Action movies have long been dominated by franchises, sequels, and familiar IPs, like John Wick, Fast & Furious and Jason Bourne. But every so often, a film comes along that breaks the mold and reminds us how inventive the genre can be. The 21st century has seen a surge of filmmakers pushing the boundaries of what action cinema can look and feel like, blending in elements of science fiction and martial arts to deliver something wholly fresh.
In this list, we take a look at some movies whose goal is not only to thrill audiences but also to show tremendous originality behind their vision. Some of these films have high concepts that may be far ahead of their time or bold mashups of genres that may not make sense with one another. While a few of these films do not enjoy critical acclaim, they are still notable for their uniqueness. Some inspire imitators while others simply exist as singular works that cannot be replicated.
10
‘Bunraku’ (2010)
Bunraku is set in a post-apocalyptic world where guns are banned. The story follows The Drifter (Josh Hartnett) and samurai Yoshi (Gackt), who unite to take down Nicola the Woodcutter (Ron Perlman), a warlord who rules through fear and violence. Armed with their fists and blades, the duo must fight Nicola’s assassin to restore peace in town. The film also stars Oscar nominee Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson.
It is fairly debatable whether Bunraku is a good film or not. What it lacks in character development, it makes up for in bold stylistic choices. Borrowing its name from Japanese puppet theater, the film creates a universe where sets look like paper cutouts and the transitions look like turning pages in a storybook. The colors are also striking, with strong colors and not just the usual blockbuster yellow and teal look. It looks unlike anything Hollywood has released ever since. Its unique visual identity makes it one of the most experimental action films of the century, even if it didn’t spark imitators.
9
‘The Good, The Bad, The Weird’ (2008)
Set in 1930s Manchuria, The Good, The Bad, The Weird follows three outlaws, the skilled bounty hunter Do-won (Jung Woo-sung), the ruthless assassin Chang-yi (Lee Byung-hyun), and the eccentric thief Tae-goo (Song Kang-ho). Using a mysterious map, they race to find hidden treasure that could change their lives. They must also contend against a group of Bandits while escaping the bounties put on their heads by the Japanese Imperial Army.
The uniqueness of this film is how it reimagines the spaghetti Western through a Korean lens, creating a new term: kimchi Western. Director Kim Jee-woon (I Saw the Devil) both pays homage to Sergio Leone and reinvents the genre with Korean style and energy. Its mix of Western archetypes with Korean history and humor creates something wholly unique, and it helped solidify Korea’s place on the global action cinema map. The action is bombastic and unpredictable, blending chases and shootouts with slapstick comedy without ever losing momentum. It’s a testament to how effective homages can be when they’re mashed up with a fresh cultural remix.
8
‘Brotherhood of the Wolf’ (2001)
Inspired by the legend of the Beast of Gévaudan, Brotherhood of the Wolf blends history, horror, and martial arts into one of the most unusual yet exciting action films of the 21st century. It follows royal naturalist Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) and his Iroquois companion Mani (Mark Dacascos) as they are sent to rural France to investigate a string of brutal killings blamed on a mysterious beast. There, Fronsac finds more than he expected as the monster hunt reveals conspiracies and political intrigues.
Christoph Gans‘ film’s originality comes from its fearless genre-mixing. Gans crafts a film that is part period drama, part creature feature, and part martial arts epic, complete with stylized fight choreography and stunning production design. The combination of French folklore with wuxia action made it stand out globally, earning box office success far beyond what was expected of a French film at the time. Its bold experimentation and lush visuals cemented it as a cult classic. The film’s closest comparison might be Underworld with its equally rich lore, but this French film still takes the crown.
7
‘Upgrade’ (2018)
Upgrade follows Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), a mechanic who is left paralyzed after a violent mugging that also kills his wife. He is offered a chance to walk again through an experimental AI implant called STEM. Grey discovers the chip implant can take over his body entirely, turning him into a deadly weapon. As he hunts down the attackers, he realizes he’s not in control — STEM is.
Upgrade marries visceral action with sharp, low-budget science fiction so seamlessly, making it unique for audiences and critics. Director Leigh Whannell stages fight sequences to showcase Grey moving like a passenger in his own body, using a unique camera setup. It’s almost similar to a first-person camera but with much more uncanny, robotic fluidity. These sequences are so iconic that Whannell decided to use them again in his next film, The Invisible Man. Apart from that, the film also explores the concept of AI and free will, before it became as popular as it is today. Upgrade becomes a genre favorite and even earns comparisons to the bigger-budgeted Venom, which has a similar premise.
6
‘Haywire’ (2011)
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Haywire follows Mallory Kane (Gina Carano), a highly skilled black-ops operative betrayed during what should have been a routine mission. Framed and hunted by the very people she once worked alongside, Mallory goes on the run, fighting her way through assassins and agents across Europe and the U.S. as she tries to expose the conspiracy against her. The film boasts a star-studded ensemble cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, and Michael Douglas.
What sets Haywire apart is Steven Soderbergh’s deliberate rejection of action-movie spectacle in favor of raw realism. With Carano’s real MMA background, the fight scenes are still brutal, but they are also quiet and unpolished, almost messy, deliberately staged to make them feel authentic. Soderbergh’s take on the action genre shows that it can still be sophisticated and with an arthouse feel to it. Haywire remains an interesting genre exercise and spawned a few imitators, contributing to the wave of modern female-led action movies in the 2010s.
5
‘Crank’ (2006)
Crank follows Chev Chelios (Jason Statham), a hitman who wakes up to discover he’s been poisoned with a synthetic toxin that will kill him if his adrenaline drops. With only hours to live, Chev tears through Los Angeles in a manic frenzy, trying to keep his heart racing by any means necessary, from reckless stunts to car chases, while hunting down the men responsible.
Crank might just be the pioneer in the modern gonzo action genre with its wild commitment to excess and energy. Directing duo Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor shot the film with guerrilla-style techniques using handheld cameras and even rollerblades to capture the frantic pace. Its aesthetics are so different from other movies, and it immediately stood apart from more polished action films of the mid-2000s. Jason Statham’s performance leans into both the absurdity and intensity, showing a different side of him than his usual brute enforcer persona. With this outrageous premise, Crank became a cult favorite and was also followed up by an even more unhinged sequel.
4
‘Equilibrium’ (2002)
Equilibrium is set in a totalitarian future where emotions are outlawed and humanity is kept under control through mandatory doses of a drug called Prozium, which suppresses all feeling. Enforcers known as Grammaton Clerics hunt down offenders who dare to read, feel, or express themselves. John Preston (Christian Bale), one of the most skilled Clerics, begins to falter after accidentally skipping a dose. As he starts to experience emotion for the first time, he’s torn between loyalty to the regime and a growing desire to rebel against it.
With a unique fusion of dystopian philosophy and stylized action, Equilibrium stands out as one of the most original action movies of the 2000s. Kurt Wimmer introduces Gun Kata, a fictional martial art designed around the style of gunfighting, which gives the combat sequences a precise, almost dance-like quality unlike anything seen in movies. With long trenchcoat costumes and a high-concept premise, critics often compared it to The Matrix. But the film carved out a distinct cult reputation, especially for its mix of sleek choreography and dystopian world-building. With the always reliable Christian Bale in the lead, Equilibrium is a must-see for action fans today.
3
‘Hardcore Henry’ (2015)
Hardcore Henry puts the audience into Henry’s shoes, almost literally, as the film is told entirely from the first-person perspective. Henry, resurrected with cybernetic enhancements but stripped of his memory, wakes up in a lab and is immediately hunted by mercenaries. With only brief guidance from his wife and a series of mysterious avatars (all played by Sharlto Copley), Henry battles his way through Moscow to stop a telekinetic warlord bent on world domination.
The film’s originality lies in its first-person gimmick, in which it commits fully to it. Director Ilya Naishuller uses inventive camera rigs and choreography to mimic the feel of a first-person shooter, creating an immersive and disorienting experience unlike anything else in theaters. While some praised its audacity while others found it exhausting, Hardcore Henry proved that experimental form could redefine how action is presented on screen. It might not inspire copycats as it is a singular, once-in-a-lifetime experiment that pushes the boundaries of cinema. If anything, this film should inspire filmmakers to find an untapped point of view to create an entirely new experience.
2
‘Tenet’ (2020)
Tenet follows a CIA agent, played by John David Washington, who is recruited into a secret organization tasked with preventing global catastrophe. As he carries out his mission, he discovers a technology capable of inverting time, allowing objects and people to move backward through it. Arms dealer Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh) also has this technology and will be responsible for the world-ending disaster in the future. With the help of fellow operative Neil (Robert Pattinson), the Protagonist moves in both directions of time to stop Sator.
Christopher Nolan has a knack for creating audacious movies, and Tenet is quintessential Nolan. Focusing on the concept of time, he builds the entire structure of the film around inversion, staging car chases, fistfights, and full-scale battles that unfold in both directions at once. The film’s incredible complexity is polarizing, but its scale and ambitions pushed the boundaries of blockbuster filmmaking. The effects are almost practical, and most of them are captured in-camera, showing Nolan’s ingenuity in executing his concept. Even in a Hollywood landscape dominated by sequels and superheroes, audiences can count on Nolan to come up with something original.
1
‘The Raid’ (2011)
The Raid follows a rookie SWAT officer, Rama (Iko Uwais), whose unit is sent to storm a high-rise apartment building controlled by a ruthless drug lord. The tactical strike quickly collapses into a desperate fight for survival as the team is ambushed in the maze of corridors and trapped inside. With no way out, Rama must battle his way floor by floor until he reaches the final boss.
The Raid is notable for its unrelenting focus on martial arts and action sequences. Gareth Evans, who recently directed Havoc, introduced global audiences to Pencak Silat, a traditional Indonesian fighting style, and showcased it through long-take, bone-crunching choreography that set a new benchmark for on-screen combat. The film’s raw intensity and inventive staging reshaped action cinema in the 2010s. It directly influenced the John Wick series, which showcases its stunts, and indirectly influenced all the John Wick imitators ever since. Brutal, efficient, and utterly gripping, The Raid is a masterclass in shooting and staging non-stop, brutal action sequences.
