Die Hard, The Terminator, Taken (the first one and none of the others) — all great examples of classic action movies that deserve their place among the top action movies of all time. There are quite a few of these under appreciated gems.There are quite a number of widely acclaimed action movies to watch,too. But what about the underrated movies that are never mentioned when talking about the best action movies?
Whether it be that their appreciation was short-lived or they never really received the praise and discussion that they deserved, there are plenty of underrated action movies to watch out there.
So without further ado, here are the top 10 underrated action movies to watch:
10. 47 Ronin
Release Date: December 25, 2013
IMDB Rating: 6.3 out of 10
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ko Shibasaki
47 Ronin is another example of a movie releasing at the wrong time and, thus, getting largely looked over. Why this movie would release on Christmas Day is beyond me, but nonetheless, 47 Ronin is a badass action movie about a band of samurai seeking revenge for the death of their leader. 47 Ronin was really the first Keanu Reeves movie since A Scanner Darkly that was actually watchable. I mean, not in every Keanu film does he actually fight a dragon.
Buy the ’47 Ronin’ Blu-Ray here.
9. Deep Blue Sea
Release Date: July 28, 1999
IMDB Rating: 5.8 out of 10
Starring: Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J
Putting LL Cool J in a movie is a surefire way to make the movie fail (with the exclusion of Any Given Sunday, of course). If you were to average the user rating of every movie LL Cool J has appeared in, the results are miserable. But Deep Blue Sea got a bad wrap. Personally, I think it had a lot to do with the god awful movie poster. But, Deep Blue Sea was a battle between humans and hyper-intelligent sharks. There are also some underlying themes pawing at the idea of of genetically altering natural life. The deaths in Deep Blue Sea were well created, the story was extremely tense, and the movie was just an all-around good time that deserved more praise.
8. The Grey
Release Date: January 27, 2012
IMDB Rating: 6.8 out of 10
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo
The Grey is more talked about now than it was leading up to and the few months following its release, simply because most people waited for the DVD (myself included). The film revolves around a team of oil workers that have to survive in the Alaskan wilderness following a plane crash. But instead of focusing on the starvation and freezing cold, the film focuses on the brutal and unforgiving pack of wolves surrounding the survivors, killing them off one by one. The film closely borders horror as it plays more on your fear of beasts than anything, but Liam Neeson’s performance is top-notch and the action is quite memorable. The film made just $19.6M in its opening weekend, and totaled just $51M in its theater run. The Grey is for the hardened action movie fans, as its story is unforgiving and bleak.
7. Never Die Alone
Release Date: March 26, 2004
IMDB Rating: 5.7 out of 10
Starring: DMX, David Arquette, Michael Ealy
Never Die Alone came out when DMX was still a relevant name in hip hop, and his tough-guy persona fit well with the action movie genre. Following Exit Wounds (which we’ll also get to later on in this list), Never Die Alone was directed by Ernest Dickerson, director of Juice, a few Walking Dead episodes, and Bulletproof (we’ll also get that one later). Most people wrote off this action movie because of its C-list cast (although Michael Ealy would eventually upgrade his career years later). It is a poetic take on villainy and revenge that contains violent gun battles from start to finish.
6. The Rundown
Release Date: September 26, 2003
IMDB Rating: 6.7 out of 10
Starring: The Rock, Seann William Scott, Christopher Walken
I’ve never been a fan of Dwayne Johnson as an actor; I could never take him seriously. But, The Rundown is generally a great action movie with great fight scenes and cool ideas, mixed with a little bit of comedy. The fight scene between Ernie Reyes Jr. (he was also in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II) and The Rock is fantastic. And, surprisingly, Stiffler Seann William Scott and The Rock actually work well on screen together. Of course, Dwayne Johnson does what Dwayne Johnson does best in this movie: kick some serious ass.
5. Blade II
Release Date: March 22, 2002
IMDB Rating: 6.7 out of 10
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman
Wesley Snipes pre-prison was a great action star, and although the original Blade is the best in the series, Blade II isn’t far behind. It’s a thrill ride from the start to the finish, and the final fight scene between Snipes and Perlman is spectacular. I think Blade II was under appreciated because of how great the original Blade movie was.
4. Armageddon
Release Date: July 1, 1998
IMDB Rating: 6.6 out of 10
Starring: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck
Although Armageddon was nominated for a few Oscars, its rating among fans is considerably low…surprisingly low. I’m not sure what the gripe with Armageddon is, but it’s one of Ben Affleck’s better performances, and there’s tons of action contained within. Maybe it was the cheesy Aerosmith song that got it low marks. I don’t know.
3. Independence Day
Release Date: July 3, 1996
IMDB Rating: 6.9 out of 10
Starring: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pulman
How in the bloody hell is Independence Day not rated at least at an 8.5? This movie had tons of catch phrases like “Welcome to Earth” and “Elvis has left the building.” Not only that, it was loaded with action. Infiltrating an alien base, killing aliens, fighter pilot sequences and more, Independence Day was a fun summer blockbuster.
2. 16 Blocks
Release Date: March 3, 2006
IMDB Rating: 6.6 out of 10
Starring: Bruce Willis, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), David Morse
Aside from Bruce Willis’ god awful mustache in the film, 16 Blocks was a thrill ride! It’s a unique concept which sees Willis being tasked with transporting a convict (Bey) from jail to a courthouse just 16 blocks away, but a lot can happen (and does) in 16 Blocks, especially if the convict is expected to testify against a police officer and the entire NYPD wants him dead.
1. Smokin’ Aces
Release Date: January 26, 2007
IMDB Rating: 6.7 out of 10
Starring: Jeremy Piven, Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta
Smokin’ Aces is the best Ryan Reynolds film that no one really watched, with quite a few notable cast members like Common, Chris Pine, Kevin Durand (you’d know his face), and even Ben Affleck in a death scene. Smokin’ Aces had a few badass close quarters shootouts, brutally violent scenes and one of the best final scenes in an action movie. Smokin’ Aces is one of my favorite movies on this list.
