Home Cinema 10 Greatest Action Heroes of the 21st Century, Ranked

10 Greatest Action Heroes of the 21st Century, Ranked

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10 Greatest Action Heroes of the 21st Century, Ranked


If there’s one genre of film that’s packed with content, it’s action. Fans are drawn to the action movie genre because of the cool and tough protagonists at the center of the story. Over the past quarter century, the genre has seen some of its greatest action heroes.




With the different stylistic differences in each new action franchise, there is plenty for fans to enjoy. Whether it’s spy thrillers or spy thrillers like Kingsman: The Secret Service or hardcore assassin adventures like The Bourne identityeach brings something refreshing to the genre. Although many action heroes are great, only one is the best.


10 Gary “Eggsy” Unwin is a spy who learns quickly

Kingsman (2014 – ongoing)

Some of the coolest parts of the King The shows have a lot to do with the comics they’re based on and the universe they’re set in, but the movies are also highly entertaining in their own right. Starring hard-hitting English veterans like Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, and Ralph Fiennes, the spy/action trilogy is packed with inventive sequences, twists, and style.


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After his life takes a turn for the worst, “Eggsy” Unwin is approached by a man who knew his late father. This man invites him to train in the “Kingsman” program. As “Eggsy” learns more about the secret organization that handles intense espionage situations for his country, he becomes a warrior and a fast-learning Kingsman. While parts of his journey may mirror the 007 universe, there’s no denying how cool some of the elements are. King the action sequences are. However, the lack of iconism in the franchise earns it the tenth spot on the list.


9 John McClane still can’t turn away from a fight

Live Free or Die Hard (2007), A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

Bruce Willis as John McClane listening to some bad guys and determining his next move in Live Free or Die Hard.

Fans would put John McClane in any conversation regarding action heroes of all time. Which continued to do the Die hard John McClane’s dedication to his job as the toughest, baddest, most competent cop in action movie history was so entertaining. Even when his fighting days seemed behind him, circumstances forced his hand.


In Live Free or Die HardJohn McClane is still a police officer now assigned to New Jersey. However, he finds himself drawn into a conspiracy that he is forced to solve. In A good day to die hard, John’s estranged relationship with his family is explored in more depth. It’s not until his son Jack finds himself stuck in an international prison that John once again answers the calling for which he was made. While these last two Die hard The films may not be the best in the series, they gave fans more of John McClane.

Live Free or Die Hard Poster-1

Live Free or Die Hard

8 Barney Ross and his friends will always have a job to do

Consumables (2010-2023)

Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross reunites with his team for a new mission in The Expendables.


Of course, action fans know that Sylvester Stallone’s most famous action hero is John Rambo. Rambo would be somewhere at the top of the list of best action heroes of all time. However, in the 21st century, it is Barney Ross and his band of expendables who continue to take new jobs for pay. While Barney Ross initially only sought money, his quest later transforms into a deeper purpose for his morality.

When the audience first meets Barney Ross, it’s clear that his found family means the most to him. His friends, such as Lee Christmas and Gunner Jensen, are the ones he prioritizes over the work itself. If the job cannot be done, he prefers not to put his people in danger. Barney continues to be a great action hero because when faced with good and evil, he always chooses what is right. Being incredibly good with a gun is just the icing on the cake of being an entertaining action hero.

Consumables

Consumables is a must-see film for Sylvester Stallone fans. As director and lead actor, Stallone takes us on a trip down memory lane. In this 2010 film, a group of mercenaries head to the Gulf of Aden to rescue a group of hostages captured by pirates. On board, an incident occurs, which causes the group leader to unload the team’s gunner. One of the mercenaries is planning his next mission when he discovers that he is tasked with overthrowing the dictator General Garza. The film moves in a fast-paced and action-packed manner, taking viewers on a long and complicated path.

As a one hour and 43 minute film, this is the standard length for competitive action films. Rated R, it is not suitable for all audiences. Lionsgate does a nice job producing a smooth, well-executed film. With a budget of $80 million, Stallone was able to create a believable setting for those of us who like to be captivated by fight scenes. But we especially love how this movie pays homage to previous action films. With actors like Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Jet Li, this film has one of the best casts of all time. In fact, this film will probably become a classic thanks to the casting. Additionally, the integrated comedic elements provide much-needed relief to the action scenes.

Consumables is fun to watch, easy to digest, and filled with some of the genre’s most notable actors. If you’re looking for a memorable action movie, this is it!


7 Bryan Mills takes bad actions very personally

Taken (2008-2014)

Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills receives a phone call no parent wants to receive in Taken.

Bryan Mills, Liam Neeson’s “Greatest Dad Ever” character, certainly became an audience favorite when Taken was released in 2008. For any young woman who had to witness what Kim Mills went through or anyone with personal experience with sex trafficking, seeing Bryan Mills come to the rescue was gratifying. The disturbing truth behind Taken The main theme is that not everyone has a father like Bryan Mills to rely on in this situation.


After Bryan Mills said, “I have a particular set of skills. Skills that make me a nightmare for someone like you,” the audience quickly saw those words come true. Bryan Mills defeating the worst kind of evil and single-handedly dismantling an entire trafficking ring to get his daughter back will always make him one of the best action heroes of the 21st century. This remains true even if the next two sequels weren’t as exciting as the original.

6 The Bride is one of action cinema’s greatest warriors

Kill Bill (2003–2004)


Revenge has never been more epic and satisfying than when “The Bride” gets her revenge on Bill. Fans knew she meant it when she said, “I’m going to kill. Bill.” Quentin Tarantino’s Akira Kurosawa-inspired samurai revenge story – about a woman who survives a near-death experience and then seeks revenge on the people who did it – is one of the best sagas of cinema action. The main reason for this is that “The Bride” is doing what it does best.

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Skilled in hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship, “The Bride” has a list of targets that she takes on one by one. She overcomes all the obstacles they put in her way. The motivation for revenge, which turns into a protective attitude towards one’s child, consistently makes “The Bride” one of the most powerful action heroes in cinema. With some of the most incredible action sequences, Kill Bill And Kill Bill: Vol. 2 Play as one of action cinema’s toughest and most talented warriors.


5 Frank Martin’s agility is almost superhuman

The Transporter (2002-2008)

Jason Statham as Frank Martin driving his car very fast to a destination after learning a horrible truth about his work in The Transporter.

Jason Statham has played many action heroes, but none of them are as iconic as Frank Martin. Frank Martin was Jason Statham’s first hero to express how agile and stylistically different a fighter Statham could be. In addition, the concept around Frank Martin is completely original. With a clear set of rules and codes he lives by, Frank Martin is barely a hero until he is forced to become one.


There’s often a lot of guilt and moral ambiguity that action heroes struggle with, and Frank Martin is no different. When he breaks his own rules, a moral conflict arises within him, forcing him to ultimately do what is right. Fighting for a better goal, this heroic aspect of his nature becomes his personality as his adventures continue. Whenever something needs to be done, Frank Martin presents himself as a formidable adversary for the bad guys. At the center of some of cinema’s greatest action sequences, Frank Martin ranks fifth on the list.


4 James Bond had one of his best runs of this century

007 (2006-2021)

Daniel Craig as James Bond waiting to meet an important contact in the middle of nowhere in Skyfall.

Although the character of James Bond is not new to audiences, the more recent version, played by Daniel Craig, has had some quality adventures over the past two decades. Featuring some of the most inventive new storylines for the iconic character, James Bond has been one of the most consistent and entertaining action heroes in recent memory.. Starting with Casino Royale and ending in epic fashion with No time to dieBond was back with a vengeance.

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Daniel Craig’s bond is explored in more depth, giving him a full character arc, going from a talented young warrior to an aging man no longer in his prime. Craig’s performance made James Bond iconic once again as he took on that vocation during great conflicts. His skills with firearms and hand-to-hand combat have always made him a tough hero worthy of any villain wishing to disrupt the status quo. The great James Bond couldn’t have been lower on the list.

Daniel Craig and Evan Green pose on the Casino Royale poster.

Casino Royale

3 Jason Bourne gave audiences something different to relate to

Bourne (2002-2016)

Matt Damon as Jason Bourne in the middle of a chase with enemies trying to kill him but having no luck in The Bourne Ultimatum.


Amnesia is not a condition to be taken lightly. When Jason Bourne finds himself confronted with this, his journey to find himself becomes complicated and interesting. THE Bourne the films give the idea of ​​what it would be like if someone who doesn’t know who they are discovered that they were a talented assassin.

It’s a deeply fascinating journey for action hero Jason Bourne, not only to discover who he is but also what his new purpose will become. As the people who helped create him continue to disrupt his life, he takes up this profession again and again and manages to fight back. Whether it’s discovery, revenge, or survival, Jason Bourne’s skills are unmatched as he continues to fight against oppressive systems. Over the course of four films, he makes his enemies shiver in fear when they discover his involvement. He will always be top five when it comes to action heroes.


Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity

The Bourne identity

A man is picked up by a fishing boat, riddled with bullets and suffering from amnesia, before running to escape the assassins and try to regain his memory.

Director
Doug Liman

Release date
June 14, 2002

Studio
NBC Universal

Cast
Matt Damon, Franka Potente

Runtime
1 hour 59 minutes

2 Ethan Hunt is the longest running action hero

Mission: Impossible (1996 – ongoing)

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt meets with his team at a safehouse between phases of the next Mission: Impossible mission.

It’s not just because the plots and stakes become heavier with each film and the series somehow manages to improve with each sequel. Mission: Impossible is one of the best action franchises of all time. Another big reason is its hero. Tom Cruise has continued to develop the character of Ethan Hunt over the past twenty-eight years. As the longest-running action hero, fans have seen Ethan Hunt’s arc evolve and change with each new crisis he must avoid.


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While each central conflict of a Mission: Impossible The film raises the stakes, somehow becoming more impossible than the last, Ethan Hunt bravely continues to meet the challenges head on. Proving that no mission is ever too impossible for him and his team, Ethan Hunt always finds a way to achieve victory.

Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One Poster

Mission Impossible

Mission: Impossible is an American film series action spy films, based on the 1966 television series created by Bruce Geller. The series is primarily produced by and stars Tom Cruise, who plays Ethan Hunt, an agent of the Impossible Missions Force.

Created by
Bruce Geller

First film
Mission Impossible

Latest movie
Mission Impossible by dead reckoning

Upcoming Movies
Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 2

Cast
Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg

1 John Wick brought a style like no other to action cinema

John Wick (2014 – ongoing)


John Wick stands out from other action heroes because the reason he went to war against the Deadliest Organizations was because one of them killed his puppy. The themes were a cohesive stylistic decision that appeals to audiences again. Of course, what John’s dog symbolized was the real reason for his vendetta, but that decision had lasting consequences across four films. Featuring some of cinema’s best fight choreography, John Wick immediately stood out.

Additionally, the story and style of the John Wick universe is more unique than any other. J.Ohn Wick himself is a force like no other, capable of withstanding any blow and attacking any enemy. His costume and skills with almost every weapon continued to make him one of cinema’s most entertaining and instantly iconic action heroes. His arc is a constant whirlwind of chaos that continues even when fans expect otherwise. With each release, the legend of John Wick grows beyond any other character, which is why he is the best action hero of the 21st century.


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