Here are Cinephile Corner’s picks for the 10 best action movies of 2025, ranked:
10. Avatar: Fire and Ash
I had fun, and the filmmaking is rarely less than impressive, but Avatar: Fire and Ash is named for a new corner of Pandora that it only partially explores. If these films are going to keep coming, I want Cameron to keep pushing into unfamiliar terrain instead of returning to the same interpersonal circuits. Otherwise, what is the point of having a world this big?
9. M3GAN 2.0
M3GAN 2.0 swings for a full-on tonal reboot, the way The Terminator gave way to the splashier Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Where the first M3GAN flirted with straight-faced tech horror, this sequel leans into gonzo slapstick and meme-ready absurdity. It’s not remotely on T2’s level, but the embrace of outlandish fun suits this IP better than pretending it’s solemn. The result: a breezier, dumber, intermittently very entertaining sequel.
8. Ballerina
Considering the rocky production history behind it, Ballerina emerges as a competent entry in the John Wick universe – though one that never quite matches the highs of the mainline films. At its center, Ana de Armas delivers a strong performance as Eve, bringing physicality and grit to a role that demands both, while the action – particularly in the second half – benefits greatly from the influence of Chad Stahelski, who stepped in alongside Keanu Reeves to help reshape much of the film after original director Len Wiseman’s version assumingly faltered.
7. Predator: Killer of Killers
Predator: Killer of Killers isn’t a knockout, but it is a welcome risk. It continues the rejuvenation of the franchise that Prey began and suggests that Predator: Badlands could be the most expansive, adventurous installment yet. For fans of the series or genre animation in general, it’s worth the watch. It’s smart, visually distinctive, and interested in more than just the hunt.
6. TRON: Ares
TRON: Ares arrives with a lot working against it. I skipped it in theaters after the rough word of mouth and because this is a franchise I have never felt much for. TRON has always struck me as sleek and narratively thin, and TRON: Legacy doubled down on the clunk. Joachim Rønning takes the reins here, with Jared Leto in the lead and Greta Lee in support, and on paper that did not inspire confidence. What surprised me is that I had more fun than expected, even if the film is still a mixed bag.
5. Warfare
Warfare is the kind of war film that forgoes grandiosity in favor of raw, boots-on-the-ground immediacy, and the result is a lean, harrowing experience that feels startlingly real. Co-directed by Alex Garland and former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza, the film comes just a year after Garland’s more polarizing and thematically ambiguous Civil War – a movie that aspired to be a socio-political reckoning but often buckled under the weight of its own ideas. In contrast, Warfare is stripped down and visceral in a way that’s much more effective.
4. Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts* may not feature the most iconic names in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it finds unexpected strength in its emotional core and character-driven storytelling. Directed by Jake Schreier, making his MCU debut after co-directing the acclaimed series Beef, Thunderbolts* brings together a group of misfit characters from previous MCU movies and television series like Black Widow, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Ant-Man and the Wasp to form a surprisingly effective and introspective superhero team-up.
3. F1 The Movie
F1 The Movie is not in the same league as Top Gun: Maverick or Only the Brave, but it’s a clear step above Joseph Kosinski’s more uneven efforts like Tron: Legacy or Oblivion. It’s a little formulaic, a bit heavy-handed with its exposition, and sometimes hampered by one-note supporting characters. But when it’s in motion – when the cars are screaming down straights, weaving through chicanes, and risking it all on the final lap – it’s exactly the kind of summer movie spectacle we don’t get enough of anymore. Not a podium finish, but definitely worthy of a strong showing in the points.
2. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning may be Tom Cruise’s last run as Ethan Hunt, and while it’s far from perfect, it’s also everything that makes this franchise so enduring. Yes, the criticisms are fair: it’s unevenly paced, leans heavily on callbacks, and opens with more exposition and flashbacks than momentum. But once it locks into gear, this is another exhilarating entry in a series that has consistently redefined blockbuster action for nearly 30 years. For all its flaws, The Final Reckoning still delivers the kind of spectacle only Mission: Impossible can.
Read our full review of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
1. One Battle After Another
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is a movie of firsts that never feels tentative. It is his first modern-set feature since Punch-Drunk Love, his first collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio, and his first film of this scale, reportedly in the $130 to $175 million range. What is not new is the command. From the first explosion to the last chase, this is PTA in full control, turning a feverish political thriller into one of 2025’s most purely thrilling big-screen experiences.
READ MORE: 50 Best Movies of 2025, 10 Best Horror Movies of 2025, 10 Best A24 Movies of 2025
