Netflix is literally teeming with amazing action movies at the moment, so coming up with a “10 best” list was quite the task. There were a lot of stellar films left out of the rankings, such as Kill Bill Vol. 1 & Vol. 2, Face/Off, and National Treasure, but I’m mentioning them in the intro just to ease my conscience. Adrenaline junkies have a lot to choose from, that’s for sure; whether it’s a big budget blockbuster like The Avengers or a socially relevant dystopian thriller like Children of Men. So are you ready to strap yourself in and enjoy the ride? Here are 10 of the best action movies available on Netflix right now.
10. The Departed
The Departed, a Scorsese film about the Irish mafia that was based on the 2002 film Infernal Affairs, has been listed as one of the 12 best movie remakes of all time. There aren’t many movies available to stream on Netflix that have picked up Oscars at the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing, so take advantage of it while you still can. Plus, it’s worth watching just for Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon’s stunning performances alone.
9. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2
I imagine that all of you Guardians of the Galaxy fans are pretty happy to have Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 streaming on Netflix right now! I can honestly say that I thought the sequel was better than the original, but with such an all-star cast, they really couldn’t go wrong. If you haven’t seen it yet, the film follows the Guardians as they travel throughout the cosmos in a quest to help Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) learn more about his birth dad. I won’t spoil it with details, but for those who have already seen it, there’s plenty of fandom articles just waiting to be explored on ScreenRant!
8. The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum is the third film in the Jason Bourne series, being preceded by The Bourne Identity (2002) and The Bourne Supremacy (2004). If you haven’t seen any of the Bourne films, then it’s time to play catch-up because this is a franchise that’s not going away anytime soon.
After the Bourne Ultimatum, there was The Bourne Legacy, starring Jeremy Renner, but soon after that, Matt Damon reprised his role in Jason Bourne, released in 2016. Think it’s over yet? NOPE. A TV show spinoff is now moving forward at the USA Network.
7. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars fans, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is available to stream on Netflix for now, but this film is one of the many amazing movies and TV shows that are leaving Netflix in 2019, so watch it now before it’s gone! As the first installment of the Star Wars anthology series, the Rebel Alliance is led by the daughter of an Imperial scientist as they set out on a mission to steal plans for the Death Star (the movie is set just before the events of A New Hope). Watch and enjoy! After it leaves Netflix, it will appear on Disney’s new streaming service: Disney Plus.
6. Children Of Men
Children of Men might not be as flashy as Rogue One or the Bourne films, but this action movie really is a diamond in the rough. Co-written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón (the mastermind behind the 2018 film Roma), this riveting 2006 dystopian film somehow got lost in the mix, but God only knows how. After two decades of unexplained human infertility, a young, black refugee finds herself pregnant with the world’s only baby and needs help to escape the chaos surrounding her. Despite being over 10 years old, the underlying theme of oppressive immigration laws on refugees is remarkably timely. It’s definitely a must-see.
5. Armageddon
Despite its pretty unbelievable premise, Armageddon is definitely a classic action film that deserves to be on this list. The film, which stars a young and dashing Bruce Willis, and an even younger Ben Affleck, follows a group of deep-core drillers sent by NASA to stop a gigantic asteroid on a collision course with Earth. It might not be the most well-thought-out storyline to ever come out of Hollywood, but this sucker was a major success at the box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide.
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4. Black Panther
Black Panther, a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character, took the world by storm last year and had everyone shouting “Wakanda forever!". In the movie, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is crowned King of Wakanda following his father’s death but is soon challenged by a crazy adversary with a global axe to grind. This movie is packed full of action, but it was also nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay by the Writers Guild, so it’s much more than special effects and thrilling fight scenes. Stream it on Netflix while you still can!
3. Hot Fuzz
Here it is, one of my favorite movies of all time, and I’m so excited to be writing about it. Hot Fuzz is definitely a great action film, but it’s so much more than that. This “buddy cop action comedy” follows over-achieving police officer Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) as he is relocated from the hard streets of London to an idyllic village in England. What can possibly keep him occupied in the crime-free “Village of the Year”? You’ll have to watch to find out, but his lazy partner, Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), is along for the (totally hilarious) ride. Honest to God, if you don’t watch this, you’re missing out.
2. The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight, based on the DC Comics character Batman, is the second part of The Dark Knight Trilogy and a sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins. Viewed by many fans as the best Batman movie ever made, The Dark Knight featured incredible performances by Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and many more. In terms of how much money it made and how it changed the film industry, The Dark Knight blew Avengers: Infinity War out of the water. In other words, this movie was a major game changer in the superhero movie genre, so sit down and enjoy.
1. Avengers: Infinity War
In case you’ve been living under a rock (or your 60+), Avengers: Infinity War is a superhero film released in 2018 that brought together every character in the Marvel Universe. I didn’t think I’d enjoy this as much as I did, but there was something magical about seeing the Avengers on the same screen as the Guardians and watching them work together to keep Thanos from amassing the all-powerful Infinity Stones. What will Avengers 4 have to do to top Infinity War at the box office? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
