The 10 Best Action Movies of 2023: High-Octane Thrills & Adrenaline Rushes
Posted on Jun 09, 2025
2023 was an incredible year for action cinema, delivering everything from jaw-dropping stunts to gripping fight choreography. Whether you love high-speed chases, martial arts showdowns, or explosive blockbusters, this year had it all.
Here’s our ranking of the 10 best action films of 2023 based on excitement, creativity, and sheer entertainment value.
1. John Wick: Chapter 4 (Dir. Chad Stahelski)
Why It’s Great: Keanu Reeves returns as the legendary assassin in the most ambitious John Wick film yet. With insane fight sequences, a breathtaking car chase in Paris, and an all-time great duel at the Sacré-Cœur, this movie pushes action filmmaking to new heights. Donnie Yen’s blind assassin, Caine, steals every scene.
Best Moment: The Dragon’s Breath shotgun scene in a neon-lit nightclub.
2. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Dir. Christopher McQuarrie)
Why It’s Great: Tom Cruise continues to defy death with real-life stunts, including a motorcycle cliff jump and a thrilling train sequence. The return of Hayley Atwell as a slippery thief adds fresh energy. While the AI villain feels a bit generic, the practical action is unmatched.
Best Moment: The Rome car chase with a tiny Fiat 500.
3. Extraction 2 (Dir. Sam Hargrave)
Why It’s Great: Chris Hemsworth is back as Tyler Rake, surviving a 21-minute one-take prison break that’s one of the most impressive action scenes ever filmed. The fights are brutal, the pacing relentless, and the emotional stakes higher than the first film.
Best Moment: The prison riot sequence pure chaos captured in a single shot.
4. The Killer (Dir. David Fincher)
Why It’s Great: A sleek, methodical thriller starring Michael Fassbender as a perfectionist assassin. While not as bombastic as other entries, the precise action, cold-blooded tension, and Fincher’s signature style make it a must-watch.
Best Moment: The brutal hand-to-hand fight in a Florida apartment.
5. Sisu (Dir. Jalmari Helander)
Why It’s Great: This Finnish WWII revenge film is like John Wick in the 1940s. A grizzled gold miner (Jorma Tommila) takes on Nazis in ridiculously violent, over-the-top ways. Think Rambo meets Inglourious Basterds pure, unapologetic fun.
Best Moment: The minefield scene sheer insanity.
6. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Dir. John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein)
Why It’s Great: A fantasy heist film packed with creative action, humor, and heart. Chris Pine leads a lovable band of misfits through sword fights, dragon chases, and magical chaos. The bridge resurrection scene is action-comedy gold. Best Moment: The portal-hopping chase sequence. 7. Polite Society (Dir. Nida Manzoor)
Why It’s Great: A martial arts comedy about a British-Pakistani teen (Priya Kansara) trying to save her sister from a shady wedding. The fights are playful yet fierce, blending Scott Pilgrim energy with Bollywood flair. Best Moment: The final showdown in a wedding dress. 8. Silent Night (Dir. John Woo)
Why It’s Great: The legendary John Woo returns with a dialogue-free revenge thriller starring Joel Kinnaman. The action is raw, brutal, and beautifully choreographed classic Woo gun-fu with a modern edge. Best Moment: The climactic one-man-army shootout. 9. Fast X (Dir. Louis Leterrier)
Why It’s Great: The Fast & Furious franchise keeps getting crazier, and this entry delivers bonkers stunts, Jason Momoa’s unhinged villain, and a Rome car chase involving a bomb-rolling through the streets. Pure, ridiculous fun. Best Moment: The dam collapse sequence physics-defying madness. 10. The Equalizer 3 (Dir. Antoine Fuqua)
Why It’s Great: Denzel Washington’s final outing as Robert McCall is stylish, brutal, and satisfying. The Sicilian setting adds beauty to the bloodshed, and the knife fight climax is a masterclass in tension. Best Moment: The wine cellar massacre. Final Thoughts: A Killer Year for Action
2023 proved that practical stunts, creative choreography, and bold filmmaking still rule action cinema. Whether you prefer gun-fu (John Wick 4), death-defying stunts (Mission: Impossible 7), or fantasy brawls (D&D), there was something for everyone. Which 2023 action film was your favorite? Did we miss any? Let’s discuss in the comments!
Why It’s Great: Keanu Reeves returns as the legendary assassin in the most ambitious John Wick film yet. With insane fight sequences, a breathtaking car chase in Paris, and an all-time great duel at the Sacré-Cœur, this movie pushes action filmmaking to new heights. Donnie Yen’s blind assassin, Caine, steals every scene.
Best Moment: The Dragon’s Breath shotgun scene in a neon-lit nightclub.
2. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Dir. Christopher McQuarrie)Why It’s Great: Tom Cruise continues to defy death with real-life stunts, including a motorcycle cliff jump and a thrilling train sequence. The return of Hayley Atwell as a slippery thief adds fresh energy. While the AI villain feels a bit generic, the practical action is unmatched.
Best Moment: The Rome car chase with a tiny Fiat 500.
3. Extraction 2 (Dir. Sam Hargrave)Why It’s Great: Chris Hemsworth is back as Tyler Rake, surviving a 21-minute one-take prison break that’s one of the most impressive action scenes ever filmed. The fights are brutal, the pacing relentless, and the emotional stakes higher than the first film.
Best Moment: The prison riot sequence pure chaos captured in a single shot.
4. The Killer (Dir. David Fincher)Why It’s Great: A sleek, methodical thriller starring Michael Fassbender as a perfectionist assassin. While not as bombastic as other entries, the precise action, cold-blooded tension, and Fincher’s signature style make it a must-watch.
Best Moment: The brutal hand-to-hand fight in a Florida apartment.
5. Sisu (Dir. Jalmari Helander)Why It’s Great: This Finnish WWII revenge film is like John Wick in the 1940s. A grizzled gold miner (Jorma Tommila) takes on Nazis in ridiculously violent, over-the-top ways. Think Rambo meets Inglourious Basterds pure, unapologetic fun.
Best Moment: The minefield scene sheer insanity.
6. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Dir. John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein)Why It’s Great: A fantasy heist film packed with creative action, humor, and heart. Chris Pine leads a lovable band of misfits through sword fights, dragon chases, and magical chaos. The bridge resurrection scene is action-comedy gold. Best Moment: The portal-hopping chase sequence. 7. Polite Society (Dir. Nida Manzoor)
Why It’s Great: A martial arts comedy about a British-Pakistani teen (Priya Kansara) trying to save her sister from a shady wedding. The fights are playful yet fierce, blending Scott Pilgrim energy with Bollywood flair. Best Moment: The final showdown in a wedding dress. 8. Silent Night (Dir. John Woo)
Why It’s Great: The legendary John Woo returns with a dialogue-free revenge thriller starring Joel Kinnaman. The action is raw, brutal, and beautifully choreographed classic Woo gun-fu with a modern edge. Best Moment: The climactic one-man-army shootout. 9. Fast X (Dir. Louis Leterrier)
Why It’s Great: The Fast & Furious franchise keeps getting crazier, and this entry delivers bonkers stunts, Jason Momoa’s unhinged villain, and a Rome car chase involving a bomb-rolling through the streets. Pure, ridiculous fun. Best Moment: The dam collapse sequence physics-defying madness. 10. The Equalizer 3 (Dir. Antoine Fuqua)
Why It’s Great: Denzel Washington’s final outing as Robert McCall is stylish, brutal, and satisfying. The Sicilian setting adds beauty to the bloodshed, and the knife fight climax is a masterclass in tension. Best Moment: The wine cellar massacre. Final Thoughts: A Killer Year for Action
2023 proved that practical stunts, creative choreography, and bold filmmaking still rule action cinema. Whether you prefer gun-fu (John Wick 4), death-defying stunts (Mission: Impossible 7), or fantasy brawls (D&D), there was something for everyone. Which 2023 action film was your favorite? Did we miss any? Let’s discuss in the comments!
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