2023 looks to be a thrilling ride for fans of the action genre with a whole host of content to look forward to. Several high profile franchises will see new installments, including Fast and Furious, John Wick, Mission: Impossible, The Transformers, The Expendables, and, of course, Indiana Jones. Fans of superhero and comic movies, too, are in for a treat with new movies in the following franchises, Ant-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Flash and Aquaman (to name but a few), all set to drop. This combined with a number of original movies scheduled for release make 2023 an exciting year indeed, but if we were to jump into a time machine and head back 23 years, we would find ourselves in an equally exciting time for the action genre.
2000 saw Vin Diesel prove himself to be a fine leading man and figurehead for the genre, and Samuel L. Jackson filling the shoes of an iconic Blaxploitation P.I. International cinema did particularly well with hits coming from both Japan and China, and Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore proved that women can go just as hard as men when it comes to action movies. Elsewhere, Marvel finally found the success it needed with a movie that paved the way for the MCU fans have grown to love. Here are 10 action movies that were released in 2000 and turn 23 this year.
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10 Gone in 60 Seconds
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution Releasing
The all-star high octane action heist movie, Gone in 60 Seconds, led by Nicolas Cage alongside Angelina Jolie, Vinnie Jones, and Robert Duvall, grossed over $230 million at the box office, but, because of its extremely high production and marketing costs, was still considered a box office flop. This, coupled with middling critic reviews, probably meant that studio execs wrote the movie off as a failure. Looking back, though, it’s definitely a fun movie that will keep fans of the action genre suitably entertained throughout its 188-minute run time. Full of high-speed car chases, explosions, and gun play, it tells the story of a car thief played by Cage, who is forced to steal 50 luxury cars in just one night in order to save the life of his brother.
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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Pitch Black
USA Films
The first installment of the Riddick series, Pitch Black is a sci-fi action romp that sees Vin Diesel take on the lead role of Richard B. Riddick, a dangerous convict and former mercenary who breaks free from imprisonment after the spaceship he is being transported to prison in, crashes on an unknown planet. The joys of freedom are short-lived, however, after he finds himself and the other survivors being hunted by swarms of predatory aliens. Released one year before The Fast and the Furious, this was arguably the role that proved to the world that Diesel, thanks to his natural charisma, distinctive baritone vocal delivery, and imposing figure, was more than capable of being a fine leading man, especially in the action genre.
8 Romeo Must Die
Silver Pictures
Starring seasoned Chinese actor and martial artist Jet Li, riding the waves of success after his international breakthrough role in Lethal Weapon 4, alongside pop star Aaliyah, in her first acting role, Romeo Must Die sees the pair fall in love despite being associated with rival gangs, a la Romeo and Juliet. Featuring brilliant fight choreography from Corey Yuen, this white-knuckle action flick takes little time for breathers and packs a hefty punch. Whilst Jet Li impressed, critics found little elsewhere to write home about. The movie was still a commercial success, however, and the soundtrack went onto become a huge hit in its own right and hitting number 1 on US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
7 X-Men
20th Century Studios
Based on the beloved comic book series created by Stan Lee, X-Men featured one of the greatest casts ever assembled, including Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, James Marsden, and Ian McKellen. The movie had been in development from as far back as 1984, with several big-name directors being attached at various points, including Kathryn Bigelow and even James Cameron. Eventually, directing duties landed with Bryan Singer, who was best known for directing The Usual Suspects, but has since gone onto direct four more X-Men movies and 2018’s Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. The movie about the Marvel mutants was a monumental hit with critics and audiences alike, and is still considered a classic amongst superhero fans to this day.
6 Shaft
Paramount Pictures
Within the first few seconds of hearing that riding cymbal and funky wah-wah guitar, the theme from Shaft is instantly recognizable. The original movie and its soundtrack are among the most iconic in Hollywood, and was recognized by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” It was an early example of Blaxploitation cinema crossing over into the mainstream, and there must have been a lot of pressure when developing this 2000 legacy sequel. Who better to appear as the private eye and one cool cat, bad mother (shut your mouth) Shaft (here portrayed as the original Shaft’s son) than legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson. It was a role he was built for, and he didn’t disappoint. The film itself was a little forgettable, but, on the whole, made for a fun action flick for fans of the originals and newcomers to the series alike.
5 Charlie’s Angels
Columbia Pictures
Charlie’s Angels was a popular show in the late-70s/early-80s, which garnered a strong and loyal following, so a movie spin-off was inevitable. This iteration saw Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu takeover as the eponymous Angels, a trio of tough and talented private agents as they embark on a dangerous mission to rescue a captured billionaire and keep his top-secret technology out of the wrong hands. Thanks to its impressive cast, which also included Tom Green, Bill Murray, Crispin Glover, Tim Curry, LL Cool J, and Matt Le Blanc, and its blend of fun gadgets, exciting action sequences with sprinklings of humor, the movie went on to become a huge hit and spawned two further sequels.
4 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Sony Pictures Classics
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon proved to be a phenomenal breakthrough for international films at the time of its release. Not only did the Chinese movie make $128 million in the United States, becoming the highest-grossing international-language film produced overseas in American history, it was also a huge hit with critics and earned a staggering 10 Academy Award nominations. Set during 19th Century Qing Dynasty China, this beautifully shot martial arts epic follows the story of Yu Shien Lien as she embarks on a quest to recover a stolen sword from a mysterious thief. The film was praised for its story, direction, cinematography and thrilling combat choreography.
3 Battlefield Earth
Warner Bros.
Unlike many of these films, which were critical and/or commercial successes, Battlefield Earth was not, and that is putting it very likely. In fact, the movie, based on 1982 novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, was such an overwhelming disaster that it is now widely regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, winning an impressive eight Golden Raspberry Awards, and ultimately causing the bankruptcy of its production company Franchise Pictures. Somewhat of a vanity project for avid scientologist and star of the movie John Travolta, he had high hopes for the movie and even had pitched for a sequel prior to the film’s release, not to mention a range of movie-related action figures that went on sale to coincide with its release. However, the movie was ravaged by critics and audiences alike for its stilted acting across the board, ridiculous costumes and special effects, and hard to follow, nonsensical plotline.
2 Shanghai Noon
Touchstone Pictures
Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan star in this action-packed buddy comedy that juxtaposes choreography and action found in traditional martial films, of which Chan is somewhat of a veteran, with the setting of the old wild west. The duo’s chemistry is really what carries Shanghai Noon, and the riffing between the two vastly different heroes never grows tired. The movie is inspired by the classic western drama Red Sun starring Charles Bronson and Toshiro Mifune, but reimagined as a comedy.
1 Battle Royale
Toei Company
Before The Hunger Games there was the controversial Japanese, Kinji Fukasaku-directed action thriller Battle Royale. Like The Hunger Games, the plot revolves around a totalitarian government that forces youngsters to enter a competition that sees them fighting to the death. Unlike The Hunger Games, however, the movie is squarely aimed at adults and not the tween market. The participants involved are just school-aged, and the violence is brutal and unrelenting. So much so that the movie was banned in several countries. Not solely relying on shock value, the movie was a critical and commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese-language film at the time of its release and finding itself on many a list of “Best Films of the 00s.” Quentin Tarantino even went as far as to state in 2012 that it was his favorite movie of the last two decades (via IndieWire).
