10 Great Action Movies That Are Just as Tense as ‘Sisu’

Aatami Korpi is back. The former Finnish Army commando turned gold prospector obliterated a horde of Nazis by himself in the first film. Now he is facing off against nefarious members of the Red Army in Soviet-occupied Karelia, shortly after World War II. Never has an action hero looked so cool and calm while taking on well-equipped enemies. After watching the two movies, you’ll definitely feel the urge to clap and wonder why lead actor Jorma Tormilla still isn’t as big as Jason Statham or Keanu Reeves.

Sisu and its sequel have set the bar extremely high for action movies. The first film had a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and the sequel has proven even more flawless, earning a 100% score. Unfortunately, watching the two movies leaves you craving only hardcore action cinema. Luckily, you won’t have to search too hard for something similar. The following 10 movies might not be as flawless (from an overall perspective) as the two Finnish gems, but they are just tense.

‘Carter’ (2022)

A virus originating from the DMZ (Korean Demilitarized Zone) is making people extremely violent. Meanwhile, a man named Carter (Joo Won) wakes up in an amnesiac state, with a mysterious voice guiding him through an earpiece. Forced to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a scientist who has the key to the virus cure, the protagonist takes on swarms of enemies in Carter.

Fight Till You Drop

Few movies use the single-take technique better than Carter. Any second with your eyes off the screen feels like a major loss. Joo-Won is virile and intense as the hero, while Mike Colter (better known for his leading role in Luke Cage) turns in a solid performance as a CIA agent hunting Carter down. Watch out for the public bath battle sequence, where dozens of semi-naked men attack the protagonist. It’s pure cinema, and it comes early, setting the tone for crazier action sequences.

For a while, fans wondered if Chris Hemsworth could really be good in a non-Marvel role (people often forget his great work in Rush). Then came Extraction. Here, he is Tyler Rake, an Australian black-ops mercenary hired to rescue the kidnapped teenage son of an Indian crime lord. When the mission goes wrong, Rake is forced into endless street fights with thugs determined to either kill him or run him out of town.

Familiar Plot, New Action Tricks

Hemsworth proves all doubters wrong. The other true star of the film is Rudhraksh Jaiswal, playing the kidnapped son. But the most credit goes to director Sam Hargrave, who had never made a movie before, yet managed to create something so coherent with well-choreographed fight scenes. Praise also goes to the Russo brothers, who wrote the script. Given the incredible writing, acting, and directing, Extraction was a huge hit. Shortly after its premiere, it became the most-watched original film in Netflix’s history, managing over 99 million viewers in its first month.

‘The Villainess’ (2014)

The Villainess stars Kim Ok-vin as Sook-he, an assassin reputed for blowing brains off without anyone noticing. Unfortunately, her latest gig goes wrong, and the authorities capture her after she massacres several people inside a building. Luckily for her, South Korean intelligence sees great potential in her, so they give her a contract. Unsurprisingly, the new job doesn’t go as smoothly as she expected.

The Good Side of the Law Isn’t Any Better

The riveting The Villainess is a tough watch at times, but well worth the investment, as it reminds us what a great film looks and feels like. So good is it that the John Wick franchise even ripped off a scene. All the key cast members make the most of their respective roles, but the film truly belongs to Kim Ok-vin. Few actors can easily switch between angelic smiles and sad, weathered, stoic faces in action movies. Better yet, the villains are all multidimensional, and there’s no overreliance on action tropes.

‘Blood & Gold’ (2023)

Shortly before the end of WWII, Heinrich (Robert Maaser), a war-scarred Wehrmacht veteran, is captured for desertion and hanged, but is rescued by Elsa (Marie Hacke). The kind woman brings him to a farm home that she shares with her brother, who has Down syndrome. Soon, the SS arrive in a nearby village, looking for a large amount of hidden gold. It won’t be long before they knock on Elsa’s door. Will her actions result in everlasting regret? Blood & Gold will shock you.

More Punishment for the Nazis

Blood & Gold is the most similar to Sisu as it presents a scenario where the Nazis want gold, but the protagonist isn’t willing to acquiesce. Inspired by true tales of Nazi raids and oppression, this gritty, suspenseful war action thriller really packs a wallop. Achieving a near epic sweep, director Peter Thorwarth stunningly evokes the remote, uncultivated, wide-open rural Germany, while coaxing unforgettable performances from the entire cast. A scene where Elsa’s brother becomes depressed because his cow is in pain from being left unmilked will truly haunt you.

‘The Raid’ (2011)

The Raid is set in Jakarta, Indonesia, where an elite SWAT team that includes rookie officer Rama (Iko Uwais) has been tasked with storming a high-rise apartment building controlled by ruthless crime lord Tama Riyadi (Ray Sahetapy). Unfortunately, their cover gets blown, forcing the team to fight for their lives while trapped inside.

A Star-Making Role for Iko Uwais

Welsh filmmaker Gareth Evans has always been a master at evoking the travails of different social classes, while still minting plenty of action sequences, and this hard-hitting action film is no exception. Evans (known more recently for Gangs of London) also has an impeccable eye for talented non-actors, too, and several of the Indonesian martial artists in the film fit the bill brilliantly, portraying no-nonsense lackeys with convincing confidence. If you tend to prefer more action and less plot, settle for The Raid.

‘Nobody’ (2021)

The guy from Better Call Saul as an action star? From afar, Bob Odenkirk doesn’t look like he could throw a punch, but he is excellent in Nobody. Hutch is his character’s name, and even though he passes off as a gawky office worker, he is a retired government assassin. When two thugs attack his home, he restrains himself, but after a few more encounters where he is pushed to the limit, he lets his inner demon out.

Nobody Will Be Bored

Bleakly realistic, yet peppered with out-of-this-world action sequences and a splash of ordinary existence, Nobody is a sympathetic and adrenaline-filled portrait of secret lives. Derek Kolstad, who created the world of John Wick, serves as the screenwriter, so we get pretty much of the same “mess with me and find out” brilliance. We love to see actors reinvent and challenge themselves, so plenty of credit goes to Bob Odenkirk for the work he does in the movie.

‘The Night Comes for Us’ (2018)

Elite Triad enforcer Ito (Joe Taslim) from The Night Comes for Us has always finished the job, but when he comes across a young girl during a village massacre, he chooses to spare her. Such a move angers his criminal clan, so they send former ally Arian (Iko Uwais) and a horde of assassins after him. Will he survive the endless wave of attacks?

Conscience is Everything

To date, this remains one of the most misanthropic, caustic movies ever made about the sleazy underbelly of Jakarta, featuring blistering performances from Uwais and Joe Taslim… in his prime. We all make choices. But in the end, our choices make us,” proclaims Ito, and you never once doubt him. Everything about The Night Comes for Us triggers bliss. The only unfortunate thing is that fans have waited too long for a sequel. Hopefully, it comes soon enough.

‘The Equalizer’ (2014)

Based on the ‘80s action TV show of the same name, The Equalizer is about the adventures of Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), a retired Marine and DIA/DCS officer, living in Boston. Upon learning that his teenage friend Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz) is an escort forced to work for the Russian mob, he picks up a gun and clenches his fist.

Mr. Washington Tries Action… and Succeeds

Before The Equalizer, Denzel Washington rarely took on action roles. Well, he should have started earlier since he is quite good at it. Washington’s long-time collaborator Antoine Fuqua reportedly turned down several other high-profile projects to make this noirish, bare-knuckles masterpiece about honor, friendship, and sexual exploitation. Beating around the bush is a practice neither the director nor the actor adheres to, so fans get treated to endless straight-out confrontations and punches.

‘The Man from Nowhere’ (2010)

In The Man from Nowhere, a reserved pawnshop owner, Cha Tae-sik (Won Bin), befriends a lonely girl named So-mi (Kim Sae-ron). When the girl’s neglectful mother steals from an organized criminal network, So-mi gets kidnapped, forcing Tae-sik to tap into his secret skills. Unknown to many, he is a former operative.

Protecting the Innocent

Director Lee Jeong-beom explores Korea’s chaotic underworld through a flagrantly heartwarming, but mostly brutal, story of parenthood, economic challenges, and friendship. You’ll totally be swept away, not just by the characterization and fights, but by the cinematography, too. No surprise when The Man from Nowhere became the highest-grossing film in South Korea in 2010. Interestingly, Won Bin hasn’t acted in any other movie ever since. Come back, Won!

‘John Wick’ (2014)

It’s always annoying when you mind your business, only for someone to provoke you. That’s what happens to John Wick‘s titular character. Wick (Keanu Reeves), a retired assassin, is quietly mourning his wife while taking care of his pet until sadistic mobster Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) shows up. Together with his lackeys, the man kills Wick’s puppy and takes his 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429. Now we have a problem.

The Basics of Gun-Fu

Alright, let’s get one thing straight: the TV spinoff was awful. The spinoff movie wasn’t impressive either. But put those shipwrecks out of mind. The provocative first installment remains the smartest, leanest, and most compelling of the bunch. It’s also more devastating, thanks to a force-of-nature turn by Keanu Reeves. Great action movies are inventive, too, and John Wick normally gets the most credit for popularizing the Gun-Fu martial arts technique.