2024 was an incredible year for cinema, as not even the aftermath of the SAG-AFTRA strikes was enough to put a dent in the incredible output of many great directors. Although the slate of summer blockbusters may have been relatively weaker when compared to other years, the year certainly did not have any shortage of massive successes within the action genre. “Deadpool & Wolverine” broke records to become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, and sequels such as “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and “Gladiator II” managed to honor their predecessors. There was certainly a great variety to the action movies that were successful in 2024; although “The Shadow Strays” was an intense epic that featured groundbreaking stunt work, Guy Ritchie’s World War II adventure “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” felt like a deliberate throwback to a classical era of filmmaking.
Scale and scope are all relative, as the quality of action films is determined by whether they can create inventive setpieces, characters, and stories. It’s a sign of the year’s strength that not even compelling films such as “Kill,” “The Promised Land,” “Twisters,” “Carry-On,” and “Land of Bad” were able to make the cut. Here are the top ten best action movies of 2024.
10. Hundreds of Beavers
“Hundreds of Beavers” is perhaps the underdog sensation of the year, as the independent dark comedy debuted at Austin’s Fantastic Fest back in the fall of 2022, and only gradually made it into limited release in the first half of the year. Despite having a shoestring budget and an absurdist sense of humor, this delightfully peculiar slapstick epic managed to instantly find a cult audience that embraced its sense of humor.
Essentially a blend of classic Buster Keaton short films and the wild mechanics of “Looney Toons” shorts, “Hundreds of Beavers” is a black-and-white adventure centered around a grumpy woodsman (played in a breakout performance by Ryland Brickson Cole Tews) who is tormented by human-sized beavers, portrayed by actual human beings in furry costumes. It’s highly tongue-in-cheek, but the sheer commitment to style makes “Hundreds of Beavers” one of the most distinguishable films of the year, as it is able to bring to life a sense of organized chaos that would seemingly be impossible outside of animation. The sharp visual gags, inventive music, and brilliant costume design help to create a film that feels entirely earnest, as this is something that could only be possible when a low-budget group of artists were able to believe in an idea that any studio would have certainly dismissed.
9. Thelma
June Squibb certainly made for one of the year’s most unexpected action stars when “Thelma” proved to be one of the most unusual, yet oddly charming genre films of the year. Although no one would have expected the 95-year-old actress to be homaging the work of Tom Cruise in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise, Squibb was perfectly cast as an old woman who goes out on a mission of vengeance when she is caught in a trap by a computer scammer. The fact that no one would expect her to be capable of laying down the law is entirely the point, as “Thelma” revels in how untraditional its premise is.
Although much of the joy of “Thelma” is how inherently silly the premise is, it is not a film that treats its character’s advanced age as a joke. The character has lived long enough to see the ugly side of humanity, and the fact that she retains her sense of optimism is among her most heroic qualities. Squibb also benefits from a stacked supporting cast, including the legendary action star Richard Roundtree in his final film role. Charming, surprising, and oddly moving at times, “Thelma” is one of the most joyous experiences of 2024.
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8. The Fall Guy
It is highly disappointing that “The Fall Guy” was a disappointment at the global box office because, above all else, it is a love letter to action cinema. Although it serves as a loose retelling of the classic television show of the same name, David Leitch’s exciting action comedy tells a broadly original story about the stunt man Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), who becomes a detective after a famous movie star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) goes missing amidst the production of an upcoming blockbuster. The fact that Colt is an underappreciated stunt artist who isn’t treated with the same respect as celebrities is threaded nicely within the metatextual nature of the film. “The Fall Guy” cuts out the explosive spectacle common within most modern action films in favor of authentic stunts performed by an incredible team.
“The Fall Guy” lands more than a jew knowing jabs at various Hollywood figures that any lifelong cinephile is bound to appreciate, but the film is also a surprisingly great romantic comedy thanks to the great chemistry that Gosling shares with Emily Blunt. In many ways, “The Fall Guy” is the epitome of what a summer blockbuster should be; it has no intentions of starting a franchise, as the only goal seems to be having as much fun as possible.
7. The Beekeeper
David Ayer is a filmmaker with a mixed track record; while he succeeded in making brutal “meat and potatoes” genre thrillers like “Fury” and “End of Watch,” his attempts to make more broadly appealing blockbusters like “Bright” and “Suicide Squad” fell flat on their faces. Thankfully, “The Beekeeper” strips away all the unnecessary complications to make what is easily Ayer’s most ruthlessly entertaining, quickly paced film to date. It’s a revenge epic that harkens back to the exploitation films of the 1970s, creating a modern-day “Rolling Thunder” for an age in which Internet scammers and faceless corporations are more terrifying than anything.
Jason Statham is among the industry’s most charmingly uncomplicated movie stars; his name is a genre in itself, as no one would expect his films to be anything other than exaggerated and explosively action-packed. Ayer gives Statham a character whose rage is justified and allows him to inflict tremendous damage upon his opponents in an increasingly creative manner. This is also a film that is populated with compelling side characters, as both Jeremy Irons and Josh Hutcherson appear to be having a blast chewing the scenery. Although it may be easy to dismiss “The Beekeeper” as a “guilty pleasure,” it is too self-aware and brilliantly crafted to deny its effectiveness.
6. Monkey Man
Dev Patel’s ambitious first feature is one of the most immersive, defining directorial debuts in recent memory; it wouldn’t be a shock if “Monkey Man” was the first of many genre-defining projects that Patel made in his lifetime. Although “Monkey Man” is a brutal revenge thriller in the vein of “John Wick” or “Kill Bill,” it’s also a politically motivated analysis of the class system that examines why it is necessary to be broken to achieve one’s greatest potential. Patel populates the dense, seedy world of “Monkey Man” with the tragic story of an outsider who is forced to tear down the system in order to achieve justice for the crimes committed against his family.
Patel may have been perceived as a heartthrob thanks to his charismatic performances in “Lion” and “Slumdog Millionaire” among others, but “Monkey Man” allows him to unlock a deeper sense of rage that explodes in the film’s most powerful moments. Thanks to some wonderfully constructed fight scenes that blend martial arts, gunplay, and blunt force, “Monkey Man” is a maximalist spectacle that reshapes the vigilante thriller into a grandiose epic. It’s evidence that not all passion projects are necessarily made in vain, as it would be challenging to deny the success of Patel’s vision.
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5. Rebel Ridge
Jeremy Saulnier has been quietly amassing an all-time great track record of low-budget genre movies thanks to the gripping revenge thriller “Blue Ruin,” the twisted horror film “Green Room,” and the disturbing neo-western “Hold the Dark.” Now, “Rebel Ridge” might be his most confident film to date. Saulnier has often worked with underappreciated actors, but in “Rebel Ridge” he identifies a major star in Aaron Pierre, who takes on the lead role of a former marine who leads a campaign against a cabal of corrupt cops after his brother is killed in prison.
“Rebel Ridge” is highly specific in the vein of early Michael Mann or Steven Soderbergh films, as the film takes the time to explore how exactly local justice departments take advantage of legal loopholes in order to benefit. Pierre is a force of nature, but he is also a compelling hero because of his desire to diffuse situations; it is notable that he never fires a gun, and seeks to disarm his opponents instead of killing them. The fact that “Rebel Ridge” was dumped on Netflix without ever receiving any sort of widespread theatrical release feels like some sort of sick joke, as it is exactly the type of high-quality, inventive thriller that genre fans have been clamoring for.
4. The Order
“The Order” is a specter into the past that feels evocative of the issues that plague today’s society, as the film’s analysis of the white supremacy epidemic in America could not have come out at a more relevant time. Justin Kurzel is a filmmaker who is often drawn to bleak stories about the cyclical nature of violence, and “The Order” brings to life a shocking true story about the FBI Agent Terry Husk (Jude Law), who was tasked with taking down a militant white supremacist faction led by the terrorist Bob Matthews (Nicholas Hoult).
“The Order” is an observational study of how quickly extremists can grow when left to their own devices, but that does not mean that it is short on action. Between a thrilling heist sequence evocative of 1930s gangster films to a brutal final shootout with more than a few allusions to “Heat,” Kurzel creates a visceral spectacle about the frailty of human existence. What makes the film most challenging is that it takes no joy in the set pieces, as the human cost of each insurrection is immediately felt. Uncompromising and brutal, “The Order” is just as deeply affecting as it is important.
3. Civil War
Alex Garland has often crafted brilliant works of science fiction, but his grandiose genre thriller “Civil War” doesn’t dabble in predicting the future. “Civil War” is an analysis of the America of today, as it presents an entirely believable portrayal of a nation thrust into chaos due to a division of states. Familiar iconography is trampled over as various militant groups vie for control but Garland chooses to examine how seemingly objective journalists are forced to insert themselves into history. This is an outsider’s analysis of cultural rot; “Civil War” is as authentic to the American experience as “Apocalypse Now” is to the Vietnam War.
“Civil War” is realistic to a considerable degree, as it shows how violence can be both casual and shocking. Although at times Garland succeeds in collecting a series of anecdotes about the various players involved in this violent war, the film propels itself to a masterful conclusion that serves as the only real result of the themes that have been hinted at. “Civil War” is intended to disturb its viewers, and it may irritate those who wished that Garland took a firmer stance. Although the political caginess is precisely the point, “Civil War” is nothing if not a deeply enthralling descent into hell.
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2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
“Mad Max: Fury Road” was almost instantly hailed as one of the greatest action films of all time, so the prospect of George Miller returning to the same universe seemed like it was destined to suffer by comparison. Thankfully, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” does not take the same approach, as it serves as a crescendo to the epic climax in Miller’s 2015 masterpiece. By casting Anya Taylor-Joy as a younger version of the heroine that Charlize Theron turned into a timeless icon, Miller created a deeply emotional origin story for a bold avenger who rebelled against the cruel system of blood and bullets that shaped her tough outlook on the world.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” drops the relentless pacing of its predecessors to tell a more intimate story about revenge, and shows a surprising degree of sensitivity. Although Furiosa is set on a journey to achieve justice for her family, she also realizes that the cycle of revenge is ongoing, and she may turn into the monsters that once tormented her. Offering the most compelling villainous performance of the year is Chris Hemsworth, who sheds his inherent movie star charisma to play a smug, cowardly opportunist who takes pleasure in forcing his opponents to stoop to his level.
1. Dune: Part Two
Frank Herbert’s legendary science fiction novel was once considered to be unadaptable due to the massive scale, epic themes, and intense worldbuilding that would be required of a cinematic version, but Denis Villeneuve defied all expectations when “Dune” offered a masterful entry into the sage of the Atreides dynasty. “Dune: Part Two” is not only the culmination of the story that he initiated but a brilliant translation of Herbert’s timeless warning about heralding a populist leader as a savior before they have the opportunity to show their true intentions.
“Dune: Part Two” crafts some of the biggest and most jaw-dropping action sequences in the history of blockbuster cinema; an epic standoff between the Fremen rebels and the powerful Harkonnen armies is perhaps the most impressive battle scene since the now iconic conclusion of “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.” However, “Dune: Part Two” reaches its real climax in the intimate power struggle between Paul (Timothee Chalamet) and Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), an update of the “Hamlet” conclusion that implies an even more exciting adventure ahead in the next chapter of the “Dune” franchise. “Dune: Part Two” proves that mass-scale entertainment can be challenging, groundbreaking, and revelatory all at once.
