Top 10 Action Sequels That Surpassed The Original Film

Sequels rarely outdo the original movie, but it happens surprisingly often in the action genre. Because the first film does well, subsequent movies usually have larger budgets, allowing for more spectacular and thrilling action scenes.

Successful action movie sequels often surpass the original by ramping up the thrills. This is common in big superhero franchises, but also happens with critically acclaimed action films. Interestingly, the best sequel isn’t always the second one – many great sequels are the third film or even later in a series.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Released in 2011, Captain America: The First Avenger is a compelling action film that successfully introduces Steve Rogers as a heroic figure, making audiences care about him before he joins The Avengers. However, many fans consider his second individual movie to be even better.

Many fans consider Captain America: The Winter Soldier to be the best movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unlike the first Captain America film, which was largely set in the 1940s, this one takes place in modern times. It also features Captain America teaming up with Black Widow and Falcon, leading to more diverse and exciting action sequences.

Wow, the opening scene with Cap taking on that MMA fighter on the tanker was incredible! And that chase with the Winter Soldier on the highway? Seriously exhilarating! But it wasn’t just action; the third act really hit me emotionally too. Honestly, for me, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the absolute best the Marvel Cinematic Universe has to offer.

Fast Five (2011)

The Fast and Furious movies have really changed over time. What started as a series about street racing and heists has become much more over-the-top, with the characters now acting like superheroes and even traveling to outer space.

While later installments like Tokyo Drift and Furious 7 were improvements, many fans consider Fast Five to be the best. It marked a turning point for the series, expanding the team and introducing the larger-scale action that would become a hallmark, before things got too wild with stunts and over-the-top scenes.

With Fast Five, we meet Luke Hobbs, who’s trying to catch Dom and his crew after they plan a massive heist to steal from a dishonest businessman. The movie is packed with exciting action sequences – from breaking Dom out of prison to pulling off the robbery itself – and it’s a really fun ride. Fast Five also began setting up the plot for Fast X.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)

Similar to the Fast and Furious series, John Wick has become a surprisingly expansive franchise. While the initial films are excellent action movies, they’re smaller in scope and only offer glimpses of the larger assassin underworld the series is famous for. It wasn’t until John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum that the franchise really began to expand and explore that world.

The third movie continues the story immediately after the second film ends, with John Wick still trying to evade the High Table after breaking the rules by eliminating someone at the Continental Hotel. This creates constant action and suspense, as John is always facing new dangers and fighting to survive.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is packed with exciting action, including dogs in the fights, impressive close-quarters combat, and John Wick skillfully throwing knives. The movie culminates in a stunningly intense and lengthy gun battle. While the fourth film was bigger in scope, many fans consider the third installment to be the best in the series.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

As a longtime Marvel Cinematic Universe fan, I’ve always admired how they build on their initial films. We saw it with individual heroes, but it really shines with their team-up movies like The Avengers. The first two Avengers films were huge hits, delivering exactly what audiences wanted, and then Endgame? Well, that felt like a near-perfect conclusion to a massive story arc. It was a satisfying payoff for years of investment.

When it comes to sheer action, Avengers: Infinity War is hard to beat. This third installment brings together more heroes than ever before in a desperate attempt to prevent Thanos, a powerful villain, from collecting all the Infinity Stones and using them to eliminate half of all living things.

Avengers: Infinity War is a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end. The movie features incredible action sequences across multiple planets, with unexpected and exciting team-ups. Highlights include seeing Spider-Man team up with Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, while Captain America, Black Panther, and others fight a major battle in Wakanda.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

In 1986, James Cameron proved his ability to transform science fiction into thrilling action with the movie Aliens. He repeated this success a few years later, taking his own sci-fi hit, The Terminator, and delivering an even more action-filled sequel.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day cleverly flipped the script by reimagining the villain from the first movie as a heroic figure. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers what is arguably his best performance, and Linda Hamilton solidified her status as a strong and iconic action star.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day was a huge success with both audiences and critics. It has a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and though the first movie is also well-regarded, this sequel is a more thrilling and action-packed experience, packed with suspenseful and exciting scenes.

Logan (2017)

Despite many superhero movies already being made, Logan stands out as significantly better than most. While Hugh Jackman became famous for playing Wolverine in the X-Men films, his solo trilogy began with a disappointing first entry, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

While the second movie in the series was much better, the third film, Logan, really raised the bar. Many consider Logan to be one of the greatest superhero movies of all time, even outside of its franchise. It was also recognized with an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and featured outstanding action sequences.

A key reason why the movie was so successful was its R rating. While exciting action can be made with a PG-13 rating, Wolverine is a character who benefits from greater creative freedom, and the R rating allowed for more blood and intense violence. The action sequences featuring Dafne Keen are particularly impressive.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

Tom Cruise is practically synonymous with spectacular action movies today. He’s famous for doing his own stunts, which are often incredibly risky and make his films even more exciting to watch.

Tom Cruise is famous for doing his own daring stunts, including climbing the Burj Khalifa and hanging off a plane during takeoff. For Mission: Impossible – Fallout, he went to extreme lengths, learning to fly a helicopter and practicing a high-altitude, low-opening parachute jump over 100 times to perfect a single scene. The result is a truly breathtaking moment on screen.

The action in Mission: Impossible – Fallout is truly remarkable. The movie delivers a thrilling final chase and impressive fight scenes, including a standout moment with Henry Cavill. Many fans consider Mission: Impossible – Fallout to be the best film in the entire series.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan redefined Batman movies with Batman Begins. He moved the franchise away from its previously lighthearted style and delivered a realistic, intense story about Bruce Wayne becoming Batman.

While the movie is excellent, The Dark Knight was arguably more impactful. Though it truly shines as a crime thriller with fantastic acting – especially Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker – it also features some impressively crafted action scenes.

The sequence of Harvey Dent’s transfer to prison is stunning, encompassing everything from the Joker’s disruption to Batman’s dramatic entrance, the first appearance of the Bat-Pod, and even Jim Gordon’s unexpected return. While this isn’t a non-stop action film, every action scene is truly spectacular.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

The first Top Gun movie is a beloved classic that people have enjoyed for years. When a sequel was announced, many were skeptical it could live up to expectations. Sequels that try to recapture the magic of older films often fail, but Top Gun: Maverick proved to be a huge success.

The movie earned over $1 billion at the box office, and despite his impressive work in the Mission: Impossible films, Top Gun: Maverick is probably Tom Cruise’s best action film yet. It successfully builds on what people loved about the original, delivering even more thrilling and spectacular aerial combat sequences.

Like Mission: Impossible, Top Gun: Maverick relies less on computer-generated imagery, making the action sequences more realistic and exciting. The actors actually flew in fighter jets, and having cameras mounted on the planes puts you right in the middle of the action. It’s hard to find a more thrilling movie experience than Top Gun: Maverick.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Image made by Yailin Chacon

Like Top Gun: Maverick, Mad Max: Fury Road was a sequel released many years after the original films. The Mad Max series had three movies come out between 1979 and 1985, but then there was a long gap before Mad Max: Fury Road premiered in 2015.

Everyone was surprised by how good this movie turned out to be. The straightforward story of Max Rockatansky joining forces with a skilled warrior, Furiosa, to defeat a cruel warlord in a devastated future really works, letting the constant, exciting action shine.

The action sequences were filmed using real stunts and effects, which makes them incredibly immersive. Because the movie is basically one long, thrilling chase, it keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, making it a fantastic action film. With 10 Academy Award nominations, Mad Max: Fury Road is widely considered to be one of the greatest action movies of all time.

2025-11-07 00:32