The end of the year is approaching quickly, which also marks the end of the decade. That means it’s time to look back on some of the great movies of the 2010s. When considering the action movies of this decade, there are a lot of big blockbusters that stand out. But there are also some stellar films that didn’t get the recognition they deserve.
With superhero movies dominating the decade, some smaller action movies might have gotten overlooked. But now is the perfect time to revisit some of those hidden gems of the last 10 years and discover what you missed the first time. Here are the most underrated action films of the 2010s.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Movies based on old television shows can have a hit-or-miss record. It seems that audiences were not too interested in checking out the updated version of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., a spy series from the 60s that modern audiences probably never heard of.
It’s a shame that people didn’t turn out for it because they missed a genuinely entertaining throwback action-comedy. Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, and Alicia Vikander made for entertaining leads while the movie marked a return to form for Guy Ritchie.
Triple Frontier
In the age of streaming services, there is always the risk that good movies get lost. Such was the case with the action-thriller Triple Frontier. The film had an all-star cast including Oscar Isaac, Ben Affleck, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund and Pedro Pascal as a group of former soldiers who decide to rob a drug dealer in South America.
The movie came and went without much attention and received a mixed response from critics. But Triple Frontier is a refreshingly grounded and low-key actioner with great performances and a tension throughout the story that makes for a compelling journey.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
Revisiting the Planet of the Apes franchise again didn’t seem like a great idea to many people, but the new trilogy proved to be a stellar reinvention of the sci-fi series. Though the sequels get most of the attention for their more ambitious takes, the first film remains a hugely entertaining ride.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes followed a genetically advanced ape named Caesar as he slowly comes to distrust mankind and organizes an uprising. The movie makes a noteworthy choice in making us cheer for the apes which results in a thrilling rebellion movie with great action sequences.
Predators
The original Predator is a horror sci-fi classic, but the franchise has not had much luck recreating that success. However, there is one solid sequel that gets overlooked in the series. While Predators doesn’t reach the heights of the original, it makes for a worthy successor.
The film finds a group of deadly humans being transported to a mysterious planet where they are hunted by the titular aliens. The cast brings a lot of life to the film and the movie helps make the Predators scary again.
Warrior
Mixed martial arts fighting has become a huge phenomenon over the last decade and Warrior is one film that successfully captured the trend. Sadly, this moving and engrossing sports film failed to find much of an audience upon its release.
The film stars Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy as two estranged brothers who find themselves competing in the same fighting tournament. It is a more emotionally powerful story than any other film on the list, but the thrilling fight sequences will also satisfy those looking for solid action.
Hardcore Henry
Hardcore Henry was a bold idea for an action film that paid off quite well. The movie is shot completely in the first-person and plays out very much like a video game. It is the simple story of a man who is resurrected with no memory and must try to save his wife from a warlord.
The movie is wild, shocking and hilarious while making excellent use of its unusual shooting style. It might take some getting used to at first, but the result is a thrilling adventure, unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Upgrade
Like Hardcore Henry, Upgrad is a smaller action film that totally embraces its own insanity. The story follows a man whose wife is killed by a group of thugs while he is left paralyzed. After accepting an experimental cybernetic upgrade, he begins hunting down his wife’s killers.
The movie is darkly funny and ultraviolent, which may be too much for some viewers to handle. But if you’re in the mood for an unusual and brutal revenge film with crazy and inventive fight scenes, this is one that should not be overlooked.
Dredd
The first time Judge Dredd appeared in a live-action film, it didn’t go so well. That might explain why audiences didn’t turn out for this other attempt to bring the comic book character to the big screen. However, Dredd is a huge improvement over the Sylvester Stallone version and makes for a great futuristic cop movie.
Karl Urban gives a badass performance as the titular lawman in this simple and violent story of Dredd facing off against an army of criminals in order to bring a drug lord to justice. The action scenes are wonderfully brutal and visually stunning. The film has a gritty feel that sets it apart from most sci-fi films.
Snowpiercer
Bong Joon-ho is currently getting rave reviews for his latest film, Parasite, but he already has a stunning filmography of masterpieces. Snowpiercer fits alongside his other great works as his first American film which manages to maintain his distinct feel.
The film is set in the future where the world is frozen over and the remaining humans live aboard a constantly moving train which is divided into class systems. Chris Evans stars as a lower-class man who leads a rebellion through the train. The movie is shocking, fun, funny and thoughtful while maintaining a thrillingly fast pace throughout.
Edge Of Tomorrow
Tom Cruise further solidified his action movie icon status with some thrilling Mission: Impossible films. But outside of that franchise, he also had some stellar action films that weren’t as successful in finding their audience.
Edge of Tomorrow was a clever sci-fi action film that found Cruise playing against type as a cowardly military officer thrust into battle against an alien enemy in which he dies and repeats over and over. Cruise and Emily Blunt make for a great team in the thrilling adventure.
