Action movies are dismissed in some circles as mindless displays of violence, but many of the genre’s best movies are just as deep and intelligent as any drama. The action genre tends to get a bad wrap, because people generalize the genre based on some of its least substantial popcorn flicks. While it’s true that action has the potential for shallow spectacle, this isn’t the norm.

Many of the best action movies ever have deep stories that leave audiences with a lot to think about, even if some people simply see them as explosive and entertaining. In many cases, the action is only given meaning by the dynamics between the different characters and their personal journeys. This helps make action movies more exciting, and it also makes them linger in the memory.

10

Monkey Man (2024)

Dev Patel’s Revenge Thriller Is Rooted In Indian Mythology

Dev Patel’s directorial debut proves that he could have a future as a martial arts star. He plays the Kid, a mysterious fighter who seeks revenge against the corrupt officials and criminal syndicates that destroyed his home when he was a child. Monkey Man‘s vibrant style of action has drawn comparisons to John Wick, but the story is also firmly rooted in Indian mythology and cultural commentary.

Monkey Man is a revenge thriller, but it’s about broader societal issues as well as personal trauma. The Kid becomes a symbol for the oppressed lower classes, first in his underground fighting career, and then in his mission to take direct, violent action against those who wronged him. He takes inspiration from the story of Hanuman, the Hindu deity with the face of a monkey who often displays grounded, human weaknesses. Monkey Man also ties class inequality to other forms of discrimination, especially with the inclusion of hijras.

9

Baby Driver (2017)

Edgar Wright Creates An Artful Heist Thriller

Edgar Wright’s movies display his remarkable attention to detail, and Baby Driver is no different. After the successes of the Cornetto trilogy and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Baby Driver has less of a focus on comedy. Although there are funny moments peppered throughout the story, it’s a propulsive crime thriller about a man who doesn’t belong in a dangerous world, but finds himself trapped in a life of crime.

Baby Driver is one of the best heist movies of recent years, and not just because Wright has such a creative approach to the crime elements of the story. Baby’s story is one of desperation and fear, but it’s also driven by his love for his foster father. Between these two poles, it’s hard to ignore the pleasure that he clearly gets from his criminal lifestyle, treating his high-speed chases like games. Baby’s complexity is what makes him a great character to spend time with.

8

The Matrix (1999)

The Matrix’s Fight Scenes And Plot Are Both Unforgettable

The Wachowski sisters blended action and sci-fi to perfection with The Matrix, crafting a martial arts classic with rare insight and philosophy. Decades later, The Matrix‘s story has become just as influential as its action, and some of its terms have found their way into the cultural lexicon. People often refer to “a glitch in the matrix” or “red pills” to reflect their own experiences, which goes some way to describing the way that The Matrix connects with so many people.

Sci-fi often has the power to make people reflect on their own existence and their understanding of the world around them. The Matrix certainly fits this description, with a story that borrows concepts from the Bible and ancient Greek literature, and synthesizes them into something that feels revolutionary. A lot of media from the 1990s that focuses on virtual reality, artificial intelligence and cyberspace feels incredibly dated, but The Matrix is prophetic.

7

The Fugitive (1993)

The Fugitive Elevates A Simple Concept

At first glance, The Fugitive appears to be a simple cat-and-mouse thriller, with Harrison Ford playing a convict trying to outrun Tommy Lee Jones’ wily US Marshal. Despite this rather ordinary set-up, The Fugitive is much more layered and interesting in practice. While Richard Kimble fights to clear his name, he plays the role of both the pursuer and the escapee. Throughout his cross-country chase, he is filled with grief and a sense of burning injustice over the loss of his wife.

One thing that makes The Fugitive so compelling is the elements of the story which are inspired by real life. Although most of Richard Kimble’s exploits are fictional, the core of the story comes from the case of Sam Sheppard, who was convicted of murdering his wife in the 1950s, before later being exonerated. Sheppard’s trail caused a media sensation, and The Fugitive physicalizes this carnival atmosphere and creates thrilling action sequences to play out the chaos within Kimble’s mind.

6

Point Break (1991)

Point Break Is Much Smarter Than It First Looks

Point Break seems to take place in a world where surfing is a religious act, but Kathryn Bigelow’s direction is so confident and exciting that it often manages to convince the audience of this strange worldview. Behind its knuckleheaded veneer, Point Break is an intelligent action movie that has a lot to say about masculinity, free will and the hollow promise of adulthood. At the heart of the story is the absorbing tension between the two main characters.

Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze develop an intoxicating chemistry in Point Break, and the differences between their two characters open up a path for an action-packed philosophical debate. Bodhi may be a bank robber, but he’s able to gradually convince Johnny Utah of his own peculiar vision. Whether the audience sees him as a truth-teller or a self-centered charlatan mostly depends on their own interpretation.

5

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

The Oscar-Winner Leaves Audiences With A Lot To Think About

Everything Everywhere All At Once is the perfect response to the current Hollywood trend of multiverse movies and TV shows, and it’s one of very few movies that delivers on the full potential of a multiverse concept. By showing the mind-boggling possibilities of endless realities, Everything Everywhere All At Once questions the rigid structures and unconscious beliefs that shape our own society.

The rapid pace and the frequent universe-hopping randomness can make it hard to pin down Everything Everywhere All At Once‘s true meaning, but the sensory overload is part of the point. By throwing a barrage of surreal images at the screen, the Daniels deconstruct a lot of society’s broadly held ᴀssumptions, asking the audience to recover whatever is most important from the rubble. Invariably, human connection is what emerges as the key that links all universes, imaginary or otherwise.

4

Oldboy (2003)

Park Chan-wook Turns Unconventional Revenge Thriller Is A Must-Watch For Action Fans

Oldboy is a revenge thriller like no other, following a man after years of unlawful captivity who is suddenly released with just as many unanswered questions as when he was first captured. Although it begins with an intriguing premise, Oldboy saves plenty of surprises for its third act, and it ends with a jaw-dropping twist that should be experienced spoiler-free by any fan of the action genre.

As Oh Dae-su refamiliarizes himself with the world, he has no time to grapple with his grief and shame. Park Chan-wook claims that parts of Oldboy are inspired by Franz Kafka’s absurdity and surrealism, and it’s clear from Dae-su’s strange odyssey, that his world doesn’t make as much sense as he, or the audience, would like. Oldboy‘s lack of moral clarity subverts the usual tropes of the action genre.

3

Casino Royale (2006)

James Bond Kicked Off The Daniel Craig Era With A New Style

The James Bond franchise has evolved through each new era, and Daniel Craig’s first movie as 007 is darker, grittier and more substantial than many of the movies that preceded it. Casino Royale shows a more violent and serious version of Bond, and its story is a brilliant introduction to the surprising complexities of the character. Casino Royale shows the kind of spy and the kind of person Bond is, all the while hinting at some hidden depths that are only glimpsed in pᴀssing.

In many ways, Casino Royale is a typical Bond movie, with an eccentric villain, glamorous locations and some thrilling action sequences. What makes it one of the best James Bond movies is the way that the story is so closely tied to the development of the character. Bond’s every move shapes the story, which isn’t always the case, and it also reveals more about his values and his weaknesses.

2

Seven Samurai (1954)

Akira Kurosawa’s Masterpiece Still Holds Up

Seven Samurai is arguably Akira Kurosawa’s best movie, amid some very stiff compeтιтion, and it has influenced movies in a variety of genres for decades. There’s a simple elegance to the plot, as a group of samurai come together to banish some bandits from a small village, but Kurosawa’s acute sensitivity to characters and social politics creates a deeply moving, thoughtful story.

Seven Samurai balances its different characters with incredible finesse. It’s not just that each character in the ensemble feels fully realized, but also that they are crafted to spark one another’s weaknesses and insecurities in such a way that creates inherent conflict even in the simplest of scenes. When Seven Samurai does burst into action, the fight scenes are still informed by the characters.

1

The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan’s Explosive Superhero Movie Is Driven By A Philosophical Conflict

As the Joker says to Batman in their final confrontation, the two characters are fighting for the soul of Gotham. This philosophical conflict drives the action throughout Christopher Nolan’s dark superhero classic. The Dark Knight has some of the best fight scenes and chases that any superhero movie has ever been able to muster, but they’re only so powerful because they are the physical manifestations of two warring schools of thought.

The Joker believes that humanity is inherently violent and self-serving, and he aims to shake people awake from their monotonous settled lives to dismantle the systems that keep them confined. Batman’s response is driven by his optimism. With both characters, their opinions are driven by their personal responses to traumatic events, even if the Joker’s backstory keeps changing. While many superhero movies are accused of a lack of substance, The Dark Knight is one of Christopher Nolan’s best movies, with just as much to chew on as Oppenheimer, Memento or Interstellar.