Our tastes for movies all differ and I try to appreciate all forms. When it comes to action movies, they are usually some of my most rewatched, a handful of which  I consider to be underrated in usual discussion of the genre. None are perfect yet their ambition is what I find memorable, not to mention strong performances and film making, of course. Here’s four of my faves: 

Kingdom of Heaven – 2005

Directed by Ridley Scott

If Ridley Scott is at the helm of a movie we’re in seasoned hands. I’m a big fan of his and Kingdom of Heaven is sometimes forgotten in his filmography. An epic portrayal of the crusades through fictionalized history with Orlando Bloom in the lead. I enjoy making fun of Bloom performances as much as the next person but he holds his own in this one. The battles are impressive and the story is fairly nuanced in the depiction of the warring sides for Jerusalem. If you enjoy action movies I highly recommend this historical action drama. 

King Arthur – 2004

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

We will stay in the historical action genre with the 2004 medieval tale of King Arthur.A solid action entry that is near and dear to me. There was a brief time in the early 2000’s when Clive Owen ruled the movie world. He plays King Arthur as a radically progressive philosopher who is fiercely loyal to his troops. He is loyal for good reason: his troops are a deep well of acting talent like Joel Edgerton and Mads Mikkelsen not to mention the addition of Keira Knightley coming as a warrior and romantic counterpart. When I showed my roommate this movie they said “I liked it, didn’t expect it to be so serious.” They were exactly right as this movie is as serious as the early 2000s can get. Director Antoine Fuqua plays this medieval tale as straight as possible. I enjoyed the battles and also the focus on brotherhood and camaraderie is endearing. Join the round table and give this one a watch.  

Safe House – 2012 

Directed by Daniel Espinosa

What if Denzel Washington was a rogue CIA officer on the lam for years with a sensitive trove of government secrets? He would obviously be a highly trained and highly lethal rogue CIA officer to start. This movie is delightful and Ryan Reynolds plays a masterful CIA rookie opposite to Washington. The cast is strong with Brendan Gleeson and Vera Farmiga coming in off the bench as bureaucratic heavyweights. I have always held a soft spot for action movies that showcase CIA plans going awry as history tends to show us the same. Sit back and let this underrated storm of a movie wash over you. 

Alien: Covenant – 2017 

Directed by Ridley Scott

We are ending this with another Ridley Scott entry. Only this time there is twice the Michael Fassbender. Alien: Covenant is a sequel of Prometheus and connects the story to the larger Alien canon. This movie is incredible due to the Fassbender and Catherine Waterston performance. The story masterfully paces the dread of things going wrong, because when they do, it’s absolute. Fassbender has a wonderful time playing two androids in this sci-fi action movie. Alien: Covenant is worthy of your time and I hold on to a faint hope they will make a sequel to it. We need more Fassbender androids! 

Action movies are like baked bread: you have to let the flavors come through in the heat. These four movies are savory additions to the genre. Give them a watch and let me know what you think. We’re inside for the long haul so take care everyone!