Action movies have long been dominated by franchises, sequels, and familiar IPs, like John Wick, Fast & Furious and Jason Bourne. But every so often, a film comes along that breaks the mold and reminds us how inventive the genre can be. The 21st century has seen a surge of filmmakers pushing the boundaries of what action cinema can look and feel like, blending in elements of science fiction and martial arts to deliver something wholly fresh.
In this list, we take a look at some movies whose goal is not only to thrill audiences but also to show tremendous originality behind their vision. Some of these films have high concepts that may be far ahead of their time or bold mashups of genres that may not make sense with one another. While a few of these films do not enjoy critical acclaim, they are still notable for their uniqueness. Some inspire imitators while others simply exist as singular works that cannot be replicated.
10
‘Bunraku’ (2010)
Image via ARC Entertainment/XLrator Media
Bunraku is set in a post-apocalyptic world where guns are banned. The story follows The Drifter (Josh Hartnett) and samurai Yoshi (Gackt), who unite to take down Nicola the Woodcutter (Ron Perlman), a warlord who rules through fear and violence. Armed with their fists and blades, the duo must fight Nicola’s assassin to restore peace in town. The film also stars Oscar nominee Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson.
It is fairly debatable whether Bunraku is a good film or not. What it lacks in character development, it makes up for in bold stylistic choices. Borrowing its name from Japanese puppet theater, the film creates a universe where sets look like paper cutouts and the transitions look like turning pages in a storybook. The colors are also striking, with strong colors and not just the usual blockbuster yellow and teal look. It looks unlike anything Hollywood has released ever since. Its unique visual identity makes it one of the most experimental action films of the century, even if it didn’t spark imitators.
9
‘The Good, The Bad, The Weird’ (2008)
Set in 1930s Manchuria, The Good, The Bad, The Weird follows three outlaws, the skilled bounty hunter Do-won (Jung Woo-sung), the ruthless assassin Chang-yi (Lee Byung-hyun), and the eccentric thief Tae-goo (Song Kang-ho). Using a mysterious map, they race to find hidden treasure that could change their lives. They must also contend against a group of Bandits while escaping the bounties put on their heads by the Japanese Imperial Army.
The uniqueness of this film is how it reimagines the spaghetti Western through a Korean lens, creating a new term: kimchi Western. Director Kim Jee-woon (<em>I Saw the Devil</em>) both pays homage to Sergio Leone and reinvents the genre with Korean style and energy. Its mix of Western archetypes with Korean history and humor creates something wholly unique, and it helped solidify Korea’s place on the global action cinema map. The action is bombastic and unpredictable, blending chases and shootouts with slapstick comedy without ever losing momentum. It’s a testament to how effective homages can be when they’re mashed up with a fresh cultural remix.
8
‘Brotherhood of the Wolf’ (2001)
Image via Metropolitan Filmexport
Inspired by the legend of the Beast of Gévaudan, Brotherhood of the Wolf blends history, horror, and martial arts into one of the most unusual yet exciting action films of the 21st century. It follows royal naturalist Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) and his Iroquois companion Mani (Mark Dacascos) as they are sent to rural France to investigate a string of brutal killings blamed on a mysterious beast. There, Fronsac finds more than he expected as the monster hunt reveals conspiracies and political intrigues.
Christoph Gans‘ film’s originality comes from its fearless genre-mixing. Gans crafts a film that is part period drama, part creature feature, and part martial arts epic, complete with stylized fight choreography and stunning production design. The combination of French folklore with wuxia action made it stand out globally, earning box office success far beyond what was expected of a French film at the time. Its bold experimentation and lush visuals cemented it as a cult classic. The film’s closest comparison might be <em>Underworld</em> with its equally rich lore, but this French film still takes the crown.
7
‘Upgrade’ (2018)
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