7 New Action Movies for 2014 ...

1. Lone Survivor

One of the earliest action movies in 2014 is this story from actor-turned-director Peter Berg. It's based on a true story about a group of Navy Seals pursuing an enemy operative in Afghanistan. But of course the mission doesn't go as planned. Unfortunately the title does give a lot away, and the scenery in the trailer looks a lot like the US, but action movies are about action, not an intelligent script.

2. 300: Rise of an Empire

Who would have thought a movie about an ancient battle would prove so popular? 300, about a tiny number of Spartan soldiers going into battle against a far superior Persian army, was a huge success. So now we have the inevitable sequel, which sadly doesn't feature Gerard Butler. Expect lots of impressive battle scenes and special effects.

3. Need for Speed

Have you gone into mourning now that Breaking Bad has come to an end? Fans of the show at least have this movie featuring Aaron Paul to look forward to. Like many action movies, it's based on a video game and features fast cars and car chases. The story (such as it is) is about a mechanic seeking revenge on the man who framed him, but the real stars of the movie are the cars.

4. The Expendables 3

This is the action movie I'm most excited about in the coming year! No official trailer as yet, since the movie has only just completed filming, but it contains the best collection of action movie heroes ever seen on screen. The third installment of the franchise adds the ever-entertaining Jackie Chan to the cast list, and you can expect to see many other favorites as well.

5. Edge of Tomorrow

Groundhog Day meets the action genre in this Tom Cruise vehicle. It's another sci-fi offering (Tom does seem to have done a few of those lately), in which a soldier finds himself reliving the same battle over and over. With Cruise as the star, the movie is bound to have a massive budget and impressive special effects.

6. The Equalizer

You probably won't have seen the Eighties series that this movie is based on, but if you like your action movies to have at least a little plot it should be worth watching. Denzel Washington and Chloe Moretz star in the story of a former intelligence officer who sets out to help people who have no one else to turn to.

7. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

The next Hunger Games movie (Catching Fire) is out in November 2013, and fans who leave the cinema eager for more won't have too long to wait. The following installment in the series (Mockingjay) is due out in November 2014. Sadly it's part I (aren't studios mean!). Part II will follow in 2015.

There are even more action movies out in 2014, so if you love this type of movie you won't be short of options. Many are sequels, including The Fast and the Furious 7 (!), and Resident Evil (6 - not far behind), or remakes (Robocop and Mad Max). What is your favorite movie genre?