13 Best Action Movies on Netflix
Jessica Wilkins Bird Box
Where were you when Bird Box came out? The 2018 Netflix original feels like one that everyone watched at once (similar to Tiger King except it was pre-pandemic). The dystopian film follows a group of survivors when a mysterious evil force causes those who see it to die. Entertaining and stacked with a great cast — Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, Sarah Paulson, Tom Hollander, John Malkovich, Danielle Macdonald, and even Machine Gun Kelly — the film will leave you at the edge of your seat the entire time.
2Bullet Train
A film about assassins is sure to be a watch that any adventure buff will love. Tell me this ensemble cast isn’t enough to sway you to watch: Bad Bunny, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Brian Tyree Henry, Sandra Bullock, Joey King, and Michael Shannon, to name a few. Trust us, it’s worth the ride.
3Da 5 Bloods
From Spike Lee, the 2020 War film follows four Black veterans who return to Vietnam to look for the remains of their fallen squad leader…and the gold he helped them hide. With a stellar cast, including the late Chadwick Boseman, Lee’s work excels in this film.
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4Extraction
Sam Hargrave’s directorial debut, produced alongside the Marvel-magic Russo brothers, was a hit for Netflix in 2020. Extraction follows a black-market mercenary (Chris Hemsworth) who is hired to rescue the son of an international crime lord who is kidnapped in Bangladesh. The mission quickly turns into the fight of his life, full of underground weapon dealers and intense stunts.
5King Kong
Even if you’ve never seen the film, you’re probably familiar with the mythical and monstrous ape, King Kong. Based on the 1933 film, the 2005 remake starring Peter Jackson, Jack Black, and Naomi Watts features the same trying story with even better special effects for a true adventure upon Skull Island.
6RRR
The recent Oscar-winning film follows two revolutionaries on a fictional tale of their journey away from home before returning to fight against British colonialists in 1920s India. Described as feeling like a party, it has music, it has action, it has cinematography, and it’s worth every second of its 3-hour-and-seven-minute run time.
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7Skyfall
Considered one of the best James Bond movies of all time, the 2012 film follows Bond (Daniel Craig) after an assignment went wrong. Forced to reckon with his mistakes and the relocation of M16, he sets off on another mission to undo his mistakes.
8The Gray Man
The Russo brothers know how to make an action movie and The Gray Man is no exception. Based on a book of the same name, the film follows top CIA agent Six (Ryan Gosling) who is hunted down by assassins and former colleagues after uncovering the agency's secrets. It also stars Ana De Armas, Chris Evans, Regé-Jean Page, and Billy Bob Thorton.
9The Harder They Fall
A revisionary western adventure that follows Nat Love (Johnathan Majors) who rounds up his gang to seek revenge on his enemy Rufus Buck (Idris Alba) when he learns Bick is being released from prison. Also starring Regina King, Zazie Beetz, LaKeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, and RJ Cyler, it’s an iconic ode to Westerns with some amazing twists and fight scenes (especially one between King and Beetz).
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10Lord of the Rings Trilogy
One of the classic fantasy trilogies of our time, The Lord of the Rings is based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien and follows hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) who inherits the powerful One Ring, which when fallen into the wrong hands, could destroy Middle-earth. To protect the world as he knows it, Frodo sets off with a group of comrades to get rid of the ring in the first film, The Fellowship of the Rings. The series goes on to include The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King to round out the trilogy.
11The Nice Guys
A mix of comedy, mob ties, and adventure, this hidden gem is worth every watch and rewatch to follow. Set in 1970s Los Angeles, an unlikely pair of a hapless private investigator and a for-hire enforcer set the city ablaze searching for a missing young woman. Starring Ryan Gosling, Russel Crowe, Angourie Rice, Margaret Qualley, and Matt Bomer, this film will itch that action craving with a few dark laughs as well.
12The Woman King
Gina Prince-Bythewood’s 2022 film is everything an action movie should be and more: inspiring, engaging, and exciting. Following a group of female warriors in 1800’s Africa, led by their fearless leader (Viola Davis) as they protect their country, the fighting scenes and the energy is truly unmatched, and as a new generation of warriors is trained in Dahomey, we embark on a journey to save their home and their way of life against foreign enemies.
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13Top Gun
Calling it the “OG fighter-pilot movie” is enough to convey the action that unfolds throughout the classic, though you’ll have to see it to believe it. Enter the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School, where the best pilots go to train, including Maverick (Tom Cruise). Once you watch this, you’ll be eager to watch the 2022 sequel that was nominated for an Oscar this year, Top Gun: Maverick.
Brooke LaMantia is an NYC-based culture and fashion freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Cut, Cosmopolitan, W Magazine, InStyle, NYLON, and more.
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