Celebrated not only for her acting but also for her humanitarian work,Angelina Joliehas become one of the most popular and thus highest-paid Hollywood actors. This is not surprising, especially when the star has starred in a few memorable movies over the years, bringing to life many compelling characters, including the iconic video game personality Lara Croft.
Although she has also proven to be an incredible dramatic actress and established her identity as such — an Oscar win highlights this — Jolie’s career has been severely impacted by action movies that helped immortalize some of her roles. With a natural physicality that suits this particular genre and a charismatic presence that does not go unnoticed, Jolie thrives in the action genre, with her first action flick,Cyborg 2, dating back to 1993. To celebrate her characters,we look back at some of the best Angelina Jolie action movies, fromThe Cradle of Life to Wanted,ranking them by greatness.
8’Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life' (2003)
Director: Jan de Bont
The Cradle of Lifesees the iconic star step into the shoes of her most memorable role so far for a new adventure: this time, Lara Craft embarks on a quest to save the mythical Pandora’s Box before an evil scientist finds it. To assist her, she recruits a former Marine turned mercenary (Gerard Butler).
Jan de Bont’s second installment of theTomb Raiderfranchise has fallen short of viewers' expectations, gathering poor reviews all over the globe for its weak script and pacing when compared to the earlier entry. However,it is still worth seeing this Angelina Jolie movie, if only to witness the beloved star bring to life one of her most unforgettable characters, awing audiences with her incredible stunts and powerful screen presence. The cultural impact it had on 2000s action-adventure films, how it continued to spark conversation around female representation in film (particularly in the action genre), and the nostalgic factor it counts with also make it a worthwhile watch.
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life
Watch on Apple TV
7’Gone in 60 Seconds' (2000)
Director: Dominic Sena
Despite being released to mixed reviews,Dominic Sena’s movie was a box office success and has even gathered something of a cult following over the following years. This somewhatpointless remakeof the 1974 cult classicGone in 60 Secondsfollows a retired master car thief, played byNicolas Cage, who must come back to the industry and steal fifty cars with his crew in order to save his brother’s life.
Gone in 60 Secondsis by no means a flawless movie in its category. However, it still provides audiences with plenty of engaging action sequences — namely car chases — to keep viewers invested. Jolie plays Sway, a mechanic and driver who also happens to be the love interest of Cage’s character, in this entertaining action flick. Although her role is secondary,Jolie manages to steal the spotlight in every scene, whetherbecause of her edgy looks or her character’s bold attitude.
Gone in 60 Seconds
Watch on Hulu
6’Eternals' (2021)
Director: Chloé Zhao
Chloé Zhao’s Marvel film is one of Jolie’s most recent. The superhero movie focuses on a group of immortal beings (Gemma Chan,Richard Madden, Jolie,Salma Hayek,Kumail Nanjiani,Brian Tyree Henry,Lauren Ridloff,Barry Keoghan, andMa Song-seok) who lived on Earth, showing how they have helped shape history and our planet’s civilizations.
AlthoughEternalsis a bit lacking compared to other Marvel entries, it features one of the most interesting and ambitious concepts in the cinematic universe, and part of its charm also relies on memorable characters.Jolie believably brought to life the graceful, almost ethereal goddess of war Thena, one of the titular Eternals, shining through her sequences and proving that she continues to be one of the most successful female stars in action. It is easy to connect with Jolie’s on-screen counterpart, especially considering the complexity of her character.
Watch on Disney+
5’Lara Croft: Tomb Raider' (2001)
Director: Simon West
The first video-game-to-movie adaptation ranks relatively higher when compared to the first one, as it provides audiences with an intriguing introduction to the character and features groundbreaking action.Simon West’s movie sees the Angelina Jolie character racing against time to recover powerful ancient artifacts.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raiderhas left a lasting imprint on global audiences to this day, rapidly becoming one of the most beloved Angelina Jolie movies. Even if not without flaws,Tomb Raiderremains a memorable movie. This is quite understandable, particularly when taking into consideration the film’s impact on pop culture. Furthermore, this major commercial success fully immersed audiences in its action and story, benefiting from impressive stunts that showcased Jolie’s incredible physicality and ultimately cemented her as one ofthe most iconic female action heroines.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Director: Taylor Sheridan
Set in the Montana wilderness,Taylor Sheridan’sThose Who Wish Me Deadcombines psychological thriller with action and sees a teenage murder witness (Finn Little) find himself pursued by twin assassins (Nicholas HoultandAidan Gillen). While a survival expert (Jolie) puts her instincts to use when she is tasked with protecting him, a forest fire threatens to consume them all.
Not only does Jolie shine in her high-intensity action scenes, she also delivers a great dramatic performanceas the struggling and traumatized Hannah Faber, making the film a must-watch in her filmography. In addition to its talented ensemble cast, this fresh take on the genre is anchored by stunning imagery and solid direction, appealing to fans of both thrillers and action movies who are keen on well-written character studies.
Those Who Wish Me Dead
Watch on Max
3’Mr. and Mrs. Smith' (2005)
Director: Doug Liman
Directed byDoug Liman,Mr. and Mrs. Smithis perhaps Jolie’s most popular action film apart from theTomb Raiderseries. Also starringBrad Pitt, it centers around a husband and wife who struggle to keep their marriage alive until they both realize they’re secretly working as assassins and that their respective tasks require them to kill each other.
Although Liman’s highly engaging movie delivered one of the most memorable fictional couples when pairing the two stars and greatly benefited from their stardom, it also blended action and comedy with great results. As always,Jolie’s physicality is exceptional and showcases her talents when it comes to performing stunts. Furthermore, the must-see action flick marked a career-defining moment for the actor while influencing the action-comedy genre. A remake series was released earlier this year.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Watch on Amazon Prime
2’Salt' (2010)
Director: Phillip Noyce
This political thriller centers around a CIA agent who hits the road after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy set to assassinate the Russian president during his visit to the U.S.A. Her loyalty is put to the test as she resorts to her unmatched skills to stay alive, with the narrative’s climax revealing unexpected truths.
Although not exactly an action film masterpiece,Phillip Noyce’s movie is a genuinely absorbing and engaging Angelina Jolie picturefeaturing a complex female character and intriguing twists and turns. On top of being a box office hit — which has reaffirmed Jolie’s box-office appeal — the intense andaction-packed espionage thriller filmSalthas also become an essential feature in the star’s compelling body of work, particularly in that specific category.
Watch on Starz
1’Wanted' (2008)
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Timur Bekmambetov’sWantedis also a standoutAngelina Jolieaction movie, featuring plenty of stylish action sequences and incredible chemistry between the star andJames McAvoy.Wantedfocuses on a frustrated office worker as he discovers that he is a professional assassin and that he shares his father’s superhuman abilities.
On top of being a highly entertaining “gunfu” movie,Wantedbenefits from Jolie’s charismatic and magnetic presence, which fully cements her as one of her generation’s best female action stars: Jolie believably plays a skilled and enigmatic assassin who works for a secret society in the gripping movie. A combination of beauty and brains, the character allowed her to showcase her incredible physicality. For all these reasons,Wantedremains an engaging film with captivating use of slow-motion, a compelling script, and well-written character development.
NEXT:Angelina Jolie Explains Why She Initially Wanted to Pass on ‘Tomb Raider’ and What Changed Her Mind
