It's been a rough couple of years at the movies, but if 2022 proved anything, it's that capital-C Cinema still stands a chance. The blockbuster came back in a major way this year — and not just for the tried-and-true Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2022 was, for better or worse, the year of the spectacle: big budgets, big effects and even bigger risk. It made for a surprisingly great year for action, especially the films that pushed the limits of the genre or even evoked some good old-fashioned nostalgia.
It's not an easy thing, picking favorites — but with the end of the year upon us, now's as good a time as any to reflect on the greatest additions to the genre in 2022. Whether these 15 films broke big or cruised under the radar, whether they relied on technical achievements or dipped into low humor now and again, they still managed to raise our pulses in their own special way.
