Mark Wahlberg in The Family Plan
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Kevin Pantoja
Published 3 minutes ago
Kevin Pantoja is a writer and editor at Screen Rant based in New York City, where he brings deep expertise in blockbuster franchises ranging from Harry Potter and Spider‑Man to Succession and the MCU. A passionate storyteller with a creative writing degree (Valedictorian, Full Sail University), Kevin blends entertainment news, feature essays, and pop‑culture commentary into engaging, audience-first content
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The sequel to Apple TV+'s original action comedy The Family Plan has just arrived, giving us another film in the genre starring Mark Wahlberg. For years, we've seen Wahlberg in all sorts of movies, from Oscar winners like The Departed and The Fighter to box office hits like Transformers: Age of Extinction and Ted.
While he's shown an ability to perform well in all sorts of genres, Mark Wahlberg has carved out a niche in action comedies. He has started to appear in more since the 2010s and especially in the 2020s but Wahlberg's work in the genre goes back to the '90s.
Mark Wahlberg's action comedy movies aren't always box office successes or hits with critics, yet there's something to enjoy about all of them. Wahlberg's ability to use his tough guy demeanor for comedic effect is something he does really well and it's evident in these movies.
The Family Plan 2 (2025)
Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan and Zoe Colletti in The Family Plan 2Apple TV+
In a year when he's played more serious characters in Flight Risk and Play Dirty, it's nice to see Mark Wahlberg back in something lighthearted. The Family Plan 2 does just that as he again teams up with the cast from the first installment, including Michelle Monaghan as his wife and both Zoe Colletti and Van Crosby as their kids.
This sequel does what many have in the past, which is to take things to a holiday setting. The Family Plan 2 picks up as the Morgan family heads to Europe for a Christmas vacation, only for his past to come back and haunt him, ruining things.
Early reviews for The Family Plan 2 haven't been too strong. In fact, Screen Rant's own review called it "boring and unfunny." That said, a few other reviews have praised it for being so fast-paced that you can turn your brain off and just have some fun with the family watching it.
The Family Plan (2023)
Mark Wahlberg looking surprised in The Family Plan.
It probably shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that critics didn't love the sequel when they also weren't overly fond of 2023's The Family Plan. The film sits at a lackluster 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was said to be too similar to other movies in the same subgenre.
However, one aspect of The Family Plan that was well-received was the action, with the movie featuring a handful of notable sequences that fans of the genre can enjoy. It was mostly just missing the quality of laughs you want in an action comedy.
That said, there's certainly fun to be had and the film has a solid 60% Popcornmeter rating. The premise sees Wahlberg's Dan as an everyday car salesman who must go on the run with his family when his secret past as an assassin is revealed. It's not overly original but it can be a good time.
Spenser Confidential (2020)
Mark Wahlberg and Winston Duke crouching in front of a car in Spenser Confidential
Right as the 2020s began, Mark Wahlberg appeared in an action comedy movie that helped set the tone for some of his upcoming roles. Spenser Confidential was a pretty big hit when it was released since it hit Netflix shortly before things shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning everyone was home to watch it.
Despite getting plenty of views upon release, Spenser Confidential has kind of been forgotten over the past few years. It marked Wahlberg's fifth collaboration with director Peter Berg, though it was the first to lean into comedy and they did it well.
Spenser Confidential follows Wahlberg's Spenser, a former patrolman, and Winston Duke's Hawk, a fighter, as they look into the truth behind the death of two police officers. Again, it didn't receive sparkling reviews but the buddy cop formula was well done and the action sequences were solid.
The Big Hit (1998)
The Big Hit (1998) Mark Wahlberg as Melvin Smiley
The Big Hit was Mark Wahlberg's first foray into the action comedy genre, just a handful of years after his big screen debut. The movie is loaded with talent as Wahlberg joined Christina Applegate, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bokeem Woodbine, and several other notable stars in the cast.
The setup of The Big Hit centers on a group of hit men who kidnap the goddaughter of their ruthless crime boss, sending their plans out of whack. All the while, Wahlberg's Melvin must also hide his activities from his fiancée Pam (Applegate).
Reviews for this underrated Mark Wahlberg movie were mixed, with most of the praise going to the action that blends the signature styles of American and Hong Kong cinema (the film was directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Che-Kirk Wong). The premise is fun, the cast is good, and it's an early look at Wahlberg's skills in the genre.
The Union (2024)
Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry in Flight Risk (2024)
There aren't many actors from the 2000s who were more recognizable than Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry, so getting to see them share the screen in 2024 was a true treat. Like many of Wahlberg's recent films, The Union went straight to Netflix and was a solid hit for the platform.
The Union is a film where Wahlberg plays an average guy who is pulled into a world he's not ready for. He's a construction worker who is brought into the spy life when his high school sweetheart comes back into his life and drags him into a mission.
Once again, The Union is an action comedy in Mark Wahlberg's career that received mixed reviews, yet most can agree that the film is just fun. Berry and Wahlberg are good together, yet critics suggested that it's the kind of movie that the viewer is likely to forget about once it ends.
Pain & Gain (2013)
Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg), Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), and Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) discuss their schemes in Pain & Gain
Mark Wahlberg and Michael Bay is kind of a match made in action movie heaven. Bay is known for his explosive, over-the-top style and Wahlberg is often at his best in that same avenue. While their Transformers films ended up being a disappointment, Pain & Gain worked much better to their strengths.
Right off the bat, Pain & Gain stands out because of the three leading men, as Wahlberg is joined by Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie. Based on articles about the Sun Gym Gang, the film is centered on a trio of bodybuilders who are involved in various criminal activities.
Pain & Gain may not have succeeded at the box office but it worked for what it was. Michael Bay's style is all over it, providing a barrage of violent sequences rife with action and energy. The satirical aspect is well done and it's hard to not have a good time with Wahlberg, Johnson, and Mackie sharing the screen.
Date Night (2010)
2010 was a big year for Mark Wahlberg popping up in action comedies. Date Night is a really good one that isn't associated too much with him since he only makes a small appearance that amounts to not much more than a cameo, yet it's a blast.
Date Night focuses on Phil and Claire Foster, played by Steve Carell and Tina Fey, a married couple stuck in a rut who spice things up by going out and stealing a reservation at a fancy restaurant from a couple that no-showed. Unfortunately, that leads them down the road of a very dangerous evening.
Along the way, the couple gets help from Wahlberg's Holbrooke, a high-tech security expert. Wahlberg steals the show in his few scenes, whether it's flirting with Claire, making Phil feel inadequate, or just delivering the hell out of his lines. The film also holds a 67% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
Three Kings (1999)
Ice Cube, Mark Wahlberg, and George Clooney in Three Kings.
Three Kings is a different kind of action comedy since it's actually a war movie. War films aren't really associated with comedy, so there aren't many out there and even Three Kings has kind of been forgotten over the years.
Mark Wahlberg stars as one of the film's four main characters alongside George Clooney, Ice Cube, and future filmmaker Spike Jonze. They are four American soldiers who embark on a gold heist near the end of the First Gulf War as the 1991 uprisings against Iraq happen.
Ultimately, Three Kings was a rousing success. It grossed over $100 million at the box office and received sparkling reviews that include a whopping 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was praised for the way it blended comedy with action and drama and it remains one of Wahlberg's best films.
The Other Guys (2010)
Will Ferrell as Allen Gamble having his tie pulled by Mark Wahlberg as Terry Hoitz in The Other GuysColumbia Pictures
While Three Kings received the strongest reviews of any film on this list, it still can't beat The Other Guys as a great action comedy, mostly because this is the funniest of them all. The movie benefits from a wildly talented cast, including Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, Eva Mendes, and Michael Keaton.
Right from the start, The Other Guys is as wild as it gets. For example, Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson appear as heroic cops who shockingly die in the most ridiculous way imaginable. With them gone, desk cops Allen (Farrell) and Terry (Wahlberg) work together to solve a crime.
The Other Guys was well-received and is memorable for everything from Allen's absurd treatment of his lovely wife to Keaton's character quoting TLC songs to Terry shooting Yankees legend Derek Jeter. It's the kind of absurd stuff that makes a film endlessly rewatchable and beloved, which The Other Guys is.
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