjoyable timewaster thrill ride with William Fichtner having an absolute ball as one of Satan’s right-hand men, sent up to retrieve Cage’s John Milton, who has escaped Hell to exact revenge on the cult that killed his daughter.
Stream Drive Angry on Prime Video.
6) Hanna
An early display of Saoirse Ronan’s massive range, Hanna turned the actor, then best known for Atonement (also directed by Joe Wright), into an action star. And it worked.
This isn’t as visceral a spy thriller as, say, The Bourne Ultimatum, but it works as a thoughtful coming-of-age story. Plus, there’s inherent merit in seeing Ronan and Cate Blanchett share the screen. The TV series adaptation, which ran from 2019 to 2021, is also worth checking out.
Stream Hanna on Peacock.
5) Machete
Machete is so bonkers that it’s worth stating its status as a love it or leave it movie. There really is no in between. Either you love the sight of Danny Trejo rappelling down the side of a hospital using a shocked gunman’s entrails or you don’t. You either love that it has Steven Seagal (delivering the one self-aware performance of his career) getting stabbed with a sword and just giving up or you don’t care.
The great thing about Machete is that it’s trying to be a grindhouse movie just like, well, Grindhouse, but it isn’t too much. The subsequent Machete Kills was too much. This one didn’t go overboard. It bothered to infuse its ridiculousness with a politically savvy plot to balance out the amazing scene where a car’s hydraulic suspension system causes it to bump its front end up in the air and slam down on a screaming man in the climactic battle (which also includes a man yanking two Uzis out of an ice cream cart).
4) Unstoppable
Tony Scott’s final film, Unstoppable, was the Speed 2 that Speed deserved. This is a runaway train movie that rarely takes a breath. There are countless camera tricks and “Oh God the track is out three miles up ahead” moments, perpetually making the audience feel involved.
Was Denzel the definitive action star of the 2010s? Seems so, especially once you factor in The Equalizer and its first sequel. But credit should also go to Chris Pine, whose co-lead performance is just as strong as Washington’s.
Stream Unstoppable on fuboTV.
3) Overlord
A few movies have drawn clear inspiration from the filmography of John Carpenter. The Guest, with Maika Monroe and Dan Stevens, is one, as is the recent killer monkey movie Primate. But there’s a strong argument to be made that the best of the bunch is Overlord.
At the very least it’s the most creative and unique. It starts out as a traditional, extremely intense war movie before doing a 360-degree spin and smirking at the audience with a newly torn apart face, letting them know that it’s still going to be intense, but now there’s a nearly unkillable zombie element involved. This was almost certainly the best action-horror film of the decade.
Stream Overlord on Prime Video.
2) American Ultra
Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are two performers who have as many detractors as fans, but even those detractors have to admit they work extremely well together. This was first scene in the wonderful retro comedy Adventureland, one of 2009’s best movies, and then seen once more, albeit slightly less effectively, in American Ultra.
Granted, the fact that it was written by Max Landis is regrettable, but American Ultra is still a unique spy comedy that stands out as pretty unique in both of its genres. You also get Walton Goggins playing a cackling hitman. That alone makes it worth watching at least once. But the real reason Ultra works is the same reason Adventureland worked, which is its heart.
Stream American Ultra on Cinemax.
1) Upgrade
A financial win for Blumhouse and one of the better displays of Logan-Marshall-Green’s star power, Upgrade was always going to be something of a cult film more than a blockbuster. Like The Terminator it’s an ambitious sci-fi action thriller with a tiny budget and a lot on its mind.
Upgrade is one part cyberpunk aesthetic, one part body horror, another part RoboCop-esque man and machine narrative, and a bit of John Wick thrown in for good measure. It is almost certainly one of the most unique revenge tales out there.
Stream Upgrade on Netflix.
Which of these 2010s action movies do you love? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
