It’s easy not to think about it, but Covid-19 has really changed the way movies are made and produced, as well as how audiences view them. WKRN states that theaters took a huge hit in 2021 and studios started to change the way their films were made, so it was curious to see how 2022 would start with all the new films produced and shown within a year. As it turned out, 2022 was a great year for movies, especially as theaters opened fully and people were encouraged to watch these huge movies on the big screen instead of at home. There have been so many movies released this year across all different genres, but action movies really came out on top this time around. Here’s a list of the best action movies of 2022, ranked.
Updated: December 2022: To keep this article fresh and up-to-date and to add more information and action movies to be released later in the year, this article has been updated by Olly Dyche.
12/12 violent night
The latest movie on the list comes with a festive beat-em-up starring David Harbor as Santa Claus, as “the man with a bag” takes on an onslaught of mercenaries and sends them out in the most festive of ways. From the piercing of a candy cane by many bad guys, to sticking a star from the top of a Christmas tree through the eye of a henchman and forcing his head to catch fire. Coming from 87North Productions, (David Leitch and Kelly McCormick’s production company) expect over-the-top, well-shot, and brilliantly choreographed action, as well as a great cast, witty dialogue, and a compelling, yet bonkers story. If you are a fan of either John Wick, Nobody or Bullet train you will have a great time with this movie
11/12 The Queen of Women
Viola Davis and John Boyega impress in this film based on true events in Africa from the 17th to the 19th century. It revolves around The Kingdom of Dahomey and the Agojie, an all-female group who were warriors and protected the state. The Queen of Women is a historic film full of beautiful acting and dramatic moments, confirming that their story was meant to be shared with the world, and shows what they all did to protect each other and West Africa.
10/12 RRR
RRR shouldn’t be on a list like this simply because of the amount of action packed into it. With a budget of over 70 million, it became the most expensive Indian film ever, and the result is worth the money spent on it. If you are a fan of movies with tiger fights, outrageous stunts with motorcycles, situations where main characters should not be able to survive and history told in a dramatized way, this movie is for you.
9/12 Prey
IGN states that Amber Midthunder’s performance as Naru, the teenage girl who has something to prove to her narrow-minded family tear spine. Prey is essentially a prequel to the iconic Predator which was released in the ’80s and took it back to the beginnings of the alien villain. Naru takes it upon herself to go after the Predator, wanting to prove to her family that she is more than just a woman harvesting crops, and that she can be a warrior next to the men.
8/12 The gray man
Who doesn’t love a movie about the CIA’s corruption? It is a confrontation between Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, who wears a very intense mustache, as his character tries to track down his former colleague. The gray man is based on a 2009 novel of the same name and was directed by the Russo Brothers, who are best known for their work in the MCU. This movie is packed with action, guns, and a duo we didn’t know we needed.
7/12 Not charted
Mark Wahlberg and Tom Holland successfully took on the roles of Victor Sullivan and Nathan Drake, two longtime animated characters in the PlayStation game of the same name as the movie. The action movie was extremely successful, pulling in over 400 million, proving that when video game based movies are done right, it can lead to a gold mine. Holland and Wahlberg worked well together and had some decent chemistry throughout the movie; their stunts were eye-catching and fun to watch.
6/12 Bullet train
What could be better than an action-packed movie set in the private setting of a speeding train? Not much. Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, and viewers quickly learn that weird alias names are common in a movie like this, especially among the various famous people who make up the cast. Ladybug is a mercenary who needs to take a very important briefcase and encounters a large number of assassins who want what he has. Bad Bunny, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Logan Lerman and Brian Tyree Henry are just a few of the big names featured in this movie.
5/12 The Norman
From the brilliant mind of Robert Eggers comes this brutal, action-packed and beautifully authentic gritty Viking revenge film. It delivers some of the best action sequences of the year. Filled to the brim with thrilling, well-filmed and incredibly brutal action sequences, The Norman quickly became one of the best revenge movies of recent years mainly due to its brilliant action sequences, especially the phenomenal Viking attack which is portrayed as an action shot all in one take. The movie is raised by The exceptional achievement of Alexander Skarsgård as the lead, selling every action scene with his beastly physicality. His part in the movie was so raw; Skarsgård undoubtedly deserves some award nominations.
4/12 The batter
In addition Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverMatt Reeves’ The batter was one of the most anticipated superhero movies of 2022. Fans of the Batman story were eager to see how Pattinson would compare to his predecessors, especially Christian Bale. He proved he could handle the big dogs, and The batter was for many the first movie they saw after Covid shut down theaters, creating a lot more hype for the action movie. Paul Dano’s Riddler deserves praise, as does Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman.
3/12 Everything everywhere at once
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Michelle Yeoh shines brightly in this action-packed movie that was one of the most talked about movies of 2022. The film is divided into three parts and Everything everywhere at onceThe pace is impeccable. It’s filled with a great cast and Jamie Lee Curtis is a great supporting actress in this comedy-drama action movie. Yeoh must travel across multi-universes to stop a powerful being from destroying the multiverse.
2/12 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The most anticipated movie of the year, as well as one of the most anticipated sequels. After the late great Chadwick Boseman passed away, fans of the franchise were concerned about the direction of the sequel. However, filmmaker Ryan Coogler handled it beautifully, editing the story in a way that recalled both T’Challa’s and Boseman’s influence. The anti-hero Namor was a great addition; his views weren’t as far-fetched as the usual Marvel villains, and several characters were well-rounded and given the closure they needed.
1/12 Top gun: Maverick
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Another anticipated sequel, and the highest grossing film of 2022 so far, Top gun: Maverick was a great addition to the original movie. It made over a billion in sales, proving that Tom Cruise is just as good now as he was in the first movie over 35 years ago. Independent thinking person did everything right by adding a whole new crew of flight members like Rooster (Miles Teller) and Hangman (Glenn Powell). It’s fresh, fast, nostalgic and the best action movie of the year.