This year delivered no shortage of high-octane thrills and action spectacle at the movie theater.
From long-awaited sequels that built on famous franchises to refreshing original stories, 2023 featured an eclectic mix of films guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping. Which were the best of the best? TheWrap picks the 10 must-see action movies from the past year. From historical battle reenactments to super-powered showdowns, these films covered the full range of the genre. Grab some popcorn as we countdown 2023’s best action movies.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” blends James Gunn’s trademark humor and heart, delivering a poignant yet fun-filled story about the Guardians’ makeshift family. Gunn gives Rocket Raccoon’s story particularly moving depth. The action also thrills, with a spectacular hallway fight scene rivaling any in the MCU. While bidding farewell to characters and a director that fans have grown deeply attached to over the trilogy, Vol. 3 underscores why “Guardians” remains one of the MCU’s best franchises.
SISU
“Sisu” is a high-octane action flick perfect for genre fans. Director Jalmari Helander delivers intense, gritty combat sequences in this story about an ex-soldier living in 1945 Finland. With Nazis ravaging the countryside, Aatami Korpi battles lethal obstacles to reach the city and cash in his gold bounty. Creative fights play out among mid-air landmine explosions and underwater knife duels. “Sisu” doesn’t reinvent action cinema, but it provides relentless excitement through memorable stunt work and battle scenes. For viewers craving practical carnage and cool kills, “Sisu” satisfies with its simple plot that’s a mere backdrop for exhilarating action.
Shin Kamen Rider
For those feeling nostalgic for the campy appeal of “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers,” look no further than “Shin Kamen Rider.” This lively adaptation infuses the classic Japanese superhero franchise with an affectionate tribute to all things retro and cool. Directed by renowned anime visionary Hideaki Anno, known for the influential series “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” this live-action Kamen Rider installment truly allows the fan favorite character to fight with frenetic energy like never before. Whether you grew up with a passion for heroes in colorful spandex suits or just appreciate some good old-fashioned monster battling fun, “Shin Kamen Rider” delivers a long-overdue dose of Morphin madness for the young at heart.
Godzilla Minus One
Arriving late in the year to claim the title of most pleasantly surprising action flick is “Godzilla Minus One.” Released just weeks ago, this Japanese monster movie masterpiece from director Takashi Yamazaki outshines even the year’s biggest budget blockbusters. Despite reportedly costing only $15 million to make, “Godzilla Minus One” is a visual marvel. Centered on former WWII pilot Koichi Shikishima as he and the rest of Japan attempt to rebuild in the aftermath of devastating war, this human drama suddenly gives way to spectacular kaiju battles when Godzilla emerges from the ocean. Interweaving tender character moments with jaw-dropping monster mayhem, “Godzilla Minus One” represents the iconic movie monster at its finest. Exceeding all expectations, this is a capstone for the ages to close out 2023’s action offerings.
Silent Night
Hong Kong action auteur John Woo makes a triumphant Hollywood return directing the no-dialogue, gritty crime drama “Silent Night.” Joel Kinnaman stars as electrician Brian Godlock whose son gets killed in a drive-by shooting in the middle of a gang beef one fateful Christmas Eve. What ensues is an exhilarating thrill-ride punctuated by Woo’s trademark balletic gun-fu sequences. Woo flexes the full range of his directorial talents, from elegant bullet ballets to white-knuckle car chase scenes that pay homage to his finest ’90s work. Tense stand-offs, athletic martial arts combat, and a brooding turn from Kinnaman make “Silent Night” a blast of adrenaline-fueled noir. Woo’s long-awaited Hollywood comeback blazes back into the action genre he helped define, positioning “Silent Night” among 2023’s most electrifying standouts.
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part 1
Tom Cruise proves 60 is just a number in the “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1,” a two-part action saga so epic one film couldn’t contain its stunt spectacle. As tenacious spy Ethan Hunt, Cruise laughs in the face of mortality, topping the airborne feats of “Top Gun: Maverick” by sending Hunt careening off a cliff atop a motorcycle. Director Christopher McQuarrie, no stranger to showcasing Cruise’s seemingly superhuman physicality after 2018’s “Fallout,” captures the star’s devotion to practical stunt work that leaves jaws on the floor. “Dead Reckoning Part 1” offers a parade of edge-of-your-seat sequences with Cruise at the center, ever defiant of his age or the limits of possibility.
Creed III
Bringing the world of boxing anime to vivid life, “Creed III” sees franchise star Michael B. Jordan take the director’s chair for a deeply personal tale of honor and vengeance, inside and outside the ring. Jordan returns as Adonis Creed, whose dominance faces an existential threat when childhood friend and formerly incarcerated fighter Damian (Jonathan Majors) emerges hungry to claim his status as an undisputed champ. Channeling classic fighting series like “Ashita no Joe,” Jordan injects slick combat visuals directly inspired by the frenetic sparring and emotional gut punches of the best martial arts manga.
Napoleon
Ridley Scott brings his trademark epic grandeur to “Napoleon,” with sweeping battle scenes highlighting the French emperor’s ruthless conquest of Europe. Joaquin Phoenix stars as the French general hellbent on victory at any cost. Scott’s propulsive camerawork thrusts viewers straight into the chaos of 19th-century warfare: cavalry charges, cannon fire and other brutal combat. The director stages these sequences not just with flashy scale, but with visceral impact emphasizing the loss of life, with soldiers continually mowed down en masse. The action feels immediate and thrilling yet serves a solemn anti-war message tallying the dead left in Napoleon’s wake. Carrying the firepower of films like “Gladiator” and “Kingdom of Heaven,” “Napoleon” proves Scott remains unmatched in staging hard-hitting war epics.
Extraction 2
“Extraction 2” proves American action cinema is alive and well. Bringing back Chris Hemsworth’s black ops hero Tyler Rake after his presumed death in the first film, director Sam Hargrave raises the sequel’s narrative and action stakes. Hargrave delivers the genre’s future while acknowledging its past, including an audacious 21-minute one-shot prison riot with fiery stunt work. As Rake struggles with morality, the film features some of the most thrilling sequences yet, like a train/helicopter duel. Perfectly balancing engaging characters and over-the-top escapism, “Extraction 2” signals a bright future for slick, crowd-pleasing Hollywood action. Hargrave and “Avengers” writer Joe Russo have advanced the franchise to new heights, blending emotional drama with ridiculous, breathtaking set pieces in one wildly fun package.
John Wick: Chapter 4
“John Wick: Chapter 4” delivers the epic, barn-burning finale this action saga deserves. Keanu Reeves’ endlessly tormented assassin endures his ultimate gauntlet in a quest for freedom, with Chad Stahelski subjecting Wick to one jaw-dropping set piece after another. From a clash within Osaka’s Continental, to nightclub combat with an unrecognizable Scott Adkins, the film racks up masterful sequences leading to a show-stopping Paris standoff. Stahelski saves the best for last with an extended chase across rooftops and through landmarks as Wick fends off endless pursuers. A fitting close to the 21st-century’s defining action franchise, “Chapter 4” grants Wick and fans alike the rousing last ride they demanded, though leaving the door ajar for more butt-kicking adventures.
