You know it’s time to browse action movies on Netflix when you have a sudden urge to consume flicks packed with flawed men in filthy white singlets with piles upon piles of unnamed goons whom you develop an unhealthy attraction and browse Tumblr fan fics for… Just me? Whoops.
Truly, there’s nothing better than switching the brain and watching a large pile of Hollywood money literally being blazed in heart-racing car chases and butt-cheek-clenching stand-offs.
But with so much choice out there, how does one even begin to select such a sweary, violent treat? Here, for you to enjoy, is a large assortment of the best action movies on Netflix. Strap in.
Best Action Movies On Netflix
1. Kill Bill Volume 1 & Volume 2
Starting off with a massive action-movie heavy hitter. I remember the first time I watched Quentin Tarantino‘s Kill Bill: Volume One. Something about Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu and Chiaki Kuriyama (who also stars in Battle Royal – not Netflix, unforch) awakened something in me.
To give you a brief – and the most brief plot summary, because you should seriously watch it – the Kill Bill movies follow a former assassin, known as The Bride and The Black Mamba (Uma Thurman), as she seeks out revenge against her ex Bill (David Carradine) and everyone who was involved in her attempted murder.
It’s detailed, gory and action-packed.
The story unfolds across two films, which are both available on Netflix. Personally, Kill Bill: Volume 1 is my favourite but both are bloody terrific.
2. Rush Hour 2
The movie of my childhood!!! Yes, maybe it’s something I shouldn’t have been watching as a little kiddo, but it’s just so darn good.
Rush Hour 2 follows Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) and Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) as they investigate a phenomenon of bombings at US Embassies in Hong Kong.
There’s kung-fu, explosions, stunts, brilliant one-liners and a teeny weenie bit of romance. Everything you need for an A+ action-comedy flick.
There are currently three movies in the Rush Hour family – with rumours of a fourth. Unfortunately, Netflix is only home to numero dos, BUT it’s the best one out of the three IMO.
Fight me in my emails if you have an issue with that statement or the Kill Bill one.
3. The Maze Runner
Based on the James Dasher novel of the same name, The Maze Runner follows Thomas (Dylan Obrien) as they attempt to escape a daunting, scary, creepy, dangerous maze.
NGL, I think I’ve seen more horny/sad (or horny sad) edits about Minho (Ki Hong Lee), Newt (Thomas Brode Sangster) and Dylan Obrien than the amount of times have seen this movie. Regardless, it’s still a must-watch!
What’s even more juicy is that if you get hooked, Netflix has all three of the Maze Runner movies. This includes The Maze Runner, The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and The Maze Runner: The Death Cure.
4. Enola Holmes
Starring Stranger Things’ shining star Millie Bobby Brown, Enola Holmes is definitely one of the “newer” action movies out there on Netflix.
Enola Holmes follows the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes (played by Hollywood’s great hunk of spunk Henry Cavill) as she tries to find her mother (Helena Boham-Carter). In Enola Holmes, the MBB reprises her role as the young detective, this time taking on her first official case to locate a missing girl.
It’s quirky, suspenseful and fun. Good movie if ya need to switch your brain off with a piece of eye candy – AKA Henry Cavill – if that’s your cup of tea.
5. Baby Driver
I wanna kick off this suggestion by saying I am not an Ansel Elgort stan. However, Baby Driver is one of my favourite action movies ever!
For folks who are not in the know about this cinema gem, Baby Driver is about an extremely talented getaway driver who is trying to break free from his life of crime. In the movie, audiences learn that Baby suffers from tinnitus, so to combat that, he listens to some bloody good tunes!
Not only is the soundtrack beautifully constructed, but it also adds to the experience.
I would recommend watching this when you can give the movie your whole attention and with a good sound system if you can!
6. Mad Max: Fury Road
Loving all the hype Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has brought in? Well, to capitalise on that high, you should watch Mad Max: Fury Road.
To set the scene: imagine you’re in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. No food, no TikTok and no water. The only water source is being held by some ‘yuge dickhead named Immortan Joe, and he’s super stingy with the H20. I mean, at this point, it’s basically liquid gold, but why should he be the keeper of water? Amirite?
Anyways, Mad Max: Fury Road follows Furiosa (Charlize Theron) who escapes with Joe’s seven wives which leads to a ‘yuge car chase.
The set is amazing, the costumes are even better and my love for Charlize grew strong with this one.
7. 2012
This counts as action, right? IDC, I’m putting it in the pot.
2012 (released in 2009) is a movie about the predicted apocalypse that was supposed to take place back in 2012. We see floods, droughts, the eruption of a super volcano mixed in with love triangles, betrayal and (in my opinion) pure horror.
As soon as I have kids, I’m showing them this movie to tell them that I survived that.
8. Uncharted (2022)
Gamers, girlies, gamer girlies, this one is for you!
Uncharted (2022) starring Tom Holland is now available on Netflix! If you’re sick of seeing this Hollywood heartthrob slinging webs, look no further than Uncharted, where Tom takes on the role of Nathan Drake as he attempts to unearth a 500-year-old lost treasure.
The movie is based on the game series of the same name, which has eight installations.
But if you don’t feel like dealing with NPC and stressful heists, take the backseat and chuck this bad boi on.
9. The Gentlemen
We’re starting strong with The Gentlemen. To be honest, my favourite kind of action movies involves gangsters, Colin Farrell, and a lil’ pinch of comedy.
This Guy Ritchie-directed film is about a cool, calm, and collected American drug supplier named Mickey (Matthew McConaughey) who made a name for himself selling pot in London. But when word spreads that he’s looking to get out of the game, it sets off a bunch of schemes from seedy middlemen who hope to make it out on top.
It’s snappy, witty, gory and there’s this one scene with a pig. You’ll know what I mean when you watch it.
10. The Grey Man
Before Ryan Gosling brought the Ken-ergy in Barbie, he played the role of a highly trained and deadly CIA agent known only as “Six”.
When Six accidentally discovers some deep, dark agency secrets, one of his old rogue colleagues decides to put a bounty on his head and follows him around the world trying to kill him.
You know, super chill and fun kinda stuff. But the best bit is The Grey Man also stars Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, so if you’re literally just scrolling this article to appease your action-loving partner, there’s some eye candy for you too.
Homegrown action hero Chris Hemsworth stars in this doozy of an action movie. He plays this guy called Tyler Rake, a former Australian Army Special Air Service dude who has become a black-market mercenary. He’s hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord.
Some heavy stuff there from Hemsworth but it’s just an all-around action pleaser. Plus, Hemmy uses his real Aussie accent which is kind of nice!
12. The Mother
Now, The Mother is an action movie that makes total sense to me. It stars Jennifer Lopez (what can’t she bloody do?) as an assassin known only as “The Mother”.
She’s spent the last few years fleeing from an array of dangerous assailants and enemies who want her dead. But when she discovers that the teenage daughter she had years ago has been kidnapped by criminals, she comes out of hiding and teams up with an FBI agent to rescue her.
I may not be a mother but I get the impression that mums will do crazy shit for their kids so this seems about right.
13. Jurassic Park
The iconic 1993 documentary film chronicles the catastrophic failure of InGen’s doomed Jurassic Park island amusement park in the North Pacific. A raw and balanced portrayal of the corporate cost-cutting and internal corruption that lead to significant flaws in the park’s security program, causing an asset breach that leads to several deaths.
The InGen Jurassic program was ultimately shuttered, although several attempts to revive it in the ensuing years resulted in further fatal incidents, causing a widespread Government crackdown.
14. Interceptor
If you ask me, Chris Hemsworth has had plenty of time in the sun for his action movie offerings. It’s time we talked about his talented wife, Elsa Pataky.
In Interceptor, Elsa plays Captain JJ Collins, a bad-ass military captain who finds herself running a nuclear missile interceptor base in the middle of the Pacific Ocean after losing her dream job at the Pentagon. But when the base faces an attack by a former military operative, Alexander Kessel (Luke Bracey) she’s forced to use her years of intense military training to stop him and his team from completing their dangerous mission.
15. The Harder They Fall
Yeehaw, cowboy! If you’re feeling like watching a gun-slingin’ Western, I’ve got just the film for you. The Harder They Fall is a typical Western with a twist. Instead of the crusty old white guys you’d expect in a Western, we’ve got a stellar cast of incredible Black talent.
The plot follows a cowboy named Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) as he tries to get revenge against Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) for killing his parents. But to kill Buck, he’s going to have to make it through his dangerous associates Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield) first.
16. Anaconda
Sometimes you just need a bonkers film that was created in complete sincerity to make you giggle. So, naturally, the 1997 action-horror film Anaconda feels like just the one. You’ve got J-Lo, Ice Cube, and a giant, obviously plastic snake. What more could you want?
This absurd action movie follows a National Geographic film crew who are taken hostage by a bonkers hunter who is determined to catch the world’s biggest snake. It’s a wild ride but with an audience score of 24 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, don’t expect a cinematic masterpiece.
17. The Old Guard
I love a cheeky supernatural twist!
The Old Guard follows a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron) and her troupe of mercenaries who have been protecting the world from threats for centuries. That’s right, they can’t fucking die.
But when their secret is exposed during a mission, they have to find new soldiers to join their ranks to protect the earth, whilst eliminating the people who are trying to harness their eternal youth and monetise their power.
Interesting concept, no?
18. 6 Underground
Michael Bay has a great reputation when it comes to making action movies. He’s directed classics like Armageddon and Pearl Harbour, along with a bunch of Transformers movies. But although 6 Underground has all the hallmarks of a great Michael Bay flick, it didn’t really hit the spot with all viewers for its plot.
However, if you’re feeling like an explosive-filled romp with a bunch of fight scenes and cars, I still think there is plenty of joy to be had sitting down to watch Ryan Reynolds and his co-stars do action movie stuff.
19. Honest Thief
Liam Neeson really knows his way around an action movie. I’d argue that you can scroll down his IMDb page and have a good night watching any action flick of his.
In Honest Thief, Neeson plays – you guessed it – an honest thief named Tom Dolan who decides to turn his back on his notorious career as a bank robber and turns himself in so he can grow old with the woman he loves.
But don’t say ‘aww’ yet. When he attempts to return the money and hand himself over to the cops, he’s double-crossed by two FBI agents.
Rightfully pissed off, Tom decides to get revenge.
20. Ambush
Craving a taste of some army-based action? Ambush is the flick for you.
It follows a group of U.S. military commandos as they journey through treacherous terrain to gain secretive information during the Vietnam War.
It stars Aaron Eckhard, Connor Paolo and Jonathan Rhys Reyers, who I personally had a crush on after watching him in Bend It Like Beckham. Personally, I prefer him with a soccer ball rather than a gun but I’ll take what I can get.
Need a palate cleanser after all that? Why not check out our list of the best sad movies on Netflix. Just to really emotionally overcorrect as aggressively as possible.
