Summary

Blockbuster movie budget have ballooned in recent class , but there are still plenty of great natural action movies that prove a great budget is n’t always honorable . Two of the main factor that can drive up how much a motion picture monetary value are CGI and big - name player . activeness picture show do n’t necessarily ask either of these to return kick , and practical upshot are often more impactful anyway .

prominent action at law franchises likeFast and FuriousandJames Bondregularly make movies which be well over $ 100 million or even $ 200 million . Even David Leitch ’s new action at law - comedyThe Fall Guyhas a immense budget , despite it not belonging to any enfranchisement . As Hollywood budget keep to develop , it can be novel to see an activeness movie with a much smaller budget that gets creative with its special resources .

Not every successful picture that ’s made a large return at the box berth has a great Hollywood budget ; some low - budget movies have made huge profits .

Sylvester Stallone in Rocky, Katie Featherston in Paranormal Activity, and Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween

10Upgrade (2018)

Budget: $3 million

Cast

Sci - fi movies lean to cost a lot more than most other genre to make , butUpgradefinds a way to work around the usual need for splashy CGI . Although it was released in 2018,Upgrade ’s storey about the likely dangers of artificial intelligence has become even more relevant over the age . Because the biggest sci - fi element is concealed within Grey ’s spinal cord , Upgradecan use CGI meagerly .

Some action movies with budgets ten times larger have flunk to deliver such compelling fight scenes , and this is testament toUpgrade ’s self - reassure style .

Upgradeuses its sci - fi concept to enhance the battle scenes , as STEM takes over Grey ’s eubstance on multiple occasions . The cyberpunk humankind is drawn in vivid item , and the soundtrack helps put up to the futuristic intuitive feeling ofUpgrade . All of these conjuration make the pic palpate much more expensive than it really is . Some legal action picture show with budgets ten times larger have give out to deliver such compelling fight scenes , and this is testament toUpgrade ’s self - assured style .

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9The Raid (2011)

Budget: $1.1 million

The Raidwas bring on on a shoe string budget , but it assist remold the future of the soldierly artwork musical genre . The tale follow a S.W.A.T. squad who have to fight their way out of a column block manipulate by a ferocious drug lord and his army of mercenary . This story is merely the hardening - up for some hair - raising activity , as the plot is n’t what ’s most appealing aboutThe Raid .

The Raidstars Iko Uwais , Yayan Ruhian and Joe Taslim , and these performing artist are the principal cause why the movie can render such soak flush without squelch the cash .

The Raidstars Iko Uwais , Yayan Ruhian and Joe Taslim , and these performers are the main reason why the movie can provide such soak thrills without splosh the hard cash . They are all supremely talented martial creative person , and director Gareth Evans give them the unadulterated platform to showcase their skills . The Raidmixes gritty naturalism with enlarged action at law . Some of the law tactics are spot - on , but the fights are larger - than - living .

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8The Beekeeper (2024)

Budget: $40 million

The Beekeeperbecame a surprise boxwood - berth hit originally this year , far surpassing its expectation . With a budget of $ 40 million and a recognizable star in the lead role , The Beekeeperwasn’t a full underdog , but its $ 150 million catch was a Brobdingnagian success . By comparing , The Expendables 4,one of Jason Statham ’s biggest picture show of 2023 , had a budget of $ 100 million and have in just $ 50 million at the box office .

With a budget of $ 40 million and a recognizable star in the lead theatrical role , The Beekeeperwasn’t a total underdog , but its $ 150 million haul was a huge winner .

The Beekeeper ’s thrilling fight scenesalso made it a hit with critics , who praise Statham ’s carrying into action and David Ayer ’s industrious direction . The movie ’s close seems to tease a potential sequel , which could kickstart a whole new franchise for Statham . His charisma make it wanton to leave how talented he is when it comes to martial arts , andThe Beekeepergives him a prospect to show off his skills while combine in a variety of other action sequences .

Baby (Ansel Elgort) staring at a toy car in Baby Driver

7Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Budget: $10-12 million

Godzilla Minus One ’s budgetseems impossibly low . The accurate chassis has not yet been issue , but it ’s definitely lower than $ 15 million , with some report couch it much closer to $ 10 million . This is staggering for a motion picture with such remarkable VFX.Godzilla Minus Onewon an Oscar for Best Visual Effects , amid a slew of other awards , and its global box office triumph shows that audiences were just as impressed as people within the industry .

With a Rotten Tomatoes sexual conquest of 98%,Godzilla Minus Onecan stake a title to being the bestGodzillamovie ever made .

With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 98%,Godzilla Minus Onecan stake a claim to being the bestGodzillamovie ever made . Godzilla x Kong : The New Empirealso turn a healthy profit , but it receive mixed reviews , and its $ 135 million budget makes its success much less telling . Godzilla Minus Oneremembers to tell a human story , despite the star of the show being an tremendous ogre .

Headshot Of Betty Gabriel

6Baby Driver (2017)

Budget: $34 million

Edgar Wright has always been able-bodied to cede thrilling action for a bargain Mary Leontyne Price , andBaby Driveris his most action - tamp movie yet . AlthoughHot FuzzandShaun of the Deadhave some exhilarating minute , they are just as much comedies as they are action moving-picture show . Baby Drivertips the scales more toward action , although that ’s not to say that Wright ’s key signature comedic style does n’t shine through .

Baby Driveris bigger and louder than Wright ’s other moving picture , but it indicate a filmmaker having sport with this potential .

Baby Driveris bigger and cheap than Wright ’s other movies , but it show up a filmmaker having playfulness with this potency . Wright used plenty of practical gist for the chase scenes , giving them a real sense of jeopardy . In particular , Baby Driver ’s opening getaway spotlight its fun and bracing access to the heist musical genre . Baby Driver ’s soundtrackalso aid , as Baby times many of his action to the beat that only he can hear .

Headshot O FLogan Marshall-Green

5Oldboy (2003)

Park Chan - wook’sOldboyis one of the twenty-first century ’s best activeness movies , despite its minuscule budget . The South Korean thriller follow a military man who is imprisoned for 15 years by unknown captors before being free . He searches for response and retaliation on a blood - gazump rampage . The twisty , gruesome plot of ground leaves way for raft of action , but it also digs deep into the psychological United States Department of State of Dae - su after his years of isolation .

Although its budget was ten times what the pilot had to work with , the remaking was a critical and commercial-grade flop .

Oldboy ’s unequalled success is well shown via equivalence to Spike Lee ’s 2013 remake . Although its budget was ten times what the pilot had to work with , the remaking was a vital and commercial-grade flop . The originalOldboy ’s hall fight sceneis a beam example of its hair - raising action , and it has since determine muckle of other action movies . Dae - su ’s role of a hammer as a weapon provides a visceral and powerful experience .

Headshot o fHarrison Gilbertson

4Atomic Blonde (2017)

Budget: $30 million

AlthoughThe Fall Guyhas faced an uphill battle taste to turn a profit with its tremendous budget , managing director David Leitch proved eld ago that he can deliver a lot without such a heavy investment . Atomic Blondestars Charlize Theron as an MI6 agent sent to Cold War - geological era Berlin to recover a leaning of dual agents and figure out a murder in the process . Theron does plenty of her own stunt , and this produce her action conniption pop .

Atomic Blondemay not have the budget of some splashier activeness blockbusters , but it ’s just as fashionable and exciting .

Atomic Blondedeserved a sequelafter its boxful post success , but it sadly never got one . The engagement panorama are rife with Leitch ’s signature tune gunplay and dynamic camerawork , and there are a few salient sequence which take his brand name of stylized action up a few notches . Atomic Blondemay not have the budget of some splashier action blockbuster , but it ’s just as stylish and exciting .

Headshot Of Iko Uwais

3Train To Busan (2016)

Budget: $8.5 million

prepare to Busanis a horror movie , but it also shine into the action genre . As a gamy - speed train locomotion from Seoul to Busan , a zombi Revelation break out across the land and the people on board have to band together for survival of the fittest . These are n’t the kind of slow , shuffling zombie from movies likeNight of the Living Dead . The living dead inTrain to Busanare more suited to the film ’s action .

Zombie movies have always been a favorite for gloomy - budget film maker , butTrain to Busanstands out by save transfix action with a genuine emotional core .

coach to Busantakes place over the course of instruction of a individual power train journeying . There are no emaciated moments as the story rattles along toward a covered stand finale , but the fast tread does n’t overshadow some of the story ’s more emotional moment . Zombie picture have always been a favourite for low - budget filmmakers , butTrain to Busanstands out by delivering spellbind action with a genuine emotional core .

Headshot of Joe Taslim

2Monkey Man (2024)

Budget: $10 million

Dev Patel ’s directorial debut usher that he could swivel toward being more of an action wiz . He has dabbled in the genre previously , but his most notable carrying into action have come in dramas likeSlumdog MillionaireandLion . Monkey Manrepresents a whole Modern trend for him , but he takes to it like a natural , and his functioning suggests that there could be a portion more to come in from him .

Monkey Man ’s good fight scenes have drawn comparisons toJohn Wick , especially the Kid ’s fast - paced fight in the kitchen .

Monkey Man ’s best fight sceneshave delineate comparisons toJohn Wick , peculiarly the Kid ’s tight - paced fight in the kitchen . He even has a similar black suit to Keanu Reeves ' fictitious character . It ’s apt thatMonkey Manis a low-toned - budget action mechanism film punching above its weightiness , because the plot features a working - class Italian sandwich take on the crooked ruling course of study . Monkey Manis a tight - paced revenge thriller with a barbed political message .

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1Sisu (2023)

Budget: $6.5 million

Sisuproved to be one of 2023 ’s effective surprises for fans of the legal action genre . Set in the middle of the Second World War , Sisufollows a Finnish gold prospector who utilize his military skills to try retaliation against national socialist soldier who steal his Au . Sisuhas been compared toInglourious Basterdsfor its riotous , Nazi - killing playfulness , and it surely borrows from Quentin Tarantino ’s style of maximalist gore .

By setting up all of its most authoritative report elements ahead of time on , Sisuis gratuitous to revel in bone - crackle violence .

away from Tarantino , Sisualso fill inspiration from Sergio Leone ’s westerns . Aatami Korpi is a brilliant action hero , whose stoic , human beings - weary behavior quickly afford agency to reveal his hefty craze beneath the surface . By setting up all of its most authoritative fib elements betimes on , Sisuis free to enjoy in bone - craunch violence . Its relatively little budget does n’t hold it back in any path .

Headshot Of Jason Statham

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