(Photo by Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection. The Running Man.)
The latest: Edgar Wright and Glen Powell team up to remake a Stephen King classic with The Running Man.
We’re cutting to the chase: The most recent highest-rated action movies for 2025, to satisfy all your stunt-driving, barrel-smashing, limb-pummeling urges. The list begins with some of 2025’s Certified Fresh movies, followed by Fresh, and then Rotten-rated movies with popular audience choices among them. As new 2025 movies roll in, older films from earlier in the year or 2024 are dropped off the charts.
Critics Consensus: Sleek in design and spiked with dry wit, Black Bag is an exemplary espionage caper that lets movie stars like Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender do what they do best -- light up the screen.
Synopsis: BLACK BAG is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn. When she [More]
Critics Consensus: An epic screwball adventure teeming with awe-inspiring action set pieces, One Battle After Another is Paul Thomas Anderson's most entertaining film yet while also one of his most thematically rich.
Synopsis: Bob is a washed-up revolutionary who lives in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited and self-reliant [More]
Critics Consensus: Plunking the Predator into a series of inspired matchups with a striking visual palette, Killer of Killers is a lean, mean, and just plain awesome addition to the iconic sci-fi franchise.
Synopsis: The anthology story follows three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on [More]
Critics Consensus: Animated with infectious energy and vibrant colors, KPop Demon Hunters is jaunty family entertainment with a terrific soundtrack to boot.
Synopsis: When they aren't selling out stadiums, Kpop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey use their secret identities as badass demon hunters [More]
Critics Consensus: A nerve-jangling thriller that exposes how reactionary extremism can lead to a road of destruction, Sovereign is ruled by Nick Offerman's unforgettably unhinged performance.
Synopsis: Inspired by real events, SOVEREIGN is a tense and provocative true crime thriller about a father and his teenage son [More]
Critics Consensus: Narratively cut to the bone and geared up with superb filmmaking craft, Warfare evokes the primal terror of combat with unnerving power.
Synopsis: Written and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland (Civil War, 28 Days Later), Warfare embeds audiences [More]
Critics Consensus: Like any good improv comedy skit, Deep Cover treats an amusing setup with a freewheeling sense of fun while giving each of its performers their time to shine.
Synopsis: DEEP COVER is a fast-paced action comedy starring Bryce Dallas Howard as Kat, an improv comedy teacher beginning to question [More]
Critics Consensus: Assembling a ragtag band of underdogs with Florence Pugh as their magnetic standout, Thunderbolts* refreshingly returns to the tried-and-true blueprint of the MCU's best adventures.
Synopsis: In "Thunderbolts*," Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes -- Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and [More]
Critics Consensus: With Liam Neeson's gravelly gravitas proving to be a perfect fit for Frank Drebin's deadpan buffoonery, The Naked Gun revives the original trilogy's daffy sense of humor like it never went out of style.
Synopsis: Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world! [More]
Critics Consensus: Benefitting from rock-solid cast chemistry and clad in appealingly retro 1960s design, this crack at The Fantastic Four does Marvel's First Family justice.
Synopsis: Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" introduces Marvel's First [More]
Critics Consensus: Like the original, The Toxic Avenger isn't for everyone -- but viewers seeking an extremely gory, extremely silly good time won't be disappointed.
Synopsis: When a downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze, is exposed to a catastrophic toxic accident, he's transformed into a new kind of [More]
Critics Consensus: Director Dan Trachtenberg continues to take the Predator franchise in exciting new directions with Badlands, a rollicking adventure that transforms one of cinema's most iconic brutes into a hero worth rooting for.
Synopsis: "Predator: Badlands," which stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, is set in the future on a remote planet, where a [More]
Critics Consensus: Spike Lee and Denzel Washington remix a classic with vibrantly contemporary results in Highest 2 Lowest, a swaggering thriller that lovingly showcases New York City.
Synopsis: When a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the "best ears in the business", is targeted with [More]
Critics Consensus: Pulling off the heroic feat of fleshing out a dynamic new world while putting its champion's big, beating heart front and center, this Superman flies high as a Man of Tomorrow grounded in the here and now.
Synopsis: When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, giving tech billionaire Lex Luthor the [More]
Critics Consensus: Driven by Brad Pitt's laidback magnetism and sporting a souped-up engine courtesy of Joseph Kosinski's kinetic direction, F1 The Movie brings vintage cool across the finish line.
Synopsis: Dubbed "the greatest that never was," Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1's most promising phenom of the 1990s until [More]
Critics Consensus: Getting an adrenaline shot from Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder's considerable charm while finding increasingly demented ways to utilize its concept, Novocaine is the opposite of a pain to watch.
Synopsis: When the girl of his dreams (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, everyman Nate (Jack Quaid) turns his inability to feel pain [More]
Critics Consensus: Gargantuan in action, runtime, and scope, The Final Reckoning is a sentimental sendoff for Ethan Hunt that accomplishes its mission with a characteristic flair for the impossible.
Synopsis: Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. [More]
Critics Consensus: Ratcheting up the tension to a riveting degree, Last Breath tells a remarkable true story with the utmost efficiency and a dependably terrific performance from Woody Harrelson.
Synopsis: A heart-pounding film that follows seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crewmate trapped hundreds [More]
Critics Consensus: Crafted with loving fidelity to the animated classic by original co-director Dean DeBlois, How to Train Your Dragon doesn't best the first iteration but still reaches enchanting heights of its own.
Synopsis: On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The [More]
Critics Consensus: While frumpy action-hero Hutch Mansell tries to enjoy a nice vacation, Bob Odenkirk works overtime to make Nobody 2 a diverting sequel that measures up admirably to the original.
Synopsis: Workaholic assassin Hutch Mansell takes his family on a much-needed vacation to the small tourist town of Plummerville. However, he [More]
Critics Consensus: Josh Hartnett's go-for-broke performance gives Fight of Flight wings, sustaining this daffy action-comedy at an entertaining cruising altitude that refreshingly doesn't wear out its welcome.
Synopsis: Exiled American agent Lucas Reyes (Josh Hartnett) is given one last chance to redeem himself -- the assignment is to [More]
Critics Consensus: Equipping a steely Ana de Armas with creatively brutal action choreography and a pleasingly kooky origin story, Ballerina pirouettes gracefully onto the Wickverse's centerstage.
Synopsis: Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) [More]
Critics Consensus: Improving on the original by leaning into Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal's buddy comedy chemistry, The Accountant 2 can safely be filed under a good time at the movies.
Synopsis: Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a [More]
Critics Consensus: A marvel of state-of-the-art puppetry and visual effects, The Legend of Ochi elevates its predictable story with enchanting presentation.
Synopsis: In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a shy farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an [More]
Critics Consensus: Visually slick, thrillingly bloody, and provocatively intense, The Old Woman with the Knife is elevated by Lee Hye-Young's ferociously compelling performance.
Synopsis: Aging assassin Hornclaw has seen it all, but she never expected to mentor a reckless rookie like Bullfight. As their [More]
Synopsis: Framed and left for dead by the ruthless prosecutor he once served, Kang-su--a cunning drug informant--finds himself crippled and locked [More]
Critics Consensus:Heads of State's lighthearted handling of geopolitics may be too cute by half, but the comedic alliance between Idris Elba and John Cena remains strong in this slick action flick.
Synopsis: In the action-comedy Heads of State, UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) [More]
Critics Consensus: Marking writer-director John Maclean's welcome return to the Western genre, Tornado's melange of tones doesn't always cohere but is unique enough to be worth giving a whirl.
Synopsis: Set in the rugged landscape of 1790s Britain, Tornado (Kōki) is a young and determined Japanese woman who finds herself [More]
Critics Consensus: An anemic crime saga punctuated with bravura action sequences, Havoc may feel like a retread of director Gareth Evans' past glories but, for audiences addicted to his balletic style, the formula still rips.
Synopsis: Walker (Tom Hardy) is a bruised detective fighting his way through the criminal underworld threatening to engulf his entire city. [More]
Critics Consensus: Spiritedly sprinting through grim source material, Edgar Wright's The Running Man doesn't live up to the director's high bar for inventive action extravaganzas but maintains a slick stride.
Synopsis: In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television--a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, [More]
Critics Consensus: Rami Malek is a compellingly unconventional action hero in the otherwise formulaic The Amateur, which dispenses justice with solid execution but a curious lack of emotional stakes.
Synopsis: Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) is a brilliant, but deeply introverted decoder for the CIA working out of a basement office [More]
Critics Consensus: Mixing multiple genres, The Gorge makes for a surprisingly endearing romance until its action-thriller obligations steer proceedings back onto a more predictable path.
Synopsis: Two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a [More]
Critics Consensus:Pantera trades the original Den of Thieves' self-seriousness for a more winking lightheartedness that doesn't entirely smooth over its familiarity but ought to satisfy those hankering for absolute Dad Cinema.
Synopsis: Gerard Butler (Plane, Has Fallen series) and O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Out of Compton, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) return [More]
Critics Consensus:M3gan 2.0 swaps the original's horror software for a more action-leaning programming that doesn't prove to be an upgrade, although the quippy A.I. remains an amusing mascot of slay.
Synopsis: Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous (and impeccably choreographed) rampage [More]
Critics Consensus: Leaning heavily on the nostalgic appeal of Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio's return to the Karate Kid franchise, Legends could be more disciplined with its technique but still lands some crowd pleasing strikes.
Synopsis: Karate Kid: Legends unites the iconic martial arts masters of one of the most beloved film franchises of all time [More]
Critics Consensus: High fantasy noticeably constrained by a relatively low budget, Red Sonja doesn't overcome its limitations but does have enough moxie to be a respectable B-movie effort.
Synopsis: Captured. Chained. Forced to fight for survival. Red Sonja must battle her way through the blood-soaked pits of a tyrant's [More]
Critics Consensus: Too straight-faced to have as much fun with its juicy premise as it could, G20 is more pedestrian than presidential but does have a commanding lead in Viola Davis.
Synopsis: When the G20 summit comes under siege, U.S. President Danielle Sutton (Academy Award® winner Viola Davis) becomes the number one [More]
Critics Consensus: A sensory feast of vivid neon hues and a hypnotic soundtrack, Tron: Ares is gorgeous to behold but too narratively programmatic to achieve an authentically human dimension.
Synopsis: "TRON: Ares" follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on [More]
Critics Consensus: Daisy Ridley's credible action chops and Martin Campbell's smooth direction keep Cleaner from being a mess, but this thriller borrows one too many elements from better predecessors to have a polished identity of its own.
Synopsis: Set in present-day London, a group of radical activists take over an energy company's annual gala, seizing 300 hostages in [More]
Critics Consensus: Going back to basics with rip-roaring set pieces and fossilized clichés, Jurassic World Rebirth doesn't evolve this prehistoric franchise but does restore some of its most reliable DNA.
Synopsis: Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet's ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining [More]
Synopsis: An elite team of Special Forces commandos (Max Martini, LaMonica Garrett, Linds Edwards) is abducted mid-operation by a mysterious spacecraft [More]
Critics Consensus:London Calling struggles to execute its promising premise, delivering a second-tier crime comedy where cheap laughs and tired tropes overshadow flashes of fun and character chemistry.
Synopsis: After fleeing the UK from a job gone wrong, a down on his luck hitman is forced to babysit the [More]
Critics Consensus: Ostensibly a film about celebrating creativity, A Minecraft Movie provides a colorful sandbox for Jack Black and Jason Momoa to amusingly romp around in a story curiously constructed from conventional building blocks.
Synopsis: Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn't just help you craft, it's essential to one's survival! Four misfits--Garrett [More]
Critics Consensus: An efficient action flick that delivers on the meat and potatoes of a Jason Statham vehicle while skimping out on the personality, A Working Man clocks in and out without much fuss or flair.
Synopsis: Levon Cade left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life working construction. But [More]
Critics Consensus: Anthony Mackie capably takes up Cap's mantle and shield, but Brave New World is too routine and overstuffed with uninteresting easter eggs to feel like a worthy standalone adventure for this new Avengers leader.
Synopsis: Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero Sam Wilson, who's officially taken up the mantle of Captain America. After meeting [More]
Critics Consensus:Play Dirty marks a welcome return for writer-director Shane Black to the realm of wisecracking crime thriller, but haphazard execution makes this vehicle less of a comeback and more just low-stakes mucking around.
Synopsis: An expert thief rolls out the biggest heist of his life in Play Dirty, an action-packed thriller from director Shane [More]
Critics Consensus: Despite its glossy production and some impressive set pieces, Fountain of Youth can't overcome a derivative and uninspired story that fails to capture the creativity of the countless action-adventure flicks it cribs from.
Synopsis: A treasure-hunting mastermind assembles a team for a big adventure. But to outwit and outrun threats at every turn, he'll [More]
Critics Consensus:Shadow Force is a painfully generic action film weighed down by a lackluster script, predictable twists, and a sentimental undertone that fails to resonate.
Synopsis: In SHADOW FORCE, Kyrah (Kerry Washington) and Isaac (Omar Sy) were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group [More]
Critics Consensus: With Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson's comedic chemistry fatally unbalanced, it's left to a game Keke Palmer and Eva Longoria to pick up the slack as The Pickup puts down too little.
Synopsis: In the action-comedy The Pickup, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell [More]
Critics Consensus: Squandering George R.R. Martin's source material on an incomprehensible eyesore, Paul W.S. Anderson's In the Lost Lands could use its own map out of the wilderness.
Synopsis: Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and based on George R.R. Martin's short story, the story centers on a queen who, [More]
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