Last updated March 2024
On the hunt for sensationally awesome Best Action Movies 2011 ? See our compilation of 30 marvelous, universally beloved Best Action Movies 2011 handpicked for your viewing pleasure. Critically celebrated by revered IMDB reviewers and widely adored by our own legion of savvy users, these world-class titles simply have no equal. Lend fellow viewers a hand by voting up the titles you feel are keepers. We appreciate your stellar contributions showcasing the finest entertainment available!
Warrior (2011)
Plot Summary:
The youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer returns home, where he's trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament - a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his estranged, older brother, an ex-marine with a tragic past
Duration: 140 min
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
IMDB Votes: 491000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Plot tags: martial arts, mixed martial arts, boxing, courage, brother brother relationship, fight scenes, underdog, muscleman, teacher, brothers, estrangement, father son relationship, athlete and trainer, warrior, tournament, martial arts training, boxer, mentor, training, martial arts tournament, athlete's life, alcoholic, family drama, character study, brutality
Drive (2011)
Plot Summary:
A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman for criminals discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong
Duration: 100 min
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
IMDB Votes: 690000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: car chase, heist, mechanic, danger, lone wolves, tough heroes, organized crime, revenge, loner, chases and races, robbery, character study, auto mechanic, violent, love, loneliness, neighbor, unfulfillment, car, criminal's revenge, very little dialogue, jacket, psychopath, selflessness, brutality
Always (2011)
Plot Summary:
Cheol-Min, a man with a dark, picks up a part-time night job as a parking lot attendant. He sits in the tiny pay booth in the parking lot and stares at the small television. A woman named Jung-Hwa walks into the booth. Cheol-Min realizes the woman is blind and she is confusing him for the parking attendant who worked there previously. Nevertheless, the woman comes back on another night to watch the same television drama series. Cheol-Min starts becoming attached to Jung-Hwa and they find out they are connected by the same incident in the past
Duration: 108 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Action, Drama, Romance
Country: South Korea
Plot tags: true love, blindness, love and romance, attraction, couples, love affair, blind man, love story, boxing, twists and turns, disability, haunted by the past, estrangement, couple relations, asian, misfit, blind character, opposites attract, breakup, love, strong female lead, illness, tragedy, happy ending, tragic love
Mankatha (2011)
Plot Summary:
Vinayak and his 4 team members rob a booty of 500 crores INR. Trouble starts when two of the team betrays them
Duration: 155 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: India
Plot tags: heist, gambling, betrayal, faked death, law enforcement, bookies, gang, chases and races, dishonesty, tough law enforcer, bad cop, pretense, murder, undercover, anti hero, cricket, police, plot twist, money laundering, genius, villain, cop, profanity, urban, fixed match
X-Men: First Class (2011)
Plot Summary:
Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were arch-enemies, they were closest of friends, working together with other mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known
Duration: 131 min
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
IMDB Votes: 715000
Genere: Action, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, UK
Plot tags: superhero, mutant, supernatural ability, supernatural power, superhuman powers, vengeance, vigilante, x men, superhuman, supernatural, comic book, genetics, cold war, female spy, teenage superhero, danger, tough guy, super villain, team, good versus evil, escapades, stripper, friendship, comic hero, alternate history
The Raid (2011)
Plot Summary:
Deep in the heart of Jakarta's slums lies an impenetrable safe house for the world's most dangerous killers and gangsters. Until now, the run-down apartment block has been considered untouchable to even the bravest of police. Cloaked under the cover of pre-dawn darkness and silence, an elite swat team is tasked with raiding the safe house in order to take down the notorious drug lord that runs it. But when a chance encounter with a spotter blows their cover and news of their assault reaches the drug lord, the building's lights are cut and all the exits blocked. Stranded on the sixth floor with no way out, the unit must fight their way through the city's worst to survive their mission. Starring Indonesian martial arts sensation Iko Uwais
Duration: 101 min
IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
IMDB Votes: 214000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Indonesia, France, USA
Plot tags: martial arts, fight, swat, survival, trapped, kung fu, fistfight, death, gunfight, warrior, brutality, gang, swat team, violence, gangster, violent, fighting crime, team, strong violent content, drug lord, organized crime, shooting, deathtrap, betrayal, fight scenes
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Plot Summary:
Scientist Will Rodman is determined to find a cure for Alzheimer's, the disease which has slowly consumed his father. Will feels certain he is close to a breakthrough and tests his latest serum on apes, noticing dramatic increases in intelligence and brain activity in the primate subjects – especially Caesar, his pet chimpanzee
Duration: 105 min
IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
IMDB Votes: 551000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK, Canada
Plot tags: ape, planet of the apes, gorilla, rebelliousness, rebellion, chimpanzee, animal testing, imaginary, animal, dystopia, virus, monkey, animal cruelty, end of the world, experiment gone awry, intelligence, distopia, freedom, apocalypse, society, genetic engineering, earth, survival, humanity, mythology
My Way (2011)
Plot Summary:
Jun-shik, who works for Tatsuo’s grandfather’s farm while Korea is colonized by Japan, dreams about participating in the Tokyo Olympics as a marathon runner. Tatsuo also aims to become a marathon runner, so the two become rivals. But the war breaks out and they both are forced to enlist in the army. Tatsuo becomes the head of defense in Jun-shik’s unit and he devises a scheme but fails. Jun-shik and Tatsuo are held captive by the Soviets. They run away but soon are captured by the Germans and forced to separate. In 1944, they meet again on the shores of Normandy
Duration: 137 min
IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Action, Drama, War
Country: South Korea
Plot tags: world war two, military, war, occupation, japanese occupation of korea, military life, battles, captivity, life is a bitch, soldier, rivalry, confined, world war, winter, korean war, japanese occupation, holocaust, partisan, snow, wrestling, asian, eastern front, cavalry, great war, japanese army
Source Code (2011)
Plot Summary:
Decorated soldier Captain Colter Stevens wakes up in the body of an unknown man, discovering he's involved in a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. He learns he's part of a top-secret experimental program that enables him to experience the final 8 minutes of another person's life. Colter re-lives the train incident over and over again, gathering more clues each time. But can he discover who is responsible for the attack before the next one happens?
Duration: 93 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 542000
Genere: Action, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, France, Germany
Plot tags: time loop, time travel, train, alternate reality, parallel universe, memory, twists and turns, save the day, destiny, changing the past or future, bomb, race against time, terrorism, investigation, existence paradox, danger, time, imaginary, experiment, death, mission, sent to the past, courage, hopes, plot twist
Headhunters (2011)
Plot Summary:
An accomplished headhunter risks everything to obtain a valuable painting owned by a former mercenary
Duration: 100 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 106000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany
Plot tags: twists and turns, surveillance, art thief, art theft, chase, mercenary, dishonesty, revenge, reputation, male star appears nude, mind game, sex, infidelity, police investigation, nudity, heist, plot twist, nordic, robbery, vengeance, collector, gunfight, male nudity, dark humor, jealousy
Delhi Belly (2011)
Plot Summary:
Three unsuspecting, average guys find themselves on the hit list of one of India's most-powerful crime syndicates
Duration: 103 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Country: India
Plot tags: buddies, gangster, nothing goes right, partners in crime, on the run, fish out of water, goofy hero, muslim, escapades, danger, partner, disorder, sex, erotica, blackmail, dying, photographer, chase, heroes, friends, profanity, chases and races, dumped, silly humor, police officer
Behzat Ç.: I Buried You in My Heart (2011)
Plot Summary:
An aggressive police officer tries to solve the mystery behind consecutive murders. While doing so, he must fight against his inner demons
Duration: 110 min
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery
Country: Turkey
Plot tags: murder, law enforcement, police investigation, serial killer, who done it, fighting crime, police officer, turk, violent content, police, tough law enforcer, graphic violence, deadly, mystery, crime, crimes, turkish
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension (2011)
Plot Summary:
Perry's worst fear comes true when Phineas and Ferb finds out that he is in fact Secret Agent P, but that soon pales in comparison during a trip to the 2nd dimension where Perry finds out that Dr. Doofenshmirtz is truly evil and successful
Duration: 78 min
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Musical, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Taiwan, China
Plot tags: parallel world, parallel universe, save the day, heroes, hidden identity, secret identity, daring rescue, undercover, rivalry, danger, resistance, teleportation, kids and family, battles, dating, alternate universe, mad scientist, teenager, inventor, occupation, alternate dimension, pets, alternate reality, monster, grownups
Dookudu (2011)
Plot Summary:
A young policeman hunts down the men who caused the accident that put his politician father into a coma
Duration: 170 min
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: India
Plot tags: drug lord, vengeance, fighting crime, rivalry, law enforcement, disorder, against the rules, danger, tragic love, exploitation, coma, family relations, parents and children, love and romance, fall in love, rebellion, chases and races, rage, pretense, silly humor, tough law enforcer, hunt down, protecting from truth, violent content, revenge
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Plot Summary:
Ethan Hunt and his team are racing against time to track down a dangerous terrorist named Hendricks, who has gained access to Russian nuclear launch codes and is planning a strike on the United States. An attempt to stop him ends in an explosion causing severe destruction to the Kremlin and the IMF to be implicated in the bombing, forcing the President to disavow them. No longer being aided by the government, Ethan and his team chase Hendricks around the globe, although they might still be too late to stop a disaster
Duration: 132 min
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
IMDB Votes: 521000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: spy, espionage, mission, gunfight, cia, frame up, female spy, tough guy, chases and races, top secret, race against time, on the run, save the day, working undercover, undercover, heroic mission, courage, terrorist, terrorist plot, escapades, female assassin, terrorism, secret agent, teamwork, agent
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Plot Summary:
There is a new criminal mastermind at large (Professor Moriarty) and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil and lack of conscience may give him an advantage over the detective
Duration: 129 min
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
IMDB Votes: 475000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Mystery
Country: USA, UK
Plot tags: sherlock holmes, steampunk, detective inspector, intelligence, riddles and clues, hotshot, mind game, private detective, hotshot hero, conspiracy, talented, villain, twists and turns, investigation, buddy, partners against crime, murderer, assassination, murder, partner, genius, organized crime, private investigator, good versus evil, escapades
Fast Five (2011)
Plot Summary:
Former cop Brian O'Conner partners with ex-con Dom Toretto on the opposite side of the law. Since Brian and Mia Toretto broke Dom out of custody, they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom
Duration: 130 min
IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
IMDB Votes: 402000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: heist, car chase, chase, car race, car, on the run, racing, organized crime, street racing, freedom, classic car, robbery, corruption, chases and races, one last job, favela, fbi, tough heroes, safe, fugitives, violence, betrayal, hotshot, gunfight, twists and turns
The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Plot Summary:
Intrepid young reporter, Tintin, and his loyal dog, Snowy, are thrust into a world of high adventure when they discover a ship carrying an explosive secret. As Tintin is drawn into a centuries-old mystery, Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine suspects him of stealing a priceless treasure. Tintin and Snowy, with the help of salty, cantankerous Captain Haddock and bumbling detectives, Thompson and Thomson, travel half the world, one step ahead of their enemies, as Tintin endeavors to find the Unicorn, a sunken ship that may hold a vast fortune, but also an ancient curse
Duration: 107 min
IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
IMDB Votes: 241000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Family, Mystery
Country: USA, New Zealand, UK, France, Australia, Belgium
Plot tags: treasure, treasure hunt, reporter, young heroes, adventurer, dog, comic book, captain, riddles and clues, pirate, journalist, journalism, ship, escapades, childhood, desert, superhero, danger, boat, friends, obsessive quest, uninhibited rivalry, world spanning, amateur detective, anti hero
Batman: Year One (2011)
Plot Summary:
Two men come to Gotham City: Bruce Wayne after years abroad feeding his lifelong obsession for justice and Jim Gordon after being too honest a cop with the wrong people elsewhere. After learning painful lessons about the city's corruption on its streets and police department respectively, this pair learn how to fight back their own way. With that, Gotham's evildoers from top to bottom are terrorized by the mysterious Batman and the equally heroic Gordon is assigned to catch him by comrades who both hate and fear him themselves. In the ensuing manhunt, both find much in common as the seeds of an unexpected friendship are laid with additional friends and rivals helping to start the legend
Duration: 64 min
IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
IMDB Votes: 38000
Genere: Animation, Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: batman, superhero, vigilante, vigilantism, police corruption, corruption, partners against crime, brutality, organized crime, comic book, partner, fighting crime, good versus evil, heroes, escapades, rivalry, law enforcement, fight, investigation, legend, urban legend, paranoia, police detective, race against time, conspiracy
Rango (2011)
Plot Summary:
When Rango, a lost family pet, accidentally winds up in the gritty, gun-slinging town of Dirt, the less-than-courageous lizard suddenly finds he stands out. Welcomed as the last hope the town has been waiting for, new Sheriff Rango is forced to play his new role to the hilt
Duration: 107 min
IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
IMDB Votes: 288000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Western
Country: USA, UK
Plot tags: desert, chase, friendship, lizard, save the day, identity crisis, cowboy, sheriff, snake, duel, heroic mission, animal protagonist, disorder, good versus evil, gunfight, danger, peril, friends, misfit, villain, escapades, lifestyle change, fish out of water, anthropomorphism, robbery
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
Plot Summary:
Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five - Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. But how can Po stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed
Duration: 90 min
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
IMDB Votes: 309000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, Canada
Plot tags: martial arts, talking animal, danger, mentor, master warrior, courage, goofy hero, chosen one, good versus evil, furry, evil, team, animal, fantasy world, mission, hopes, adoption, friends, kung fu, secret, kung fu panda, warrior, hand to hand combat, wuxia, bear
War Horse (2011)
Plot Summary:
Follows a young man named Albert and his horse, Joey, and how their bond is broken when Joey is sold to the cavalry and sent to the trenches of World War One. Despite being too young to enlist, Albert heads to France to save his friend
Duration: 146 min
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
IMDB Votes: 164000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, India
Plot tags: world war one, horse, war, friendship, military, animal, battles, animal training, human spirit, wartime, danger, survival, great war, cavalry charge, farm, human animal relationship, hopes, world war two, medieval, adaptation, courage, battlefield, world war, soldier, execution
God Bless America (2011)
Plot Summary:
Fed up with the cruelty and stupidity of American culture, an unlikely duo goes on a killing spree, killing reality TV stars, bigots and others they find repugnant in this black comedy
Duration: 105 min
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
IMDB Votes: 72000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Plot tags: killing spree, female killer, mass murder, vigilante, serial killer, dark humor, society, layoff, rage, life is a bitch, media, visceral, revenge, partner, suicide, vengeance, violent, violence, murder, social commentary, depression, misfit, topical humor, atheism, life changing
War of the Arrows (2011)
Plot Summary:
13 years after the King Injo Revolt, the Chosun Dynasty is attacked by the Chung Dynasty of China. A young man named Na-mi leaves his demolished village to find his young sister, Ja-in, and her finance Su-koon, who were to wed on the very day of the attack. While on his mission to rescue her, he is being traced by Jushinta, a fierce Chung Warrior, and his band of malicious men who are out to stop him. Na-mi has but a day to rescue his sister before she is taken away to be a slave. When Na-mi finally finds his sister, Jushinta comes between them and a fierce battle between two of the finest warriors unfolds
Duration: 122 min
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Action, Adventure
Country: South Korea
Plot tags: archery, archer, master warrior, bow and arrow, joseon dynasty, medieval, kidnapping, military, battles, daring rescue, invasion, danger, heroic mission, martial arts, rescue, violence, death, fight, asian, captivity, family relations, search and rescue, sword, monster, army
Don 2: The Chase Continues (2011)
Plot Summary:
In 2006, with the ever looming dangers of the underworld in Malaysia, Don broke the morale of his associates by infiltrating the gang with an alias and taking advantage of the enmity of Singhania & Vardhaan. He rose to become the undisputed King of the Asian underworld with his shrewd mind and merciless tactics. Now, having conquered the Asian underworld, Don (Khan) has his sights set on European domination. In his way are the bosses of the existing European underworld and all law enforcement agencies. The action shifts from Kuala Lumpur to Berlin as Don must avoid assassination or arrest, whichever comes first, in order for his plan to succeed
Duration: 148 min
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
IMDB Votes: 57000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: India, Germany
Plot tags: heist, heroes, policewoman, master criminal, chase, interpol, danger, law enforcement, confined, chases and races, flirting, escapades, slick, tough heroes, surrender, prison escape, deception, plot twist, terrorism, hindu, rivalry, on the run, cat and mouse, dishonor among criminals, law enforcer criminal relations
Real Steel (2011)
Plot Summary:
In the near-future, Charlie Kenton is a washed-up fighter who retired from the ring when robots took over the sport. After Charlie's robot is trashed, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max to rebuild and train an unlikely contender
Duration: 127 min
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
IMDB Votes: 350000
Genere: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Sport
Country: USA, India
Plot tags: boxing, robot, father son relationship, underdog, androids and robots, technology, against the odds, parents and children, contests and competitions, artificial intelligence, arena, boy, robot vs. robot, father son reunion, gym, androids, giant robot, rags to riches, fight, bet, junkyard, cyborgs, family relations, life is a bitch, rise to the top
Thor (2011)
Plot Summary:
Against his father Odin's will, The Mighty Thor - a powerful but arrogant warrior god - recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth
Duration: 115 min
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
IMDB Votes: 888000
Genere: Action, Fantasy
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, mythology, legends and myths, comic book, immortality, viking, superhuman powers, imaginary kingdom, norse mythology, warrior, heroes, exile, alien, betrayal, god, protector, battles, giant, good versus evil, one man army, master warrior, vigilante, rivalry, villain, outer space
Super 8 (2011)
Plot Summary:
In 1979 Ohio, several youngsters are making a zombie movie with a Super-8 camera. In the midst of filming, the friends witness a horrifying train derailment and are lucky to escape with their lives. They soon discover that the catastrophe was no accident, as a series of unexplained events and disappearances soon follows. Deputy Jackson Lamb, the father of one of the kids, searches for the terrifying truth behind the crash
Duration: 112 min
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
IMDB Votes: 365000
Genere: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: childhood, monster, alien, ufo, small town, creature, young heroes, train crash, friendship, youth, boy, coming of age, filmmaking, alien invasion, space, investigation, evacuation, child, quarantine, children, extraterrestrial, giant, destruction, chaos, friends
Dragon (2011)
Plot Summary:
A sinful martial arts expert wants to start a new tranquil life, only to be hunted by a determined detective and his former master
Duration: 115 min
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, China
Plot tags: martial arts, wuxia, kung fu, violence, culture clash, danger, heroes, starting over, gangster, twists and turns, war, mafia, samurai, fight, handicapped, society, asian, mob boss, swashbuckler, martial artist, buddy cop, asian history, thief, theft, master warrior
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Plot Summary:
Predominantly set during World War II, Steve Rogers is a sickly man from Brooklyn who's transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull – Adolf Hitler's ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination
Duration: 124 min
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
IMDB Votes: 883000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, heroism, heroes, mad scientist, world war two, military, soldier, superhuman powers, heroic mission, courage, nazi, danger, bravery, scientist, patriotism, comic book, army, super soldier, frozen alive, spy, villain, evil, captain, enemy, vigilante