Ryan Gosling’s 6 Action Movies Ranked Worst To Best

The career of Ryan Gosling has included several all-time great performances across varied genres, but it’s in action movies that he’s done some of his best work. While Gosling achieved global recognition for his role in the romance The Notebook, since the 2010s, he’s redefined himself as a major action star in some of the best movies of recent times.

From action comedies like the neo-noir The Nice Guys opposite Russell Crowe to cult favorites for Nicolas Winding Refn, Gosling has consistently delivered terrific performances in stylish action movies. As a man of many talents who can believably play both Ken in the Barbie movie and a major action hero, Gosling has proved himself one of the most diverse stars around.

6

Gangster Squad (2013)

Ryan Gosling as Sergeant Jerry Wooters

Despite an impressive cast that reunited Ryan Gosling with his former Crazy, Stupid, Love and future La La Land co-star Emma Stone, Gangster Squad was an underwhelming action movie that suffered from underdeveloped characters and excessive violence. Telling the story of LAPD officers attempting to bring down a crime kingpin, this was nothing we hadn’t already seen before.

With Josh Brolin as a war hero turned cop and Gosling as his easygoing right-hand man, this period crime story set in 1949 Los Angeles was more style than substance. Stone’s talents were also underutilized as she was relegated to a damsel-in-distress-style role, and it was hard to take Sean Penn seriously as the villain in his unconvincing makeup.

On paper, Gangster Squad sounds like a must-watch hidden gem, but it was too uneven to make much of an impact. While this story was inspired by true events, it fabricated too much to work well as a historical document of the genuine Gangster Squad. It’s far from unwatchable, but Gosling has had far better action movies.

5

The Gray Man (2023)

Ryan Gosling as Courtland Gentry (“Sierra Six”)

After years of false starts, the Russo brothers finally brought the long-festering adaptation of Mark Greaney’s novel The Gray Man to fruition. With Ryan Gosling as the CIA agent known as Sierra Six and Chris Evans playing the sociopathic villain attempting to track him down, there was a lot to love about this fast-paced action thriller.

The Gray Man was a Netflix movie bursting with potential, although it doesn’t quite live up to the lofty expectations set by the Russos’ work on the MCU. It’s exciting to see Gosling and Evans share the screen, but stunning visuals and effective action sequences can’t stop it from feeling like a collection of leftovers from far better movies.

As a film that rushes from location to location, those who just want to sit back and enjoy some fun action will be in for a good time, but The Gray Man doesn’t offer much more than that. Taking influence from the John Wick and James Bond franchises, it’s hard not to feel like The Gray Man overpromises and underdelivers.

4

Only God Forgives (2013)

Ryan Gosling as Julian Thompson

Ryan Gosling reunited with the Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn to get another stylish action movie, this time set in Bangkok. With Gosling as the drug smuggler Julian, his life in the criminal underworld of Thailand becomes more complicated after his mother convinces him to find and kill the men responsible for his brother’s death.

Only God Forgives continued to develop Refn’s signature style as it paired incredible action sequences with a fantastic soundtrack that gives the movie its distinct feel. Despite all these positives, the film also lacked strong characterization and was far less compelling than Refn and Gosling’s previous work on Drive.

This was a lesson that no matter how great a film looks, if it doesn’t have the narrative heft to back it up, audiences will always be left underwhelmed. Only God Forgives was an excellent movie, but the bar had already been set so high that Refn and Gosling were unable to live up to it.

3

The Fall Guy (2024)

Ryan Gosling as Colt Seavers

The Fall Guy was loosely based on the 1980s TV series of the same name and was an excellent homage to Hollywood action movies. With a terrific balance of action, comedy, and self-referential humor, everything about the movie felt like a pushback against substanceless CGI-heavy action films, as it instead focused on genuine thrills and strong characterization.

Ryan Gosling played the stuntman Colt Seavers, who returns to work after a major injury to take part in his ex-girlfriend’s directorial debut. However, along the way, he’s drawn into a thrilling murder mystery and an increasingly chaotic plot that simultaneously makes light of and celebrates the ridiculousness of the movie industry.

With plenty of great performances, Gosling’s chemistry with his co-star Emily Blunt made The Fall Guy a particularly engaging watch. Aaron Taylor-Johnson also excelled as the dubious movie star Tom Ryder. Everything about The Fall Guy just worked, and it was enjoyable to see a modern action movie that wasn’t afraid to be fun.

2

The Nice Guys (2016)

Ryan Gosling as Holland March

It’s a common complaint that there are no great original movies anymore and that modern Hollywood is just endless sequels and franchises. However, when there’s a truly great original film like The Nice Guys, it bombs at the box office and deters studios from taking a chance on new ideas.

As a buddy comedy action movie starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, The Nice Guys was a stylish 1970s period piece from director Shane Black. Featuring a private eye and an enforcer coming together to investigate a missing teenage girl, this hilarious story harkens back to an earlier era of buddy comedies, such as Midnight Run and Tango & Cash.

With equal parts style and comedy, The Nice Guys struck the perfect balance, and the way it captured its 1970s setting was truly impressive. Sadly, the film’s underperformance at the box office meant any hopes for a sequel were dashed, but, looking back, The Nice Guys was one of the best action movies of the 2010s.

1

Drive (2011)

Ryan Gosling as The Driver

The pinnacle of Ryan Gosling’s work in action movies was, of course, Drive. As an incredibly stylish neo-noir story whose cinematography, outstanding soundtrack, and minimalist narrative allowed its unique aesthetic to come to the forefront, director Nicolas Winding Refn understood the old adage that less is more when it comes to conjuring an original and engaging cinematic world.

Gosling starred as The Driver, a man of few words who moonlights as a getaway driver, and the story involves his growing fondness for his neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and her young son, whom he protects from the consequences of her debt-ridden husband, played by Oscar Isaac. With stunning visuals and graphic violence, Drive was an instant classic.

Although Gosling had major roles before Drive, this was the film that truly showcased his potential as an action star. As an actor who absolutely oozed charisma despite barely opening his mouth, Ryan Gosling’s calculated performance was a prime reason that Drive has become such a cult favorite in the years since its release.