16 Best Action Movies Of 2021

The year 2021 was a weird one for movies, but one genre that's remained strong is action. If you're a fan of explosions, fist fights, and gun battles, then 2021 has been delivering non-stop thrills. Superheroes and secret agents made their big return, dominating streaming services and theaters. But we've also been treated to hilarious action comedies, brilliant foreign films, and wild genre mash-ups. In other words, the best action movies of 2021 feature everything you could possibly want, from monster battles and crazy car chases to female assassins and video game mayhem.

Updated on December 31, 2021: As the year progresses, we'll be sure to keep an eye on all the heroes beating up bad guys on both the big screen and streaming services. And if a modern-day classic emerges, we'll be sure to add it to our list and keep you current on the best action flicks of the year.

The long-overdue solo film for Natasha Romanoff is worth the wait. Taking place between the events of "Captain America: Civil War" and "Avengers: Infinity War," we see Natasha reconcile her past with the help of her adoptive family. The mission is to take down the Red Room and the villainous Dreykov, who's responsible for Natasha's tragic upbringing and training. Many secrets are revealed along the way, and some fantastic new characters are introduced into the MCU, so don't skip out on "Black Widow" just because you know what's to come in Natasha's future. And despite being a Scarlett Johansson film, the light shines bright on Florence Pugh, who's set to become a force in the MCU going forward.

• Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour
• Director: Cate Shortland
• Runtime: 133 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

"Dune" isn't just one of the best action movies of 2021 — it's one of the most impressive cinematic adventures of the year. Denis Villeneuve's long-awaited adaption of Frank Herbert's novel was everything fans hoped it would be: mesmerizing, stunning, and action-packed. While some might identify the film as a sci-fi adventure, there were definitely enough swordfights to solidify it as one of the action greats of 2021. The impressive flight sequences mixed with the massive explosions and battles on Arrakis earn "Dune" a spot on our best-of list, and we're just hoping "Part 2" can deliver that same momentum when it arrives in theaters.

• Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson
• Director: Denis Villeneuve
• Runtime: 155 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

Set within a video game, "Free Guy" follows the story of Guy, a background character in the popular open-world game known as "Free City." Once Guy becomes aware of his world and his role in it, he takes matters into his own hands and vows to become the hero for once. Audiences absolutely lost it for "Free Guy," and the film boasts an incredible 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. A good bit of the action is over the top, but it aligns with the expectations of video game shenanigans.

• Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery
• Director: Shawn Levy
• Runtime: 115 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

You know the story. You played the video game. And this year's "Mortal Kombat" film features some of the franchise's most famous characters, including Sonya Blade, Liu Kang, Jax, Raiden, and Scorpion. The movie follows martial artist Cole Young who becomes a target of the ice cold assassin Sub-Zero. Why? Well, Cole is oblivious to the fact that he possesses some pretty mystical powers, and as he tries to escape his pursuer, he eventually teams up with a group of fighters to protect Earthrealm from Outworld. Critics weren't wild about "Mortal Kombat," but audiences were rather smitten with it. Tune in for the hand-to-hand combat and for the battle between Scorpion and Sub-Zero that'll transport you right back to a '90s arcade.

• Starring: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Joe Taslim
• Director: Simon McQuoid
• Runtime: 110 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%

This is definitely one of 2021's biggest surprises in the action genre, as Hollywood nice guy Bob Odenkirk takes the lead in this fast-paced flick. The "Better Call Saul" actor plays an unsuspecting family man named Hutch, who could be described as a nobody. However, he's actually a former assassin for a government agency.  And after a home invasion, Hutch finds himself unleashing the dark side he's kept locked up for all these years. He ends up taking on a Russian crime lord and must protect his own family at all costs.

• Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielson, Alexey Serebryakov
• Director: Ilya Naishuller
• Runtime: 92 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

Speaking of MCU solo films that are worth your time, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" is one of the most beautiful origin movies in the Marvel universe. The story revolves around the titular hero and his father, Wenwu (aka the Mandarin), who possess the all-powerful and mysterious Ten Rings. When his mother's people are at risk and an even bigger threat is uncovered, Shang-Chi must channel his power to bring down his father. The film has some of the best hand-to-hand combat scenes you'll find in the MCU, which are beautifully choreographed at every step.

• Starring: Simu Liu, Tony Leung, Awkwafina
• Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
• Runtime: 133 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

To say 2016's "Suicide Squad" was an abysmal mess would be an understatement. However, 2021's "The Suicide Squad" is neither a sequel nor a reboot, but it's everything the David Ayer film should have been and more. Its R-rating provides for some rather gory fight sequences, perfect for fans who can't stand a PG-13 rated comic book flick that's pretending to be edgy. The film's stellar action scenes are matched by the outstanding development of otherwise laughable characters. Seriously, characters like the Polka-Dot Man and King Shark never should've worked, but writer-director James Gunn and his talented cast bring real humor and heart to these weirdo anti-heroes.

• Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena
• Director: James Gunn
• Runtime: 132 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

If one thing is for sure about this film, it's significantly better than Joss Whedon's "Justice League," which hit theaters in 2017. Yes, it's very, very long but worth it if you were disappointed in the former film. It gives much more of a spotlight to the character of Cyborg, and the final battle scene features the team of superheroes at their best as they fight to take down Steppenwolf. Snyder's "Justice League" also introduces audiences to Darkseid — a terrifying, all-powerful villain who was always the looming threat in the original "Justice League."

• Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot
• Director: Zack Snyder
• Runtime: 242 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%