The 2000s were a great decade for action films. Coming off of The Matrix's success, the industry now had a plethora of tools to push the genre forward, from comic book adaptations to spy thrillers. If Keanu Reeves' Neo could enter bullet time in The Matrix, everything could happen in a big-budget action film. While many of these experiments didn't live up to the expectations, we were treated with a lot of great action movies in the early 2000s.

This decade showcased a diverse range of Jason Bourne franchise. Whether through raw, gritty realism or larger-than-life adventures, the best action movies of the 2000s showed that action cinema was never going to be the same, for better or worse.

10 Gladiator

2000

The second highest-grossing movie of 2000, Gladiator received overwhelming attention and commercial and critical success when it premiered at the beginning of the new millennium. The film, directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, is an epic drama that follows the story of a Roman general, Maximus Decimus Meridius (played by Russel Crowe), who, after being betrayed by the son of the Emperor and reduced into slavery.

The character has to rise through the ranks and become a fearsome gladiator to reclaim what he lost. 25 years later, Gladiator remains a classic. Crowe's interpretation, which gained him an Academy Award, is a deeply emotional and intense performance that captures the ferocity of a warrior and the vulnerability of a man torn by loss and betrayal. A film that only a director like Ridley Scott could pull off, Gladiator set the bar high for the 2000s.

9 Training Day

2001

Training Day, released in 2001, premiered as an instant classic. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Ayer, the film delves into the morally murky world of law enforcement in Los Angeles. The story unfolds in 24 hours. The two main characters are the novice officer Jake Hoyt and his mentor, the unpredictable and enigmatic Detective Alonzo Harris, respectively played by Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington.

Unsurprisingly, Denzel Washington’s portrayal of Alonzo earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor. His layered depiction of a troubled yet charismatic leader is terrifying and enthralling. Hawke’s earnest and conflicted portrayal, which earned him an Oscar nomination, is the perfect foil, setting the moral foundation of the story. With its gritty tone and the way the script cleverly manages to mix up and then piece different clues back together, Training Day is a powerful exploration of power, corruption, and survival.

8 Spider-Man

2002

Although Peter Parker was probably already a lot of people's favorite superhero, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man (2002) surely contributed to the popularity of the character in the last twenty years. Unsurprisingly, the movie became one of the defining films of the early 2000s. The story follows Peter Parker's (played by Tobey Maguire) journey from an awkward teenager to a hero with superhuman abilities after being bitten by a genetically altered spider.

Along with Maguire, James Franco and Willem Dafoe play Harry Osborne and his father, the menacing yet brilliant Green Goblin. Maguire’s heartfelt portrayal captures Peter’s evolution from a shy outsider to a selfless hero, while Dafoe’s depiction of Norman Osborn is an excellent blend of charm and sinister madness that still haunts the public to this day.

Raimi's masterpiece deserves the title of best action movie of 2002, a film that redefined the superhero genre, opening the door for future Marvel flicks.

With Raimi's clever and sensible direction, the movie delves into the emotional depth of Peter's story and can be seen as a love story. As one of the best Spider-Man movies, Raimi's masterpiece deserves the title of best action movie of 2002, a film that redefined the superhero genre, opening the door for future Marvel flicks.

7 Kill Bill: Volume 1

2003

Kill Bill: Volume 1 exploded onto the big screen in 2003 as a breathtaking action movie on revenge, characterized by a timeless style, relentless action, and a profoundly emotional performance. The movie blends samurai cinema, spaghetti westerns, and martial arts scenography, following a fierce Uma Thurman as the Bride, a former assassin who was presumed dead at her wedding.

Thurman delivers a career-defining performance and gives her brilliant, fascinating character the legendary status that it still holds today. As usual, Tarantino was able to showcase his directing abilities, with stunning cinematography, a haunting soundtrack, and exciting twists. From the visceral brutality of the Crazy 88 battle to the elegance of the anime-inspired sequences, Kill Bill: Volume 1 is a mesmerizing homage to martial arts cinema and one of the most distinctive action films of its time. As a consequence, it deserved a spot as the best of 2003.

6 Spider-Man 2

2004

As a sequel to the already groundbreaking Spider-Man, Raimi's second installment did not disappoint. With a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie lived up to its predecessor. The emotional depth of Peter Parker's arc, the visuals that hold up to this day, and the incredible villain earned the film the fame of one of the best sequels in the superhero genre.

As Tobey Maguire reprises his role as Peter Parker, grappling with the personal sacrifices of his double life as Spider-Man, he encounters a new and intriguing friend turned adversary in Alfred Molina’s Dr. Otto Octavius, whose tragic arch into the threatening Doctor Octopus adds a fascinating twist to the story. Molina’s portrayal of Doc Ock is both sympathetic and chilling, creating a villain as memorable as the hero himself. Spider-Man 2 transcends the comic book movie genre and is one of the best action films of all time.

5 A History of Violence

2005

A History of Violence, directed by David Cronenberg is a raw exploration of identity and the unavoidable shadow of the past. The movie follows Viggo Mortensen as Tom Stall, a small-town diner owner who all of a sudden becomes a local hero after he manages to foil an attempted robbery. However, his noble actions attract calls a attract attention and scrutiny, leading his mysterious past to come out.

The movie is not only considered one of the best films of the 2000s but also one of the greatest of all time. In this often-forgotten yet phenomenal gangester film, Mortensen delivers a haunting performance, capturing Tom’s multifaceted personality with blood-curling precision precision. The film earned two Academy Awards nominations for Best ing Actor (William Hurt) and Best Adapted Screenplay. Cronenberg’s direction feels both personal and brutally crude, merging heartwarming moments of domestic familiarity with visceral violence.

4 Casino Royale

2006

The return of James Bond with a new, at the time not as well known, face did not let the fans of the iconic character of Ian Fleming down. Daniel Craig was able to capture the magnetic charm of the beloved British spy. Casino Royale is one of the best James Bond movies and a great start for this new era of the franchise.

Casino Royale has a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Daniel Craig’s portrayal was a revelation, combining physicality, vulnerability, and charm. His performance did not only honor the previous James Bond, bringing the character and his surrounding atmosphere back to its roots but also reinvented him, adding his own interpretation to the hero. Casino Royale was the fourth highest-grossing film of the year and became the highest-grossing James Bond film until Skyfall.

3 The Bourne Ultimatum

2007

The third installment of the Jason Bourne series, The Bourne Ultimatum sured its predecessors, becoming the best of the saga. The film received critical acclaim and has since been considered one of the best spy thrillers of all time. In this movie, Jason Bourne attempts to uncover the mysterious truth about his past while evading relentless pursuit by powerful agencies.

Matt Damon’s performance was on point. The actor was able to embody the character's intensity as well as his vulnerability, grounding Bourne’s journey in humanity and purpose. The Bourne Ultimatum was arguably the peak of a new trend of action films that would inspire the genre for years to come, even though not all of its copycats were as great. The last chapter of the former CIA assassin's saga deserves the title of best action movie of 2007.

2 Iron Man

2008

The Dark Night might have been the more obvious choice here, but the film that introduced the world to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, establishing an enduring legacy in the superhero genre deserves the spot as the best action movie of 2008. If Iron Man was far from being as popular as Marvel titans like Spider-Man or the Hulk, Robert Downey Jr. gave the public a reason to change their minds.

Downey infused Stark with a captivating wit, a conflicted vulnerability, and an undeniable charisma, creating a character the viewer could not resist. The film's sharp writing delivered a beautiful character arch, that touched upon themes of morality, identity, and war, without sacrificing fun action sequences, such as the first flight of the Mark III suit. Iron Man set the beginning of a cultural phenomenon and for this reason, it only deserves a spot on the list.

1 District 9

2009

Neill Blomkamp’s directorial debut, District 9 is a clever blend of sci-fi action, introduced to the public in a found-footage, documentary format. Set in an alternate Johannesburg, South Africa, the film explores the difficult coexistence between humans and alien refugees, who are confined to a ghetto, called District 9.

The movie extends beyond a bold sequence of thrilling twists, offering a thought-provoking exploration of society and humanity.

The story follows Wikus van de Merwe, a bureaucrat tasked with relocating the aliens, whose life spirals out of control when he becomes infected with a mysterious fluid that slowly turns him into one of the aliens. The genius of the movie lies in how it provides sophisticated social commentary, touching upon themes of xenophobia, social segregation, and human solidarity.

The character arch of Wikus, a shy, mild-mannered opportunist to a desperate, unlikely hero is also a compelling watch. Blomkamp creates a world that does not lack authenticity. The movie extends beyond a bold sequence of thrilling twists, offering a thought-provoking exploration of society and humanity.