With movie theaters reopening and long-postponed films finally making their debut on the big screen, 2022 is gonna be packed with Hollywood blockbusters. And while many of us have some seriously sweet home theater systems, some films were made to be experienced in a cinematic setting. So, for the giddy movie-watching kid in all of us, here are five action-packed 2022 movies you’ll want to go out of your way to see on the big screen.
The 355
Release Date: Jan. 22, 2022
The first action film of 2022, The 355 has the rare honor of being a new release that's not a sequel, based on an existing property, or based on a true story. With an all-star cast featuring A-list female stars, this modern spy thriller has the potential to start its own film franchise.
Uncharted
Release Date: Feb. 18, 2022
Based on the hit video game franchise of the same name, Uncharted stars Tom Holland as globe-trotting treasure hunter Nathan Drake as he teams up with friend and mentor Victor “Sully” Sullivan, played by former Funky Bunch frontman Mark Wahlberg (if you know, you know). Together, the duo does what all treasure hunters do – hunt for treasure. While movies based on video games have often been more miss than hit (looking at you, Assassins Creed), with its all-star cast, exotic locations, and eye-popping action scenes, Uncharted could be the exception that changes the rule.
Ambulance
Release Date: Feb. 18, 2022
Love him or hate him, Director Michael Bay has been synonymous with a big-budget, high octane Hollywood action films for the better part of two decades. Taking a break from the world-busting extravaganzas of the Transformers franchise, Bay returns to a more grounded film with Ambulance – a remake of a Danish film about a pair of desperate bank robbers who steal an ambulance carrying a cop in critical condition. While you shouldn't expect any transforming vehicles, Bay's signature action set pieces, slow-motion camerawork, and over-saturated color palette are sure to be here in abundance.
The Batman
Release Date: Mar. 4, 2022
Including 1966’s Batman: The Movie, 1993’s animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, and the character’s brief cameo in 2016’s Suicide Squad, writer/director Matt Reeves' The Batman is the Caped Crusader’s 12th appearance on the big screen. That’s more than any other superhero to date. And yet, actor Robert Pattinson's gritty and grounded take on the character looks to be unlike any iteration we've ever seen. And with Matt Reeves taking influence from films like David Fincher's 1995 crime thriller Seven, we may finally be getting a version of the Dark Knight many fans have been clamoring for.
Top Gun: Maverick
Release Date: May 27, 2022
While Tom Cruise's seventh installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise wouldn't look out of place on this list, let's be honest, those films have become more about Tom Cruise doing death defying stunts than any actual plot, whereas the long-awaited Top Gun sequel has been talked about for almost four decades. Top Gun: Maverick sees Cruise reprising his role as Naval Aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and Miles Teller playing the son of Maverick's deceased best friend and co-pilot, Goose. This blend of nostalgia, modern-day tech, and real-life fighter jet action is sure to revive your need for speed.
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