This article is part of our 2020 Rewind. Follow along as we explore the best and most interesting movies, shows, performances, and more from this very strange year. In this entry, we scramble and search for the best action movies of 2020.
It’s admittedly far down the list of 2020’s offenses, but this has been an abysmal year for action movies. Several higher-profile movies that would most likely have earned a spot on this list have moved to 2021, some others were only released overseas, and plenty of smaller films just never went into production at all. It hasn’t affected all genres as evident by the abundance of terrific horror films released in 2020, but action movies took a real and tangible beating.
What does that mean for a list of the year’s twenty best action films? Well, it means several movies have landed a spot here that in a normal year would have managed only an honorable mention. It should also come as no surprise that Netflix landed more spots on the list than its originals would typically secure too. So yes, some of these are far from “great” action films, but guess what? They’re still the best US-released action flicks that 2020 had to offer. So keep reading for the best action movies of 2020!
20. The Beast (Italy)
19. The Outpost
18. Time to Hunt (South Korea)
17. Monster Hunter
Paul W.S. Anderson is no stranger to adapting videogames to the big screen, and Monster Hunter (my full review) lands somewhere between his Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil films. It’s a big creature feature with Milla Jovovich and Tony Jaa facing off against the big beasties, and there’s fun to be had in the carnage. The film ends before the third act really even begins, and some of the action is edited in a blender, but it’s an entertaining diversion thanks to the slaughter and some terrific CG monsters. Available to rent.
16. Peninsula (South Korea)
2016’s Train to Busan remains the rare genre hybrid that excels as both a horror film and an action flick, so it was never fair to expect the sequel to manage the same. What Peninsula (my full review) lacks in terror, though, it nearly makes up for with its premise involving a heist set during a zombie apocalypse. It gets a bit too cutesy with its child protagonists, but the car chases and zombie hordes combine to deliver some fun thrills and CG-assisted stunts. It’s solid entertainment. Available to rent.
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