If you are a fan of action movies, you might get bored of watching the same mainstream thrillers repeatedly. There are a lot of action movies out there that tend to fly under the radar. So here is a list of the top 10 underrated action movies. This list includes cult classic action movies as well.
10). Death Sentence
After getting his start with “Saw” movies, James Wan directed this vigilante action movie loosely based on the book of the same name. Kevin Bacon stars as a father who kills a member of a gang who murdered his son as a part of his gang initiation. Unfortunately, the slain gang member’s brother and his gang set their sights on making Bacon and his family pay, leading to Bacon having to take drastic steps to protect his family. This movie is full of tense moments and some decent action scenes. The movie co-stars John Goodman and Aisha Tyler.
9). Officer Downe
If you like movies based on comic books but are sick of Marvel and DC movies, then check out this gem. Kim Coates from Sons of Anarchy stars as Officer Downe, a secret weapon for a police department to help them fight crime. He is an officer who goes on suicide missions but then is brought back to life whenever he dies. The action in this movie is over the top and sees Officer Downe dealing with everything from gun-running nuns to ninjas. This movie is directed by Slipknot member Shawn Crahan, so it is full of heavy metal and extreme violence.
8). Punisher Warzone
If you like the Marvel movies and their over-the-top action, but wish they showed more violence, then here’s a movie for you. Frank Castle, portrayed by Ray Stevenson, continues his war on crime, leaving a high body count in his path. This movie has great shootouts and violence that shows off the brutal side of the Punisher.
7). Hobo with a Shotgun
Yes, you read the title right and this movie exists. In this grindhouse-style movie, a hobo, portrayed by Rutger Hauer decides to clean up crime in a city after buying a shotgun from a pawn shop. They have to deal with corrupt cops, organized crime and even demons as well. This movie pays homage to grindhouse cinema, with B-movie quality effects and over the top violence, with enough dark humor to keep you laughing.
6). Machete
When you want a bad guy dead, you call Machete. Danny Trejo portrays a former Mexican Federale who’s been framed for an attempted assassination attempt on a senator, portrayed by Robert DeNiro. Now on the run and out to clear his name, he will go to any means and kill anyone who gets in his way. This movie is another homage to grindhouse and action exploitation movies. This movie also co-stars Steven Segal, Michelle Rodriguez, Lindsay Lohan, Cheech Marin and Don Johnson
5). Planet Terror
In this Robert Rodriguez directed movie, the undead have risen from the grave due to a military bioweapon being released. It’s up to Cherry, portrayed by Rose McGowan, a one-legged dancer with an M16 grenade launcher attached to her leg and her friends to save the survivors and kill the zombies. This movie is once again over the top and has great B-Movie effects. The acting is great and over the top, along with enough zombie killing action to satisfy you. This movie also costars Josh Brolin and Bruce Willis.
4). The Rundown
The Rock and Sean William Scott unite in this action-comedy movie. Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson plays a bounty hunter sent down to Brazil to track down his employer’s son and ends up running afoul with a crooked miner operator portrayed by Christopher Walken. The chemistry between the Rock and Scott makes the movie worth watching. It’s full of amazing fight scenes along with some hilarious moments that will leave you in stitches.
3). Shoot ‘Em Up
Imagine if John Wick decided to take a more Looney Tunes style approach while maintaining the high body count. Clive Owen plays a drifter who gets more than he bargained for when he saves a baby from a group of men. The title lives up to its name, with hordes of bad guys being wiped out left and right.
2). Dredd
This movie is another comic book adaptation. In the future, the U.S. is a wasteland with people crammed into megacities. To help combat crime, judges are deployed, who acts as both a jury and executioner to maintain order. Karl Urban plays Judge Dredd, who takes on a young rookie, portrayed by Cassandra Anderson under his wing to take down a crime boss. This movie is violent, possibly one of the most violent films ever made in my opinion, but full of amazing action and performances that make it worth watching.
1). Upgrade
This combines cyberpunk with a death wish style revenge fantasy. In this action movie, after going to the bad part of a neighborhood, a man is crippled and his wife is killed. In order to help him, an employer gives him a chip that helps him walk. The chip can speak to him and helps him track down the people responsible for murdering his wife. This movie is full of dark comedy and amazing action scenes that will leave you in awe. The story is a thrill ride with twists and turns. This movie will also give you an appreciation for cybernetic enhancements.
Ryan Hill can be reached at [email protected].