A Kong vs Godzilla Showdown

 This was a good year for action cinema. In 2020, many of the biggest movies were postponed or moved to streaming, while blockbuster productions were halted due to the COVID pandemic. And while the health crisis isn’t over, blockbusters came back in force in 2021: Four Marvel movies, Zack Snyder’s long-awaited Justice League cut, a Kong vs Godzilla showdown, new entries in world-famous franchises (F9, Mortal Kombat, Snake Eyes), and a few surprises in the mid-budget standalone ’90s actioner range, like Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man and Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse.

The year has been filled with ambitious, energetic, and exciting action films — indies and blockbusters alike — some of which contain scenes that will stay with you for a long time. Here is a list of 10 of the most accomplished, daring, or impressive action scenes of the year in alphabetical order, which you can check out right now on various streaming and VOD platforms.

THE FABLE: THE KILLER WHO DOESN’T KILL — SCAFFOLDING FIGHT

The Fable: The Killer Who Doesn’t Kill isn’t the best film in this list, but it definitely has the best action scene: a 15-minute tour-de-force set in an apartment building and the massive scaffolding erected in front of it. The hero and the army of goons he faces travel in all directions (left, right, up, down) with mesmerizing agility and welcome brutality. Just like in the first film, the scene’s stakes lie in the way the filmmakers exploit the setting to create suspense and emotion. It’s a roller coaster of dodging sniper bullets and parkour moves executed mid-kick. More than the (decent) scaffolding fight scene from Shang-Chi;, it is a true testament to the film team’s dedication pushing a kind of believable and grounded spectacle to new heights. The first film, an adaptation of the eponymous manga simply called The Fable, came out in 2019 in Japan. Start with that one (it also contains dazzling action), and then watch its sequel, The Fable: The Killer Who Doesn’t Kill.

HYDRA — THE FINAL FIGHT

Hydra is a prime example of the independent Japanese film scene’s ability to create something truly unique with next to no resources. Longtime stuntman Kensuke Sonomura directed his first feature film in 2019, but it only reached international shores this year. A low-key, character-driven drama that plays heavily on atmosphere, Hydra contains sporadic action, but those two bursts of violence are immensely satisfying, as the built-up drama makes viewers care deeply about the outcome. The action choreography takes speed to new levels; there is no undercranking as far as I could tell, and yet my eyes could barely keep up. In a fight where each movement and each second counts, the tension builds up to untenable levels. Action and emotion combined to devastating effects. The film is a breezy 77 minutes long and doesn’t need to be longer. A short synthwave-filled, neon-drenched indie with two astounding fights? If you’re into this sort of thing, don’t miss out.

NOBODY — THE BUS FIGHT

One of the biggest surprises of early 2021, Nobody treads familiar grounds story-wise, but Bob Odenkirk’s commitment impresses. The seasoned actor sought out the role to challenge himself and step out of his comfort zone. Mission accomplished: the action is lean and mean, thanks mostly to the involvement of the 87North (formerly 87Eleven) action stunt team, the driving force behind the John Wick franchise. To get up to speed, Odenkirk trained with none other than action legend Daniel Bernhardt, who plays one of the goons on the bus. That is the scene the team chose to put front and center for the film’s marketing campaign, and for good reason. Minutely planned and rehearsed, beautifully choreographed, and efficiently directed by Hardcore Henry filmmaker Ilya Naishuller, the scene emphasizes the protagonist’s pain and suffering, and playfully makes use of the environment and limitations inherent to small spaces. Clarity and legibility are constantly on the mind of the 87North team, and it pays off: no shaky-cam, no unnecessary cutting, just a by-the-book, old-fashioned, immensely striking fist fight. It’s always a good feeling when you get your money’s worth.

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NO TIME TO DIE — OPENING CHASE

The Craig era comes to an end but this final chapter takes off at full throttle when James Bond is targeted by SPECTRE assassins while visiting Vesper Lynd’s tomb. The chase is fast-paced, tense, varied, and stimulating, making the protagonist go from running to riding a motorcycle, to using his signature weaponized Aston Martin. The scene is directed masterfully by Fukunaga, who delivers everything one could expect from a Bond action scene, from the gadgets to the stunts to the virtuoso camera work. Set in the Southern Italian city of Matera, which was never designed to accommodate car chases, the scene takes full advantage of the unusual topography — narrow cobblestone streets, slopes, hills, and stairs everywhere — to create a consistently surprising action choreography. It’s a beautiful example of a blockbuster making the effort to find real locations and design thrilling sequences to create a more tangible texture. It feels like good old-fashioned filmmaking in a crisp, polished modern veneer. Perhaps among the franchise’s best action scenes.

ONE SHOT — THE WHOLE DANG MOVIE

The chosen scene is the whole film because One Shot is presented as a single unbroken shot. It’s not a real oner, of course — shooting an action film with gun fights and explosions as a true one-take would be irresponsibly dangerous — but the editing is seamless. The long takes work well in that they create a palpable sense of immersion for the viewer, while the camera never stays with one character only, switching focus between the soldiers, led by a perfect Scott Adkins, and the attacking terrorists who are trying to assassinate a prisoner of the US military. The script isn’t anything to write home about, but it allows director James Nunn to tell a self-contained story in a single location, and therefore to ensure his narrative approach makes sense. With experienced DTV movies action choreographer Tim Man as a guide, the team managed to create a varied flow of action over its 90-plus minute runtime. The result, despite a tiny $5 million budget, is a logistical triumph, with more ambition and hard work than many movies made with more money. As far as DTV action goes, it’s hard to recommend a more ambitious film this year.