The Batman (2022)
No stranger to bat-related jokes from his Twilight heyday, Robert Pattinson embraces his dark and moody roots by slipping into the Dark Knight’s cape, along with Gerard Way-like hair and thick, black eyeliner. Clocking in at a hefty 167 minutes, Matt Reeves‘ 2022 neo-noir finds Bruce Wayne (Pattinson) entrenched in his ongoing crusade against Gotham City’s escalating crime — now exacerbated by the presence of a serial killer known as “the Riddler” (Paul Dano), who’s targeting the area’s political elite. Elevated by Michael Giacchino’s stunningly atmospheric score, The Batman intertwines a gritty Sherlock Holmes-esque narrative with hold-your-breath action segments that make its lengthy runtime a cakewalk (the batmobile chase scene alone is worth pressing play). Catch the Caped Crusader in action now to prep for the sequel slated for 2025. —James Mercadante
Where to watch The Batman: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Matt Reeves
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell
Related content: Robert Pattinson explains why Bruce Wayne ‘made more sense’ without a playboy persona in The Batman
Birds of Prey (2020)
“There’s no wrong way to process a breakup” is one interpretation of the message behind Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), the 2020 action film and eighth addition to the DC Extended Universe. Four years following the events depicted in 2016’s Suicide Squad, the Joker breaks up with Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), who — without the benefit of his protection — finds herself a vulnerable target for the many criminals she’s angered over the years. After freeing Cass, a young pickpocket with a bounty on her head, Harley is at a crossroads. Now, she must team up with a Gotham City detective, a mysterious vigilante named Huntress, and a nightclub singer with a fatal voice to defeat a crime lord known as Black Mask. As an origin story for the Birds of Prey superhero team, the film is arguably one of the most enjoyable to emerge from DC Studios of late, a credit to Robbie’s unhinged (but deeply controlled) performance. —Ilana Gordon
Where to watch Birds of Prey: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Cathy Yan
Cast: Margot Robbie, Ella Jay Basco, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Ewan McGregor
Related content: Jurnee Smollett says she’d play Black Canary ‘again in a heartbeat’
Bullet Train (2022)
Scott Garfield/Sony
The only thing that moves faster than Japan’s state-of-the-art transit system is the plot of this Brad Pitt-led ensemble action comedy. When a father seeking vengeance, an American operative experiencing a string of bad luck, and several independent assassins hailing from around the world all end up on the same bullet train bound for Kyoto, the results are violent — and the survivors minimal. Based on the 2010 novel Maria Beetle, and tonally reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino‘s Kill Bill with a little Snatch thrown in for spice, Bullet Train speeds along on a track laid with action, jokes, plot twists, and more death scenes that you can shake a sword at. — I.G.
Where to watch Bullet Train: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: David Leitch
Cast: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Zazie Beetz
Related content: Brad Pitt reminisces with his Fight Club stuntman turned Bullet Train director
Cold Pursuit (2019)
Liam Neeson has established himself in Hollywood as the purveyor of characters not to be trifled with. In Cold Pursuit, he once again plays a father seeking vengeance for wrongs perpetrated upon his family, only this time, he lives in a Colorado resort town called Kehoe where he works as a snowplow driver. What distinguishes Cold Pursuit from other offerings in Neeson’s arsenal of justice-hunting characters is the humor inherent in the film’s script. While not quite a comedy, the movie likes to veer into Tarantino territory, adorning fight scenes with bon mots and clever dialogue. The result could have left viewers cold, but Neeson and Laura Dern’s performances as grieving parents, and Hans Petter Moland’s fast-moving direction, help ground a film that EW’s critic describes as “the daffiest and most delirious” of Neeson’s recent work. Also starring Emmy Rossum as a local cop, Cold Pursuit is a thriller that doesn’t take long to heat up. —I.G.
Where to watch Cold Pursuit: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Hans Petter Moland
Cast: Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, Emmy Rossum, Michael Eklund
Related content: Liam Neeson’s 20 best performances
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
DAVID LEE/NETFLIX
Wars and wounds collide in Spike Lee‘s 2020 film Da 5 Bloods, a meditation on race, generational trauma, and American intervention. Toggling between the past and present, the film follows four Black war veterans as they return to Vietnam, intent on recovering a locker of gold bars and the body of their fallen friend and squad leader, Stormin’ Norman (Chadwick Boseman), both of which were lost during a napalm strike. Guided in their quest by Tiên, the ex-girlfriend of one of the former soldiers, and forced to confront landmines — both real and emotional — the remainder of the squad must reconcile the horrors of their past with the difficulties of their present if they hope to escape Vietnam for a better future. Incorporating archival newsreel for additional context, Da 5 Bloods is a war film with action sequences, but many of the battles pit man against his memory. —I.G.
Where to watch Da 5 Bloods: Netflix
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Spike Lee
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr.
Related content: The Awardist podcast: Delroy Lindo on his titanic performance in Da 5 Bloods
Elysium (2013)
Kimberley French/Sony Pictures/Everett
Matt Damon is a man on a mission to save himself in the 2013 sci-fi thriller Elysium. He plays Max, a former car thief living in the dystopian remains of Los Angeles in the year 2154. After Max is accidentally exposed to radiation at work, he learns he has five days left to live and his only chance for survival is to leave Earth and head to Elysium — the artificial world where the wealthy reside — which houses technology capable of curing any ailment. But when Max hijacks information belonging to Elysium’s defense secretary (Jodie Foster), it seems unlikely he will ever reach Elysium alive. Directed by Neill Blomkamp, EW’s critic writes, “Elysium confirms the talent — for razory mayhem and shocking satire, for the crazed spectacle of future decay — that Blomkamp showcased in his amazing first feature, District 9 (2009).” —I.G.
Where to watch Elysium: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Cast: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura, William Fichtner
Related content: Elysium: About that ending…
The Equalizer 3 (2023)
In the third entry of The Equalizer saga, Denzel Washington‘s Robert McCall finds solace in the simplicity of sipping tea along the Amalfi Coast…and beating the living hell out of those foolish enough to cross his path. Turning away from his life as an indestructible DIA officer, the former Marine seeks sanctuary from the scars of his violent past in a quaint Italian town but is disrupted once his newfound friends face threats from the Camorra, a local Mafia-like group. This propels Robert back into action, igniting a carnage-soaked battle for their freedom, as well as his own. While treading formulaic ground for action sequels, The Equalizer 3 also provides everything you could possibly ask for: a tension-laced opening, squeaky-clean pacing/editing, picturesque mise-en-scène, and heavily-stylized combat. —J.M.
Where to watch The Equalizer 3: Netflix
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Denman, Gaia Scodellaro, Remo Girone
Related content: The Equalizer director might de-age Denzel Washington for the franchise’s origin story
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Strap on your googly eyes and wiggle those hot-dog fingers because Everything Everywhere All at Once finally made its way to Netflix. Blending multiple genres like sci-fi, romance, action, comedy, and family drama, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert‘s seven-time Oscar-winning epic homes in on Evelyn Wong (Michelle Yeoh): a Chinese American immigrant worn down by her laundromat business, her hypercritical father (James Hong), the unrelenting IRS, and so forth. But when she’s called on to thwart the all-powerful Jobu Tupaki from obliterating the multiverse, Evelyn discovers the ability to roam through multiple dimensions and collect some kick-ass combat skills. For a film that embodies the debate of existentialism vs. nihilism, there’s no finer way to tackle the meaning of life than to consider every absurd scenario imaginable — from a Ratatouille-like raccoon to a bagel-shaped weapon of mass destruction to a fight scene hinged on…a butt-plug. Yet amidst the non-structural circus, the film grounds itself with a family love story, elevated by groundbreaking, award-winning performances from Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu. —J.M.
Where to watch Everything Everywhere All at Once: Netflix
EW grade: B– (read the review)
Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu, James Hong, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr.
Related content: Stephanie Hsu feels at peace with the multiverse
Extraction (2020)
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose, making you an ideal candidate for a job as a black-market mercenary. After Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), a former member of the Australian Army Special Air Service Regiment, is recruited to rescue Ovi, the recently kidnapped son of the biggest drug lord in India, he finds that his very particular set of skills — and history of family trauma — are more than enough to extract the kid. But when the city is locked down, it’s anybody’s guess whether Rake can safely return Ovi to his family. Representing Sam Hargrave’s directorial debut after years of serving as stunt coordinator on some of the biggest Marvel projects around (The Avengers, Deadpool, Thor: Ragnorak), the film is in capable (if violent) hands, but still manages to cultivate moments of tenderness and redemption amongst the casualties. —I.G.
Where to watch Extraction: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Sam Hargrave
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda, Priyanshu Painyuli, Golshifteh Farahani, Pankaj Tripathi, David Harbour
Related content: Chris Hemsworth says Extraction 2 stuntwork was ‘so satisfying’ compared to Marvel: ‘You have a lot of help in post-production there’
Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
After honing her ass-kicking prowess in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Jumanji franchise, Karen Gillan struts confidently into the leading role for Navot Papushado’s action flick. If you enjoy Atomic Blonde (2017) or Birds of Prey (2020), you will revel in Gunpowder Milkshake, where Gillian stars as Sam — a highly-trained killer targeted by her ex-employers, who must forge alliances with her assassin mother (Lena Headey) and her former hitwoman comrades to survive. With a stacked lineup of powerhouses like Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, and Carla Gugino, the film offers 114 minutes of nonstop thrill, which Gillian described to EW as “humorous at times and [doesn’t] take itself too seriously, but [takes] the action seriously enough.” —J.M.
Where to watch Gunpowder Milkshake: Netflix
Director: Navot Papushado
Cast: Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Chloe Coleman, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, Paul Giamatti, Ralph Ineson
Related content: See Michelle Yeoh tell Lena Headey to ‘F— off!’ on set of action-thriller Gunpowder Milkshake
The Harder They Fall (2021)
Though it suffers at times from Netflix’s in-house mandate for too-clean disposable content, this stylish revisionist Western boasts an undeniably stacked and magnetic cast. Jonathan Majors cements his status as charismatic leading man as the raffish outlaw on a quest to hunt down those responsible for his requisite personal tragedy. Meanwhile, a characteristically hypnotic Idris Elba is the baddest man in the West, with a gang including the equally formidable likes of Regina King and LaKeith Stanfield. Luckily, Majors has everyone from the great Delroy Lindo to Stanfield’s Atlanta costar Zazie Beetz on his side, as The Harder They Fall presents an Old West populated by many of the greatest Black actors working today. While co-writer/director Jeymes Samuel (aka The Bullitt)’s script centers on the oft-ignored real figures of the Black West, his film is, at its thoroughly entertaining heart, a rip-roaring display of action setpieces and acting excellence. Style over substance? Sure. But The Harder They Fall has style to burn. —D.P.
Where to watch The Harder They Fall: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Jeymes Samuel
Cast: Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Lakeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, Deon Cole
Related content: Nominated for Nothing: The good, the bad, and the ugly truth of The Harder They Fall
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
As he proved conclusively in his foray into the MCU, Taika Waititi is unparalleled at mixing and matching tones. Here, a shaggy adventure tale about a delinquent foster boy and a taciturn New Zealand loner becomes all at once hilarious, wry, and wrenching as the mismatched and reluctant duo find themselves on the run in the wilderness after a series of misfortunes and misunderstandings. The great Sam Neill and Deadpool 2‘s Julian Dennison make a team for the ages, as the unlikely fugitives dodge cops, social workers, trigger-happy hunters, and the occasional wild boar, all while Waititi parcels out the development of their inevitable, grudging bond with the deftest comic touch. An adventure in the wild bristling with tensely witty set pieces and anchored by two exceptional performances, the film is unendingly charming without ever crossing into unrealistically rosy territories. — Dennis Perkins
Where to watch Hunt for the Wilderpeople: Netflix
EW grade: B– (read the review)
Director: Taika Waititi
Cast: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House
Related content: Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi discusses new film Hunt for the Wilderpeople
John Wick (2014)
In the first chapter of the John Wick franchise — boasting more than half a billion dollars in global earnings — the titular retired hitman (Keanu Reeves) unexpectedly comes face-to-face with Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen), an entitled scuzzball whose father Viggo (Michael Nyqvist) is a Russian crime boss in New York City. What begins as a reckless attack on Wick transforms into a full-blown onslaught of revenge, as the skilled assassin reenters the world he had abandoned, mostly to avenge the death of his puppy that his late wife gifted him. Adorned in sleek tailored suits with tactical linings and an arsenal of high-powered weaponry, the film consistently delivers satisfying action sequences, which EW’s critic praised as “pulsating daredevil energy” amongst “a marvelously rich and stylish feat of pulpy world-building.” —Johnny Loftus
Where to watch John Wick: Netflix
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Chad Stahelski
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe, Dean Winters, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick
Related content: Keanu Reeves talks end of John Wick: Chapter 4 and future of franchise
Kate (2021)
Imagine if John Wick had a daughter, and you’d evoke someone akin to Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a raging-bull assassin and A1 sniper operating in Tokyo. When she’s injected with acute radiation poisoning caused by Polonium-204, Kate races against the clock, armed with less than 24 hours to unmask her assailant and deliver some lethal payback. Bursting with candy-colored visuals, sensational stunts, brutal carnage, and Winstead’s organic badassery (one that echoes her role as the Huntress in Birds of Prey), Kate delivers as a proper revenge thriller. Per EW’s critic, the film “is red-meat storytelling, all broad outlines and crunched bones. But there’s a visual wit and visceral energy to it that other recent efforts struggle to find.” —J.M.
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan
Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Miku Martineau, Woody Harrelson, Tadanobu Asano, Michiel Huisman, Miyavi, Jun Kunimura
Related content: See Mary Elizabeth Winstead take on a killer role in the trailer for Kate
Looper (2012)
Alan Markfield/TriStar Pictures/Everett
Before Rian Johnson helmed his Knives Out franchise and Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (much to some people’s dismay, but not ours), he made his first big splash with this 2012 head-scratcher. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does his best Bruce Willis impression as “looper” Joe, a time traveler who comes face-to-face with his future self (Willis for real this time). Old Joe has come to the past to kill the mother of a young boy, who the present Joe has his own reasons for defending, pitting two different versions of the same self against each other. If you’re a fan of time travel movies, there are enough cross-linear “grandfather paradoxes” (shout-out to The Umbrella Academy season three) here to keep you up nights, but that doesn’t take any of the fun out of Looper‘s one-of-a-kind timeline-skewing action. —Gwen Ihnat
Where to watch Looper: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, Jeff Daniels
Related content: Nominated for nothing: Why the Academy should go back in time to honor Looper
The Nice Guys (2016)
Inherent Vice fans may want to look into Shane Black‘s action comedy, The Nice Guys. Set in 1997 Los Angeles, the film follows two private detectives (Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling) who team up to investigate the apparent suicide of a past-her-prime porn star. Directed by the same filmmaker behind the Lethal Weapon franchise, what begins as an odd pairing eventually deepens into a buddy cop partnership as they delve deeper into a wider conspiracy involving Detroit’s auto industry.
Boasting all the one-liners, shoot-outs, and stunts one would expect from the genre — all grounded in the seedy world of the ’70s L.A. porn industry — the film combines the sex and scandal of Boogie Nights with 21 Jump Street‘s action and The Big Lebowski‘s “the dude abides” attitude. Propelled by the chemistry between Gosling and Crowe, The Nice Guys is a fast, fun, period comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. —I.G.
Where to watch The Nice Guys: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Shane Black
Talent: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David, Kim Basinger
Related reading: Nice Guys director Shane Black explains his obsession with Christmas: ‘It’s just a thing of beauty’
The Old Guard (2020)
Immortality comes with a price, as seen in The Old Guard. Andy (Charlize Theron) is part of a group of centuries-old warriors who have been gifted the power to heal from any wound. Unable to die, this team utilizes their talents by working as mercenaries for various mortal employers. Are they heroes or villains? It depends on what century they’re living in. But when one particular mission exposes their extraordinary abilities, the group must band together to avoid capture by Big Pharma, who hopes to study, replicate, and monetize their gifts.
Aided by the group’s newest member, a U.S. Marine (Kiki Layne), Andy and her team fight for their freedom in this action-packed film based on an acclaimed series of graphic novels. Theron is in peak fighting form, even as her character begins to slow after centuries of regenerating. And while character backstory and world-building take a backseat to stunt sequences, you can rest easy in the knowledge that a sequel is already in the works. —I.G.
Where to watch The Old Guard: Netflix
EW grade: B– (read the review)
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Talent: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Veronica Ngo, Matthias Schoenaerts, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Related reading: Victoria Mahoney to direct The Old Guard sequel
The Other Guys (2010)
In this buddy cop action comedy that resonates with anyone who hates being under pressure, two NYPD detectives — Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) — have been relegated to working at their desks. Gamble loves his orderly existence while Hoitz protests against his new assignment, a consequence of mistakenly shooting Derek Jeter. However, when some of the most Alpha cops meet their demise in the line of duty, The Other Guys must step up to investigate the biggest crime N.Y.C. has seen in years. Ferrell and Wahlberg are dynamite in their odd-couple pairing and director Adam McKay is an expert at satirizing a genre that often paints law enforcement officers as superheroes. EW’s critic writes that the film “is aimed at all of us out there who long for excitement yet cling to safety because we’re more desk jockey than supercop ourselves.” —I.G.
Where to watch The Other Guys: Netflix
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Adam McKay
Cast: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Related content: The Other Guys’ mothers take over in special Mom-entary
Outlaw King (2018)
Set in early 14th-century Scotland during the Scottish Wars of Independence (also known as Braveheart times), Scottish King Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) finds himself leading a rebellion against the English King Edward I, an act which causes him to be labeled an outlaw. Based on an untold true story, Outlaw King follows Robert and those loyal to him as they embark on a guerilla mission to retake the lands stolen from them by the English, even as the English brutally murder their families. Filmed, as an EW critic writes, “in the natural light of candles, torches, and overcast skies,” Outlaw King is a movie that manages to find the beauty amongst the battle scenes. —I.G.
Where to watch Outlaw King: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: David Mackenzie
Cast: Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh
Related content: Chris Pine’s most memorable roles (so far)
Project Power (2020)
If there was a pill that could give you five minutes of pure power, would you take it? Such is the premise behind Project Power, a science fiction action film produced by Netflix. In a good example of strange bedfellows, Project Power follows a trio consisting of a police officer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a soldier (Jamie Foxx), and a drug dealer (Dominique Fishback as seen in The Deuce), as they work together to halt distribution on a new kind of drug that has recently hit the streets of New Orleans. If you’re looking for an action thriller that moves fast, Project Power, an EW critic writes, “makes it easy to suspend your disbelief and your imaginary degree in biochemistry, and just let it ride.” —I.G.
Where to watch Project Power: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback, Rodrigo Santoro, Colson Baker, Allen Maldonado, Amy Landecker, Courtney B. Vance
Related content: With Netflix’s Project Power, Dominique Fishback is poised to take center stage
Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)
The fifth film in the Resident Evil franchise is here to play mind games with its protagonist: Alice (Milla Jovovich), who believes she is living with her husband (Oded Fehr) and daughter Becky (Aryana Engineer), but in reality, she’s been captured by the Umbrella Corporation and brought to an underwater facility used to test the company’s T-virus. When the facility’s computer system suddenly shuts down, it’s up to Alice to escape — with the assistance of some resistance agents — and protect the world from the Red Queen. Helmed by writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson, whose work EW’s critic describes as “lunatically haphazard and dementedly enthusiastic,” Resident Evil: Retribution may not fully live up to the first 2002 film (also available on Netflix), but it’s still not to be missed. —I.G.
Where to stream Resident Evil: Retribution: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Oded Fehr, Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Li Bingbing, Kevin Durand, Johann Urb, Aryana Engineer
Related content: Resident Evil severed foot taste test
RRR (2022)
Though 2022 saw the triumph of Everything Everywhere All at Once, there existed another film that was also a pageant of absurd, maximalist thrill that left MCU blushing in its wake. Part buddy-comedy, part action-thriller, part historical drama, part musical, S. Rajamouli’s Telugu-language blockbuster set in the 1920s — which won the Oscar for Original Song (“Naatu Naatu”), making history as the first song from an Indian feature film to win in that category — is a semi-historical story centered around the unlikely camaraderie between two Indian revolutionaries, Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan), who band together against British imperialism. An explosion of electrifying spectacles, RRR successfully melds over-the-top action sequences — from battling tigers to swinging motorcycles — campy dance numbers, and emotional story lines into one cohesive theatrical experience. —J.M.
Director: S. Rajamouli
Cast: N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, Olivia Morris
Related content: RRR director S.S. Rajamouli on why he makes films
Rush (2013)
Fans of The Fast and the Furious who longing for more substance will find something worth watching in Ron Howard‘s Rush. The film’s title — not to be confused with the Canadian rock band — can be interpreted in one of two ways: the rush of two Formula One rivals racing to claim the 1976 world championship title, or the rush each man feels when he gets behind the wheel. The men in question are English bad boy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Type A Austrian Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl), both of whom fuel each other to push harder, race faster, and win more — until disaster inevitably strikes. An epic drama that features plenty of action but also takes time to explore the personal and psychological lives of its protagonists, Rush is sexy, glamorous, emotional, and exhilarating. —I.G.
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara, Pierfrancesco Favino
Related content: Chris Hemsworth is Formula 1 racer in Ron Howard’s Rush — FIRST LOOK
Triple Frontier (2018)
Why rob a bank when you can put your life on the line stealing money from the cartel? In Triple Frontier, the J.C. Chandor-directed and Netflix produced action/adventure movie, a group of former special-ops soldiers come to the realization that they have not been properly compensated for their years spent in military service, and decide to get what’s theirs by robbing a drug lord. Chandor brings out the big guns to play his team of military men, enlisting an ensemble composed of Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, and Pedro Pascal. A good, old-fashioned male bonding film with a lot of money on the line, EW’s Chris Nashawaty writes, “There may be no honor among thieves, but Triple Frontier certainly makes watching them pretty entertaining.” —I.G.
Where to watch Triple Frontier: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: J.C. Chandor
Cast: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, Pedro Pascal
Related content: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac are cash-stealing comrades in Netflix’s Triple Frontier
The Woman King (2022)
There’s no shortage of stories or characters that Viola Davis can’t tackle. In this AAFCA-winning war epic set in 1800s West Africa, she wears the armor of General Nanisca, leader of the Agojie: an all-female fighting crew who’ve sworn their lives to sisterhood and protecting the Dahomey kingdom. With the imminent threat of another African empire destroying their civilization, it is up to Nanisca to train a new generation of warriors. Beyond Davis’ ball-of-fire performance — where her silent expressions wield a storytelling power of their own — The Woman King dazzles with a subversive script and mindfully choreographed combat scenes featuring an array of weaponry and martial arts. As EW’s critic noted, “The movie is swords and sandals, a classic hero’s quest; one that just had to wait several lifetimes for the rest of the world to catch up. —J.M.
Where to watch The Woman King: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Cast: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, John Boyega
Related content: Nominated for Nothing: The Academy is on the wrong side of history with The Woman King snub
