(Photo by Universal/Everett Collection.)
Along with horror films like A Quiet Place Part II, action movies have been instrumental in demonstrating signs of vital life at the 2021 box office. Nobody made an unlikely commercial action hero out of Bob Odenkirk as theaters were re-opening, and afterwards, massive Blockbusters like F9, Black Widow, and Godzilla vs. Kong drew huge crowds that approached pre-pandemic levels. On streaming, we’ve seen attention-grabbing hits like Hulu’s Boss Level, two Zack Snyder jams (Army of the Dead and his mythical director’s cut of Justice League), and Netflix’s Gunpowder Milkshake. And now we’ve collected every Fresh and Certified Fresh action movie from the year.(And don’t forget to check out our ongoing guides to the best horror movies of 2021, and the best movies of 2021.) —Alex Vo