Action can take many different forms. Movies give us the thrill that we, as viewers, cannot or would prefer not to experience in real life—guns, bullets, missiles, aliens, zombies, and God’s wrath. They are a great way to get away from our everyday lives and immerse ourselves in a new world with unique characters, some of whom we love and some of whom we despise.

They are among the most well-liked movie genres worldwide because of this. Great action films from Paramount+ are distinctive in how they manage action while showcasing a plot and characters that are expertly woven together to provide viewers with the necessary rush of excitement.

13. Novocaine (2025)

Jack Quaid plays Nathan Caine, an introvert who is incapable of feeling physical pain, in Robert Olsen’s R-rated action film “Novocaine.” When a group of robbers kidnaps his new ladylove, Sherry, during a heist at the credit union where Nathan and Sherry work, this condition of his is put to the test. Despite his advantage, Nathan must keep his composure in the face of all the bloody mayhem as he battles various thugs and criminals in an effort to save her. “Novocaine,” a binge-worthy film starring Amber Midthunder and Ray Nicholson, is all blood and no pain, making “Jack” a fun boy.

12. The Italian Job (2003)

Directed by F. Gary Gray, ‘The Italian Job’ is a heist action drama based on the eponymous British film released in 1969. The film centers on a crew of skilled individuals, led by Charlie (Mark Wahlberg), who decide to rob a former associate, Steve (Edward Norton) after the latter double-crosses them during a heist in Italy and has since been living a lavish lifestyle in Los Angeles. The robbery would also be an act of revenge for the death of a teammate, John, which resulted from Steve’s double-crossing. Charlie also recruits the services of John’s daughter Stella (Charlize Theron) for the “Italian job.” Starring alongside Jason Statham, Mos Def, Seth Green, and Donald Sutherland, ‘The Italian Job’ is famous for its car action sequences. The apt mix of action and comedy makes the film a must-see star-studded movie. You can watch it here.

11. Minority Report (2002).

Minority Report’ is what takes place when a world-famous director works with a world-famous bonafide action superstar. Starring Tom Cruise and directed by Steven Spielberg, ‘Minority Report’ addresses an issue that is a possible reality and a menace to society.

The film is set in 2054 in the U.S. when the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington DC taskforce known as PreCrime employs the “PreCogs” (three mentally manipulated humans) who predict a murder and give the killer, victim, date and time of the crime and the order of events that led to the crime. But the one thing that the PreCogs do not give is the whereabouts. It is left to John Anderton (Cruise), leader of the PreCrime taskforce, and his colleagues to make the arrests. But one day, the PreCog Agatha (Samantha Morton) forewarns that Anderton himself is going to kill someone in 36 hours. Now, not only does he have to flee from the very system of which he has been a member, but also he must figure out how to clear his name. Is this even possible? ‘Minority Report’ is a science fiction action movie that raises the stakes of the genre giganticly. The remaining cast of the movie is played by Colin Farrell, Max von Sydow, Kathryn Morris, Neal McDonough, Peter Stormare, and Tim Blake Nelson. You may view the movie here.

10. Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)

‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ is a sci-fi action film directed by J. J. Abrams. It is a sequel to ‘Star Trek’ (2009) and collectively constitute a part of the rebooted film series of the Star Trek franchise that started in the 1960s and has now become a part of pop culture. ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ features Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Commander Spock, and Benedict Cumberbatch as the evil Khan Noonien Singh. In the movie, the USS Enterprise starship encounters a force to be reckoned with in the person of Khan, who is determined to annihilate the Starfleet fleet. The only way to prevent this is to discover what he desires, and to do that, he must be apprehended. You can watch the movie here and determine if Kirk and his crew are able to achieve this mission before they all get killed.

9. Tropic Thunder (2008)

The action-comedy cult classic is just as renowned for its action and satirical comedy. Ben Stiller directed the film about a group of actors who have been cast in what is to be the world’s greatest Vietnam War film. Unknown to the actors, all of whom are caricatures, the cast and crew have been stranded in the Myanmar jungle. Once the director gets killed, courtesy of a landmine, the remaining lot are not long before they are in the territory of the Flaming Dragon gang. The actors are therefore left on their own and must figure out how they will survive until either they are safe or rescued. The film is mostly remembered for Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus, whose iconic line, “I’m a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude,” still reverberates in the ears of film fanatics. He won a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars and the Golden Globes for his part. Working with Downey are Ben Stiller, Tom Cruise, Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Matthew McConaughey. Cruise also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor in addition to Downey. The movie received the Hollywood Comedy of the Year Award at the 2008 annual Hollywood Film Festival. Watch it here.

8. Transformers One (2024).

Directed by Josh Cooley, ‘Transformers One’ takes place about 3 billion years prior to the storyline of ‘Transformers’ (2007) and reveals what caused the ages-long feud between the Autobots and Decepticons.

We are introduced to best friends Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth’s voice) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry’s voice), who would eventually become Optimus Prime and Megatron, respectively, as they discover a deep conspiracy that is devouring their world Cybertron from within. When the twosome discovers that a person they are faithful to is also involved in the conspiracy, they will do anything to defend their home, only to fall apart once and for all as we know it. With breathtaking graphics and awesome action scenes, ‘Transformers One’ draws designs from the Generation 1 toy franchise and does a good job of integrating them into the overall narrative of the film series. The film can be streamed here.

7. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023).

‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is the 7th film of the Transformers film series based on itself on the Hasbro franchise of ‘Transformers’ action figures. If you have watched the Transformers films, well enough, but even if you haven’t, this film gives you the same fun. Whereas in the other films, the Autobots and Decepticons (the Cybertron robots) change their forms into automobiles, in this film, the robots, referred to as Maximals, change into animals. The film, which is a tie-in with the Beast Wars sub-Transformers toy line, illustrates how the Maximals and their leader Optimus Primal (voiced by Ron Perlman) and the Autobots and their leader Optimus Prime (voiced by legendary Peter Cullen) ally and go to battle with the forces of Unicron, a malevolent Transformer deity. The film will be directed by Steven Caple Jr. and produced by Michael Bay, among others. The cast comprises Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Dominique Fishback, Lauren Vélez, Dean Scott Vazquez and Tobe Nwigwe. The Autobots’ appearances are unlike the rest of the films and more closely follow those of the cartoons. Whatever the case, ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ is a fun action film you won’t regret viewing. You can watch it here.

6. Jack Reacher (2012)

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, ‘Jack Reacher’ is an adaptation of Lee Child’s 2005 novel ‘One Shot.’ Featuring Tom Cruise as the titular character who happens to be a former US Army Military Police Corps investigator. When an ex-United States Army sniper James Barr is charged with several murders and scribbles Reacher’s name on a piece of paper as his only words, the latter shows up to investigate the issue. When he learns that Barr is innocent and being framed, he goes out to discover the truth. How he does this is what makes this complicated action thriller a must-see. It also features Rosamund Pike, Lee Child, Werner Herzog, Richard Jenkins, and David Oyelowo alongside Cruise. You can watch it here.

5. The Mechanic (2011)

When hitman, aka mechanic, Arthur Bishop is forced to make a move he will regret for the rest of his life, he crosses his rules of engagement and joins forces with an unlikely person to get even with those that got him to take it. Jason Statham plays hitman Arthur Bishop, the best at what he does. Unfortunately, when his mentor, Harry, is killed, he teams up with Harry’s son, Steve, to punish those responsible. Directed by Simon West, ‘The Mechanic’ is a signature Statham movie with brilliant large-scale action sequences underscored by the actor’s dead serious baritone and killer stare. It is a remake of Michael Winner’s eponymous action thriller featuring Charles Bronson, and co-stars Ben Foster, Donald Sutherland, and Tony Goldwyn. You can view it here.

4. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

The fourth entry in the ‘Mission Impossible’ film series featuring Tom Cruise as spy Ethan Hunt of the IMF- Impossible Missions Force, ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ pits Hunt and his team on a mission against time to get Russian nuclear launch codes for an attack against America. An accident forces the U.S. government to disavow the IMF entirely and implement the Ghost Protocol. Now it is solely the job of Ethan Paramount+  and his team, including IMF operatives Benji (Simon Pegg), Jane (Paula Patton), and the aide to IMF Secretary William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), to locate the codes for which they must simulate two meetings. The film left an impression in the action category with Tom Cruise’s stunt involving a climb and a downward drop on the outside walls of the Burj Khalifa, Dubai, the world’s tallest building. The film also stars Indian actor Anil Kapoor in a villainous role. You don’t need to see the previous installments to know this movie, and the same can be said about the other installments as well, and that is the forte of the franchise. The main characters, such as Ethan and Benji, are the same while the plots change and are individualistic. But then again, as a film buff, it is one’s responsibility to see all the movies of a specific franchise, so you might as well watch the rest, too. You can watch ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ here.

3. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

The film that, according to Steven Spielberg, rescued Hollywood after the pandemic, ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ featuring Tom Cruise as navy aviator Maverick and directed by Joseph Kosinski, is a sequel of ‘Top Gun’ (1986) directed by Tony Scott. The film went on to become the second-top-grossing movie of 2022 after release and earned six nominations in the Oscars 2023, in which it won for Best Sound. Praised for its functional effects, which included specially tailored camera rigs mounted within the cockpit to capture the expressions of the pilots, the film is a first-of-its-kind visual treat and a sad miss for everyone who wasn’t able to see it on the big screen. As for the story, we have Maverick training a group of young pilots to destroy an unsanctioned Russian Paramount+  uranium plant while staying under the radar of the anti-aircraft systems and GPS jammers. Alongside Cruise, the cast includes Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, John Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, and Val Kilmer, who makes a comeback as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, present commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet and Maverick’s rival-turned-friend. You can stream ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ here.

2. Gladiator (2000)

This movie, directed by Ridley Scott, is what catapulted Russel Crowe to fame. It is a historical epic film set in 180 AD and narrates the feud between General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) and Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Meridius is preferred by Aurelius to succeed Commodus. Commodus dislikes it and murders his father and takes over the throne. Then he gets Meridius arrested. Things turn around for Meridius such that he discovers his wife and kid have been murdered. He comes back as a trained gladiator to exact revenge on Commodus. One of the greatest historical dramas ever produced, ‘Gladiator’ is partly founded on fact, based on Daniel P. Mannix’s 1958 tome ‘The Way of the Gladiator.’ The supporting cast also features Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Ralf Möller, and Paramount+  Tommy Flanagan. You can stream the film here.

1. Terminator 2: Judg ment Day (1991)

‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ is a cult film. There’s no better way to describe it. It is helmed by the one and only James Cameron (‘Titanic,’ ‘Avatar,’ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’). It’s based in 1995 and features Arnold Schwarzenegger as a cyborg (T-800) who has been dispatched from the future to guard John Connor (Edward Furlong) from T-1000 (Robert Patrick), a superior cyborg dispatched from the future by Skynet. It’s an A.I. that is to wake up as a self-aware machine on August 29, 1997, Paramount+  as foretold by John’s mother, Sarah (Linda Hamilton), and rule the world, destroying all of humanity. Having grown up as a child, Connor will become a leader in the fight against Skynet, so he has to be eliminated. The T-800, however, has been dispatched by the resistance. It will be good for you if you want the first part, for it explains things regarding Skynet and why Sarah knows about it. But the film is a treat for Arnold Schwarzenegger fanatics, so if you simply want to watch him shoot and blow things up, you are more than welcome. You can watch it here. Read More: Best Action Movies on Apple TV+

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