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- Raging Fire. When it comes to the best action film of 2021, it's not really a contest. There's more glorious action in the first 20 minutes of "Raging Fire" than in entire movies on this list.
- Wrath of Man. The experience of watching "Wrath of Man" is to wait for it to become a typical Guy Ritchie movie. It never does. Yes, some of the British director's hallmarks are there — sophomoric banter, audacious music cues — but they're downplayed and mostly absent.
- Nobody. There are multiple American dreams. One of them is suburbia. For many, the promise of a white picket fence and financial security is Elysium on Earth.
- Riders of Justice. I imagine this list already has some readers wondering what my definition of an action movie actually is, and "Riders of Justice" will only confuse the issue.
- Army of the Dead. Thousands of zombies have been contained in Las Vegas, and they sit atop millions of dollars that no one is brave enough to recover. That is until a group of mercenaries are recruited to break into a casino vault right in the middle of the mayhem.
- Black Widow. The long-overdue solo film for Natasha Romanoff is worth the wait. Taking place between the events of "Captain America: Civil War" and "Avengers: Infinity War," we see Natasha reconcile her past with the help of her adoptive family.
- Boss Level. It's "Groundhog Day" meets "Edge of Tomorrow," only without Bill Murray or invading aliens. "Boss Level" follows a former special forces agent who relives the same day over and over again as he tries to uncover who's behind his murder — and each day, he gets killed again and again and again.
- Dune. "Dune" isn't just one of the best action movies of 2021 — it's one of the most impressive cinematic adventures of the year. Denis Villeneuve's long-awaited adaption of Frank Herbert's novel was everything fans hoped it would be: mesmerizing, stunning, and action-packed.
- Raging Fire. The world lost one of the great action filmmakers in 2020 when Benny Chan unexpectedly died of cancer. We have his great work in Hong Kong action cinema left to remember him by, and this year, we got one final entry: a collaboration between him and the great Donnie Yen in Raging Fire.
- No Time To Die. Daniel Craig’s final adventure as James Bond was a long time coming, but it was worth the wait. Whether involved in a gun battle or a car chase, No Time To Die brought some of the best action in the history of the James Bond franchise.
- Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings. 2021 was a massive return for the Marvel Cinematic Universe with four new entries on the big screen alone. They covered a wide variety of genres and styles, but without question, the best action movie of them all was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
- The Suicide Squad. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad opens with an absolutely massive action sequence that ends with a big pile of dead bodies, and from there, things get really crazy.
- The Tomorrow War
- Black Widow
- Wrath of Man
- Free Guy
- The Suicide Squad
- Raya and The Last Dragon
- Old Henry
- No Time to Die
- Nobody
- The Last Duel
Stream On Amazon Prime
Chris Pratt continued his trend as an action star with the summer blockbuster The Tomorrow War. Pratt played a man who is part of a group of recruits sent into the future to battle aliens who are taking over the world. The movie was an interesting new twist on the time-travel genre while also mixing exciting action sequences with big sci-fi ideas. Pratt continues to be a likable lead in these types of movies and it made for a fun popcorn adventure.
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Though she was one of the founding members of the Avengers in the MCU, it took a long time for Black Widow to get her own solo movie. Natasha Romanoff finally was able to step into the spotlight in Black Widowwhich found her returning to Russia and confronting her traumatic past. Scarlett Johansson continued to be iconic in the heroic role and she was joined by some terrific new additions to the MCU, especially Florence Pugh as Yelena. The action was more brutal and grounded than other MCU pr...
Stream On Paramount+ & Epix
Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham reunite for the gritty action-crime movie Wrath of Man. Based on the French movie Cash Truck, Statham stars as a mysterious man who takes a job as an armored car driver. But when he thwarts an attempted robbery, it appears he has his own agenda. RELATED: 7 Movies From 2021 That Deserve A Sequel, According To Reddit Statham fits into the silent badass character as effectively as ever and it is a lot of fun to see him working with Ritchie once again. Filled with in...
Stream On Disney+ & HBO Max
Ryan Reynolds has perfected a type of fun action-comedy style that audiences seem to love and he continued that streak with Free Guy. Reynolds plays a background character in a video game who begins to take charge of his life. The movie has a lot of fun with its various video game-inspired action sequencesthat combine spectacle and humor. Reynolds is also joined by a talented cast, including Jodie Comer who stands out as the action hero of the movie.
Stream On HBO Max
Though it is set in the superhero world of the DCEU, The Suicide Squad feels more like an older war adventure like The Dirty Dozen. James Gunn's new take on the material follows a group of supervillains tasked with a dangerous mission on a military-controlled island. Gunn brings his typical dark and irreverent sense of humor to the movie which gives it a fun spark. There are also some very inventive and wild action moments, such as the bloody opening beach ambush and the brutal brawl between...
Stream On Disney+
It was a big year for animated movies in 2021, but Raya and the Last Dragonstood out as offering a great action movie along with family-friendly fun. The Disney movie follows a young warrior who seeks to save her ancient civilization from monsters by finding the last remaining dragon. As with most Disney movies, Raya and the Last Dragondoes a terrific job of combining humor, heart, and a family-friendly vibe. But it also features some amazing action sequences that are a thrill to watch.
Stream On Showtime
While the Western movie genre doesn't have a lot of offerings in 2021, Old Henrywas a great new addition to the genre. Tim Blake Nelson plays a farmer who takes in an injured man who makes him the target of a dangerous posse. But as they close in on him, the man's hidden past comes out. RELATED: The 10 Best Westerns Of The 21st Century, Ranked According To Letterboxd Nelson has been a stellar character actor for years so it is great to see him get to headline a movie like this. Though a small...
Rent On Apple TV
As the fifth movie with Daniel Craig as James Bond, No Time to Diemarks the end of the actor's run in the series. The film interrupts Bond's peaceful life in retirement as past secrets rise to the surface and a new dangerous threat is revealed. Fans go to Bond movies for big action set pieces and No Time to Diedelivers on that. Kicking off with an extended chase sequence, the movie manages to be the typical fun spy adventure while also exploring Bond as a character in some interesting ways.
Stream On HBO Max
Perhaps the most surprising action hero of the year was Bob Odenkirk. In Nobody, Odenkirk plays a family man living a mundane life. But after failing to stop thieves who break into his home, he reveals a side of himself that he kept hidden for a long time. Odenkirk really shines in the role of both the overlooked everyman and the badass who can take on armies of goons. The movie delivers fight scenes and shootouts normally seen in John Wickmovies, but it is made all the more entertaining with...
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Ridley Scott returns to the historical epic genre to deliver one of the year's most underrated movies. The Last Dueltells the true story of a faceoff between two knights after one of them is accused of assaulting the wife of the other man. The movie is a very nuanced and thought-provoking look at the various perspectives of this crime while highlighting things that are still true today. But amidst this intense drama, there are some brutal battle sequences as well as the titular climactic duel...
- Colin Mccormick
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Fresh and Certified Fresh 2021 action movies ranked by Tomatometer, including Black Widow, Nobody, Gunpowder Milkshake and more!
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Action came back in a big way in 2021 after delayed films like "F9" and "No Time to Die" were released in theaters, and the MCU dropped four movies in the second half of the year. These are the best action movies of 2021, according to the assigned critics of RogerEbert.com.
