Action movies are almost shockingly varied. Pick any two random standouts in the genre and watch them back to back, you're likely to get two very different experiences. Though an action movie can succeed with nothing more than a compelling fireworks display and some recognizable movie stars, some films go above and beyond with creativity and intelligence.
Far too many action movies today boil down to takes on John Wick with another star in the lead role. Hollywood has always followed the leader, but, truly great films emerge from new ideas. Even when no one expects intelligence from a creative effort, those that manage to create something smart earn the praise they receive.
Hot Fuzz
Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost's Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy are among the strongest genre deconstructions ever put to film. Shaun of the Dead figured out the zombie craze before it even became popular. The World's End is a criminally underrated masterful body snatchers riff. Hot Fuzz takes aim at overblown American action movies, and it nails both the action and the mockery with expert acuity. Pegg stars as an accomplished London cop who is shipped off to a small village, only to discover a complex murder mystery behind the charming little lifestyle. There's a lot of intelligent commentary about the state of action cinema in general, but there are also plenty of jabs at suburban life, bureaucracy, and the real day-to-day work of being a cop. Hot Fuzz is a clever and engaging action comedy with a lot of intelligent elements going on simultaneously.
Snowpiercer
If anyone is going to bring intelligence, social commentary, and razor-sharp wit to a bold and gripping action premise, it's Bong Joon-Ho. This is Bong's first English-language film, and it's a proper sci-fi action blockbuster. The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic worldwide tundra caused by an ill-fated effort to reverse the effects of climate change. To survive, the limited remaining human population huddle onto a massive armored train. Unfortunately, even though there are only a few hundred people left standing, the train is violently stratified by class. The poor live in the back and eat flavorless paste, and the rich live up front and party day and night. Chris Evans stars as Curtis, a determined citizen of the rear cars who seeks to lead a peasant rebellion and claim a better life for his people. It's a nasty action roller coaster that puts the nightmare of class struggle into very direct terms.
Demolition Man
Sylvester Stallone's career as an action star has hit a lot of weird bumps, but he can be relied upon for some fascinating films. This 1991 sci-fi action film combines ridiculous overblown action with smart social commentary. A dedicated but comically violent cop (Stallone) wrecks enough of LA to earn the titular nickname while pursuing Wesley Snipes's flamboyant terrorist. As punishment, both men are placed into suspended animation for almost forty years. They wake up in the 2030s, a decade in which crime has been eliminated. The result is effectively a civilization-wide take on A Clockwork Orange in which everyone is docile at the cost of personal freedom. The futuristic society presents a fun critique of political correctness, but it's also a commentary about the human need to self-destruct. Dennis Leary appears to do a tight five on all the bad stuff he loves doing, people listen to ad jingles for fun, and a throwaway line references the "franchise wars." It's a fun concept taken to its logical conclusion and a bombastic action blockbuster at the same time.
Ronin
John Frankenheimer is widely considered to have pioneered the modern political thriller. The second-to-last film he ever directed is almost unquestionably his best action film. Ronin is a modern heist movie that sees an ensemble cast band together to steal an important armored briefcase. The film is celebrated for its incredible car chases, but its dense web of intrigue and shifting motivations should be equally praised. Simple scenes, even some that have been done before, are executed with such precision that they come across as brilliant new movements. Ronin isn't as socially aware as some other action films, but, in every aspect, it's extremely intelligent.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Though some have described George Miller's 2015 masterpiece as an elevated cartoon, there is so much going on beyond the excellent action setpieces. Fury Road is a theoretically simple story that packs in non-stop clever commentary about survival, solidarity, and femineity. One could turn their brain off and try to see this film as a simple rush of explosions and violence, but it's honestly harder to ignore the subtext than to see it. From the slightest visual details to the way characters are introduced, to the moment-to-moment humanity on display, Mad Max: Fury Road isn't just one of the smartest action movies ever made. It's one of the smartest big-budget blockbusters of the modern era.