When you think back, the 2000s had a lot of forgettable action movies. And, it’s not even because they were all bad, per se. It’s just that there were so many of them back then that it’s hard to keep track sometimes. Like, do you remember the Transporter series with Jason Statham? I mean, maybe you do, but I have to constantly remind myself that it even existed (and I saw all of them).
And the thing is, I think we got so many “forgettable” action movies before 2020 because Hollywood was willing to take more risks back then. Plus, streaming hadn’t exploded yet. For example, to go back to Statham, I loved the Crank series, but a lot of people forget they even happened.
That said, some movies may have been forgotten, but are not forgettable, and here are just a few of them.
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Sahara (2005)
Everybody remembers Matthew McConaughey during his McConnaissance era (I mean, even I wrote about one of my favorite McConnaissance-era movies, Mud), but a lot of people tend to overlook the movies that led up to the McConnaissance. Some of these movies were unabashedly awesome, like Reign of Fire, and some of them were romantic comedies, like The Wedding Planner.
But, if there’s one movie I lament that people forget about, it’s 2005’s Sahara, which also stars Penelope Cruz and Steve Zahn. Based on the Clive Cussler novel of the same name, McConaughey plays a treasure hunter named Dirk Pitt who’s on a quest to find a Civil War ship with hidden gold. However, he comes across a WHO doctor (Cruz) and gets caught up in a plot involving toxic waste that turns into a sprawling adventure. It’s a lot of fun!
And, while it’s been mostly forgotten (It was a box office bomb), I don’t think it’s a forgettable movie since the action set pieces are bombastic, Steve Zahn is great comic relief, Lennie James plays an excellent villain, and Matthew McConaughey seems like he’s having a good time. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, see it. There are way worse ways to spend an evening.
Jumper (2008)
Basically, Nightcrawler: The Movie (No, not that Nightcrawler. The one from X-Men who can teleport), Jumper stars Hayden Christensen and Jamie Bell as a pair of, erm, jumpers who can appear anywhere they want via teleportation. Samuel L. Jackson also stars as a religious leader who views their abilities as evil and tries to stop them at any chance he can.
And, well, the movie could be better. Which is a shame, because the concept of using teleportation to rob banks and live the sweet life is a wonderful premise. Loosely based on the novel of the same name by Steven Gould, Jumper is the kind of film that probably could be remade, and with better results.
However, the main reason why I think you should still see Jumper is that it really sparks the imagination. The conceit itself is sound, and Samuel L. Jackson is chewing crazy scenery. Plus, the later fights where vehicles are teleported into the battle still kick ass. That alone makes it worth watching if you ask me.
Push (2009)
A couple of years before Captain America: The First Avenger, but a few years after he starred as The Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies, Chris Evans played a “Mover” (basically somebody with telekinesis) in the superhero film, Push. In fact, Push is a superhero film that wasn’t based on pre-existing superheroes (though we didn’t put it on our list of said superhero films).
It might be because the story’s a little all over the place. In concept, it’s about people with superpowers who are trying to stop a government organization that is working to turn them into weapons. A LOT is going on, and we kind of get lost in all of the bright lights and people getting mentally thrown into walls.
That said, like Jumper, the concept of Push is really cool. It’s sort of like the Stephen King novel, Firestarter (Which itself had interesting movies, though I much prefer the original), but instead of pyrokinesis, it’s a whole range of powers in Push. So, yes, it could be better, but what’s here is still pretty cool.
Legion (2010)
Directed by Scott Stewart, Legion stars Paul Bettany as the Archangel Michael, and he’s come down to earth to protect a baby that is meant to be the world’s savior. Simple stuff, right? Well, sort of, since Michael is mainly here to protect the child from other angels, as God is pissed with humanity and wants to wipe out humankind. In fact, God actually sent Michael down to kill the child, only for Michael to have a change of heart.
What ensues is shooting angels out of the sky and monster attacks. In truth, Legion is a bit of a mess, but it’s the kind I love. Biblical violence is always so cool, and this movie combines horror with action in a fun manner.
Plus, if you’re going to watch it, I suggest you make it a double header with my next choice.
Priest (2011)
I brought up the director of Legion, Scott Stewart, earlier, since he also directed Priest, which is another religion-themed action horror movie. However, substitute angels for vampires, and a bright setting for a dark one, and you pretty much have Priest in a nutshell.
Loosely based on a Korean comic, Priest stars Paul Bettany as the title’s namesake, and he’s out to rescue his niece (Lily Collins). The Priests themselves are the greatest line of defense against vampires, and the Church itself rules the land.
The action is exciting, and Karl Urban is also present as a mysterious figure known only as Black Hat. Again, I’d make this a double feature with Legion. It just works!
Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
Directed by Jon Favreau and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde, Cowboys & Aliens is based on a graphic novel of the same name, and it gives you exactly what the title tells you — cowboys and aliens. The plot centers around an amnesiac with a strange metal band around his wrist, who moseys into a town and saves it from an alien invasion.
It’s a silly premise, but that’s one of the reasons why it’s still memorable.
But, most importantly, it’s a fun movie, and it doesn’t take away from the western side to give more leverage to the alien side, and vice versa. Plus, it has Harrison Ford in it as a grouchy old man. What more could you possibly want?
R I.P.D. (2013)
And lastly, I want to talk about R.I.P.D., which, upon first glance, looks like a rip-off of the Men in Black movies. And, upon a second glance…still looks like a rip-off of M.I.B.
That’s fine, because it’s still fun. It stars Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds as two deceased officers of the law who are hunting down dead spirits galavanting as the living.
What makes R.I.P.D. work, though, is that it knows it’s going to be compared to M.I.B., and it leans into that with weird-shaped monsters and exciting chases. So, like all of the movies on this list, R.I.P.D. may have been forgotten, but it’s still far from forgettable.