Science fiction is a surprisingly flexible genre. It goes quite well with numerous other genres, from horror to comedy, drama, thriller, and even its polar opposite, fantasy. However, science fiction and action are natural allies; many of the best sci-fis in cinematic history are non-stop action pieces that leave audiences in awe.
The 2010s and early 2020s produced several incredible action sci-fi films that quickly became critical and commercial hits. These pictures represent the best of both genres and prove how naturally and effortlessly they go together, combining to bring out the best in each other.
10 ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ (2021)
Lana Wachowski returned to co-write and direct The Matrix Resurrections, a sequel to the 2003 film The Matrix Revolutions. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss reprise their roles as Neo and Trinity alongside newcomers Yahya Abdul-Mateen, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jonathan Groff. Set sixty years after Revolutions, the plot centers on Neo living in a new version of the Matrix but feeling like something isn’t right.
Resurrections is an admittedly bizarre film. Openly critical of its existence, the film is an indictment of the franchise-driven entertainment landscape, with Wachowski opting for a ballsy uncompromising approach in her critique. The result is a tonally uneven product that has Wachowski’s brilliant ideas in spades but never reconciles them with the film’s larger story. The action sequences remain top-notch, confirming The Matrix‘s legacy as a groundbreaking sci-fi epic.
9 ‘Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
The MCU received a much-needed dose of brazing originality with James Gunn‘s 2014 space opera Guardians of the Galaxy. The film follows the titular team, a collection of ragtag bandits who join to stop a ruthless warlord from getting a powerful weapon that could destroy the universe.
Guardians of the Galaxy proudly stands among the all-time best space operas. Funny, witty, and emotionally poignant, the film is the MCU at its best, with a brilliant and memorable ensemble that makes the most out of Gunn’s trademark humor. However, it never forgets the emotional core at its center, balancing it with the many action-packed sequences fans expect from their Marvel content. Guardians of the Galaxy launched a successful trilogy that ended this year on a high note, proving that this parade of cosmic a-holes is the best team in the MCU.
8 ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ (2017)
The Star Wars sequel trilogy remains divisive. Many consider it unnecessary and uneven, a disservice to the saga and a bastardization of George Lucas‘ beloved trilogy; others disagree. However, no film in the new trilogy is more contentious than the middle entry, Rian Johnson‘s controversial The Last Jedi. The film follows Rey’s training under a reluctant and jaded Luke Skywalker while the crumbling Resistance struggles against an attack from the First Order.
Love it or hate it, it’s undeniable that The Last Jedi is a bold and wildly original picture, especially in a franchise that seems too enamored with its past to try anything new. The Last Jedi is a thrilling, cohesive adventure that dares to introduce new themes into the saga, adding twisting new ideas while delivering showstopping action sequences that rank among the series’ best. More importantly, The Last Jedi is a profound meditation on legacy, asking its audience to look beyond the totems of the past and into the exciting possibilities of the future; unfortunately, it was a message not many wanted to hear.
7 ‘Black Panther (2018)
Ryan Coogler joined the MCU with the 2018 superhero adventure Black Panther. The late Chadwick Boseman stars as T’Challa, Wakanda’s new king who must balance his roles as ruler and hero when challenged by his cousin, Killmonger, an extremist seeking to launch a worldwide revolution using Wakanda’s technology.
Black Panther does what many comic book adaptations fail to: it effortlessly deals with topical issues about race and power dynamics, legacy, honor, and duty, while delivering the larger-than-life action that made Marvel such a force in the entertainment industry. Black Panther is the rare superhero movie that balances genres, mixing spectacular, riveting action with humor and gravitas, crafting a triumphant achievement that Marvel hasn’t been able to replicate since.
6 ‘Snowpiercer’ (2013)
Chris Evans leads a large ensemble in Bong Joon-ho‘s post-apocalyptic action thriller Snowpiercer. Set in a globe-trotting train carrying the last remnants of humanity, Snowpiercer follows Curtis, the leader of the train’s lower-class passengers, who ignites a revolt against the ruling elite.
Featuring an impressive collection of A-list actors supported by Bong’s trademark bold and uncompromising vision, Snowpiercer is the antidote to the soulless, factory-produced blockbusters that dominated the 2010s. The film is gripping and anxious, dealing with timely socio-political issues while offering electrifying action sequences that deftly juggle violence and grit. Like the best sci-fi films, Snowpiercer isn’t shy about its real-world observations, dealing with climate change, class struggle, and totalitarianism through exuberant and visually-stunning spectacle.
5 ‘Edge Of Tomorrow’ (2014)
Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt make a formidable action pairing in Doug Liman‘s action sci-fi Edge of Tomorrow. Cruise plays Major William Cage, a PR officer thrust into a war against an invading alien force. Wholly unprepared, Cage finds himself trapped in a time loop, repeatedly dying and reliving the same day.
Cerebral but riveting, Edge of Tomorrow is the best of the Cruise/Liman collaborations. Aided by a spectacularly badass turn from Blunt, Edge of Tomorrow is the best kind of action sci-fi, offering thought-provoking and challenging ideas perfectly contrasted by electrifying action sequences. The film isn’t afraid to ask too much from its audience, telling a complex but rewarding story that ranks among the all-time best sci-fi narratives.
4 ‘Looper’ (2012)
Rian Johnson‘s first approach to blockbuster filmmaking was the 2012 action sci-fi Looper. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Joe, a “looper” hired to kill targets sent from the future. Things take a dangerous turn when his older version travels to the past to kill a child destined to become a dangerous and decisive figure.
Looper is a thoughtful, layered, and gripping action thriller featuring commendable performances from Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt. The screenplay benefits from Johnson’s curiosity and desire to go the extra mile, offering a relentlessly twisting narrative that will keep audiences guessing. Looper subverts time travel tropes, resulting in a visceral, unconventional action thriller that proves fancy visual effects aren’t necessary to tell an exciting and rewarding sci-fi story.
3 ‘Inception’ (2010)
Christopher Nolan is the modern master of the cerebral sci-fi. The director turned commercial filmmaking into an art form, crafting challenging narratives that balance their weighty themes with jaw-dropping action setpieces; his 2010 sci-fi Inception is the best example of this unique ability. Leonardo DiCaprio leads an impressive ensemble in a story about a crew of thieves who perform their heists in the world of dreams while their targets are unconscious.
Inception is Nolan at his best. The film is smart, demanding, ingenious, and striking, offering action setpiece after action setpiece in service of a remarkably clever story. Boasted by DiCaprio’s inexhaustible charisma and guided by Nolan’s firm hand, Inception is a masterful blockbuster that ranks leagues above other entries in the crowded sci-fi genre.
2 ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
Mad Max: Fury Road was George Miller‘s triumphant return to the franchise that first made him a household name. Tom Hardy stars as Max Rockatansky, alongside Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa. In the film, Max and Furiosa join forces against Immortan Joe, a warlord and the tyrannical ruler of the Citadel.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to call Fury Road the best action movie of the 2010s. Full of eye-popping action sequences and deftly dealing with topical themes like feminism and survival, Fury Road is a superior entry into the sci-fi and action genres, a one-of-a-kind picture that challenges perceptions and expectations. Radical yet cohesive and satisfying, Fury Road is the perfect marriage of action and dystopian science fiction.
1 ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ (2022)
The Daniels‘ absurd, genre-bending film Everything Everywhere All at Once stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis in their Oscar-winning performances. The plot centers on Evelyn Wang, a Chinese-American woman who finds herself in the middle of a multiversal war against an all-powerful being.
Everything Everywhere All at Once defies definitions. The film is an erratic clash of genres – sci-fi, action, martial arts, absurdist comedy, and fantasy, all collide to create a delirious masterpiece of modern cinema. Featuring several ridiculously memorable fight scenes that showcase Yeoh’s well-known martial arts mastery, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a truly unique cinematic experience that needs to be seen to be believed.