The 2000s were a strange, great decade for action movies. Superheroes became legitimate box-office monsters, Bourne made everyone shake the camera for a few years, fantasy epics went huge, and old-school revenge movies still found room to punch through the noise.
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Best action movies from 2000 to 2009: the short version
- Best overall: The Dark Knight
- Best fantasy action: The Lord of the Rings trilogy
- Best spy/action reset: Casino Royale
- Best pure chaos: Crank
- Most influential action style: The Bourne movies
This list is still subjective, and that is half the fun. The line between action, fantasy, superhero, thriller, and horror gets messy fast, so I kept the spirit of the original ENT13 list: if it moves like an action movie and I still want to rewatch it, it belongs in the conversation.
Where to watch or buy these 2000s action movies
Streaming availability changes all the time, especially with older catalog movies. If one of these is a permanent rewatch for you, it is worth checking physical or digital options. You can browse 2000s action movies on Amazon.
If you want more rankings after this, the ENT13 movies section is where most of the arguing lives.
The top 50 action movies from 2000-2009
50. Collateral
(imdb)
49. Mr. & Mrs. Smith
(imdb)
48. Pitch Black
(imdb)
47. Swordfish
(imdb)
46. Constantine
(imdb)
45. Punisher: War Zone
(imdb)
44-1 are after the jump
44. Bad Boys 2
(imdb)
43. Underworld
(imdb)
42. Four Brothers
(imdb)
41. Domino
(imdb)
40. 16 Blocks
(imdb)
39. Running Scared
(imdb)
38. The Fast and the Furious
(imdb)
37. The Last Castle
(imdb)
36. Blade 2
(imdb)
35. Smokin Aces
(imdb)
34. Dog Soldiers
(imdb)
33. Equilibrium
(imdb)
32. The Transporter
(imdb)
31. The Italian Job
(imdb)
30. District B13/Ultimatum
(imdb)
29. Crank
(imdb)
28. Hellboy/Hellboy II
(imdb)
27. Mission Impossible 2
(imdb)
26. X-Men / X-Men: Last Stand (Not X-2)
(imdb)
25. Wanted
(imdb)
24. Transformers
(imdb)
23. Gone in 60 Seconds
(imdb)
22. District 9
(imdb)
21. Rambo
(imdb)
20. Shoot Em Up
(imdb)
19. 300
(imdb)
18. Avatar
(imdb)
17. Batman Begins
(imdb)
16. The Incredibles
(imdb)
15. Iron Man
(imdb)
14. V for Vendetta
(imdb)
13. Ong-Bak
(imdb)
12. Battle Royale
(imdb)
11. The Devil’s Rejects
(imdb)
10. Casino Royale
(imdb)
9. Spider-Man/Spider-Man 2
(imdb)
8. Black Hawk Down
(imdb)
7. The Bourne Movies
(imdb)
6. Gladiator
(imdb)
5. Kill Bill vol. 1/2
(imdb)
4. Sin City
(imdb)
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
(imdb)
2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
(imdb)
1. The Dark Knight
(imdb)
So there you have it, my list of the top 50 action movies of the 2000’s. Feel free to let me know what I got wrong in the comments or what I left out. I know I haven’t seen every action movie that’s come out so inform me of what I missed.
What is the best action movie of the 2000s?
The Dark Knight is still my number one because it works as a superhero movie, a crime movie, and a massive action thriller without feeling like it is begging to be loved. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the hardest challenger, and Casino Royale probably wins if you narrow the question to spy action.
Frequently asked questions
What were the best action movies of the 2000s?
The best action movies of the 2000s include The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Casino Royale, Gladiator, Kill Bill, The Bourne movies, Black Hawk Down, Spider-Man 2, Sin City, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Why is The Dark Knight ranked number one?
Because it is the rare blockbuster that still feels dangerous, character-driven, and huge. The action works, the villain works, and the movie has only gotten more locked into pop culture since 2008.
Do superhero movies count as action movies?
For this list, yes. A movie like Spider-Man 2, Iron Man, or The Dark Knight is built around action set pieces, physical stakes, and spectacle, even if it also belongs to the superhero genre.
What 2000s action movies are best to rewatch?
For easy rewatches, start with Casino Royale, The Bourne Identity, Pirates of the Caribbean, Kill Bill, The Dark Knight, Gladiator, Crank, and The Italian Job.
You can also browse more 2000s action movies on Amazon.
