Action from the 2000s: the best movies
24 action films from the 2000s, ranked by audience rating. The best of the decade, and it still holds up tonight. Updated September 25, 2026
The Dark Knight leads with 8,5 out of 10, ahead of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (8,5). Ratings range from 7,7 to 8,5. All were released between 2000 and 2009.
Find my film in 2 questionsSwipe through films
The Dark Knight
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers--Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and Sauron's fortress at Barad-dur, deep within the dark lands of Mordor.
Gladiator
After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome's most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
Straight from the Barrio
A young drug dealer falls in love while facing disruption among the men in his gang, and being offered a career as a Reggaetón singer.
Elite Squad
In 1997, before the visit of the pope to Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento from BOPE (Special Police Operations Battalion) is assigned to eliminate the risks of the drug dealers in a dangerous slum nearby where the pope intends to be lodged.
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War
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.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
An assassin is shot by her ruthless employer, Bill, and other members of their assassination circle – but she lives to plot her vengeance.
Codename: Kids Next Door: Operation Z.E.R.O.
The villains of the Kids Next Door, lead by Father, join forces to resurrect the Ultimate Evil, Grandfather, a tyrant who once ruled the world many years ago when most of the villains were themselves kids. However, Father disgraced him that he can't even try to destroy the KND and the Villains were quickly betrayed when they are turned into Senior Citizombies, creatures that are immortal and can transform any living creature into one of them and slaves who are forced to make Tapioca to refuel Grandfather so he can find and destroy the Book of K.N.D.
V for Vendetta
In a world in which Great Britain has become a fascist state, a masked vigilante known only as “V” conducts guerrilla warfare against the oppressive British government. When V rescues a young woman from the secret police, he finds in her an ally with whom he can continue his fight to free the people of Britain.
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
After a battle with a high-tech villain named, Saiko-Tek, the Teen Titans travel to the city of Tokyo where they find themselves embroiled in a conflict with an ancient enemy.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
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.
Killing Cabos
Two young men get involved with some criminals while trying to free the tycoon they kidnapped.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
When wily pirate Captain Barbossa seizes Jack Sparrow’s beloved ship, the Black Pearl, and kidnaps the governor’s daughter, Elizabeth Swann, blacksmith Will Turner reluctantly teams up with the unpredictable pirate Jack to rescue her—only to uncover a terrifying curse that turns Barbossa’s crew into the undead.
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Under constant attack by monstrous creatures called Angels that seek to eradicate humankind, U.N. Special Agency NERV introduces two new EVA pilots to help defend the city of Tokyo-3: the mysterious Makinami Mari Illustrous and the intense Asuka Langley Shikinami. Meanwhile, Gendo Ikari and SEELE proceed with a secret project that involves both Rei and Shinji.
The Chaser
Joong-ho is a dirty detective turned pimp, who's in financial trouble as several of his girls have recently disappeared without clearing their debts. While trying to track them down, he finds a clue that the vanished girls were all called up by the same client, whom one of his girls is meeting with right now.
Ip Man
A semi-biographical account of Yip Man, the first martial arts master to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun. The film focuses on events surrounding Ip that took place in the city of Foshan between the 1930s to 1940s during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Directed by Wilson Yip, the film stars Donnie Yen in the lead role, and features fight choreography by Sammo Hung.
Batman Begins
Driven by tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to uncovering and defeating the corruption that plagues his home, Gotham City. Unable to work within the system, he instead creates a new identity, a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld - The Batman.
The Incredibles
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.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
The year is 2071. Following a terrorist bombing, a deadly virus is released on the populace of Mars and the government has issued the largest bounty in history, for the capture of whoever is behind it. The bounty hunter crew of the spaceship Bebop; Spike, Faye, Jet and Ed, take the case with hopes of cashing in the bounty. However, the mystery surrounding the man responsible, Vincent, goes deeper than they ever imagined, and they aren't the only ones hunting him.
Shottas
A raw urban drama about two friends raised on the dangerous streets of Kingston, Jamaica. Biggs and Wayne take on the "Shotta" way of life to survive. As young boys, they begin a life of crime, eventually moving to the US where they begin a ruthless climb from the bottom. They remain bound to each other by their shottas loyalty as they aggressively take control of the Jamaican underworld.
The Count of Monte Cristo
Young sailor Edmond Dantès is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes, finds treasure, and reinvents himself as the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo to exact revenge on those who betrayed him.
Inuyasha the Movie 2: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass
With their most formidable foe vanquished, Inuyasha and his comrades begin returning to their everyday lives. But their peace is fleeting as another adversary emerges: Kaguya, the self-proclaimed princess from the Moon of Legend, hatches a plot to plunge the world into an eternal night of the full moon. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippou must reunite to confront the new menace.
What to know before choosing
An action film is judged on its twenty minutes too many. Almost all of them can shoot a chase; few know when to stop. The best-rated here are the ones with a clear stake, an antagonist you understand and a running time held in check — that is what audiences punish when they rate, far more than the effects budget. Be wary of very high ratings sitting on few votes: the genre attracts niche audiences who rate generously. The vote floor applied here exists for exactly that.
The 2000s are the digital tipping point: the decade in which effects stopped being remarkable and became invisible. Its films therefore age better than those of the decade before, whose computer imagery gives the date away instantly. It is also the last decade conceived entirely for the cinema rather than the home screen.
Frequently asked questions
How were these 24 films chosen?
They come from the TMDB catalog, filtered on audience rating and on a minimum number of votes — without that second filter, a film rated 9 out of 10 by eleven people would outrank a classic. No place is for sale: no platform, distributor or studio can enter this list other than by being well rated.
Which film in this list is rated highest?
The Dark Knight (2008), with 8,5 out of 10 from 36,787 audience votes.
Where can I watch these films?
Taro eira shows, film by film, which platforms carry it in the US and at what price — subscription, rental or purchase. The per-platform lists are further down this page.
How often does this list change?
It is recomputed every day. Ratings move slowly, catalogs move fast: availability is what mostly pushes titles in and out.
Do I need an account?
No. Taro eira is free, asks for no account and no subscription, and the two-or-three-question flow works without installing anything.
See also
- Action
- Action from the 2020s
- Action from the 2010s
- Action from the 1990s
- Action from the 1980s
- Action from the 1970s
- Action before 1970
- Adventure from the 2000s
- Animation from the 2000s
- Comedy from the 2000s
- Crime from the 2000s
- Documentary from the 2000s
- Drama from the 2000s
- Family from the 2000s
- Fantasy from the 2000s
- Biopic from the 2000s
- Horror from the 2000s
- Musical from the 2000s
- Romance from the 2000s
- Sci-fi from the 2000s
- Thriller from the 2000s
- War from the 2000s
- Western from the 2000s
How this list is built
Films come from the TMDB catalog, filtered on audience rating and vote count, then cross-checked against real availability in the country. No paid placement, no partnerships. How we choose the films.
Film data and posters: TMDB. This app uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.