15 Best Action Movies Of The Last 10 Years

Angelina Jolie proved her action credentials in the underrated Mr And Mrs Smith, and she excels in this solo vehicle. A thoroughly modern spy picture with a packed plot, Salt takes inspiration from tense espionage films of the ‘70s along with the bruising, kinetic style of modern action franchises. Combined with a winning performance from Jolie, this is an unsung gem in the modern action pantheon.

The film was originally developed with Tom Cruise in mind, but when Jolie was attached, as well as switching the gender of the main character, she had a hand in altering the script. As is so often the case with successful action movies, she performed much of the stunt work herself. She also met with female intelligence operatives to add to the realism of her performance.

The plot is played straight – there are some seriously dark moments in the film – but the action is delightfully splashy, keeping Salt from becoming dour at any point. Best of all, though, is its lead performer – Jolie portrays the character with ambiguous morality throughout, all the better to keep the viewer guessing.