Everyone loves a good car chase, apocalyptic, futuristic or machine gun-toting action movie and these selections rank highest for 2009 action movies. I knew I would have no trouble compiling this list because I love a good action movie and 2009 had no shortage of them to choose from.
Gamer – The first of 2 action movies starring Gerard Butler to be released in 2009 tells of a future society where people can control death row prisoners in gladiatorial combat. Combatants fight to stay alive and ultimately earn their freedom while players are in it for the thrills and prestige. Lots of blood and gore make this one of 2009’s best action movies. See a full review here.
Public Enemies – Johnny Depp portrays legendary public enemy John Dillinger while Christian Bale is Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent out to nab him. Lots of gun fire and car chases highlight this 2009 action film. See a full review here.
Terminator Salvation – Fourth but not the least of the Terminator series, Salvation finds Christian Bale in the role of John Connor, the hero of the future. Sam Worthington is the real star though as Marcus Wright, a man desperate to find his place in society. Lots of action-packed CGI sequences, fantastic creatures and weapons, and intense fighting scenes put this on my top ten list of 2009 action movies. See a full review here.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 – Denzel Washington pitted against John Travolta as they wrangle over a speeding train. Throw in some helicopters, car chases and tense scenes between the main stars and you have a decent entry on the top ten action movies of 2009. See the full review here.
2012 – John Cusack, Amanda Peet & Oliver Platt race the clock to find a way to beat the end of the world. Massive explosions, tsunamis and earthquakes topple every landmark around the world. Scenes of cars and an RV winging wildly trough roads, mountains and open country trying to avoid meteoric blasts of lava and one scene of a classic car driving off the back of a flying plane just before it crashes in the mountains will leave you spellbound. See the full review here.
Zombieland -The world is overrun by zombies and a band of misfits fight their way cross country to reach an amusement park they believe will provide safety. Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, and Abigail Breslinstar.
Surrogates – Another visit to the future where society has learned to live its life in the comfort of its easy chair while surrogates do all the real living. Until something happens and an operator dies while mentally connected to his surrogate who was viciously attacked, the world seems ideal. See the full review here.
Pandorum -This movie takes place in space. When 2 crew members awake to find themselves apparently alone on the ship with no recollection of what happened, weird things begin happening. Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster set out to discover what happened on board and find much more. Gruesome battles with unknown life forms and a race against time that is a nail biter put this on my list of 2009’s best action movies. See the full review here.
Star Trek – It seems this franchise can do no wrong. Yet another blockbuster installment in the Star Trek sage takes us back to the beginnings of the original crew of the Enterprise. With an appearance by Leonard Nimoy as Spock, the film keeps continuity with its predecessors and does a good job of filling in the background on these much beloved characters. Special effects make battles and outer space scenes spectacular.
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – Channing Tatum and Dennis Quaid headline in this not-so-toy based movie that its members of the G.I. Joe team against MARS, an evil organization headed by an arms dealer with his own agenda. Comic book fans will be pleased with this telling.
