5 Action Thrillers From The 2020s That Are Destined To Be Future Classics

There are few genres that can inspire the sort of loyalty that action movies do. Perhaps rivaled only by horror, action movie die-hards are always on the hunt for the next great thing. But what do the best action movies ever have in common? What takes something from good to great? What helps a great movie become an eventual classic? Those are questions worth asking when looking at some of the best the genre has to offer over the last handful of years.

The 2020s have been nothing if not interesting for the movie business, which has been entirely reshaped by the pandemic, streaming, and other elements in the ever-changing landscape. But the streaming era has given us some truly great action flicks, such as "Extraction" and "Triple Frontier." Imports from around the world have gotten more screen time in North America. In many ways, it's a great time for action cinema.

But what are the best of the best of the 2020s so far? There are plenty of great action movies that nobody talks about anymore, but what are the ones we're destined to be hailing as classics 20 years from now? That's what we're going to discuss today. We're looking at five action movies from the last several years that are all but assured to be labeled as classics in the future. From comedians turned action heroes to Oscar-winning epics, there's a lot of variety here. Let's get into it.

Bob Odenkirk has long been one of the funniest men working in Hollywood. He flexed his dramatic chops in expert fashion on both "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" over the last decade and change, but one thing we weren't expecting was for Odenkirk to get a late career action star makeover ala Liam Neeson in "Taken." But that's precisely what happened when "Nobody" hit theaters in 2021, and the results were nothing shy of brilliant.

The movie centers on Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk), a suburban dad and overlooked husband who is struggling with his quiet life. When two thieves break into his home one night, Hutch's hidden but long-simmering rage is ignited, forcing him on a brutal path that will uncover dark secrets he fought to leave behind. Much ass-kicking ensues.

Director Ilya Naishuller really lets Odenkirk shine, while surrounding him with a great supporting cast including but not limited to the great Christopher Lloyd, of "Back to the Future" fame. Watching Doc Brown blast fools with a shotgun is just part of the joy contained in this movie. Even though this was written by Derek Kolstad, the man responsible for "John Wick," Hutch isn't an accurate, flawless action hero. That's what makes it special.

"Nobody" isn't just another "John Wick" clone. We get to see Hutch be rusty. We get to see him get down and dirty. There's a real character underneath the skilled killer. We care about Hutch. We care about his family. But most important of all, the action rocks. The bus scene alone is destined for iconic status. "Nobody 2" may not have lived up to its predecessor, but that takes nothing away from how genuinely, surprisingly great this first movie proved to be.

Talk about a movie that came out of absolutely nowhere to kick all of the ass. Director Jalmari Helander's "Sisu" reminds us of the joys of seeing Nazis get blown up, among other things. What starts as a semi-grounded "one man against the world" wartime action movie turns into one of the most delightfully exorbitant demonstrations of action excess the genre has to offer. The sheer shock value of the ramp-up factor makes this an instant modern classic.

Taking place during the last desperate days of WWII, it focuses on a solitary prospector (Jorma Tommila) who crosses paths with Nazis who are retreating through Finland. When the Nazis steal his gold, they soon discover that they didn't f*** with an ordinary miner. No matter what the Nazis throw at him, this legendary ex-commando becomes a one-man death squad who ultimately goes to outrageous lengths to get his gold back.

There are plenty of great World War II movies, but so many of them are more explicitly about the war. Part of what sets "Sisu" apart is that it tells a very unique story set against the backdrop of the war, while not explicitly being about it. That helps it feel fresh, while also still allowing Nazis, the most hateable real-world villains of them all, to be at the center of this man's wrath. And that wrath gets increasingly absurd as the movie goes on, leading to some true "what the f***?" moments for the ages.

In an era when a lot of Western action cinema can feel a little same-y, this Finnish import is a prime example of what can happen when a filmmaker with a vision gets a little bit of money to go absolutely nuts. Seemingly unencumbered by Hollywood notes, this feels like unchained action filmmaking in its freest form.

If this list were limited to a single movie, there is almost no question that director S.S. Rajamouli's epic "RRR" would be the top choice. No action movie of the last handful of years has had an impact quite like this Oscar-winning, three-hour period drama did. A mash-up of various genres that results in something that almost defies definition, this is one of the most wonderfully wild examples of eye-popping action filmmaking to ever grace the silver screen.

Very basically, the 2022 epic centers on freedom fighters Komaram "Ram" Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju who join forces against British colonialists in the 1920s. To say that any description of the movie's plot would do it a disservice is a bit of an understatement. It simply needs to be seen to be believed.

"RRR" is a maximalist epic that puts most Hollywood blockbusters to shame. From the very first action sequence to the jaw-dropping climax, it features several of the coolest action sequences ever committed to film. The central bromance that drives the story is one for the ages, which helps make all of the spectacle sing louder than it already does. But even if the characters were all nameless nobodies, it would be impossible not to marvel at a truck full of dangerous animals being let loose in a mansion with chaos erupting all around. It's so bonkers that it's hard to believe anyone got away with making it in the first place.

Frankly, "RRR" is already a classic. It earned that status the second the credits rolled. However, history will undoubtedly grant it legendary status. It's more than just "that good," it's better.

It's no secret that American action movies have long and quietly lived in the shadow of what is being done elsewhere in the world, and "Kill" is a perfect example of why. Hailing from India and the mind of director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, this whoop-ass death festival on a train is the real deal. The deceptively simple title can't possibly prepare viewers for the 105 minutes worth of insanity they're in for.

The movie centers on Army commando Amrit (Lakshya), who finds out his true love, Tulika (Tanya Maniktala), is engaged against her will. So he boards a train on a quest to break up the arranged marriage. But a gang of thieves led by the ruthless Fani (Raghav Juyal) begin to terrorize innocent passengers on his train, Amrit takes it upon himself to save those around him by killing them all.

"Kill" is as good as it gets in terms of non-stop action. The problem with the whole "we're putting a brick on the gas pedal and not letting up until the credits roll" style of action is that it can get exhausting. That's not to say that this movie isn't exhausting in its own way, but it's never boring and you never check your watch to see how much time is left. It's blistering and relentless, with the violence steadily escalating until it boils over into legendary territory.

The confinement of the train makes for some incredible action set pieces. Lakshya delivers a hero worth rooting for. The blood-spilling is excessive, which makes it not for the faint of heart, but the fact that this movie goes so hard for so long is precisely why it's destined to be a classic.

The year isn't over yet, but we can say with a fair deal of confidence that "The Furious" is the best action movie of 2026. Directed by Kenji Tanigaki, it features some of the world's greatest action stars doing what they do best. A two-hander quest for vengeance that leads to one of the most relentlessly action-packed third acts in the history of the genre, no other action movie released this year is as destined for classic status as this one.

The movie centers on Wang Wei (Xie Miao), whose daughter is kidnapped by a criminal syndicate. After receiving no help from the corrupt police, he sets out on a one man rampage to find her. He soon teams up with Navin (Joe Taslim), a relentless journalist whose wife also mysteriously disappeared. Fueled by vengeance, the unlikely duo ruthlessly fights through the army of kidnappers.

Watching Joe Taslim and Xie Miao kicking ass together in some wildly inventive action set pieces is worth the price of admission alone. But this movie's bread is fully buttered when "The Furious" reaches its innovative and very complicated climactic fight scene. Without spoiling it for those who haven't seen it, the last 20 minutes or so delivers some of the most persistent, competent, and visceral action one is likely to ever encounter. It's truly non-f***ing-stop in a manner that defies comparison.

This is the sort of action movie that lovers of the genre pray for. Joining the likes of "The Raid: Redemption" before it, this is a shining example of what action cinema can accomplish, raising the bar for everything that comes after.