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We have arrived! After officially not doing a best of 2024 last year, although I picked Bren Foster’s Life After Fighting as the Action-Flix top winner, we are here with the Top 10 all-time bangers of the year. This is sacred ground my friends as these films were the ones to really tickle my fancy and charge me up upon viewing. If you’re in this elite group, then you know you have arrived. I kid, of course, as my website and podcast are literally nothing in the field, but I have been told that I am a leading authority on action cinema so put that in your pipe and inhale suckers.
Without further ado, here are the Top 10 hit action movies of 2025 with the last one winning the championship as the Best of the Best in 2025. There’s no shock as a certain action icon has not one but two films in the Top 10 this year so buckle up buttercups.
Let’s jock up, go tactical and roll out with the Top 10 action pics of the year!!!
10) Primitive War
If you’re a fan of the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World franchise but thought that they played it a little too safe, then Primitive War is the end all be all cure! From filmmaker Luke Sparke of the Occupation films comes a bombastic Vietnam era actioner fused with dinosaur carnage in one gory, bullet shredding thrill ride that delivers on all levels. I was never much of a fan of the Jurassic films except for Spielberg’s initial classic as I love dinosaur/kaiju films but I though they always played it safe to entice families to go see them. Of course, that makes sound business sense because after all, companies want to make money, but Sparke threw caution to the wind, or jungle as the case may be, and he delivered on all fronts with a military action-dinosaur crunching epic that was a relentless barrage of blood, explosions and dinos ripping unfortunate humans to shreds.
This movie is locked and loaded with some of the most amazing visuals and action available and fans will have to strap in because just like the advertising has mentioned, this ain’t going to be no walk in the park. It’s important to note that this is a pure indie film as Sparke financed it himself. There is no Disney money here. Just a cast and crew that poured their blood, sweat and tears into a project that when finished, rivaled anything a big studio could do.
Ever since the 80’s, I have been a lover of Vietnam war films and to this day, the series Tour of Duty remains one of my all-time favorites. It’s true that Hollywood was all in on delivering no holds barred films about the conflict and such iconic movies like the Oscar winning Platoon and Hamburger Hill still resonate for their unflinching portrayals of a war that was literally hell on earth. With that being said, what could make a war film about Vietnam and the brave men who fought it even better? Well, adding dinosaurs into the mix certainly helps! That’s what the premise for director Luke Sparke’s lates sci-fi/horror/action epic Primitive War which is based on the graphic novel of the same name.
Stars Ryan Kwanten (True Blood), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), Nick Wechsler (The Boyz) and Jemery Piven (Entourage) are all sensational and the supporting cast are all in as well. If you love your military infused action pics mixed with a dash of ferocious monster combat, then this one certainly checks all the boxes! This film is one hell of a barbaric, savage and downright rad good time and I’m waiting for sequels!
9) SISU 2: ROAD TO REVENGE
I know there will be many of you out there that probably have this sequel higher up on your lists but for me as long as it’s in the top 10 then it’s a win. If you thought Aatami Korpi was done eliminating Nazis with extreme prejudice in Sisu, well guess again, as Sony issued a savage and balls out sequel for the highly respected first film titled Sisu: Road to Revenge. Jorma Tommila is back and as brutal as ever as he takes on Avatar’s Stephen Lang in the ultimate road trip from hell with bombastic, gory results.
The budget for Sisu 2 was reportedly bigger than the first and it looks like they used all of it the right way as this follow up ramps it up (if that was possible) and features a Mad Max style assault of the senses with sensational vehicular warfare. Adding Stephen Lang, who is one of the most underrated character actors out there, as the main baddie this time was a stroke of genius. There is nothing but carnage and blood dripping mayhem to be had and enjoyed and this one threw everything into the fold including the kitchen sink.
Sisu 2 is Mad Max’s The Road Warrior on some serious performance enhancing drugs and director Jalmari Helander returned to say if you thought the first movie was batshit crazy…well…hold my beer. There is ridiculous amounts of death, destruction and ill will to enjoy here and I was smiling from ear to ear as Korpi literally eviscerated bad guys into a fine red mist. “Nuff Said!
8) GLADIATOR UNDERGROUND
Please read my online reaction to this grand return to martial arts tournament fight flicks when it hit The Big Bad Film Fest in August:
“The underground tournament fight flick Gladiator Underground starring the boys from The Martial Club made its debut at this weekend’s Big Bad Film Fest and it is a hyper-fierce, bone crunching, gravity defying martial war of fluid action design and immersive fight choreography that throws the viewer into the ring. Stars D.Y. Sao, Andy Le and Brian Le deliver a ferocious homage to the old school fight films of the past in a dizzying and non-stop barrage of hardcore martial arts entertainment that rips from the opening salvo to the climatic and epic final assault. A must see when it officially releases!“
That pretty much says it all but if you need further clarification, The Martial Club is back with a resounding bang and with that, they delivered their most ambitious project to date with the brutal, bruising new underground fight flick Gladiator Underground. Starring the talents of D.Y. Sao, Brian Le and Andy Le, the film is the next generation of gravity defying, jaw dropping martial arts entertainment that will certainly check all the boxes for rabid fans looking for their next action fix. Back in the 90’s when the DTV martial arts boom hit, the underground fighting film was a staple with video stores being flooded with over-the-top bruisers that fans couldn’t get enough of. With Gladiator Underground, The Martial Club pays homage to the glory days while putting a next gen vibe on it that is all their own. It’s win or die so scroll below for the insane new footage from the martial arts action stunt team that brought you “EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE!”
Gladiator Underground should be viewed as many times as possible!
7) THE SHADOW’S EDGE
Martial arts and action icon Jackie Chan is well into his seventies and if I can do just a thread of what he can in his twilight years then I will feel good about myself. Say what you will about Chan’s latest efforts like The Panda Plan, but he revisited his down dirty and gritty ways like in The Foreigner for his latest cops and robbers actioner The Shadow’s Edge. This time, Chan had his hands full as he is took on another international star in Tony Leung Ka-fai.
The Shadow’s Edge is an eclectic and pulsating mix of shoot ‘em up fused with some pretty savage and exhilarating action design with Chan delivering on all fronts. This is a definite must see for any hardcore action cinephile who likes their chaos served with a dash of the jaw dropping stuff. Chan goes all out savage in this one and just like The Foreigner, which is my favorite Jackie Chan flick, The Shadow’s Edge is right up there with insane action, horror level violence and the master doing what he does and proving that he’s still the best.
Fans all over love the more lighthearted Jackie Chan. The Jackie that deploys Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin style antics into full-throttle action-comedies that leave your head spinning. Don’t get me wrong. I love those movies too and I feel that Drunken Master 2 is the bar that all other action films should be set to, but if I was forced to choose between slapstick Jackie or battle hardened and serious Jackie like in The Foreigner and this one, I would have to go with the latter. I feel that The Foreigner, which hails from celebrated director Martin Campbell, is Jackie’s finest hour as not only an action star but as an actor as well. The weight and gravitas that the international icon brings to that role is a chef’s kiss and the action design is rapid fire bursts of extreme and brutal action. The Shadow’s Edge gives us more of that and elevates it with even more sick and slick action from start to finish.
6) FROM THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK: BALLERINA
Upon release, Ballerina: From the World of John Wick was met with divisive reaction and a lukewarm box office. To that I have one thing to say. What a crime. Ana de Armas had some pretty big shoes to fill with this spin-off of Keanu Reeves’ epic and blockbuster franchise, but not only did she feel them, she made new shoes in the process. I don’t care what anyone says, Ballerina is everything you could want in a John Wick flick and more and de Armas put in the work and was death personified onscreen.
Ana de Armas plays a lethal lady skilled in tactical violence who seeks to avenge her family when they are killed by hitmen. The film takes place in the shared universe of Wick, so franchise stars included Ian McShane as Winston as the owner of the Continental Hotel, along with the late, great Lance Reddick as Charon, who is The Continental’s concierge and right-hand man to Winston. Anjelica Huston reprised her role as the Director, the head of the Ruska Roma and stole her scenes per normal while franchise star Keanu Reeves made an appearance as Wick himself.\ that was much more than just a cameo. New cast members Norman Reedus, Catalina Sandino Mareno, David Byrne, and David Castañeda were great as well and this film is worthy of the name it comes from.
Mass carnage and expertly choreographed 87Eleven mayhem ensues as Eve transforms into a nonstop killing machine and sets her sights on everyone that is responsible for her family’s death. Ana de Armas pretty much announced herself as the next big action star with this one and she owns it. Even Wick himself gets involved as Keanu Reeves, of course, makes an appearance to take Eve out before she can complete her blood-soaked journey of destruction and vengeance. The film is relentless in its execution and tactics and the finale which is seriously extended is ridiculously awesome. The flame thrower sequence itself just might be the best action sequence of the year and the image of the flames illuminating the dark hallway was a sadistic chef’s kiss. It’s just plain sick. Bring on the Donnie Yen led Caine spin-off ASAP! Oh and Ms. de Armas may play Eve as long as she wants and keeps on fighting like a girl.
5) THE ACCOUNTANT 2
Ben Affleck & Jon Bernthal’s Long Awaited Sequel Surpasses the Original with Heart, Humor, Taut Suspense and Bullet Shredding Bravado!
The Account 2 is in a league like Aliens. It is a sequel that is bigger, badder and more satisfying than the beloved original. Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal are buddy action movie gold delivering fantastic performances and chemistry like no other. The supporting cast including returning cast members J.K. Simmons and Cynthia Addai-Robinson also shine when given the chance and newcomer Danielle Pineda gives a haunting and low-key performance as a mysterious assassin who is more than she seems. The action does take a back seat once again like the first film but the character driven plot, although a little convoluted and ambiguous, drives the film to its slam bang climax of glorious tactical action and mayhem. This sequel proves that Affleck and Bernthal have a solid gold hit franchise on their hands and it would be criminal not to see them together again on the big screen in more installments.
Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal return for one hell of a buddy actioner that is loaded with taut thrills, laugh out loud humor, strong sentiment and above all, bullet blasting bravado!
4) WARFARE
To be fair and honest, Warfare is not an action film. It’s an electrifying, taut slice to the jugular that has the be seen to be lived. The tactical sequences in the film are nor played for thrills, but they are shown to demonstrate the unwavering bravery these elite soldiers go through on a daily basis. When all else fails, this is the corps of men that you send to get the job done. Even when things go wrong, special warfare operators dig deep inside themselves and pull everything out to get the job done when all seems bleak. Warfare demonstrates this and should be considered as one of the best films of the year…period.
Acclaimed filmmaker Alex Garland dropped one hell of a surreal war film in the form of A24’s Civil War which told the story of a fictional civil war between an America divided. Acclaimed by some as an unflinching warning of what could happen possibly if we don’t listen to the past, many denounced it as an overblown film delivering little service to entertainment. I, for one, loved the film and Garland’s never back down mode of storytelling.
Garland returned in 2025 and put us right back into the fight with film that is set during an all too real Iraq war in 2006. Garland wanted to make the most authentic war film possible, so he drafted his military supervisor and real-life Iraqi war vet Ray Mendoza to co-write and co-direct the movie with him. What transpires is one of the most authentic interpretations of modern combat and the brave men who don’t know when to quit. This film is a near perfect immersive experience that throws viewers right into the heat of war. This is unbridled heroism and brotherhood on display and is a bold rendering of the tried-and-true war film.
Just like the Iraq War film The Outpost, directed by Rod Lurie who is also a veteran, another war film I regard as the most authentic representation of men in war and what it’s like and how they act, Warfare does the same with unnerving battle action set pieces and in your face violence and sheer dread that you won’t forget. What audiences will also get from viewing is the truest sense of what these men go through when the bullets rain down around them and the explosions rock them to the core as they never give up until the last man comes home. This is war straight up with no filter and no forgiveness. Chef’s kiss.
3) OSIRIS
OSIRIS is a Relentless Barrage of Kinetic Tactical Action Merged with Grand Sci-Fi Spectacle for a Tier One Cinematic Experience
Osiris is a top contender for best action film of the year. It’s the perfect example of when you do the action practically, it serves up a more memorable experience. Sure, there are visual effects, and they are sensational, but the stunts and carnage are exactly how they should be and that’s practical with good old honest death-defying stunt work and action design. The cast, led by Martini and the GOAT Linda Hamilton, all hit the bullseye and with all the chaos involved, Kaufman still gives you enough time with all of them to make you care about them.
The aliens are something out of a fever dream and are just as tactically bad ass as the good guys but also reek of fear and merciless energy. This film only works if the creatures do their job and incite fear and dread and its mission accomplished here. I always thought that the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise was the scariest, but these things tell them to hold their beer. Their fast, strong and brutal and the animatronic effects are a standout and reflect how it was done back in the day and is a nice homage to the creators of yesteryear.
Osiris is a near perfect blend of sci-fi spectacle and brutal, tactically efficient action design that immerses the viewer in a trip to heel for 107 minutes. I just hope that this film finds its intended audience so we get to see what will transpire next for this world gone wrong.
In a summer movie environment filled with grand scale comic book films, William Kaufman has delivered a savage, fiercely executed sci-fi actioner that immerses the audience in an unforgiving and bloody alien war!
2) DIABLO
Scott Adkins & Marko Zaror Execute a Masterclass in Martial Arts Action Cinema Proving Once Again that They Have No Equal!
And you thought the GOAT wasn’t going to be on the Best of 2025 list. On the contrary my peeps. The human special effect who goes by the name of Scott Adkins had one of his best years of action adrenaline output and he put out the two best action films of the year. First, up, Adkins and his action icon fellow co-star Marko Zaror (who also hit the best of list at number 11 with Affinity) delivered breakneck action, fierce drama and no holds barred storytelling that has no equal.
Diablo is an indie actioner that works because of the talent involved. It has moments of heart to go along with the violence and both Scott Adkins and Marko Zaror prove yet again that when it comes to this type of film, there are no equals. Director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza is an action filmmaker that needs more recognition, and he clearly has an eye for what makes organized mayhem look good on screen. Alanna De La Rossa turns in a career making performance and she has thrown her hat into the ring as a strong contender for next generation star.
Both Adkins and Zaror are turned loose to do what they do best and there is more than enough action, violence and flawlessly crafted sequences to fill two movies. There is a reason why these men are stars (or icons as I have now ordained them) and they have taken what they have learned over the decades and have excelled to a whole new level. I could nitpick about negatives as I’m sure some reviewers will do but why do that when what we have come for is triumphantly laid out in front of us. There is nobody better in action cinema today and Diablo is a film that you will want to watch over and over again. I know I will.
Diablo is essential action cinema viewing with two of today’s best of the best in Scott Adkins & Marko Zaror tearing up the screen with some of the fiercest action design ever captured on film. A true masterclass in how to do it right.
And now, it is the moment you have all been waiting for! Drum roll please…
The Action-Flix Number 1 Action Film of the Year is…
1) PRISONER OF WAR
In 2025, action icon Scott Adkins crushed it with the two biggest action films of the year. Prisoner of War is a banger war epic that is equal parts bravado, horror and martial arts artistry that is savage, unflinching and immersive. Adkins and director Louis Mandylor unleash a stripped down and visceral martial arts war thriller that does justice to the real-life soldiers who went through hell in POW camps during the last great war. Read the full, original review below!
2025 has been a fantastic year for indie action cinema with several adrenaline laced movies making a name for themselves like the sci-fi epic Osiris and the recently released insane dinosaur/war hybrid Primitive War. You can’t have a banner year in action without including the icon himself Scott Adkins and the star of so many action epics pulls no punches for his latest WW II martial arts actioner Prisoner of War. The film reunites Adkins with his Debt Collector co-star and fellow action star Louis Mandylor who is behind the camera on this one. Mandylor, who has quietly made a name for himself in indie action has been killing it as of late directing several films like Operation Blood Hunt and 3 Days in Malay. Both films take place during the second world war and for his latest in Prisoner of War, he performs the WW II hat trick and adds the best in the business as his weapon of execution.
Prisoner of War, which hails from a story idea of Adkins along with writer Marc Clebanoff, delves into more than just fists and feet as it also tackles the horrors of POWs who wake up each and every day wondering if it will be their last. It is also based off the unbelievable true story of the infamous Bataan Death March where countless American and Filipino soldiers were mercilessly forced to hike approximately 60 to 70 miles after the Japanese won the Battle of Bataan. Adkins stars as British Wing Commander James Wright and the film actually opens after the war as we see an older Wright enter a Japanese Dojo looking for a fight and for good reason. You see, he’s looking for the man who tormented him years ago and he’s looking for retribution and a little justice for what took place during the last great war.
The film backtracks from there and we see Wright as he is shot down during a mission and upon utilizing escape and evasion procedures which include eliminating multiple Japanese soldiers with brutal empty-handed flair, Wright is eventually captured and thrust into hell on earth. The POW camp is run with a merciless and iron fist by the camp’s overlord Lt. Col. Ito, played with a quiet intensity by wonderful character actor Peter Shinkoda of Dardedevil and The Predator fame.
Ito isn’t your ordinary sadist in that he not only forces his prisoners to work themselves to death and tortures them on a daily basis, but he also makes them fight in brutal death matches with his guards for entertainment. When Ito discovers Wright, the dictator simply sees the British soldier as easy fodder for his sick games, but the tables are turned when Ito discovers that Wright is a fighting machine with impeccable skills that dispatches each and every foe without so much as breaking a sweat. This, of course, infuriates Ito and thus begins a violent and dark game of cat and mouse between warden and prisoner with Ito attempting to break Wright’s soul and the latter looking to survive until rescue.
When Wright enters the camp, he immediately is introduced to a host of fellow POWs like Sgt. Villenueva (Michael Copon), The Beard (Michael Rene Walton), and Captain Collins (MMA champ Cowboy Cerrone) who delivers a standout performance and when Wright continues to win every battle thrown at him, he turns into a symbol of hope and honor for the beleaguered crew of captured misfits. There is also a cameo from Shane Kosugi, son of Ninja icon Sho Kosugi and brother to fellow action star Kane Kosugi and while his presence is brief, he stands out with a quick and bloody altercation with Adkins towards the beginning.
At this stage of his career, Adkins has nothing to prove, and he has literally poured blood, sweat and tears into a decades long career that has seen him amass a legion of fans and respect in the industry as the best of the best in action cinema. Adkins deserves to have his name mentioned in the same breath as other icons like Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Van Damme and Norris and there is no denying that he is a thrill to watch on screen.
In Prisoner of War, Adkins also delivers another standout performance besides the blistering action, and he is the complete package when it comes to action stars working today. Adkins plays Wright with an understated and ferocious intensity that erupts at the right times, and he commands the screen when he is on. His scenes with Ito are the stuff of legends and it reminded me of watching Missing in Action 2: The Beginning with Chuck Norris’ Braddock going up against Soon-Tek Oh’s vicious Colonel Yin. Their conversations are simple and effective and each actor plays off the other with solid results. I have always said that Adkins is the kind of star that elevates any film that he is in and if the movie doesn’t quite measure up to the man, well then, he simply makes it better just by being in it.
On the other side of the coin, Louis Mandylor is quickly becoming the go to filmmaker for no holds barred indie action cinema and with Prisoner of War, the action star turned director executes an unapologetic and unflinching war drama that is laced with savage beats of tier one action design. It always amazes on how indie filmmakers can do so much with so little and here Mandylor elevates the project well above its limited budget and constraints. Mandylor, having starred in so many action films and TV series in the past, knows how to capture the story and the ferocious action packaging everything tightly into a powder keg of a movie.
Now with it already stated that Adkins’ dramatic chops have reached a new level of respect, it will always be the gravity defying and jaw hitting the floor action design of his movies that he will be known for. With Prisoner of War, Adkins showcases why he is tier one in this game and this time around, Adkins executes his most stripped down and barbaric fighting sequences to date. The film starts off with a barrage of fisticuffs culminating in bladed warfare and it continues to excel from there with each and every throwdown where Wright is matched with the most dangerous fighters that Ito can throw at him.
The film’s action designer and stunt coordinator Stephen Renney has crafted superb and riveting altercations that look to tell a story, and the standouts are a two on one affair with Adkins deploying his arsenal of his best moves and a nail biting sequence where Wright is tortured to an inch of his life but then proceeds to turn the tables on his captors and while utilizing some flashy stick work in the process. Each battle is stripped down, visceral and different in their style and execution and they should elicit the proper response from the audience.
The climax is a barrage of explosions and death that culminates in a brief but fierce sword fight between Wright and Ito. The choreography is spot on and executed with dazzling and razor-sharp precision. My only complaint, and this is a minor nitpick, is that it was a tad brief. That’s nothing but a compliment to the execution as I would have loved to see more during the sequence, but I digress.
It’s important to note that they explain why Wright is so proficient in the fighting arts as the character has grown up mainly overseas in Asia while learning the savage science known only in that area at the time. This little input offers a dose of authentic realism, so the audience understands why a white guy in the ‘40’s knows how to execute such beautiful and brutal moves and it just shows that Mandylor knows how to make everything lock into place, so the film doesn’t careen into nonsensical storytelling.
Prisoner of War is pure, unfiltered and savage Scott Adkins at his bruising best. He continues to show audiences that he is much more than just an action icon and with this entry, he puts out his most dramatic effort to date. This is a different kind of war film that strips back the layers on the plight of the POW while delivering a barrage of brutality and epic action design in the process. Combining a WW II thriller with a Bloodsport style subtext was a stroke of genius and it elicits the proper reaction while viewing. Adkins and Mandylor are an all-star team when it comes to making indie action at its most raw and fans of the genre will more than get their feel from what this one has to offer.
Prisoner of War is prime Scott Adkins at his hard hitting, master class best! The unquestionable best action film of 2025! Congratulations, and here’s to more to come in the new year!
Check Out the Extended Full Exclusive Interview with Scott Adkins for Prisoner of War Below!
