Top 30 Ranked

The Best Action Movies of 2004, Ranked

Unforgettable Martial Arts and Superhero Blockbusters

Explore the best action films from a legendary year in cinema. From martial arts epics to superhero sequels, discover the top rated hits and cult classics.

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About 2004 Action Movies

The year 2004 stands as a fascinating bridge in the evolution of action cinema. It was a period caught between the slow fading of the nineties muscle bound spectacle and the arrival of a grittier, more grounded kineticism that would define the next decade. If you look at the multiplexes twenty years ago, you see a genre in the middle of a profound identity crisis, one that resulted in some of the most influential films in modern history.

Nowhere was this shift more apparent than in the release of The Bourne Supremacy. While its predecessor had introduced us to Jason Bourne, it was this sequel that truly broke the mold. Paul Greengrass brought a handheld, frantic energy to the screen that discarded the polished choreography of Hong Kong influenced wire work for something that felt like a street fight captured by a war correspondent. It changed the visual language of the genre instantly. Every studio spent the following five years trying to replicate that shaky cam intensity, for better or worse.

While Bourne was stripping away the artifice, Quentin Tarantino was leaning entirely into it. Kill Bill Vol. 2 arrived in April of 2004, completing a massive revenge epic that served as a blood soaked love letter to samurai cinema and spaghetti westerns. It proved that there was still a massive appetite for stylized, hyper violent storytelling that relied on mythic archetypes rather than realism. It was the yin to Bourne’s yang, showing that action could be both a gritty procedural and a grand, operatic ballet.

The year also gave us a glimpse into the future of the superhero boom. Spider-Man 2 remains, to many critics, the gold standard for the genre. Sam Raimi managed to balance massive set pieces, like the iconic runaway train sequence, with genuine emotional stakes. It was an action movie that cared deeply about its protagonist’s internal life, setting a high bar for the Marvel Cinematic Universe that would follow years later. On the animated front, The Incredibles arrived from Pixar, proving that some of the best handled action sequences and family dynamics didn't need live actors at all.

However, 2004 was also a year of bizarre experiments and the last gasps of a certain kind of over-the-top camp. We saw the release of Chronicles of Riddick, an ambitious but polarizing attempt to turn a lean thriller into a sprawling space opera. There was also Man on Fire, where Tony Scott utilized experimental editing techniques to turn a standard revenge plot into a fever dream of neon and noise. These films felt like a genre pushing against its own boundaries, trying to find out what else an action movie could be.

Looking back, 2004 was the moment the genre grew up. It was the year we moved away from the neon aesthetic of The Matrix and toward something more tactile and urgent. Whether it was the tactical precision of Michael Mann’s Collateral or the sheer joyous energy of Kung Fu Hustle, the year offered a buffet of violence and grace that catered to every possible palate. It was a chaotic, transitional, and ultimately brilliant year for the silver screen.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
30
2004 Action in A World Without Thieves (2004)
A World Without Thieves
2004

A con-team couple head west after taking a city businessman for his BMW. But an encounter with a naive young carpenter traveling home with his life savings challenges their fate as thieves.

Action
Drama
1h 53m
Feng Xiaogang
Andy Lau, René Liu, Wang Baoqiang, Li Bingbing
29
2004 Action in Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow (2004)
Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
2004

Naruto is thrilled when he is sent on a mission to protect his favorite actress, Yukie Fujikaze, on the set of her new movie, The Adventures of Princess Gale. But when the crew ventures out to film in the icy, foreboding Land of Snow, Yukie mysteriously flees! Naruto and his squad set off to find her... unaware that three Snow Ninja lie in wait, with a sinister purpose that will force Yukie to face her hidden past!

Comedy
Action
1h 22m
Tensai Okamura
Junko Takeuchi, Chie Nakamura, Noriaki Sugiyama, Kazuhiko Inoue
28

Bob Parr has given up his superhero days to log in time as an insurance adjuster and raise his three children with his formerly heroic wife in suburbia. But when he receives a mysterious assignment, it's time to get back into costume.

Action
Adventure
1h 55m
Brad Bird
Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox

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27
2004 Action in Killing Cabos (2004)
Killing Cabos
2004

Two young men get involved with some criminals while trying to free the tycoon they kidnapped.

Comedy
Action
1h 38m
Alejandro Lozano
Tony Dalton, Ana Claudia Talancón, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Kristoff Raczynski
26
2004 Action in Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004)
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War
2004

When two brothers are forced to fight in the Korean War, the elder decides to take the riskiest missions if it will help shield the younger from battle.

Action
Adventure
2h 28m
Kang Je-kyu
Jang Dong-gun, Won Bin, Lee Eun-ju, Gong Hyung-jin
25
2004 Action in Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
Godzilla: Final Wars
2004

Humanity finally rids themselves of Godzilla, imprisoning him in an icy tomb in the South Pole. All is peaceful until various monsters emerge to lay waste to Earth's cities. Overwhelmed, humanity is seemingly saved by a race of benevolent aliens known as Xiliens. But not all is what it seems with these bizarre visitors. If humanity wishes to survive, they must reluctantly resurrect their most hated enemy, Godzilla.

Action
Adventure
2h 5m
Ryuhei Kitamura
Masahiro Matsuoka, Rei Kikukawa, Don Frye, Maki Mizuno
24
2004 Action in Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
Kung Fu Hustle
2004

It's the 1940s, and the notorious Axe Gang terrorizes Shanghai. Small-time criminals Sing and Bone hope to join, but they only manage to make lots of very dangerous enemies. Fortunately for them, kung fu masters and hidden strength can be found in unlikely places. Now they just have to take on the entire Axe Gang.

Action
Comedy
1h 39m
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow, Yuen Qiu, Yuen Wah, Lam Tze-Chung
23
2004 Action in House of Flying Daggers (2004)
House of Flying Daggers
2004

In 9th century China, a corrupt government wages war against a rebel army called the Flying Daggers. A romantic warrior breaks a beautiful rebel out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.

Adventure
Drama
1h 59m
Zhang Yimou
Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, Song Dandan
22
2004 Action in District B13 (2004)
District B13
2004

Set in the ghettos of Paris in 2010, an undercover cop and ex-thug try to infiltrate a gang in order to defuse a neutron bomb.

Action
Thriller
1h 24m
Pierre Morel
David Belle, Cyril Raffaelli, Tony D'Amario, Dany Verissimo-Petit
21
2004 Action in King Arthur (2004)
King Arthur
2004

The story of the Arthurian legend, based on the 'Sarmatian hypothesis' which contends that the legend has a historical nucleus in the Sarmatian heavy cavalry troops stationed in Britain, and that the Roman-British military commander, Lucius Artorius Castus is the historical person behind the legend.

Adventure
War
20

When North Korean ruler Kim Jong-il orchestrates a global terrorist plot, it's up to the heavily armed, highly specialized Team America unit to stop his dastardly scheme. The group, which has recruited troubled Broadway actor Gary Johnston, not only has to face off against Jong-il, but they must also contend with the Film Actors Guild, a cadre of Hollywood liberals at odds with Team America's 'policing the world' tactics.

Adventure
Action
1h 38m
Trey Parker
Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kristen Miller, Chelsea Marguerite
19
2004 Action in Torque (2004)
Torque
2004

Biker Cary Ford is framed by an old rival and biker gang leader for the murder of another gang member who happens to be the brother of Trey, leader of the most feared biker gang in the country. Ford is now on the run trying to clear his name from the murder with Trey and his gang looking for his blood.

Action
Comedy
1h 24m
Joseph Kahn
Martin Henderson, Ice Cube, Monet Mazur, Jaime Pressly
18
2004 Action in Man on Fire (2004)
Man on Fire
2004

Jaded ex-CIA operative John Creasy reluctantly accepts a job as the bodyguard for a 10-year-old girl in Mexico City. They clash at first, but eventually bond, and when she's kidnapped he's consumed by fury and will stop at nothing to save her life.

17
2004 Action in Catwoman (2004)
Catwoman
2004

Liquidated after discovering a corporate conspiracy, mild-mannered graphic artist Patience Phillips washes up on an island, where she's resurrected and endowed with the prowess of a cat — and she's eager to use her new skills... as a vigilante. Before you can say "cat and mouse", handsome gumshoe Tom Lone is on her tail, fascinated by both of her personas.

Action
Fantasy
1h 44m
Pitof
Halle Berry, Benjamin Bratt, Sharon Stone, Lambert Wilson
16

A young man receives an emergency phone call on his cell phone from an older woman. She claims to have been kidnapped – and the kidnappers have targeted her husband and child next.

Action
Thriller
1h 34m
David R. Ellis
15
2004 Action in The Punisher (2004)
The Punisher
2004

When undercover FBI agent Frank Castle's wife and son are slaughtered, he becomes 'the Punisher' -- a ruthless vigilante willing to go to any length to avenge his family.

Action
Crime
2h 4m
Jonathan Hensleigh
Thomas Jane, John Travolta, Will Patton, Roy Scheider
14
2004 Action in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
2004

When gigantic robots attack New York City, "Sky Captain" uses his private air force to fight them off. His ex-girlfriend, reporter Polly Perkins, has been investigating the recent disappearance of prominent scientists. Suspecting a link between the global robot attacks and missing men, Sky Captain and Polly decide to work together. They fly to the Himalayas in pursuit of the mysterious Dr. Totenkopf, the mastermind behind the robots.

Mystery
Action
1h 47m
Kerry Conran
13
2004 Action in AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
AVP: Alien vs. Predator
2004

When scientists discover something near Antarctica that appears to be a buried Pyramid, they send a research team out to investigate. Little do they know that they are about to step into a hunting ground where Aliens are grown as sport for the Predator race.

Adventure
Science Fiction
1h 41m
Paul W. S. Anderson
Sanaa Lathan, Lance Henriksen, Ian Whyte, Raoul Bova
12
2004 Action in Walking Tall (2004)
Walking Tall
2004

A former U.S. soldier returns to his hometown to find it overrun by crime and corruption, which prompts him to clean house.

Adventure
Drama
1h 26m
Kevin Bray
Dwayne Johnson, Johnny Knoxville, Neal McDonough, Kristen Wilson
11
2004 Action in Van Helsing (2004)
Van Helsing
2004

Famed monster slayer Gabriel Van Helsing is dispatched to Transylvania to assist the last of the Valerious bloodline in defeating Count Dracula. Anna Valerious reveals that Dracula has formed an unholy alliance with Dr. Frankenstein's monster and is hell-bent on exacting a centuries-old curse on her family.

Horror
Adventure
2h 12m
Stephen Sommers
Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham
10
2004 Action in Hellboy (2004)
Hellboy
2004

In the final days of World War II, the Nazis attempt to use black magic to aid their dying cause. The Allies raid the camp where the ceremony is taking place, but not before they summon a baby demon who is rescued by Allied forces and dubbed "Hellboy". Sixty years later, Hellboy serves the cause of good rather than evil as an agent in the Bureau of Paranormal Research & Defense, along with Abe Sapien - a merman with psychic powers, and Liz Sherman - a woman with pyrokinesis, protecting America against dark forces.

Fantasy
Action
Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, John Hurt
Why it ranks

Guillermo del Toro’s dark fantasy masterwork breathes life into the macabre with stunning practical effects and a blue-collar supernatural sensibility. Its brilliance is found in the tactile reality of its creatures and the soulful, heavy-handed punch of its occult-driven action.

9
2004 Action in Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
2004

As the city is locked down under quarantine, Alice finds out that the people that died from the previous incident at the Umbrella Corporation have turned into zombies. She then joins a small band of elite soldiers, who are enlisted to rescue the missing daughter of the creator of the mutating T-virus. Once lack of luck and resources happen, they begin to wage an exhilarating battle to survive and escape before the Umbrella Corporation erases its experiment from the face of the earth.

Horror
Action
1h 34m
Alexander Witt
Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Oded Fehr, Thomas Kretschmann
Why it ranks

Moving the survival horror into the daylight of a collapsing metropolis, this sequel doubles down on the tactical, urban combat that fans crave. It serves as a loud, pyrotechnic celebration of the genre’s shift from claustrophobic suspense to full-scale apocalyptic warfare.

8
2004 Action in The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
The Chronicles of Riddick
2004

After years of outrunning ruthless bounty hunters, escaped convict Riddick suddenly finds himself caught between opposing forces in a fight for the future of the human race. Now, waging incredible battles on fantastic and deadly worlds, this lone, reluctant hero will emerge as humanity's champion - and the last hope for a universe on the edge of annihilation.

Action
Science Fiction
1h 59m
David Twohy
Why it ranks

David Twohy expanded a minimalist cult hit into a sprawling, baroque space opera defined by its eccentric world-building and shadows. It is a rare piece of hard-edged sci-fi that relies on atmospheric dread and brutal, close-quarters physicality.

7
2004 Action in Blade: Trinity (2004)
Blade: Trinity
2004

For years, Blade has fought against the vampires in the cover of the night. But now, after falling into the crosshairs of the FBI, he is forced out into the daylight, where he is driven to join forces with a clan of human vampire hunters he never knew existed—The Nightstalkers. Together with Abigail and Hannibal, two deftly trained Nightstalkers, Blade follows a trail of blood to the ancient creature that is also hunting him—the original vampire, Dracula.

Action
Horror
1h 53m
David S. Goyer
Why it ranks

Infusing the franchise with a dry, irreverent wit and neon-soaked aesthetics, this entry fully embraces the excess of mid-2000s leather-clad aesthetics. Its relentless energy and stylized gunplay provide a chaotic, heavy-metal conclusion to the daywalker’s original trilogy.

6
2004 Action in Troy (2004)
2004

In year 1250 B.C. during the late Bronze age, two emerging nations begin to clash. Paris, the Trojan prince, convinces Helen, Queen of Sparta, to leave her husband Menelaus, and sail with him back to Troy. After Menelaus finds out that his wife was taken by the Trojans, he asks his brother Agamemnon to help him get her back. Agamemnon sees this as an opportunity for power. They set off with 1,000 ships holding 50,000 Greeks to Troy.

War
Action
2h 43m
Wolfgang Petersen
Why it ranks

Wolfgang Petersen’s epic provides a muscular, bronze-hued reimagining of mythic warfare that favors physical prowess over divine intervention. The singular, grounded brutality of the Achilles and Hector duel remains a high-water mark for historical combat choreography.

5
2004 Action in National Treasure (2004)
National Treasure
2004

Modern treasure hunters, led by archaeologist Ben Gates, search for a chest of riches rumored to have been stashed away by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin during the Revolutionary War. The chest's whereabouts may lie in secret clues embedded in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and Gates is in a race to find the gold before his enemies do.

Adventure
Action
2h 11m
Jon Turteltaub
Why it ranks

This unapologetically fun romp revitalized the treasure-hunting subgenre with a clever, history-adjacent script and breakneck momentum. Its charm lies in the seamless fusion of intellectual puzzles and high-stakes heist dynamics that keep the audience perpetually off-balance.

4
2004 Action in I, Robot (2004)
I, Robot
2004

In 2035, where robots are commonplace and abide by the three laws of robotics, a technophobic cop investigates an apparent suicide. Suspecting that a robot may be responsible for the death, his investigation leads him to believe that humanity may be in danger.

Action
Science Fiction
1h 55m
Alex Proyas
Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Alan Tudyk, James Cromwell
Why it ranks

Blending Asimov’s philosophical roots with high-octane blockbuster machinery, this sleek thriller excels through its fluid, CGI-enhanced combat. It remains a definitive 2004 spectacle for how it visualizes a mechanical uprising with terrifying, metallic precision.

3

Peter Parker is going through a major identity crisis. Burned out from being Spider-Man, he decides to shelve his superhero alter ego, which leaves the city suffering in the wake of carnage left by the evil Doc Ock. In the meantime, Parker still can't act on his feelings for Mary Jane Watson, a girl he's loved since childhood. A certain anger begins to brew in his best friend Harry Osborn as well...

Action
Adventure
Why it ranks

Sam Raimi perfected the superhero blueprint by prioritizing Peter Parker’s internal crisis over mere spectacle. The film’s operatic action sequences remain unmatched for their rhythmic choreography and emotional stakes, proving that heart is the ultimate special effect.

2

A CIA operation to purchase classified Russian documents is blown by a rival agent, who then shows up in the sleepy seaside village where Bourne and Marie have been living. The pair run for their lives and Bourne, who promised retaliation should anyone from his former life attempt contact, is forced to once again take up his life as a trained assassin to survive.

Action
Drama
Why it ranks

Paul Greengrass revolutionized the modern blockbuster here with a visceral, documentary-style grit that made every punch feel startlingly immediate. This sequel stripped away the polish of the genre to deliver a paranoia-fueled masterclass in kinetic editing and bone-crunching pursuit.

1

The Bride unwaveringly continues on her roaring rampage of revenge against the band of assassins who had tried to kill her and her unborn child. She visits each of her former associates one-by-one, checking off the victims on her Death List Five until there's nothing left to do … but kill Bill.

Why it ranks

Quentin Tarantino trades the kinetic kineticism of the first volume for a tension-soaked masterclass in dialogue and deliberate pacing. It stands as 2004’s crowning achievement by grounding its hyper-stylized violence in a profound, soul-aching exploration of motherhood and revenge.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

The top action films of 2004 span a wide range of sub-genres including martial arts, superhero, science fiction, thriller, and historical epics. Movies like "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" showcase martial arts mastery, while "Spider-Man 2" represents superhero action, and "Troy" offers a grand historical battle experience.

2004 was a pivotal year marking a transition from the muscle-bound spectacle of the 1990s to a more grounded and kinetic style of action filmmaking. This shift is evident in stylistically different films from the year, such as the gritty espionage of "The Bourne Supremacy" and the stylistic flair of "Kill Bill: Vol. 2."

Several top 2004 action films combine action with science fiction, including "I, Robot," which explores AI and robotics, "The Chronicles of Riddick" with its space opera setting, and "Resident Evil: Apocalypse," which merges horror, action, and futuristic apocalypse themes.

Yes, "Spider-Man 2" is a significant superhero sequel from 2004 that gained critical acclaim for its character development and action sequences. It helped elevate the superhero genre by blending thrilling action with a strong personal storyline.

Films such as "National Treasure" and "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" expertly combine action with compelling mystery and thriller components, adding layers of intrigue to their high-energy sequences that helped them stand out.

The year 2004 saw advances in CGI and practical effects that enriched action sequences and visual storytelling. Movies like "I, Robot" and "AVP: Alien vs. Predator" utilized cutting-edge effects to create more immersive and believable action scenes, pushing genre boundaries.

Indeed, directors like Quentin Tarantino with "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" and Guillermo del Toro with "Hellboy" brought their unique styles from crime thrillers and fantasy respectively into the action world, blending genre aesthetics to create distinct cinematic experiences.

Themes like vengeance, heroism, survival, and the clash between technology and humanity recur throughout 2004's top action films. These motifs are evident in films such as "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" with its revenge narrative and "I, Robot" exploring the ethics of artificial intelligence.
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