Top 29 Ranked

Top 2019 Action Movies Ranked

Epic Battles and High Octane Blockbusters

Explore the best action cinema with our definitive ranking of hit blockbusters, superhero sequels, and intense martial arts thrillers from the year.

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About 2019 Action Movies

In the rearview mirror of cinema history, 2019 stands out as a monumental junction for the action genre. It was a year defined by the collision of massive franchise finales and a surprising resurgence of mid budget craftsmanship. While the cultural conversation was largely dominated by the record breaking scale of Avengers: Endgame, the true vitality of action cinema was found in the fringes and the sequels that prioritized physical choreography over digital noise.

The year felt like a victory lap for the blockbusters of the 2010s. Disney and Marvel reached the apex of their decade long experiment, delivering a three hour epic that functioned more as a sentimental high school graduation than a typical punch up. However, for those of us who crave the tactile crunch of stunt work, the real highlights occurred elsewhere. The landscape was shifting toward a new kind of hyper violence that felt both elegant and punishingly real.

Nowhere was this more evident than in John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum. By the time Keanu Reeves hit his third outing as the weary assassin, the franchise had evolved into a neon soaked ballet of ballistic mayhem. The film proved that audiences were hungry for long takes and visible stunt performers. It eschewed the frantic, shaky camera work that had plagued the genre since the mid 2000s, opting instead for wide shots that showcased the grueling athletic demands of its stars. The sequence involving a knife throwing gallery remains a high water mark for the decade, balancing dark humor with clockwork precision.

While Hollywood was busy perfecting the gun fu aesthetic, international cinema reminded us that the heart of action often beats strongest abroad. The Night Comes for Us had set a high bar just a year prior, but 2019 saw a variety of global entries that challenged Western sensibilities. Even within the studio system, we saw glimpses of creative risk. Ford v Ferrari brought a different kind of adrenaline to the screen, treating the race track with the same tactical stakes as a battlefield. It reminded viewers that action is not just about explosions, it is about the geography of a scene and the clarity of the stakes.

We also witnessed the genre grappling with its own legacy. James Mangold and others were pushing for a more rugged, character driven approach to spectacle. Even the Fast and Furious franchise attempted a pivot with the spin off Hobbs and Shaw, leaning into the chemistry of its leads to carry a story that was increasingly untethered from reality. It was a year where you could choose your flavor of excitement: the cosmic stakes of superheroes, the street level grit of a vengeful hitman, or the historical intensity of a high speed chase.

Looking back, 2019 was the last great year of the pre pandemic era, a moment when the theaters were full and the screens were loud. It was a year that confirmed action movies were no longer just mindless distractions. They had become sophisticated showcases of world building and technical mastery. The genre was no longer just about the hero winning the day. It was about how beautifully and brutally they could fight their way to the finish line. As the credits rolled on 2019, it felt like the action movie had finally reclaimed its status as a premier art form.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
29
2019 Action in No Mercy (2019)
No Mercy
2019

A woman seeks to take revenge when her younger sister disappears and she finds out that her sister suffered violence and sexual abuse from school bullies.

Action
Drama
1h 33m
Lim Kyoung-tack
Lee Si-young, Park Se-wan, Lee Jun-hyuk, Choi Jin-ho
28
2019 Action in Balkan Line (2019)
Balkan Line
2019

After the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, the Yugoslav army pulls out of Kosovo region, leaving Serbian people at the mercy of the Albanian UCK. A small band of soldiers must take over the Slatina airport, and hold it until the Russian peacekeepers arrive.

Drama
Action
2h 10m
Andrey Volgin
Anton Pampushnyy, Gosha Kutsenko, Miloš Biković, Milena Radulović
27
2019 Action in The Wolf's Call (2019)
The Wolf's Call
2019

Shown from the perspective of a young submariner with unusually sensitive hearing and uncannily precise sound recognition. The fate of many often depends on his ability, and one time, whilst highly stressed, he makes a incorrect call which put his entire crew in mortal danger. Trying to regain the confidence of his comrades, he conducts an unauthorised investigation of an apparent plot which, it turns out, risks escalating into a nuclear apocalypse. Suddenly working under pressure with the fleet admiral, they must do whatever is necessary, even the unthinkable, to prevent a nuclear war, since a confirmed nuclear strike order cannot be countermanded.

Thriller
Action
1h 56m
Antonin Baudry
François Civil, Omar Sy, Mathieu Kassovitz, Reda Kateb

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26
2019 Action in Hotel Mumbai (2019)
Hotel Mumbai
2019

Mumbai, India, November 26, 2008. While several terrorists spread hatred and death through the city, others attack the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Both hotel staff and guests risk their lives, making unthinkable sacrifices to protect themselves and keep everyone safe while help arrives.

Thriller
History
2h 3m
Anthony Maras
Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi, Tilda Cobham-Hervey
25
2019 Action in Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans (2019)
Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans
2019

The comedic modern-day quintet takes on their 2003 counterparts when villains from each of their worlds join forces to pit the two Titan teams against each other. They'll need to set aside their differences and work together to combat Trigon, Hexagon, Santa Claus (that's right, Santa!) and time itself in order to save the multiverse.

Action
Animation
1h 17m
Jeff Mednikow
Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong
24
2019 Action in Spies in Disguise (2019)
Spies in Disguise
2019

Super spy Lance Sterling and scientist Walter Beckett are almost exact opposites. Lance is smooth, suave and debonair. Walter is… not. But what Walter lacks in social skills he makes up for in smarts and invention, creating the awesome gadgets Lance uses on his epic missions. But when events take an unexpected turn, Walter and Lance suddenly have to rely on each other in a whole new way.

Animation
Action
1h 42m
Nick Bruno
23
2019 Action in Kaithi (2019)
Kaithi
2019

Dilli, a convicted criminal, is out on parole to meet his daughter. However, a drug bust sets him off on a mission to save the life of police officers.

Action
Thriller
2h 27m
Lokesh Kanagaraj
Karthi, Narain, Arjun Das, Harish Uthaman
22
2019 Action in Asuran (2019)
Asuran
2019

A family from the underprivileged class is on the run after the teenaged son kills a rich man from the upper caste. Can the pacifist father be able to save his hot-blooded son?

Action
Drama
2h 21m
Vetrimaaran
Dhanush, Manju Warrier, Ken Karunaas, Teejay
21
2019 Action in EXIT (2019)
EXIT
2019

At his mother's 70th birthday party, Yong-nam runs into Eui-joo, who rejected him in college. When the city is engulfed in toxic gas from a terrorist attack, the two must find a way to escape using all the techniques they learned in their college rock climbing club.

Action
Comedy
1h 43m
Lee Sang-geun
Cho Jung-seok, Yoona, Goh Doo-shim, Park In-hwan
20
2019 Action in Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion (2019)
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion
2019

The goddess Artemis has sworn to destroy a powerful monster lurking in a distant, ancient city, and she needs Bell’s help to do it. But there is more to Artemis’ quest than meets the eye, and victory will not come easily for Bell and all his friends!

Animation
Action
1h 22m
Katsushi Sakurabi
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Inori Minase, Maaya Sakamoto, Saori Onishi
19
2019 Action in The Dude in Me (2019)
The Dude in Me
2019

Dong-hyun is a high school student. One day, he falls from the rooftop and bumps into Pan-soo who is a passerby. Pan-soo is a member of a criminal organization. When the two men wake up in the hospital, they discover that they have switched bodies.

Fantasy
Comedy
2h 2m
Kang Hyo-jin
Jung Jin-young, Park Sung-woong, Ra Mi-ran, Lee Soo-min
18
2019 Action in One Piece: Stampede (2019)
One Piece: Stampede
2019

The world's boldest buccaneers set sail for the great Pirate Festival, where the Straw Hats join a mad-dash race to find Gol D. Roger's treasure. There's just one little problem: An old member of Roger's crew has a sinister score to settle.

Animation
Action
1h 41m
Takashi Otsuka
Mayumi Tanaka, Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi
17
2019 Action in Soul of Hero (2019)
Soul of Hero
2019

A soldier will have a mission of rescuing his partner kidnapped in the Colombian jungle although he will miss a dating with a beautiful girl that is his partner's sister.

Action
2h 0m
Orlando Pardo
Jorge Armando Soto, Stephanie Abello, Tuto Patiño, Lincoln Palomeque
16
2019 Action in The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)
The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil
2019

After barely surviving a brutal attack by a sadistic serial killer, crime boss Jang Dong-su is left humiliated. Determined to catch the killer known as K, he forms an uneasy alliance with Jung Tae-seok, a relentless and incorruptible detective who often disrupts his illegal business. However, while Jang Dong-su wants K dead, Jung Tae-suk is determined to bring him to justice. With a deal in place—whoever finds K first will decide his fate—the hunt begins, blurring the lines between crime and law.

Crime
Action
1h 50m
Lee Won-tae
Don Lee, Kim Moo-yul, Kim Sung-kyu, Heo Dong-won
15
2019 Action in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Sibling's Bond (2019)
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Sibling's Bond
2019

Tanjiro Kamado returns home to find his family slaughtered and the lone survivor, his sister Nezuko, turned into a Demon. To his surprise, however, Nezuko still shows signs of human emotion and thought. Thus begins Tanjiro's journey to seek out the Demon who killed their family and turn his sister human again. A recap of Kimetsu no Yaiba episodes 1–5, with new footage and special end credits.

Animation
Action
1h 45m
Haruo Sotozaki
Natsuki Hanae, Akari Kito, Takahiro Sakurai, Hochu Otsuka
14
2019 Action in 5Gang: A Different Kind of Christmas (2019)
5Gang: A Different Kind of Christmas
2019

To keep the band together, Selly tries to earn money by making an appearance at the birthday party of a mobster's daughter - until he gets kidnapped.

Action
Comedy
1h 36m
Matei Dima
Dorian Popa, Andrei Șelaru, Julia Marcan, Ana Radu
13
2019 Action in Saga of Tanya the Evil: The Movie (2019)
Saga of Tanya the Evil: The Movie
2019

The time is UC 1926. The Imperial Army's 203rd Air Mage Battalion led by Major Tanya Degurechaff has won the battle to the south against the Republic's stragglers. They expected to be given a vacation after returning victorious, but instead receive special orders from Staff HQ as soon as they get home. They are told that there were signs of a large-scale deployment near the Empire-Federation border. Faced with the prospect of a new major enemy, the desperate Empire fans the flame of war. Meanwhile, an international volunteer army spearheaded by the Commonwealth set foot in Federation territory. As they say, the enemy of an enemy is your friend. They suffer through misfortune purely out of national interest, and among them is a young girl. She is Warrant Officer Mary Sue, and she takes up arms hoping to bring the Empire, who killed her father, to justice.

Animation
Action
1h 38m
Yutaka Uemura
Aoi Yuuki, Saori Hayami, Shin-ichiro Miki, Tessyo Genda
12
2019 Action in My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2019)
My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising
2019

Class 1-A visits Nabu Island where they finally get to do some real hero work. The place is so peaceful that it's more like a vacation... until they're attacked by a villain with an unfathomable Quirk! His power is eerily familiar, and it looks like Shigaraki had a hand in the plan. But with All Might retired and citizens' lives on the line, there's no time for questions. Deku and his friends are the next generation of heroes, and they're the island's only hope.

Animation
Action
1h 44m
Kenji Nagasaki
Daiki Yamashita, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Yoshio Inoue, Mio Imada
11
2019 Action in The Legend of Hei (2019)
The Legend of Hei
2019

When cat spirit Luo Xiaohei's home is deforested by humans, he must find a new one. He runs into a group of other spirit creatures who take him under their wing with dreams of reconquering the land they say is rightfully theirs. However, they run into a human known as Wuxian who separates Luo Xiaohei from the other spirits and the two go on a journey, with the cat spirit learning to control his abilities as well as forming his own thoughts on whether or not he should ally with the spirits or the humans.

Animation
Fantasy
1h 42m
MTJJ
Shan Xin, Liu Mingyue, Hao Xianghai, Ding Dang
10
2019 Action in Angel Has Fallen (2019)
Angel Has Fallen
2019

After a treacherous attack, Secret Service agent Mike Banning is charged with attempting to assassinate President Trumbull. Chased by his own colleagues and the FBI, Banning begins a race against the clock to clear his name.

Action
Thriller
2h 2m
Ric Roman Waugh
Why it ranks

Returning to a more grounded, survivalist tone, this installment trades global flash for a gritty, mud-caked intensity. It succeeds by stripping away the polish in favor of raw, tactical claustrophobia and explosive practical pyrotechnics.

9

When Alita awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido, a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past.

Action
Science Fiction
Why it ranks

This cyberpunk odyssey marries expressive motion-capture performance with breathtakingly fluid Motorball sequences. Its commitment to intricate world-building and hyper-kinetic combat makes it a standout vision of futuristic martial arts.

8
2019 Action in Gemini Man (2019)
Gemini Man
2019

Henry Brogan is an elite 51-year-old assassin who's ready to call it quits after completing his 72nd job. His plans get turned upside down when he becomes the target of a mysterious operative who can seemingly predict his every move. To his horror, Brogan soon learns that the man who's trying to kill him is a younger, faster, cloned version of himself.

Science Fiction
Action
1h 57m
Why it ranks

Ang Lee uses cutting-edge high frame rate technology to render every high-speed chase and motorcycle brawl with startling, uncanny clarity. The digital de-aging process creates a fascinating physical dialogue between two versions of an action icon.

7
2019 Action in Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Terminator: Dark Fate
2019

Decades after Sarah Connor prevented Judgment Day, a lethal new Terminator is sent to eliminate the future leader of the resistance. In a fight to save mankind, battle-hardened Sarah Connor teams up with an unexpected ally and an enhanced super soldier to stop the deadliest Terminator yet.

Science Fiction
Action
2h 8m
Tim Miller
Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes
Why it ranks

By returning to the franchise's foundations of relentless pursuit, this entry recaptures the metallic, bone-crunching desperation of the early films. The introduction of the Rev-9 provides a terrifyingly fluid adversary that revitalizes the series' aging machinery.

6
2019 Action in 6 Underground (2019)
6 Underground
2019

After faking his death, a tech billionaire recruits a team of international operatives for a bold and bloody mission to take down a brutal dictator.

Action
Comedy
Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy
Why it ranks

Michael Bay returns to his roots of unadulterated carnage, delivering a sensory assault of saturated colors and chaotic practical effects. It is a frenetic experiment in pure visual adrenaline that refuses to let the viewer catch their breath.

5
2019 Action in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
2019

Ever since US Diplomatic Security Service Agent Hobbs and lawless outcast Shaw first faced off, they just have traded smack talk and body blows. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton's ruthless actions threaten the future of humanity, they join forces to defeat him.

Action
Adventure
2h 17m
David Leitch
Why it ranks

This spin-off leans into the delightful absurdity of biomechanical warfare, fueled by the charismatic friction of its two leads. The film thrives on a maximalist philosophy where physics are merely a suggestion and every collision is cranked to eleven.

4

Peter Parker and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest - Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.

Why it ranks

Navigating the intersection of teenage angst and high-tech illusion, this chapter dazzles with disorienting, psychedelic set pieces. It cleverly weaponizes visual deception to challenge the technical boundaries of modern superhero skirmishes.

3
2019 Action in Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Ford v Ferrari
2019

American car designer Carroll Shelby and the British-born driver Ken Miles work together to battle corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

Drama
Action
2h 33m
James Mangold
Why it ranks

Christian Bale sheds his blockbuster polish to embody the grease-stained, volatile brilliance of Ken Miles with a wiry physical intensity that feels startlingly lived-in. It is the definitive proof of his late-career mastery, trading showy transformation for a soulful, prickly authenticity that anchors the film's high-octane spectacle. He finds the rhythmic harmony between a man's technical genius and his social self-sabotage.

2
2019 Action in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
2019

Super-assassin John Wick returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.

Action
Thriller
2h 11m
Chad Stahelski
Why it ranks

Keanu Reeves remains the poet laureate of tactical violence in a sequel that elevates gun-fu to a disciplined high-art form. The relentless pacing and imaginative use of environment turn every frame into a masterclass of rhythmic, unforgiving stunt coordination.

1

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.

Adventure
Science Fiction
3h 1m
Anthony Russo
Why it ranks

A monumental feat of serialized storytelling, this climax balances cosmic stakes with tactile, high-impact choreography. It serves as the definitive gold standard for how a decade of kinetic momentum can explode into a singular, emotionally resonant spectacle.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

The top action movies of 2019 often blended high-stakes adventure with science fiction elements, as seen in titles like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home. Additionally, many films emphasized physical choreography and practical effects, underscoring a shift towards more grounded and intense action sequences.

Many 2019 action films creatively combined genres to enrich their narratives, such as Ford v Ferrari blending drama and history with action, or Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw mixing action with comedic elements. This multi-genre approach broadened appeal and introduced fresh dynamics to conventional action storytelling.

Several top-ranked 2019 action movies continued beloved franchise stories, including Avengers: Endgame as a monumental superhero finale, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum expanding its gritty crime thriller saga, and Terminator: Dark Fate revisiting the iconic sci-fi action series. These sequels reinforced franchise legacies while pushing narrative boundaries.

Animated action films like My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Sibling's Bond brought vibrant fantasy and intense action sequences to the forefront in 2019. These movies showcased how animation could deliver thrilling action narratives parallel to live-action blockbusters.

While embracing cutting-edge special effects, many 2019 action films, especially sequels like John Wick: Chapter 3, prioritized practical stunts and physical choreography to heighten realism and audience immersion. This balance between spectacle and tangible action elevated the genre’s overall quality that year.

Directors like Chad Stahelski in John Wick: Chapter 3 brought a highly stylized, methodical approach to action choreography, whereas Michael Bay’s 6 Underground exemplified his signature explosive, high-energy style. These distinct directorial visions helped define the tone and pacing of 2019’s varied action films.

Ford v Ferrari is a prime example, dramatizing the historic rivalry in motorsport with intense racing action and character-driven storytelling. Such films showed that 2019’s action genre could effectively intertwine real-world history with thrilling cinematic sequences.

International animated films like The Legend of Hei from China and Saga of Tanya the Evil from Japan stood out for blending native cultural elements with high-octane action and fantasy. This highlighted a growing global diversity influencing the action genre beyond Hollywood’s traditional scope.
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