The film genres of science-fiction and action have always had massive appeal to moviegoers. Audiences often looked towards sci-fi not only to be entertained, but to be transported to incredible new worlds. They also looked towards action films, which offered impressive fight choreography and exciting power fantasies. Sci-fi action, however, has aimed to take the best of both worlds to tell captivating stories. Of course, with so many things having previously been done in film, the sci-fi action genre has had to continuously evolve and innovate.

What makes a great sci-fi action film has never been determined by a large budget or its connections to a pre-existing franchise. Fortunately, the 2010s saw filmmakers evolve the genre and push the envelope of what a sci-fi action movie could be. The decade has concluded, but has left behind an incredible legacy that will never be forgotten. Here are some of the best sci-fi action movies of the 2010s, ranked.

6 Snowpiercer

Chris Evans in Snowpiercer from Bong Joon-ho
CJ Entertainment

Before Bong Joon-ho directed the critically-acclaimed Parasite, he directed the sci-fi action film, Snowpiercer. The film starred Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, and Tilda Swinton, and also featured Parasite's Song Kang-ho. "Snowpiercer" was the name of the train the characters lived on, which housed a small society riddled with class stratification. The elite lived luxuriously in the front of the train while the lower-class faced miserable living conditions at the rear. Having had enough, Evans' Curtis Everett rose up to lead a rebellion against Snowpiercer's corrupt leadership. A promotional tagline for the film was "fight your way to the front." Snowpiercer's exploration into class warfare was not exactly subtle, but brought the audience something to think about while still delivering on the action.

Related: Best Futuristic Sci-Fi Movies of the 2010s, Ranked

5 Pacific Rim

A scene featuring the Jaeger mechs from Pacific Rim
Warner Bros. Pictures

Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim was a pleasant surprise and a love letter to anime, mechas, and kaiju. It has made a name for itself as one of the smartest dumb movies ever made. Monsters were a tired concept in Hollywood, but del Toro was able to inject it with an exciting energy. The world of Pacific Rim unleashed giant sea monsters called Kaiju and pitted them against massive humanoid mechas called Jaegers. There was something particularly resonant about seeing a giant Jaeger punch a Kaiju in the face. Del Toro told a simple yet engaging story of humanity coming together, united against a common enemy. From a more personal standpoint, Pacific Rim was about perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds. Inspired by a speech from Idris Elba's Marshal Stacker Pentecost, humanity succeeded in "canceling the apocalypse."

4 Looper

Looper
Sony Pictures Releasing

Rian Johnson's 2012 sci-fi action thriller, Looper, preceded his work on Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Knives Out. Loopers were contract killers that terminated targets sent back in time from the future. This allowed the bodies to be disposed of, as the future of 2074 was not an environment in which an execution would go unnoticed. Everything changed for the hitman Joe (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) when he crossed paths with an older version of himself (Bruce Willis). Rather than being an ordinary action thriller or time-travel movie, Looper was first and foremost a character-driven story. It utilized time travel to explore the inner workings of its characters as well as how time travel has changed them. Looper was successful in its attempt to be a more thought-provoking film, and featured entertaining action sequences that all served a narrative purpose.

3 Edge of Tomorrow

cruise-edge-tomorrow-2014-village-roadshow
Village Roadshow Pictures

Tom Cruise has played many brave and competent men throughout his career, but his character in Edge of Tomorrow started off as the total opposite. William Cage was a coward who attempted to run away, but was quickly killed in combat. After being covered in an alien's blood, Cage was forced to relive the same day over and over. He eventually met the heroic Sergeant Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt) who had also experienced a time loop. The two joined forces and trained to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to stand a chance in an alien invasion. A tagline for Edge of Tomorrow, "Live. Die. Repeat," perfectly described the film and became the new title for the home media release. Edge of Tomorrow was like a sci-fi action version of Groundhog Day, and the result was a surprisingly well-crafted, funny and clever adventure.

Related: These Standalone Action Movies Deserve Sequels

2 Mad Max: Fury Road

Charlize Theron in Mad Max Fury Road
Warner Bros. Pictures 

A consensus has been formed that Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best action movies ever made. Set in a crazy post-apocalyptic world, the world of Fury Road was one where water and fuel were almost nowhere to be found. The film featured an epic team-up between Tom Hardy's Max Rockatansky and Charlize Theron's Imperator Furiosa. Together, the duo traveled across a desert wasteland and came face to face with the evil Immortan Joe. Mad Max: Fury Road was an action-packed blockbuster film with ridiculous stunts and top-notch cinematography. Use of CGI was minimal as Mad Max: Fury Road leaned heavily into practical effects. High adrenaline action, excellent world-building, and amazing chase scenes made Fury Road the complete opposite of monotonous and boring.

1 Inception

Inception cast in the street with guns
Warner Bros. Pictures

Between The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan found the time to direct and write the cinematic masterpiece known as Inception. The film featured an ensemble cast full of major stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Elliot Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Ken Watanabe. Inception's concept was something that felt fresh and mind-blowing. Centered on infiltrating and investigating the subconscious, audiences were confused about what was actually real. The film did not hold the viewer's hand and trusted them to come to their own conclusions. At the same time, it also did not feel pretentious or something that was overly proud of itself for being complex. Inception had mesmerizing visual effects, which was only one in a long list of great things about the film. It was elevated by great performances, an incredible score, and great screenplay and direction.