Throughout 2024, several different exciting events action movies made it to the big screen, but not everyone got their due. The best action movies of 2024 attracted significant public attention last year. Film production is constantly evolving and this year's harvest was enormous. It's a privilege to have enough action movies in a year to have subcategories in the action genre, like the best war movies of 2024. With such an influx of action movies this year, It's inevitable that some hidden gems have gone completely unnoticed.
With the current media oversaturation, every year a few films that deserve more will be deprived of recognition. Like the best fights in 2024 movies, these films are as fleeting as they are entertaining. It's a shame to see so many of these action-packed films go unnoticed, as they deserve a chance at entertainment. With so many action movies releasing in 2024, It's inevitable that some films have gone unnoticed, but they can be watched now that they've hit streaming.
10
Protect yourself
A sniper's battle against invisible opponents
Take Cover, directed by Nick McKinless, is a tense thriller about a professional sniper trapped in an all-glass penthouse by a deadly rival. Trapped in a dangerous game of survival, he must outwit his opponent with minimal protection, navigating the confined space to escape the threat.
Protect yourself features Scott Adkins as Sam, a professional sniper involved in a deadly game inside an all-glass enclosure. This film, directed by Nick McKinless, also stars Alice Eve, who gives a decisive performance as the scheming Tamara. The sensation is high in Protect yourself, with claustrophobic tension and strategic combat providing the film with some of its best moments. The action film plays heavily with concepts like Adkin's martial arts and the visually stunning glass environment that encompasses the very meaning of suspense. Protect yourself checks a lot of boxes that make it worthy of 2024's close eye.
However, it was simply overshadowed by big action hits, resulting in a modest box office performance. With a quick 85-minute runtime, Protect yourself is thought-provoking yet generally easy to understand. It avoids CGI stunts and green screen while still providing a visceral plot. Unfortunately, it got lost in a sea of other action releases, but Protect yourself It shouldn't have been forgotten the way it was.
9
The killer's game
A killer's unexpected fight for survival
A killer named Joe is diagnosed with a terminal illness and decides to end his life on his own terms, attacking himself. When he discovers that the diagnosis was a mistake, he must escape the world's deadliest assassins who now target him. The action-packed narrative follows Joe as he fights for survival while confronting his past decisions and the relentless killers hunting him.
The killer's game stars Dave Bautista as Joe Flood. This film features an intriguing plot, while Bautista portrays an experienced killer whose terminal misdiagnosis leads him to sign a contract on his own life. Directed by JJ Perry, known since John Wickis welcome in this film, as the intense action turns to dark humor. Sofia Boutella's co-star only adds more depth to the narrative with a delightful subplot that intertwines romance and danger.
Despite an extremely promising concept, direction and cast, The killer's game he gasped when it was time to approach the ticket booth. It grossed just $5.9 million against a budget of $30 million, and mixed reviews further damaged the film's popularity. It's a shame to see such a large-scale film perform so poorly in theaters, but it really seemed to be just bad luck on top of everything else. The killer's game it had a great team of actors, a medium budget and a fun plot. It had everything it needed to compete with other action films in 2024, but with a quick transition to VOD and digital platforms, We hope this film finds a second chance.
8
Red Right Hand
A descent into the complexity of crime
Red Right Hand is an action thriller directed by Ian and Eshom Nelms and released in 2024. Having isolated himself in a rural town with his niece, whom he now cares for, Cash tries to live out his days in peace. However, his world is destroyed when a cruel criminal boss named Big Cat forces him to work for her and tests the limits of how far he will go to protect his family.
Red Right Hand is a gripping action thriller that fits perfectly into 2024's impressive lineup of productions. Orlando Bloom's performance is as notable as the Nelms brothers' direction, with the film effectively exploring themes of loyalty and redemption. Set against the backdrop of Kentucky, Andie MacDowell's compelling performance as Big Cat offers audiences an enigmatic antagonist that can only be understood with time.
Despite an intriguing premise and strong performances from the cast, Red Right Hand It went completely unnoticed under the radar. Its box office returns were modest at best. Limited marketing and distribution likely contributed to the film's low visibility among audiences, and it just didn't thrive in a 2024 action movie environment. It's a shame to see a film like this live an unsuccessful life, but there's also not much that could have been done considering its low-effort release.
7
Borders
A chaotic search for intergalactic treasure
Based on the video game franchise, Borderlands is a sci-fi action comedy film that follows Cate Blanchett as Lilith, a treasure hunter who returns to her home planet of Pandora to find a tycoon's missing daughter. Along with a group of unlikely allies, such as a soldier, a teenage demolitions expert, a clever robot, and an eccentric scientist, the group will work together to save the girl – all while learning to deal with each other's unyielding quirks.
With an entire award-winning video game franchise to enjoy, this is really strange Borders' adaptation was as neglected as it was. Although it seems generic Guardians of the Galaxy imitation at times, Jack Black's quirky jokes about Claptrap and Eli Roth's direction continue Borders fun and captivating for most of the film's one hour and 41 minute running time. Despite these minor flaws, a 2024 adaptation of such a beloved video game franchise should have fared much better, grossing well over $33 million against its massive budget.
With every scene containing at least some form of fan favoritism, it's difficult to watch Borders and not to be amused or enchanted by its honest execution. Despite its justified cheesiness flaws, the franchise's popularity gives the film some leeway in falling into these common video game adaptation pitfalls. At the end of the day, Borders It's a pure novelty that can be enjoyed by both fans of the game and newcomers. It shouldn't be taken so seriously, and it's confusing that the film lost steam so quickly despite its additional $30 million budget on marketing and distribution alone.
6
Wolves
A dynamic duo's high-risk collaboration
Wolfs is an action and suspense film written and directed by Jon Watts, and shows the on-screen reunion of Brad Pitt and George Clooney after almost fifteen years. The film centers on two fixers who come together when they are both hired for the same job.
Wolves reunites George Clooney and Brad Pitt as rival “fixers” forced to collaborate on an intense mission. The conflicting energies of these two Hollywood heavyweights should have deserved much more acclaim, especially with Spider-ManJon Watts as the film's director. The chemistry between Clooney and Pitt is fun and reminiscent of their Ocean Eleven collaborations. It's the ultimate comfort meal of a 2024 action movie, which makes things even more confusing as to why this film feels so underrated.
Wolves did a great job of giving movie lovers an exciting movie to enjoy. Small flaws may have pointed to an open grave for Wolves to watch, but the films' limited theatrical release and quick transition to Apple TV+ is what really seemed to put the nails in the coffin. Despite the box office drama, Wolves It has since become Apple TV+'s most-watched film, which continues to be a proud testament to its underrated, slow-burn nature. Although it has finally found its true audience, Wolves It should have done better at the box office and stayed in theaters much longer.
5
The Union
A gripping story of loyalty and betrayal
The Union is an upcoming film that explores the intersection of several characters' lives as they navigate complex relationships, personal struggles, and social issues.
The Union only further carries the torch of underappreciated potential with Julian Farino's direction closely following unsuspecting individuals navigating treacherous alliances. With performances by Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry The Union does an excellent job of keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. It represents a bridge between performance fueled by the popularity of Borders and the true cinematic genius of Thelma. These films, while underrated, exist across a wide spectrum of overall quality, and The Union remains a defining inflection point.
Despite its definitive cinematic brilliance, The Union went unnoticed at the box office. It was once again overshadowed by major blockbusters and lacked a world-renowned video game franchise like Borders to backup. The UnionThe underrated status stems from its limited marketing, as well as an unfortunate release strategy that confined it to select theaters. Happily, The Union has since gained a cult following, with its underrated charm growing day by day.
4
Elevation
An adrenaline-filled adventure above the clouds
In the post-apocalyptic Rocky Mountains, a father and two women risk their lives facing monstrous creatures to save a young boy.
Elevation is the pulse of a journey that thrives on high-altitude action, directed by modern visionary George Nolfi. This film stars action moguls Anthony Mackie and Maddie Hasson, two roles that amply complement the film's larger-than-life portrayal. The use of cutting-edge cinematography marks each moment as a thrilling masterpiece, with illustrious visual components working together seamlessly to provide viewers with an immersive, airy journey.
Surprisingly, Elevation It didn’t make a splash at the box office. Many believe it may be due to the film's niche appeal. Innovative special effects and a tightly woven narrative push the boundaries of the action genre, and fans who give this film a chance are greeted with nothing but excellence. With a pressurized run, Elevation takes audiences to new heights – literally. It's an underrated gem, and the only thing that brings it down is the fact that it's not for everyone, although it's definitely worth diving into.
3
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled
A dystopian clash of titanic forces
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled presents a gripping detective saga about an unhappy refugee. Its cast is perfect, with notable contributions from Louis Koo and Terrance Lau. With a narrative that investigates themes of power, sacrifice and resilience, Twilight of the Warriors is an underrated powerhouse worth watching.
With the strong competition from conventional launches, Twilight of the Warriors has all the necessary components to be popularly received. He just struggled to find a foothold to avoid falling into the ever-widening abyss of forgettable films. Presenting a layered reality that is addictive to watch, It's surprising that this film had trouble resonating with mass audiences. At the same time, it is lovingly praised for its authentic choreography and convincing world-building. It may be too early to say that there is still a lot of promise surrounding its production, but from a box office perspective, this film is heavily underrated.
2
Thelma
A tireless quest for revenge
Thelma is a 2024 comedy film written and directed by Josh Margolin. Thelma Post finds herself broke and more when a fraudster pretends to be her grandson. Unwilling to sit back and let herself be a victim, she heads into the city to find the perpetrator and take back what is hers.
When it comes to seeming too specific or strange to the audience, Thelma completely unique Elevationwhich says a lot. With Tom Cruise's approval Mission: Impossible footage of this action film led by a 94-year-old star, Thelma features perhaps the most unexpected main character ever for an action film. It would make more sense for Ted to Ted star in a film like this before June Squibb, but the public was present at every step of the process, or at least some publics.
Once again, just as Elevation, Thelma it crosses too many boundaries in the realm of action films to be well-received by today's masses. Its contrasting dark and gritty theme is too much for mainstream consumers, and with so much competition in terms of other action films, it was too easy to Thelma be misunderstood by the public. Despite this gray area, Thelma is a progressive masterpiece that relishes the raw intensity of a strong, elderly female protagonist, making it extremely close to being the most underrated action film of 2024.
1
Monkey Man
A wild ride through chaos and heroism
Monkey Man is a 2024 action thriller film directed by and starring Dev Patel. After his release from prison, a man known as “Kid” makes a living by participating in anonymous underground fights wearing a mask, where he is beaten every night. However, after witnessing greed and corruption consuming his city, Kid breaks into the upper echelon of society to find those who destroyed his life and take them down.
Monkey Manalone the most underrated action film of 2024, offers a unique blend of action and humor. Dev Patel's thrilling and brutal action film has a lot of heart and depth, centering on an unlikely hero with extraordinary abilities. Patel did an excellent job directing this masterpiece, with Sobhita Dhulipala and Sharlto Copley holding notable places in the film's cast. As the Monkey Man navigates a city in pain, many fight scenes are even more inventive than those in Thelma.
With all the ingredients needed to create the perfect 2024 action movie, Monkey Man fell short of its public reception. Similar to BordersThis film was liked at first, but the flames quickly burned out, again likely due to the sheer number of mainstream competitors. Praised as refreshing action that defies typical genre expectations Monkey Man It was a cinematic achievement for everyone involved. It was surprisingly overlooked by the major studios and managed to build at least some sort of audience, but given the results and the film in question, Monkey Man is, without a doubt, the most underrated action movie 2024.