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The last decade saw some accomplished action flicks hit store shelves. Many of them tried to do something different from the genre norms, but failed to connect with mainstream audiences and didn’t leave the industry impact they deserved. However, it’s a new decade, and a new chance for these underrated gems to make their mark in the cultural zeitgeist.
8 Brawl In Cell Block 99 — Most VOD Platforms
Vince Vaughn is not a typical choice for an action hero, but neither is S. Craig Zahler a typical action filmmaker. His long, static shots, mixed with sporadic bouts of gore, portray violence in all its inglorious ugliness. In a market that often glamorizes such violence, these movies are oddly refrshing.
The same goes for Vaughn. He doesn’t have any elaborate martial arts moves or acrobatic prowess; he’s just a big guy who takes a lot of abuse and deals it out in much greater measure. He makes for a truly imposing presence here, achieved through physicality rather than dialogue. This minimalist approach complements the film as a whole. Sometimes, less is more.
7 Blood Father — HBO Max
For a while, this genre of film saw middle-aged actors becoming over-the-hill action heroes. Audiences witnessed this with guys like Liam Neeson, Denzel Washington, and Kevin Costner. Amidst this mass of similar products, Mel Gibson emerged from under the radar with the best of the bunch. He’s a veteran of hardcore action classics, and obviously credible in that area.
What he truly brings to Blood Father, though, is pathos. A passionate soulfulness permeates the tale and his performance. It’s the key to his chemistry with Erin Moriarty as his daughter, a relationship which is thankfully allowed to breathe more than in other tales of this type. This makes Blood Father a slower burn than its contemporaries, but it’s a more poignant redemption tale because of that.
Daniel Radcliffe is another one that most audience never expected see headlining a high-octane action flick. That’s the point. He’s got a talent for playing downtrodden, slightly neurotic wimps.
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Guns Akimbo puts that talent to work as Radcliffe’s character stumbles and bumbles his way through a ludicrous do-or-die scenario. A manic energy and self-awareness inform both his journey here and the rest of the movie. The style is reminiscent of Scott Pilgrim and succeeds in many of the same ways, albeit with much bloodier results. It’s a cartoonish romp that never lets up for a second.
5 Warrior — FuboTV
Some might think a sports movie wouldn’t qualify as an action flick, but those people probably don’t watch much MMA. Warrior is a fast-paced, close-quarters contest of skill and brutality, and it’s brilliantly captured by Gavin O’Connor. His direction puts viewers neck-deep in every fight, letting them truly feel the intensity involved. That’s not the most intense aspect of the film, though.
That would be the relationship between the estranged brothers and their recovering alcoholic father. Their dynamic is tumultuous, volatile, violent, and heartwarming. In short, it’s everything such a fractured family would naturally be, and it gives Warriora weight beyond most films in both the sports and action genre.
4 Rogue — Hulu
Direct-to-video action fare is usually bargain bin quality, but this comes from a veteran of the genre. Director M.J. Bassett brings all the skills shown on Strike Back. How appropriate that Rogue feels like an episode of that show. It’s easy to see why, given it involves a spec ops team shooting their way out of enemy territory in impressively practical chase scenes. The actors here bring the same credibility and training, and that even goes for Megan Fox as the leader. She holds her own on both the physical and dramatic side of things.
What differentiates Rogue from Strike Back is that it turns into a slasher flick involving a lion. Though the CGI kitty is predictably terrible and the writing is overly corny at times, the direction remains tense throughout. Such a radical genre shift might kill two birds with one stone, satisfying both action and horror fans.
3 The Nice Guys — Hulu
No one writes a buddy action flick like Shane Black. From Lethal Weapon to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, his scripts all have his uniquely unapologetic wit. That, blended with a stylish ’70s setting, makes for a film assured in its own slickness and sleaziness. The Nice Guys boasts a barrage of dark, cynical comedy that never lets up yet feels entirely natural.
This humor is complementing and bolstered by the off-kilter chemistry between Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling. It’s one of the weirdest screen duos imaginable. Like the movie as a whole, though, it works like a charm and thumbs its nose at viewers for ever doubting it.
2 Dredd — Hulu
Judge Dredd needed a redo after the terribly cheesy Stallone film. Thankfully, this 2012 effort serves the dystopian lawman far better. Karl Urban proves a perfect fit for the role, getting across so much with merely his mouth. That’s right — Dredd never takes off his helmet. This is a bold choice that echoes movie’s mantra of “Less is more.”
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Rather than the convoluted premise of its predecessor, this update treats viewers to a day in the life of Dredd. The plot basically boils down to stopping a local gang leader, but that’s all it needs to be. When a movie has smoothly-shot shootouts, impressively grungy production values, and a no-nonsense script, a simple story can showcase the world and its characters concisely yet effectively. Dredd does that, and it works.
Most Vietnam War films focus on the American side of things. Danger Close shifts to a lesser-known perspective. A batch of young Australian boys join the fight, only to be thrust headlong into the Battle of Long Tan. It’s as much a psychological battle as a physical one, and the movie capably captures the fear and eeriness of that first conflict. These recruits must rely on one another to survive. They don’t even like each other, but they gradually grow entwined through trial and tribulation.
Though the film conveys the grand scope of the battle, audiences don’t get a picture of the opposing side. They’re stuck in the trenches or in the camp with this pack of amateurs. Not only does this help with their development, but it further intensifies an already suspenseful scenario. Considering how much Danger Close gets right about guerilla warfare, it’s a sin that more audiences aren’t aware of it. In a way, this mirrors the plight of the real Aussie troops, who went unrecognized in the public eye for years.
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