If you like action movies, 2024 is a great year for you! Sure, big epics like Die Hard (1988), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Speed (1994) don’t really get made anymore, and it’s hard to top a year like 2022, which gave us the masterpiece that was Top Gun: Maverick. Looking at this year, the first films to come to mind would be movies that are somehow connected to other great releases of the past. Think of sequels like Bad Boys: Ride or Die and Twisters, prequels like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Furiosa, and the global phenomenon that was Dune: Part Two. But in terms of great action, quite a lot of movies came out this year that are certainly worth adding to your watchlist. So whether you’re taking a break from work or on holiday from school and googling “do my homework for me,” take a look at the list below! Here are 5 action movies from 2024 that are guaranteed to have your eyes glued to the screen!
5. Thelma
Thelma‘s protagonist may be a 94-year-old Oscar nominee, but do not let this deter you from watching this movie. Josh Margolin takes a simple premise – a grandma (Squibb) pays a huge sum of money to help out her grandson (Fred Hechinger), whom she believes to have been in an accident, only to realize that she was scammed – and turns it into one of the most gripping action-adventure movies of the year. Because Squibb’s character is not a helpless victim, but a resourceful, corageous hero who takes up the path for revenge. The stakes are high in the Sundance-premiering Thelma, which has just as many explosions and chase scenes as big Hollywood franchises, with the added bonus of a surprising protagonist who keeps on delivering till the end. And on top of this, the film is hilarious. Not to be missed!
4. The Fall Guy
Our review of The Fall Guy isn’t entirely positive, as David Leitch’s first film after Bullet Train suffers from some narrative flaws that make it less gripping on a storytelling level than what we usually expect from the filmmaker. But in terms of its action, the movie is top notch. Inspired by the 1980s TV series of the same name, The Fall Guy is about a stuntman named Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) who had a serious accident that really affected his career. But the past soon comes calling when his former producer, Gail (Hannah Waddingham), hires him for her next project, which just-so-happens to be directed by Colt’s past flame, Jody (Emily Blunt). However, our hero soon discovers that there’s another reason why Gail called him: the star of the movie is missing, and she needs Colt’s help tracking him down.
It’s best to let you discover the rest on your own, storytelling-wise, but the highlight of The Fall Guy is its incredible technical execution. The action is so well-choreographed and executed that stunt double Logan Holladay even broke the Guinness World Record while shooting a scene for the film, which effectively acts as a much needed, well-deserved love letter to the stunt community.
3. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga isn’t as good as its predecessor, George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road. But that doesn’t say much about it. After all, how could it have been? Fury Road is one of the best action movies ever made. Furiosa doesn’t reach the same heights, but it certainly comes close, with a film that prioritizes the experience of watching it to its actual plot, and absolutely succeeds. The film tells the origin story of Furiosa, Charlize Theron’s character in Fury Road.
Here, we see her grow from a helpless orphan into a fierce young woman, as she is taken from a “place of abundance” by a Biker Horde, whose leader, Dr. Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), takes a liking to her. But our young woman soon finds herself in much more dangerous territory when Dementus comes face to face with Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme). As both leaders try to decide whether they should cooperate with one another or fight each other, Furiosa plots her revenge.
With Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller gives us a visceral film: a feast for the eyes that quite simply demands your attention, and that keeps on delivering with every watch. Expect throwbacks to the original saga, gripping chase scenes, and spectacular worldbuilding.
2. Dune: Part Two
Dune Part Two couldn’t not be on this list, and the only reason why it’s not number one is that it’s not purely an action movie but also a sci-fi one. But that doesn’t mean its action is any less mesmerizing. The much anticipated second film in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune saga, adapted by the novels of the same name, continues to tell us the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet). Our young hero and his mother find themselves in the hands of the Fremen, the latter plotting revenge against those who killer her husband and the former trying to figure out his place in this everchanging world.
So much happens in Dune Part Two and its worldbuilding is so elaborate that it would be impossible to sum up its plot in just a few paragraphs, which is why we’d absolutely recommend watching the first film too. It feels like the first movie was meant to prepare us for what would come next, as Dune Part Two takes that same intriguing setting and character dynamics and turns them into something that’s much more complex and multilayered. Dune Part Two is a much darker movie, as the stakes are higher than ever for a young boy who’s just trying to figure out who he is while surrounded by religious fanatics and power-hungry leaders. It’s also, in itself, an achievement in terms of visual storytelling, as Villeneuve’s craft behind the camera is in full display, particularly in its fight scenes. Prepare to be mesmerized!
1. Monkey Man
We were so impressed by Dev Patel’s directorial debut that it simply had to be number one. Monkey Man is a revenge action thriller about an anonymous man named Kid (Patel) and his quest to avenge his mother. By night, Kid wears a gorilla mask in an underground fight club, where he gets beaten up for cash. But one day, he embarks on a new adventure: something much more dangerous than anything he’s ever faced, but which might also bring him what he seeks – revenge, but also, in a way, redemption. Combining an irresistible soundtrack with spectacularly choreographed fight scenes and the right dose of humor, Monkey Man is a movie you could watch over and over again. The highlights are a gripping fight scene in the ring, a surprisingly comical, gory scene in an elevator, and the entire sequence at the end, but this is a film that will have you hooked from its very first minutes till the credits roll. You’re in for a treat!
If you’ve gone through this list and need even more 2024 action movies, we’d recommend Baby Assassins 2 Babies, Kill, Twisters, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and even though they’re not technically action movies, Civil War and Deadpool & Wolverine too. Moreover, the year is not over yet and some promising movies are about to be released: keep an eye out for action-comedy Wolfs, as we have a very good feeling about it! Happy watching!
