So! It’s a night of the week. Doesn’t matter which one; any of ’em will do. You’re at home. Maybe it’s raining outside, maybe it’s not. But the urge to watch some big hoss rain fists and bullets down on unsuspecting fools is high. It’s action movie time, baby. Things blowing up. Flawed men in filthy white singlets. Grand, outrageous peril. Piles upon piles of unnamed goons.
Truly, there is nothing better than switching the brain off and watching a literal large pile of Hollywood money get lit on fire. 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. The Gentlemen
We’re starting strong with The Gentlemen. To be honest, my favourite kind of action movies involve 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.
2. Executive Decision
Also known as The One Where Steven Seagal Is Billed Above The Line But Is Only In It For Like 5 Minutes. One of the great dumb 90s action movies that somehow smells like it should be on a ratty VHS. Is it a good movie? Absolutely not; it’s Kurt Russell navigating a needlessly complex geo-political plot line while he beats wholesale ass aboard an airborne 747.
But does that make it one of the best action movies on Netflix? You bet.
3. 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.
4. Extraction
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 go 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!
5. 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 that 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.
6. John Wick
Keanu Reeves becomes murderously incensed after Russian gangsters murder his tiny adorable dog. What follows is, without question, one of the greatest action movies in the history of the genre. It’s wild, it’s fast-paced, it’s incredibly violent in paces and it’s shot like a fine artwork.
Is Keanu possibly the best action movie actor out there? You bet your sweet ass he is.
There are a whole bunch of other films on this list of the best action movies on Netflix, to be sure. But start here. Don’t even think about it. Just start with this one. It’s that good.
7. 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 lead 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.
8. 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.
9. Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels
A complicated heist, a screwball farce, and a handful of blistering action sequences dotted throughout, PLUS everyone talks in silly British accents? Mate. MATE. What are you waiting for? Chuck it on the Roger.
10. Zombieland
It’s time to add a fun one to the mix, and who doesn’t love Zombieland?
When Zombieland came out it was a smash hit for a very good reason. It combined guts and gore with humour and absolutely perfect casting with Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin.
While Zombie-related content feels pretty common now, in 2009, the humble zombie was having its own renaissance in pop culture. But the reason that Zombieland still slaps today is that it’s not all doom and gloom like many other zombie series and films usually are. It still manages to keep its humanity.
11. Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Now, hear me out. Low-key, Paul Blart: Mall Cop is one of the better action/cop/heist movies of its era. It’s weird, it’s big, it’s playful, it’s really profoundly dumb but in a really fun way, and it’s got a massive heart at its core.
Kevin James cops a bad wrap for just about everything else he’s done, but for Paul Blart he absolutely does not deserve it.
12. 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.
13. San Andreas
It’s The Rock biffing on with a massive earthquake, what more could you possibly want in a film?
Basically, San Adreas follows the aftermath of a huuuuuge earthquake that hits California. The Rock has to find his wife and daughter and bring them to safety. Gripping stuff!
14. Anaconda
Sometimes you just need a bonkers film that was created in completely 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 Rotton Tomatoes, don’t expect a cinematic masterpiece.
15. The Bodyguard
What’s Whitney Houston’s favourite coordination?
HAND EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYE.
Did I include this movie in a list of best action movies on Netflix purely to write this joke in? Yes. Yes, I did.
16. 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?
17. 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.
18. The Nice Guys
Sure, it’s Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling cracking both wise and skulls for an incredibly entertaining 116 minutes. But low-key it’s the deeply hot and deeply sinister Matt Bomer that steals the show in this one, as he so often does.
Sidenote: Put all of White Collar on Netflix immediately, you absolute cowards.
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.
