Hit the ground running with HBO Max’s stacked selection of action films, ranging from classic gems to more modern favorites. This past year alone was both action-packed and packed with high-quality action movies, as evidenced by Ryan Coogler’s horror-action film Sinners, which received a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s drama-action movie, One Battle After Another.

The genre has a reputation for prioritizing confrontation over character development, but that stereotype shortchanges the many action movies that achieve both. Entertainment Weekly‘s list of the 16 best action movies on HBO Max includes Oscar winners and nominees, black-and-white works by master filmmakers dating back to the 1950s, animated favorites, and a couple of films where the characters just shut up and fight.

01 of 16

Constantine (2005)

Keanu Reeves has spent his career sparring with opponents in various shadowy underworlds, and his role in 2005’s Constantine is no different. A film based on DC’s Hellblazer comics, Reeves stars as John Constantine, a demon hunter whose past suicide attempt has damned him to hell — unless he can accomplish enough good deeds on Earth to reverse his eternal sentence.

When a police officer (Rachel Weisz) approaches him asking for help understanding her twin sister’s suicide, John is forced to battle angels, demons, and his own mortality in order to save humanity. A supernatural superhero film, Constantine continues to build Reeves’ prowess as an action star and portends the success of the John Wick franchise a decade later. —Ilana Gordon

Where to watch Constantine: HBO Max

Director: Francis Lawrence

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Tilda Swinton, Pruitt Taylor Vince

02 of 16

The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan’s stunning sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins positions Christian Bale‘s buff and brooding caped and hooded vigilante, along with his allies, James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), against the anarchistic machinations of the the Joker, the legendary Batman villain brought to life with vivid, tremulous energy and rank nihilism by Heath Ledger, who died a few months before The Dark Knight was released.

Ledger’s performance is the definition of must-watch, and rightly earned him a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar. The Dark Knight was the highest-grossing film of 2008, and has continued to resonate with audiences and critics as an example of superhero filmmaking that conducts itself with singular style and deeper, more lyrical intent. —Johnny Loftus

Where to watch The Dark Knight: HBO Max

EW grade: A–

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal

03 of 16

Deadwood: The Movie (2019)

HBO’s show Deadwood is considered one of the greatest premium series of all time, despite only airing for three seasons in the mid-aughts. The film — set during the last year of the 19th century, a few decades after the show ended — returns fans to the now well-established town of Deadwood and reunites the beloved ensemble cast as South Dakota celebrates its transition from territory to statehood.

Storylines from the TV show are resurrected in the film, giving Deadwood lovers consolation and closure after the show’s abrupt and unexpected ending in 2006. Featuring all the profanity, violence, and chaos that helped establish the series as a credible interpretation of life in the Wild West, Deadwood: The Movie is, as EW’s TV critic describes it, “a gift, and a fond farewell.” —I.G.

Where to watch Deadwood: The Movie: HBO Max

EW grade: B+

Director: David Milch

Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Paula Malcomson, W. Earl Brown

04 of 16

Dune (2021)

David Lynch’s subpar attempt at adapting Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel in 1984 suggested that Dune might be better left on the page. Thus, many raised an eyebrow when Denis Villeneuve announced his own plans to tackle a film adaptation, but this 2021 epic proved the doubters wrong. Following Paul Atreides, a young heir with superhuman powers fighting for control of the planet Arrakis, Villeneuve’s Dune was lauded for its stunning technical craft — which won six Oscars — and grand-scale storytelling that doesn’t talk down to the audience.

EW’s critic praises its “breathtaking” scope, citing the “vast desertscapes unscrolling like oceans and helicopters with dragonfly-wing blades where the rotors should be; the kidney-piercing resonance of Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack poured over sets of towering, planet-scaled enormity.” —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch Dune: HBO Max

EW grade: B

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård

05 of 16

Dune: Part Two (2024)

The second film in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s fantasy novel, Dune: Part Two follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) on his quest to unite and lead the Fremen people into battle against House Harkonnen. Production on the film was also a fight: The project contended with pandemic filming restrictions and strike delays.

The movie — a love story threaded with themes of imperialism and colonialism — triumphed anyway, earning the fourth slot on EW’s list of the 10 best movies of 2024 and a pair of 2025 Oscars for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. Boasting stunning cinematography, this sci-fi epic isn’t just good for a sequel — audiences, critics, and top-tier directors have acknowledged it as one of the best movies in the sci-fi genre. —I.G.

Where to watch Dune: Part Two: HBO MaxDirector: Denis VilleneuveCast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler

06 of 16

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

The Oscar-winning film from codirectors the Daniels, Everything Everywhere All at Once is an absurdist comedy and action film about multiverses and multigenerational families. Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan star as a married couple whose tax audit for their dry cleaning business is interrupted when Evelyn (Yeoh) is recruited to help save the multiverse from a parallel version of her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu), who has set out to destroy it.

As Evelyn hops between universes, occupying parallel versions of herself, she goes on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance for her family. A singular viewing experience, this is the only movie to contain both hot dog fingers and a thoughtful and heartwarming depiction of generational trauma and the immigrant experience. —I.G.

Where to watch Everything Everywhere All at Once: HBO Max

Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu, James Hong

07 of 16

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (1954’s Seven Samurai) has been an indelible influence on cinema for decades, and this acclaimed adventure through feudal Japan even helped inspire George Lucas’ original vision for Star Wars. In it, peasants Tahei and Matashich have been enlisted by a defeated general to escort him and a princess to friendly territory.

Like the best action comedies, the chemistry between the leads makes us care about their plight, with a fun, swaggering performance by frequent Kurosawa collaborator Toshiro Mifune as the general. As EW notes, “Mifune’s iconic full-body laugh is one of the greatest small pleasures in cinema.” —K.J.

Where to watch The Hidden Fortress: HBO Max

EW grade: A–

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara

08 of 16

John Wick (2014)

Audiences learn a lot about John Wick over the course of his ongoing franchise, but the first — and most crucial — piece of character intel is that you should not, under any circumstances, kill the puppy his dying wife gave him. The first John Wickfilm sees the former hitman briefly exit retirement to seek revenge on the Russian Mafia, who he deems responsible for his dog’s death.

If John Wick the character is simple, the underworld he occupies is anything but. John and his colleagues stay at the Continental Hotel, an industry haunt where occupants are forbidden from engaging in criminal business. Luxurious, stylized, and boasting some of the most innovative stunt work of the last decade, John Wick reminds viewers why Keanu Reeves is the action genre’s greatest weapon. —I.G.

Where to watch John Wick: HBO Max

Director: Chad Stahelski

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe, Dean Winters

09 of 16

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

While there are seemingly far more DC superhero clunker movies (2016’s unfortunate Suicide Squad) than there are successful ones (its 2021 glow-up, The Suicide Squad), the DCEU’s feature-length animated comic-book capers are more reliable in quality. (But be sure to check the ratings: Just because they’re animated doesn’t mean they’re kid-friendly.)

If you’re familiar with the Flash, you know about the time-travel “flashpoint”, but this direct-to-video film offers an intriguing “what-if” look at the members of the Justice League in alternate timelines, with Thomas Wayne replacing Bruce as Batman, for example, and Aquaman and Wonder Woman at war. Multiverses may be the latest trend, but this thoughtful yet dark examination of the fine line between heroes and villains did it a decade before it was cool. —Gwen Ihnat

Where to watch Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox: HBO Max

Director: Jay Oliva

Cast: Justin Chambers, C. Thomas Howell, Michael B. Jordan, Kevin McKidd, Cary Elwes

10 of 16

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Fantasy fandoms are rarely happy with the filmic adaptations of their beloved books, but lovers of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series had little to complain about when they saw the results of Peter Jackson‘s work on the first movie in the long-awaited trilogy. The New Zealand backdrops Jackson chose to help convey his vision of Middle-earth seem ripped from Tolkien’s original pages, and the nine actors selected to make up the Fellowship of the Ring, and accompany cherubic-faced hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) on his action-packed journey into Mordor to destroy Sauron’s ring — and subsequently, Sauron himself — could not have been more aptly cast. Narratively faithful to Tolkien’s story, the film is emotionally affecting enough to make longtime readers feel like they are entering Frodo’s world for the first time. — I.G.

Where to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: HBO Max

EW grade: A

Director: Peter Jackson

Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Sean Astin

11 of 16

One Battle After Another (2025)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s dark comedy action thriller about left-wing revolutionaries is his best work in years. One Battle After Another stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob, a former revolutionary turned stoner living in California with his daughter, Willa, under witness protection. When a powerful colonel (Sean Penn) realizes that Willa’s existence could threaten his acceptance into a secret society of white supremacists, he dispatches a bounty hunter to eliminate her.

A satirical film about the power of love and justice for all, One Battle After Another won the battle for Oscar recognition. The movie received 13 nods, winning six, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Penn), and Best Adapted Screenplay. It picked up three additional acting nominations, too: Best Actor (DiCaprio), Best Supporting Actress (Teyana Taylor), and Best Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro). —I.G.

Where to watch One Battle After Another: HBO Max

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor

12 of 16

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Frankly, all the Studio Ghibli films offer action and adventure to spare, and the fact that many of them reside on HBO Max is reason enough for you to subscribe to the streamer. But the riveting battles in Princess Mononoke, and its epic parable about the conflict between humans and nature, landed it on our list above the rest. The film references ancient tribes and enduring myths while crafting an enchanting tale in its own right, as the titular princess attempts to defend the forest — and the spirit who rules it — from the corrupting influences of industrialization.

Director Hayao Miyazaki, who also wrote the movie, had apparently intended this to be his final film before retiring, but its success convinced him to hold off, leading to the also-exemplary Spirited Away a few years later. —G.I.

Where to watch Princess Mononoke: HBO Max

EW grade: A

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Cast: Yōji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yūko Tanaka, Kaoru Kobayashi, Masahiko Nishimura

13 of 16

Sinners (2025)

This period action-horror film has so much to offer, it’s hard to know what to highlight. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, Sinners stars Best Actor winner Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers, nicknamed Smoke and Stack, who return to their hometown in the Mississippi Delta to create a juke joint for the Black community. But when the spot’s music is powerful enough to summon supernatural forces to its door, the bar’s patrons struggle to survive their night of revelry.

Set in 1932, the first half of the movie is a compelling drama about gangster brothers returning to the South and confronting their past loves and hopes for the future. The second half — a bacchanalian, gore-filled night of singing, dancing, and fighting — is both gripping and terrifying. —I.G.

Where to watch Sinners: HBO Max

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku

14 of 16

Superman: The Movie (1978)

Before the superhero takeover of the 21st century, there was Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie. Christopher Reeve was launched into stardom for his dashing portrayal of Clark Kent and his famous alter ego, supported by an all-star cast including Marlon Brando as Jor-El (Superman’s biological father), Gene Hackman as villain Lex Luthor, and ’70s favorite Margot Kidder as Lois Lane.

Like many big-budget films released decades ago, not every component holds up, but its earnest depiction of Superman’s good nature appeals to viewers of all ages and transcends any dated visual effects. As EW notes of the film, “None of our modern green screens and volume technology can compete with the simple magic of watching Christopher Reeve fly through the sky on those invisible wires.” —K.J.

Where to watch Superman: The Movie: HBO Max

Director: Richard Donner

Cast: Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper

15 of 16

The Terminator (1984)

One of the most action-packed sci-fi flicks of the 1980s is also one of the most enduring. The movie that launched the careers of director James Cameron and star Arnold Schwarzenegger tells the story of a cyborg assassin sent back in time to hunt and terminate one woman: Sarah Connor. Sarah finds help in Kyle Reese, a human soldier who was sent back in time to protect her from the Terminator.

Schwarzenegger wasn’t joking when he said “I’ll be back”. The Terminator‘s success created a launch pad for five movie sequels, plus a TV show, a web series, and an anime series. In a review of Terminator 2: Judgement Day, EW’s writer calls the first film in the franchise “one of the most original movies of the 1980s…likely to remain one of the best sci-fi films ever made.” —I.G.

Where to watch The Terminator: HBO Max

EW grade: A

Director: James Cameron

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield

16 of 16

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

The original Planet of the Apes (1968) was a sci-fi classic that provided audiences with a metaphor through which to process their fears about civil rights, shifting power systems, and gender dynamics. White Americans were not used to seeing themselves represented as a powerless minority, and Apes tells the story of a world where intelligent apes rule, and humans are considered primitive and disposable. 

The series rebooted in 2011 for the modern era with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) followed shortly after. EW’s critic callsWar the “best Apes installment yet,” writing “the films seem to be getting more intelligent and human as they evolve.” —I.G.

Where to watch War for the Planet of the Apes: HBO Max

EW grade: B+

Director: Matt Reeves

Cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly