Emily Blunt’s 5 Best Action Movies, Ranked

Emily Blunt has shown that she can excel in a variety of genres, and some of her most popular movies show off her talents as an action star. Emily Blunt’s best movies show off her skills in dramas, comedies and more genres. She’s famous for her role alongside her husband John Krasinski in the Quiet Place movies, as well as her chameleon-like performances in biopics.

Emily Blunt went through a brief period in the early 2010s when she consistently appeared in action movies. This trend didn’t last for too long, although her role in 2024’s The Fall Guy could be an indicator that she is ready to make a return to the genre. This would be welcome news, since Blunt always brings a relatable and compelling presence to action movies that helps ground them, even when there are strange sci-fi concepts at play.

5

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Matt Damon And Emily Blunt Star In A Philip K. Dick Adaptation

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The Adjustment Bureau

pg-13

Sci-Fi

Romance

Release Date

March 4, 2011

Runtime

106minutes

Director

George Nolfi

Writers

George Nolfi

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Matt Damon In The 74th Berlin International Film

    Matt Damon

  • Headshot Of Emily Blunt

    Emily Blunt

  • Headshot Of Anthony Mackie

    Anthony Mackie

  • Michael Kelly Profile Picture

    Michael Kelly

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Based on Philip K. Dick’s short story Adjustment Team, The Adjustment Bureau stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt as two lovers who are repeatedly driven apart by a mysterious organization. It’s an action-packed interpretation of a story that explores ideas of free will and determinism.

It’s an action-packed interpretation of a story that explores ideas of free will and determinism.

The sci-fi element of The Adjustment Bureau creates plenty of intrigue. Even though some of the biggest questions about the nature of the Bureau remain unanswered, they are the kind of mysteries worth mulling over and deconstructing. The Adjustment Bureau uses a romance narrative and some exciting action to sort through some of these heavy philosophical subjects.

4

Looper (2012)

Rian Johnson’s Time-Travel Thriller Bucks Convention

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Looper

R

Sci-Fi

Action

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

8/10

6/10

Release Date

September 28, 2012

Runtime

118 minutes

Director

Rian Johnson

Writers

Rian Johnson

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Bruce Willis In The Premiere of Motherless Brooklyn

    Bruce Willis

  • Headshot Of Joseph Gordon-Levitt In The Hollywood Critics Association's 2023 HCA Film Awards

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt

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Rian Johnson’s movies show a keen awareness of genre, but the director revels in shredding expectations. Looper is Johnson’s take on a time-travel thriller, with a premise that allows for constant reinvention and plenty of twists and turns. The plot revolves around an assassin who is tasked with killing people sent back in time by a mysterious criminal syndicate.

Rian Johnson’s Movies

Movie

Rotten Tomatoes Score

Audience Score

Brick (2005)

79%

86%

The Brothers Bloom (2008)

68%

64%

Looper (2012)

93%

82%

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

91%

41%

Knives Out (2019)

97%

92%

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

92%

92%

Emily Blunt plays a vital supporting role as a fiercely protective mother caught up in a sci-fi murder plot, but most of Looper revolves around the performances of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis, who play the same character at two different stages in his life. Johnson lets his imagination run wild with this unique premise, creating a sci-fi thriller full of surprises.

3

The Fall Guy (2024)

Ryan Gosling Brings A Mix Of Action And Comedy

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The Fall Guy Movie Poster Featuring Emily Blunt Holding a Megaphone Standing Next to Ryan Gosling in Front of an Explosion

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The Fall Guy

PG-13

Action

Drama

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

8/10

22

7.8/10

Release Date

May 3, 2024

Runtime

126 Minutes

Director

David Leitch

Writers

Glen A. Larson, Drew Pearce

Producers

Glen A. Larson

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Ryan Gosling In The Paris premiere of 'The Fall Guy'

    Ryan Gosling

    Howie Munson

  • Headshot Of Emily Blunt

    Emily Blunt

    Colt Seavers

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The Fall Guy was a return to the action genre for Emily Blunt after a few years, although she doesn’t play the role of an action hero. Blunt plays the love interest to Ryan Gosling’s stunt performer, as he gets pulled into a dangerous murder mystery. The Fall Guy mixes action, romance, comedy and mystery into a crowdpleasing cocktail.

Kitty (Emily Blunt) at the hearing in Oppenheimer

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The Fall Guy is filled with movie references and quotes, highlighting David Leitch’s love of cinema. This is also reflected in the way that The Fall Guy pays tribute to stunt performers in the movie industry. Leitch started his Hollywood career as a stuntman and fight choreographer, and The Fall Guy shows what can be achieved with practical effects and people putting their bodies on the line. The result is a lighthearted thriller that never lets its entertainment value drop for a second.

2

Edge Of Tomorrow (2014)

Tom Cruise Leads A Sci-Fi War Movie

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Edge of Tomorrow

PG-13

Sci-Fi

Action

Thriller

Adventure

ScreenRant logo

7/10

15

8.9/10

Release Date

June 6, 2014

Runtime

1h 53m

Director

Doug Liman

Writers

John-Henry Butterworth, Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth

Sequel(s)

Edge of Tomorrow 2

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Tom Cruise In The UK premiere of ‘Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning’ Part One

    Tom Cruise

    Maj. William Cage

  • Headshot Of Emily Blunt

    Emily Blunt

    Sgt. Rita Vrataski

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Edge of Tomorrow stars Tom Cruise as a soldier locked in a war with an invading alien species, until he gradually turns the tide when he gains the aliens’ ability to reset at an earlier point after death. This strange premise evokes other time loop movies like Groundhog Day, but the action element also gives it the feel of a video game, in which a player is revived at a checkpoint after dying.

Emily Blunt shines as a sergeant, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Cruise in the action department.

Edge of Tomorrow‘s time loop structure could easily kill the movie’s stakes, but the concept is interesting enough to remain vibrant throughout. Cruise’s action pedigree and a series of visually creative fight scenes do the rest of the work, ensuring that Edge of Tomorrow has retained a fan base years after its release. Emily Blunt shines as a sergeant, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Cruise in the action department.

1

Sicario (2015)

Denis Villeneuve Is A Master Of Tension

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Sicario

R

Action

Crime

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

9/10

18

9.1/10

Release Date

September 17, 2015

Runtime

122 minutes

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Writers

Taylor Sheridan

Producers

Basil Iwanyk, Edward McDonnell, Ellen H. Schwartz, Molly Smith, Thad Luckinbill, Stacy Perskie

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Benicio Del Toro

    Benicio Del Toro

    Alejandro Gillick

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    Emily Blunt

    Kate Macer

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Before he took over the sci-fi genre, Denis Villeneuve established himself as a master of tension and frantic action with thrillers like Prisoners, Enemy and Sicario. The last of these movies, Sicario, stars Emily Blunt as a principled FBI Special Agent who discovers the murky reality of fighting drug cartels.

Neither Emily Blunt nor Denis Villeneuve returned for the 2018 sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado.

Emily Blunt has spoken about Sicario as one of her favorite roles, praising Denis Villeneuve’s direction. Blunt is also one of the key reasons that Sicario works so well, since a lot of the tension derives from her character’s place as a noble soul trapped in an incoherent and hostile world. Blunt ensures that her character is easy to empathize with, and this adds weight to the propulsive action scenes.