The action film genre is often simplistic in premise, but can be seriously effective when executed well. High-octane, fast-paced action with meticulous choreography and daring stunts tends to be very memorable. The political intricacies that can guide a story take a backseat to the action at times, not that this means that action movies lack great stories. However, the Mission: Impossible movies have garnered a reputation for intense action and crazy Tom Cruise stunts, that have ultimately inspired the entire genre.
With the recent release of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, there is a revived hype surrounding the action genre once again. There may be no franchise that can match the consistency and pure adrenaline-fueled action of Mission: Impossible, but there are still plenty of movies out there that fit a similar mold. Whether they show off intense chase and fight scenes, daring stunts or just simply have Tom Cruise leading the way, these movies are worth checking out for fans of Mission: Impossible.
10 The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Before Dead Reckoning Part One arrived, Fallout was the standout Mission: Impossible movie. It starred Henry Cavill as August Walker, but this wasn’t Henry’s first role in a fast-paced action movie, as he was previously in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is a Guy Ritchie spy-action movie set in the 1960s, with a unique charm that persists throughout the stellar choreography and chaotic chase scenes.
Tom Cruise and Mission: Impossible naturally take their stunts to incomparable new heights, but The Man From U.N.C.L.E. still has plenty of intense action if its own. It has the classic high stakes of an action movie, but with lighter tones and more comedy than Mission: Impossible would ever think to explore.
9 Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Kingsman is a popular action franchise, but with the sequels having diminishing returns. Kingsman: The Secret Service released in 2014, and delved into various genres as a spy-action thriller, but with plenty of comedy and outrageous violence.
Kingsman may bring its own unique twist to the genre, but it still manages to capture the essence of the action movie. Taron Egerton’s Eggsy could not be more different than Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, but they both get sucked into worlds that test them and force them into death-defying missions. The first installment of Kingsman is a must-watch for action fans.
8 Jack Reacher (2012)
While franchises like Top Gun and Mission: Impossible have come to define Tom Cruise’s career, he still has many other successes that have come from his 40+ years in the industry. Jack Reacher is an action character most recently seen in the Reacher series, played by Alan Ritchson, but in 2012 and 2016, Tom Cruise starred as the titular investigator in movie adaptations.
The original Jack Reacher (2012) has Cruise playing a one-man army operating outside the law, which finds a balance between Mission: Impossible‘s Ethan Hunt and Keanu Reeves’ John Wick. Jack Reacher may not be remembered or held too highly as the total package, but its action sequences deserve more respect and attention. This will come as little surprise however, as Tom Cruise was involved.
7 Ronin (1998)
Ronin is often overlooked when compared to the rest of Robert De Niro’s storied career. Yet this 1998 John Frankenheimer movie deserves more recognition.Not only does it have a stacked cast, but also intense shootouts, fight sequences and chase scenes.
Professional racing drivers were brought in to perform Ronin‘s most dramatic car chase sequences and stunts. But while the actors may not have been as hands on as Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible, the end results still captured the essence of the action genre. Ronin‘s balance of heist-planning and classic betrayal plot twists with intense action, makes Ronin an engaging watch, and certainly one for fans of the genre.
6 The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
Mission: Impossible fans who are looking for more action-packed goodness, should look no further than the Bourne movies. Watching them all together explores Jason Bourne’s trauma and motivations, but the third installment of the series Bourne Ultimatum is watchable by itself, because of its pure action.
In Bourne Ultimatum, Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne is at it once again. With intense car chases and high-stakes situations, it ticks all the boxes of what makes a top action movie. Ambitious stunts and a one-man army evading various different pursuers while trying to execute his own agenda. Jason Bourne draw obvious similarities to Ethan Hunt and Mission: Impossible with both franchises being pillars of the action genre.
5 GoldenEye (1995)
As far as James Bond movies go, GoldenEye is often ranked somewhere in the middle in terms of quality and overall rating. However, the daring dive of Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond off the Locarno Dam is a memorable feat and moment that actively compares James Bond to Ethan Hunt.
That jump isn’t even the only example of Bond risking it all for the mission. Any James Bond movie will appeal to an action movie fan in some regard. From GoldenEye to most of the Daniel Craig installments, there are some that really produce in the intense action department.
4 Salt (2010)
Angelina Jolie has several action movies to her name that were never rated too highly by critics, yet still deserve recognition for their overall execution. Wanted and Salt are right up there with her best, with the latter being a strong example of an exciting action experience. Salt has plenty of double-crossing and plot twists to the point of it becoming too outrageous, but it still produces a one-person army scenario that keeps the audience guessing.
Salt can be compared to Mission: Impossible in this regard, with some of the action sequences and stunts even holding up as well. Salt cannot compete with Mission: Impossible in terms of overall scale, but Salt still packs plenty of the genre’s best into one movie.
3 John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
John Wick is an action thriller series that improved with each of its four installments. Keanu Reeves impressed and excelled as the titular hitman, and all four movies produced memorable moments. From intricate choreography of the fight scenes, to dramatic car chases and death-defying leaps. John Wick keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, just as Mission: Impossible does.
Both Mission: Impossible and John Wick are seen as the best of the action genre. Each movie has highly-skilled main characters who get into impossible situations and more often than not persevere against the odds. Casual fans would enjoy the first John Wick movie, but be shocked that the overarching story of the series is actually as engaging as its strong action sequences. John Wick: Chapter 4 is the pick of the bunch, but the whole franchise has been impressive, with fans hoping that spin-offs like Ballerina and The Continental can live up to this reputation.
2 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Mad Max: Fury Road is remembered for its intense vehicular chases through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, despite it also having an engaging story. Fury Road‘s intense chase and fight sequences through the desert are some of the best the action genre has ever seen. They are helped by exceptional stunt choreography and direction, as well as the performances of Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and others.
As far its premise, storylines and general aesthetic go, Mad Max: Fury Road could not be further apart from Mission: Impossible, beyond the latter’s occasional trip to a desert. However, they both deserve their place at the top of the action genre, because of these expertly-constructed sequences that beggar belief and ultimately entertain their audiences.
1 Atomic Blonde (2017)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) essentially made Charlize Theron a recognized action star, and this was cemented further in 2017 as she starred in Atomic Blonde. Theron steals the show as Lorraine Broughton, an MI6 field agent who finds herself being targeted by KGB agents while she tries to do her job. What ensues is well-choreographed action with intense fight scenes that really capture the essence of the genre.
The staircase sequence is evidence enough of why Atomic Blonde‘s action sequences are celebrated, even if the film itself isn’t rated so highly. A one-shot of Lorraine navigating through several enemies in expertly-choreographed fights, was the end product of Theron’s hard work in preparing for the sequence over several months. It is a different kind of stunt to Tom Cruise’s work in Mission: Impossible, but is another example of true dedication to an action role.
