Pacific Rim, such a great fun mechs vs monsters movie that had a gritty feeling to it. Not over the top fantastical bullshit with flips or garish colors, just solid, slow, huge mechs fighting solid, slowish, sea monsters.
Sicario 1 and 2 as well except it's an example of an amazing director vs. a competent one.
At least Sicario 2 is quite watchable and has some amazing scenes. Can't say the same for Pacific Rim 2. That one's just bad and not even in a fun way. As you say, all the things that made the original work. It managed to miss all of them.