20 Action Movies From The 21st Century That Didn't Actually Suck

Remember when Michael Bay used to make big, loud stupid blockbuster movies that were actually fun? While it does have his flaws, Bad Boys II still stands out as Bay delivering the ultimate amount of Bayhem in an action extravaganza packed with one-liners, shootouts and massive explosions, topped off with even more shootouts and explosions.

Yes, it runs at least half an hour too long and almost descends into an unrelenting barrage of mindless noise, but there is no denying that Bad Boys II is one of the most wildly over-the-top and gloriously entertaining action movies of the 21st Century, with the pyrotechnics complemented by the natural chemistry between stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

Before he let his filmography drown in a sea of incomprehensible action sequences and CGI-rendered giant alien robots, Bad Boys II demonstrates just why Michael Bay earned his reputation as one of the industry's premier action directors; the production's welcome reliance on practical effects provides several incredible set-pieces, with the stunning freeway chase in particular one of the genre's best examples of vehicular carnage.