8 Underrated Action Trilogies That Deserve Cult Status

With so many trilogies available to watch or buy now, it’s easy for some great ones to get overlooked. A true trilogy simply means a series of three connected works – they can tell one big story across all three, or feature separate but related adventures. While blockbusters like Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather are well-known, many other deserving trilogies haven’t received the attention they deserve.

Action movies cover a huge range, from large-scale battles and impressive fight choreography to smaller, more personal conflicts. Because so many talented people work in the genre, some great films unfortunately get overlooked or forgotten – often due to bad timing or simply not making enough money. These underappreciated action trilogies are packed with excitement and deserve a watch if you can find them.

The Millennium Trilogy Blends Action With Other Themes

Released in 2009, The Dragon Tattoo trilogy – including The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest – is a series of Swedish films based on the books by Stieg Larsson. The films follow Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who is tasked with solving a missing person case. Simultaneously, Lisbeth Salander, a skilled hacker, begins investigating Blomkvist and ultimately teams up with him.

Although The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been made into a U.S. film, most people agree the original Swedish Millennium trilogy is better. The first movie series based on Larsson’s books has a well-crafted story and stays true to the novels. Noomi Rapace is fantastic as Salander, and while the action is exciting, it’s the overall dark and mysterious atmosphere that really draws you in. If you’re planning to watch both versions, the Swedish one is the one to start with.

The Vengeance Trilogy Explores the Effects of Revenge

Park Chan-wook’s Vengeance trilogy explores the consuming nature of revenge through three interconnected stories. The first film, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), centers on a deaf-mute man whose botched kidnapping attempt leads to tragedy, prompting the victim’s father to seek retribution. Oldboy (2003), the second film, follows a man unexpectedly freed from prison who must uncover the reason for his imprisonment before a deadline, or someone else will suffer. The trilogy concludes with Lady Vengeance (2005), which tells the story of a woman released from prison who sets out to find her daughter and exact revenge on the person responsible for her incarceration.

The Vengeance trilogy lives up to its name – it’s intense and often brutal. All three movies are filled with violence and conflict, sometimes to a disturbing degree, but in a way that’s hard to forget. Beyond the action, the films share strong themes and complicated storylines, made even more captivating by Park’s unique direction and the consistently dark and unsettling atmosphere.

The Mexico Trilogy Effortlessly Blends Action and Comedy

The Mexico trilogy includes the films El Mariachi (1993), Desperado (1995), and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003). The series centers on El Mariachi (played by Carlos Gallardo and later Antonio Banderas), a simple musician who gets caught up in a world of crime and violence after being mistaken for someone else. As he becomes involved with the Mexican criminal underworld, Mariachi also seeks to resolve personal traumas and get revenge.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Mexico trilogy. It’s one of those series you feel like you know somehow, but unless you really dive in and watch all three, you’re missing out on the full experience of what Rodriguez created. I find the character of Mariachi particularly interesting – he’s not really a traditional hero, more of a flawed, compelling anti-hero, especially as played by Gallardo and Banderas. And honestly, the movies are just packed with action, which perfectly fits Mariachi’s story. Plus, there’s a surprising amount of humor woven throughout, which keeps everything from getting too serious.

The Has Fallen Trilogy Is Explosive, Yet Straightforward

The Has Fallen series includes three movies – Olympus Has Fallen (2013), London Has Fallen (2016), and Angel Has Fallen (2019) – as well as two TV shows: Paris Has Fallen (2024) and a new sequel, Apollo Has Fallen. These films and shows center around Secret Service agent Mike Banning (played by Gerard Butler) and his ongoing mission to protect President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) and other global leaders. Morgan Freeman plays Allen Trumball, who later becomes president.

The Has Fallen trilogy is packed with thrilling, high-octane action. Each of the three movies delivers non-stop excitement and suspense as the hero, Banning, constantly works to save people in danger. The films are well-directed, and Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman deliver strong performances throughout. What really sets this series apart is its straightforward plot, which makes it easy for viewers to stay engaged.

The Class of 19XX Trilogy Is So Bad, It’s Good

The Class of 19XX series consists of three films: Class of 1984 (1982), Class of 1999 (1990), and Class of 1999 II: The Substitute (1994). While the stories aren’t heavily connected, they all share common themes. Each film is set in a high school and involves conflict between students and a teacher. Class of 1984 centers on teacher Andrew Norris (Perry King) dealing with a student gang, Class of 1999 features robots and an addictive drug, and Class of 1999 II: The Substitute follows new substitute teacher John Bolen (Sasha Mitchell).

The Class of 19XX trilogy isn’t for everyone. It features a lot of violence, some underdeveloped characters, and a fairly straightforward plot. However, it excels in delivering action and drama, keeping viewers engaged and on the edge of their seats. If you enjoy intense, over-the-top stories, this trilogy is worth a watch for its thrilling moments.

The Unbreakable Trilogy Is Thought-Provoking

As a film critic, I’ve been following M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable trilogy – Unbreakable (2000), Split (2016), and Glass (2019) – with great interest. What’s fascinating about these films is that they center around people discovering they have extraordinary abilities, but it’s handled in a surprisingly grounded way. It’s less about typical superheroes and villains, and more about the reality of what that discovery might actually be like. The first film, Unbreakable, introduces us to a man who unbelievably walks away from a devastating train crash. Then Split takes a darker turn, focusing on a man battling dissociative identity disorder. Finally, Glass brings the worlds of both previous movies together, creating a really compelling and thought-provoking finale.

Even though Unbreakable and Split came out 16 years apart, Shyamalan’s trilogy feels surprisingly cohesive and is definitely worth watching. The way the stories connect is seamless and works perfectly within the trilogy’s scope, and the acting is superb across the board, particularly James McAvoy’s performance as Kevin Wendell Crumb. These films are gripping and full of unexpected twists, offering a narrative that’s more than just action – it’s genuinely thought-provoking and meaningful.

The Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy Is Hilarious

Edgar Wright directed the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy—Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and The World’s End (2013)—all starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The films are subtly linked by recurring references to Cornetto ice cream. Shaun of the Dead is a comedy about a zombie outbreak, Hot Fuzz follows two police officers investigating a murder, and The World’s End centers around an alien invasion.

I’ve been a big fan of Edgar Wright’s films for a while, and it’s amazing how connected they all are. I recently learned that three of them – what fans call the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy – actually build on each other with really clever, but almost hidden, references to ice cream! Each movie feels like a complete story on its own, but they all fit together so well. Plus, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are absolutely brilliant together – they’re the perfect comedic pairing for these films, honestly.

The Equalizer Trilogy Features Memorable Action Shots

The Equalizer trilogy consists of three movies: The Equalizer (2014), The Equalizer 2 (2018), and The Equalizer 3 (2023). There’s also a separate television series from 2021 starring Queen Latifah. The films follow Robert McCall, a former Marine and intelligence agent, who tries to enjoy a peaceful retirement but ends up becoming a crime fighter. Over the course of the three movies, McCall uses his unique skills and experience to help others by taking down criminals.

Despite being part of a larger franchise that includes the original 1980s TV show, The Equalizer movies work great as a standalone trilogy. The action is exciting and expertly filmed, and Denzel Washington delivers a compelling performance as McCall, a character with a complicated moral code. While the movies aren’t as fast-paced as some other action films, their slower, more deliberate build-up creates a satisfying experience.

2025-11-07 19:10