You don’t have to look far to find good action cinema these days. While studios remain firmly focused on their blockbusters, the DTV action market remains a booming industry of grizzled ass-kickers and action veterans. We got three MCU entries this year, and they all lived up to the franchise standard of stunning set pieces,Steven Spielbergreturned to blockbuster filmmaking and took on his own legacy with the ambitious crowd-pleaserReady Player One, andChristopher McQuarriebecame the first director to return for aMission: Impossiblesequel and ended up delivering one of the greatest films in the franchise.
If you’re in the mood for car chases, fight scenes, and apocalyptic stakes, we’ve been keeping this list updated all year, so check out our picks for the best action movies of 2018. And if you’re looking for more of the year’s best be sure to click through the links below.
Ready Player One
It’s insanely impressive that 43 years after inventing the blockbuster,Steven Spielbergcan still craft one magical slice of escapist fun. What better proof thanReady Player One, a story—based on authorErnest Cline’s uncomfortably zealous ode to the 1980’s—about a literal escape from reality into a neon-lit pop culture paradise. The film is not without its faults; the script by Cline andZak Pennalmost makes you feel like main character Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) would say some vicious things aboutThe Last Jedion Twitter if given the chance. But Spielberg’s uncanny eye for spectacle is at its most playful here. The film’s first major set-piece, a white knuckle car chase through a video game labyrinth that plays with Spielberg’s own filmography, is one of the most dazzling 15-minutes of the director’s career. Also, if you say you didn’t give at least an appreciative chuckle at the trip toStanley Kubrick’sThe ShiningOverlook, you’re lying. – VinnieMancuso
There have been more nuanced action films this year, actions films with more style, or flair, or technical realism, but only one single action film in 2018 sawDwayne “The Rock” Johnsonand his massive mutated gorilla friend square off against a giant crocodile and a ten-story-tall wolf. In fairness, that is a very specific genre, but it’s one that brought me almost too much joy over the 107-minute runtime ofRampage. Based on the 1986 video by only the loosest definition of the word,Rampageis a deeply silly movie, the literal dictionary definition of a popcorn flick, but in a way that harkens back to the sensibilities of the 1990’s prime playful Arnold Schwarzenegger (ThinkLast Action Hero). Much like the Austrian Oak, what Johnson lacks in range he makes up for tenfold in an almost superhuman desire to deliver the biggest, loudest, most fun summer movies possible while wearing the most khaki-colored wardrobe known to mankind. As long as there are CGI cities to be stomped, I will watch The Rock do his darndest to save them. –Vinnie Mancuso
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdomis a spectacle-filled monster B-movie on such a massive scale and studio budget I can hardly believe it exists. Nefarious businessmen, DNA fuckery, exploding volcanos, and of course, big ol' dinosaurs abound in theJurassic Worldsequel.Chris PrattandBryce Dallas Howardreunite (and they’re allowed to be a lot more likable this time) for another romp among the prehistoric when an active volcano on Isla Nublar threatens to wipe out dinosaur life on earth once again. The rest of the film spans from the lush tropical terrors of the island to a steely gothic manor where the the newly rescued dinos are housed in the third act, andA Monster Callsdirector J.A. Bayona amps up the style factor this time around, paying plenty of homage not only toSteven Spielbergbut to monster movies across the genre. It’s kind of a goofy film, but that’s part of its charm and it sure to deliver the dino action. –Haleigh Foutch
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Marvel’s lightest fare of the year,Ant-Man and the Waspis a joyful, romantic romp through San Francisco (and the Quantum Realm) that’s rich with energetic and playfully conceived set-pieces.Paul Ruddis, as always, a delight to watch as the post-Civil WarScott Lang, who’s spent the last two years bonding with his daughter during house arrest, but it’sEvangeline Lilly’s Hope Van Dayne who gets to suit up for the first time and deliver some of the best ass kickings. Her initial fight with Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) is a worthy hand-to-hand throwdown, enhanced by their physics-defying abilities. Though there’s nothing quite as surprising and innovative as the toy train fight from the first film, directorPeyton Reedand his team come up with plenty of fun size gags, culminating in a car chase through the city streets that puts Pez to dangerous use. Light and breezy with a lot of heart, Ant-Man and the Wasp emerged as one of summer’s best popcorn flicks. –Haleigh Foutch
The Transformers franchise takes a big swing away from the days of Bayhem withBumblebee, the tender-hearted prequel spinoff that focuses in on how it is everyone’s favorite mute, yellow Autobot made his way to Earth.Kubo and the Two StringdirectorTravis Knightmakes his live-action directing debut with the scaled-downTransformersriff, which starsHailee Steinfeldas a teenage girl grieving the loss of her father, who discovers Bumblebee and helps him create a home on earth. Pulling freely from the Amblin playbook,Bumblebeeis all heart, making the Autobot an adorable fish out of water, who plays pet and pal to the young lady who rescued him. Knight also serves up some thrilling action sequences, notably different from the balls-to-the-walls insanity of the steel and glass tidal wavesMichael Bayunleashed. To the contrary,Bumblebeeis all about the heart and the human connection behind the spectacle.
Deadpool 2
Deadpool 2is a relentlessly cheeky, action-packed piece of snark cinema that takes all the subversion, one-liners and meta-humor of the first film and amps it up to 10, and withJohn WickandAtomic BlondedirectorDavid Leitchtaking over at the helm, the sequel’s action scenes got a serious boost as well. There’s clearly a bigger budget, which helps, but it really Leitch’s expertise at directing action and some damn fine fight choreography that givesDeadpool 2the edge in the ass-kicking department. From Domino’s (Zazie Beetz) Rube Goldberg sequence of luck during the X-Force assault to the addition of the gun-toting future badass Cable (Josh Brolin), Deadpool 2’s action scenes deliver one hell of a kinetic jolt between the dick jokes. –Haleigh Foutch
Incredibles 2
Although it doesn’t quite reach the high bar set by the original,Incredibles 2remains a completely delight from start to finish. Writer-directorBrad Birdbreaks the narrative into two plotlines, one following Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) as she attempts to restore the good name of the Supers, and a second following Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) as he attempts to raise the kids. Although the Elastigirl plotline has all the colorful action thrills we want from a superhero movie, the film reaches a whole new level as Mr. Incredible struggles valiantly to raise a hyperactive Dash (Huck Milner), an angry Violet (Sarah Vowell), and a Jack-Jack who is bursting with superpowers. Pixar has been uneven with its sequels, butIncredibles 2is easily a success for the animation powerhouse. –Matt Goldberg
Black Panther
Ryan Coogler’s Marvel movie might end up being one of the most influential films of the decade.Black Pantherfearlessly puts politics at the center of a blockbuster, and celebrates black men and women who are able to change the world. Although it occasionally has to stick to the superhero script, following the rise of King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) as he grapples with what kind of country he wants Wakanda to be is compelling stuff, especially when matched against the alluring villain Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). Beautifully crafted with outstanding costume design, art direction, and cinematography, Black Panther is a wonder to behold, and you’ll want to return to Wakanda moments after the credits roll. –Matt Goldberg
Turns out that mystery Bad Robot project wasn’t a Cloverfield movie after all, and thank goodness for small miracles, becauseOverlordis the kind of good that deserves to stand on its own. Directed byJulius Avery,Overlordfollows a troupe of American World War II soldiers behind enemy lines, where they’re tasked with deystroying a radio tower in time for D-Day and discover a mad scientist lab filled with ungodly Nazi experiments along the way. Avery is equally invested in making a war movie as he is a horror movie, and the result is a thrilling, kinetic adventure that sours into a terrifying monster mash. The action scenes aregreat, especially the opening aerial combat sequence, which follows the soldiers through the horrors of war on their drop ship, in the air, and on the ground when their landing goes horribly wrong. Avery has an equally good eye for monster action (I just wish there was alittlemore of it to go around), and when they finally make their way inside the Nazi lair, the horrors lying in wait are a sight (and some sounds) to behold. –Haleigh Foutch
