Whether it’s playing catch with cars, running from robots or mastering martial arts, few things can get you amped up as much as a good action movie.
Of course, there are plenty of these exciting flicks to choose from. There are the classics like Top Gun, superhero films such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Batman and war movies like Pearl Harbor — which all promise thrilling storylines, intense fight scenes and nonstop excitement.
Looking for something a little more dark? Tune into Monkey Man. How about a flick that’s just as comedic as it is action-packed? Leave it to Ryan Gosling in The Fall Guy.
Whether it’s explosions, muscle cars and mayhem or the sweet taste of victory you are after, you’re sure to find an action movie you love. Here are the best action movies you can stream right now.
The Gorge
In this sci-fi action flick, two highly-trained snipers (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are sent on a special assignment: vanish off the grid for the next 365 days and guard opposite sides of a deep gorge containing an unspeakable evil. Forbidden from any outside contact, the two operatives form a clandestine bond — but as the threat within emerges, they join forces to keep it sealed before all hell breaks loose.
Watch The Gorge on Apple TV+
Gladiator II
Nearly 25 years after Ridley Scott’s swords-and-sandals epic comes Gladiator II, starring Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus Aurelius, son of the late Maximus (Russell Crowe’s character in the first film). With Rome’s descent under tyrannical rule, Lucius must step into the gladiatorial ring and fight like his father before him for survival. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Costume Design, the film features performances from Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn and more.
Watch Gladiator II on Paramount+
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Guy Ritchie’s 2024 action comedy takes a wildly fictionalized swing at Operation Postmaster, the historical British mission that helped turn the tide of World War II. To counteract Hitler’s fleet of German U-boats, Winston Churchill’s special operations executive, Gus March Phillips (Henry Cavill), assembles a ragtag team of rogues and rebels — relying on bizarre tactics to use against the Nazis.
Watch The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare on Starz
Carry-On
It’s the most hectic time of the year at airports everywhere, and low-level TSA agent Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton) is stuck on the job on Christmas Eve. But when a suspicious earpiece passes through security, Ethan gets an anonymous call from a traveler (Jason Bateman) with an ultimatum: Let a dangerous carry-on through the scanner, or Ethan’s girlfriend (Sofia Carson) dies. Now, Ethan must think fast and stay one step ahead to stop a deadly terrorist scheme.
Watch Carry-On on Netflix
Deadpool & Wolverine
Dethroning Joker (2019) as the highest-grossing rated-R film of all time, the third installment of the Deadpool franchise — and the first to merge the X-Men universe with the MCU — sees Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth teaming up with a variant of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. As Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) from the Time Variance Authority threatens to erase Deadpool’s multiverse timeline, the unlikely duo battle this existential threat while developing an unstoppable friendship.
Watch Deadpool & Wolverine on Disney+
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
The boys are back! Nearly 30 years after the 1995 original movie, Miami detectives Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are diving into yet another do-or-die mission — this time to vindicate their late captain after he’s wrongly implicated in a drug conspiracy.
Watch Bad Boys: Ride or Die on Netflix
Twisters
As social media influencer Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) “wrangles” whirlwinds for online clout, storm chaser Javi (Anthony Ramos) convinces his wary friend Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) to join him in Oklahoma to test new technology on tornadoes. While the three of them ultimately cross paths and join forces, their styles of cyclone chasing — and Kate’s traumatic past — create plenty of tension as the storm season escalates and various systems cross over the area.
Watch Twisters on Peacock
The Shadow Strays
In this Indonesian action thriller, when an assassin prodigy called 13 (Aurora Ribero) surprisingly forms a bond with a young boy (Ali Fikry) at a safe house, the shocking news of his kidnapping by a merciless gang ignites her fierce protective instincts. Now, the hit woman will go to great lengths to bring the child back to safety, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake.
Watch The Shadow Strays on Netflix
Rebel Ridge
When former Marine Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) arrives in Shelby Springs to post bail for his cousin, he is rammed and arrested by two corrupt police officers (David Denman and Emory Cohen) who wrongfully seize his legitimate $36,000 through civil forfeiture. Determined to reclaim what’s his and serve up some hard-hitting justice, Terry is prepared to go head-to-head against the town’s police force and their chief (Don Johnson).
Watch Rebel Ridge on Netflix
The Fall Guy
Action movies wouldn’t exist without stunt performers, so it’s about time they got their flowers. Directed by David Leitch, The Fall Guy centers on Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), a Hollywood stuntman who’s taken a year off after an almost-fatal accident. When he arrives on set of his ex-girlfriend’s (Emily Blunt) directorial debut, he learns that the actor he’s doubling — action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) — has vanished. To salvage the film’s production and save Tom, Colt gets caught in a high-octane conspiracy far more risky than any stunt.
Watch The Fall Guy on Amazon Prime Video
Civil War
In this A24 dystopian thriller, America is mired in a brutal civil war between a dictatorial federal government and secessionist factions. As a crew of war journalists journeys from N.Y.C. to Washington, D.C., to interview the embattled third-term president (Nick Offerman) before insurgents storm the capital, they encounter a rising tide of violence that interferes with their work.
Watch Civil War on Max
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes — the latest chapter of Hollywood’s longest-running sci-fi film series — takes place three centuries after Cesar’s rule, where apes have now formed multiple clans while humans have reverted back to a primitive state. However, when a young chimpanzee named Noa (voiced by Owen Teague) crosses paths with an intelligent woman (Freya Allan), they both strive to build a new future where apes and humans can live in harmony.
Watch Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on Hulu
Monkey Man
In this 2024 action thriller, Kid (Dev Patel, also making his feature directorial debut) toils his nights away by taking on jobs no one else wants, one which involves him stepping into the ring of an underground fight club — wearing a monkey mask — and getting beaten up by prized fighters for money. After years of pent-up anger, Kid finally finds his way into the city’s elite and seeks revenge against those responsible for his mother’s murder.
Watch Monkey Man on Amazon Prime Video
Dune: Part Two
Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem and more return for the highly anticipated second part of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel adaptation. Picking up after the events of Dune (2021), Paul Atreides (Chalamet) makes it his mission to exact revenge on those who’ve destroyed his family. Boosting the already-impressive cast are Austin Butler, Christopher Walken and Florence Pugh.
Watch Dune: Part Two on Max
The Beekeeper
In the 2024 thriller, Jason Statham unleashes his action chops as Adam Clay, a lethal assassin with a dark past tied to the “Beekeeper” operative. When his landlord dies by suicide after falling victim to a phishing scam, Mr. Clay embarks on a relentless quest for vengeance. Joining Statham are stars Josh Hutcherson, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Minnie Driver, Bobby Naderi, Phylicia Rashad and Jeremy Irons.
Watch The Beekeeper on MGM+
Road House
In Doug Liman’s 2024 reimagining of the 1989 Patrick Swayze-starring classic, Jake Gyllenhaal steps into the lead role as the former UFC fighter–turned–bar bouncer Dalton, who keeps Florida’s notorious Double Deuce roadhouse a thriving hot-spot by dealing with instigators head-on (sometimes literally). Road House features an all-star ensemble, including Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Joaquim de Almeida, Lukas Gage, Post Malone and others, plus MMA fighter Conor McGregor in his first-ever movie role.
Watch Road House on Amazon Prime Video
Napoleon
More than two decades after their collaboration on Gladiator (2000), Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix and director Ridley Scott have reteamed for another period epic. Featuring full-scale battle sequences, this 2023 historical action drama explores the life of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Phoenix), from his beginnings to his eventual downfall, alongside his complex relationship with his wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). In addition to the theatrical release, a nearly three-and-a-half-hour director’s cut is also available to stream.
Watch Napoleon on Apple TV+
Damsel
In this fantasy action thriller, Stranger Things‘ Millie Bobby Brown portrays a cloistered young noblewoman promised to a prince (Nick Robinson), who callously casts her in a cavern and offers her as a sacrifice to settle an age-old debt. Despite being stranded with a fire-breathing dragon on her trail, the princess channels remarkable guile and determination as she fights tooth and nail for survival.
Watch Damsel on Netflix
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One
In the seventh installment in the Mission: Impossible film series — and one of the highest-grossing blockbusters of 2023 — elite field agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF squad go head-to-head with “the Entity,” a thunderous rogue AI with the potential for world destruction. Oscar-nominated for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects, Dead Reckoning features a stacked ensemble cast, including Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Mariela Garriga and Henry Czerny.
Watch Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One on Paramount+
The Equalizer 3
Having retired from his career as a government assassin, Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) now resides in Southern Italy, battling with the demons of his violent past. However, when he learns that his new friends are under the thumbs of local mafia members, Robert must use his vigilante instincts to protect both them and his hard-earned peace.
Watch The Equalizer 3 on Netflix
The Creator
In this 2023 sci-fi thriller, John David Washington stars as Joshua, an ex-special forces agent mourning the disappearance of his pregnant wife (Gemma Chan). During a postapocalyptic conflict between humans and artificial intelligence, Joshua is enlisted to track down and obliterate the Creator — the enigmatic mastermind behind A.I. who has crafted a cryptic weapon capable of concluding both the war and humanity itself. Yet, upon retrieving the world-ending device, Joshua and his team discover it’s an A.I. in the guise of a young girl (Madeleine Yuna Voyles).
Watch The Creator on Hulu
Blue Beetle
When law school graduate Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) stumbles upon the Scarab, an ancient relic of alien biotechnology, he becomes its chosen symbiotic host. Equipped with a suit of armor possessing remarkable yet unpredictable powers, Jaime has to learn how to master his new abilities as the Blue Beetle while being pursued by the ruthless Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo) and Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon).
Watch Blue Beetle on Max
John Wick: Chapter 4
In the fourth installment of the John Wick saga, the legendary hitman extraordinaire (Keanu Reeves) remains resolute in his mission for revenge against the High Table. But in his pursuit of freedom, he must face a new enemy (Bill Skarsgård) backed by powerful alliances worldwide.
Watch John Wick: Chapter 4 on Starz through March 14
Fast X
In the adrenaline-pumping 10th installment of the Fast & Furious saga, the repercussions of Hernan Reyes’ (Joaquim de Almeida) death in Fast Five (2011) resurface to torment Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew. Dante (Jason Momoa), Hernan’s son, witnessed his father’s death and the loss of his family’s fortune, harboring a decade-long vendetta. Directed by Louis Leterrier, Fast X accelerates with a star-studded ensemble, featuring Charlize Theron, Brie Larson, Rita Moreno, John Cena, Jason Statham, Helen Mirren, Michelle Rodriguez and more.
Watch Fast X on Peacock
Die Hard
Welcome to the party, pal! Whether or not you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie, the 1988 thriller is easily one of the best action movies of all time. Bruce Willis’ introductory jaunt as John McClane has all the makings of a classic: a working-class hero, a hard-to-get love interest (Bonnie Bedelia), a dangerously charismatic villain (Alan Rickman), earnest sidekicks Alan (Reginald VelJohnson) and Argyle (De’voreaux White) and some of the best catchphrases in the game. Did we mention McClane saves the day while barefoot?
Watch Die Hard on Amazon Prime Video
Pearl Harbor
From quintessential action movie director Michael Bay comes a romantic war drama that fictionalizes the historical Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This 2001 feature follows two childhood best friends (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett), who enlist in the military as pilots during WWII and a love triangle blossoms between them and a nurse (Kate Beckinsale).
Watch Pearl Harbor on Hulu
Taken
Released in 2008, Taken is a thriller brought to life by Liam Neeson and his “particular set of skills.” The film, which follows Bryan Mills (Neeson) on a mission to rescue his kidnapped daughter, launched a full-blown franchise, making the Irish actor an action star in his golden years. “I like doing it,” Neeson said of being an action hero. “The scripts are good. I’m kind of like a kid in a candy store.”
Watch Taken on Hulu
Gladiator
Are you not entertained? Russell Crowe won an Academy Award for 2000’s Gladiator, which also won Best Picture and three other Oscars. Inspiring speeches (one of which Crowe penned himself) and rousing colosseum battles abound, and Joaquin Phoenix delivers an understated and nuanced performance as the corrupt Commodus.
Watch Gladiator on Paramount+
Avatar: The Way of Water
Dive into the phantasmagorical depths of James Cameron’s Avatar universe with this 2022 sequel. Following a decade after the first film’s events, Way of Water sees the Sully family fleeing their home to reside with the oceanic Metkayina clan, where they have to defend themselves and their hosts against brutal aggressors through a flood of action-packed battles.
Watch Avatar: The Way of Water on Disney+
Black Panther
Black Panther brought much-needed Black representation to the superhero genre. Chadwick Boseman’s indelible mark on cinema as T’Challa cannot be overstated, and Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger is as sympathetic and complicated a villain as they come. The supporting cast’s performances, especially Angela Bassett and Sterling K. Brown, are just as moving.
Enhanced by its stunning actors, the movie’s action is a blast to watch. Whether you’re watching Okoye (Danai Gurira) tossing her wig in a fight scene, Shuri (Letitia Wright) showing off her genius or a mixed martial arts battle, every element works.
Watch Black Panther on Disney+
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Securing Marvel its first Oscar win (three, in fact) with the first Black Panther film, this 2022 sequel earned another for Best Costume Design — yet there is so much more to take in, including the feature’s eye-catching thrills. Following King T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death, the mourning Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Princess/scientist Shuri (Letitia Wright), fellow Wakandans and allies strive to protect the kingdom from outside (and underwater) forces. Former War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and CIA agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) are back to help ensure the continuing legacy of the Black Panther.
Watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on Disney+
Godzilla vs. Kong
What do you do when one monster attacks? Unleash another one, of course. In Godzilla vs. Kong, the real monsters aren’t Godzilla or Kong — they’re conspiracy theorists and technology. While the action is stellar when the larger-than-life creatures go after each other, the excitement is unstoppable once they team up.
Watch Godzilla vs. Kong on Netflix
All Quiet on the Western Front
Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022, this German anti-war drama — adapted from Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 eponymous novel — tells the timeless story of a young man named Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) who eagerly joins the German Army to fight in World War I. But when he and his comrades find themselves amid unforgiving and inhumane violence, their once-patriotic notions of war are shattered as they make every effort to survive.
Watch All Quiet on the Western Front on Netflix
The Woman King
Inspired by real events, this AAFCA-winning historical action flick centers on the Agojie, an all-woman army of the West African kingdom of Dahomey. In a dazzling performance, Viola Davis stars as highly-trained General Nanisca, who has to prepare a new generation of warriors to fight a foreign invader threatening their civilization.
Watch The Woman King on Hulu
Top Gun
If you feel the need for speed, Tony Scott’s fighter pilot action flick should be your first choice. In 1986’s Top Gun, Tom Cruise soars as smug hotshot Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell,” who strives to be the top naval pilot in his class — causing friction between him and rivaling classmates such as Iceman (Val Kilmer) — and swoop the flight instructor (Kelly McGillis) off her feet. From its classic soundtrack to its iconic beach volleyball scene to its fast-paced thrills, this blockbuster will “take you right into the danger zone.”
Watch Top Gun on Paramount+
Top Gun: Maverick
Thirty-six years after Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) graduated the TOPGUN Naval aviation program, he’s invited back as an instructor for a new generation of fliers, including Miles Teller’s Bradley (“Rooster”) and Glen Powell’s Jake (“Hangman”). Earning more than $1 billion dollars at the global box office, 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick is not only a triumphant sequel to its iconic predecessor but is also a “love letter to aviation,” as it impressively cranked up the action without VFX and filmed stunts with real U.S. Navy pilots flying top-quality fighter jets.
Watch Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount+
Free Guy
From Deadpool to Red Notice, Ryan Reynolds is a bona fide action star who never fails to bring the laughs. Also starring Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi and more, the 2021 action comedy follows a bank teller named Guy (Reynolds), who discovers he’s a trivial background character in a violent multiplayer video game and strives to be a winning hero when faced with conflict.
Watch Free Guy on Disney+
Shadow in the Cloud
In this 2022 war fantasy, Chloë Grace Moretz stars as a WWII flight officer who battles with an evil creature on her mission. Also starring Taylor John Smith and Nick Robinson, Shadow in the Cloud is a bumpy ride with several jump-scares lurking in its shadows, and tells a wildly complex story about female strength.
Watch Shadow in the Cloud on Netflix
Captain America: Civil War
Marvel movies always have a ton of great action sequences, but Captain America: Civil War brings together major characters in conflict with each other in exciting ways — and the questions raised about surveillance and the police state continue to resonate. Chris Evans’ fight as Captain America with Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark was instantly meme-able, and the introduction of Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man make Civil War a fan favorite.
Watch Captain America: Civil War on Disney+
Avengers: Endgame
Avengers, we love you 3000. Bringing back fan-favorite characters and ending several beloved MCU storylines, the epic conclusion to the Avengers saga chronicles the titular superhero group’s final battle with Thanos, the demigod who destroyed the universe in Infinity War. Shattering box-office records, the 2019 superhero film became the second highest-grossing film of all time (at the time) next to 2009’s Avatar.
Watch Avengers: Endgame on Disney+
Prey
A prequel to the original Predator, Prey follows Naru (Amber Midthunder), a fledgling fighter trying to protect the Comanche Nation from the extraterrestrial hunter. Set 300 years before the events of the 1987 classic, the film features an almost entirely Native and First Nation cast and is available to stream entirely in Comanche. At its debut, Prey became Hulu’s biggest streaming premiere ever.
Watch Prey on Hulu
The Northman
With a cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård (who gained 20 pounds of muscle for the role), Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy and Björk, The Northman is a take on the Norse folk tale of Amleth — the very legend that inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet. When King Aurvandill (Hawke) is murdered by his own brother (Claes Bang), Prince Amleth (Skarsgård) vows to avenge his father’s death — but there’s far more to the treasonous slaying than meets the eye. With elements of Norse mythology and killer battle scenes, The Northman is a must-see.
Watch The Northman on Peacock
The Dark Knight
Christian Bale is a great Bruce Wayne, but it was Heath Ledger’s final completed performance as the Joker that brought The Dark Knight its critical acclaim and commercial blockbuster status. From the opening bank heist to the impossible choices the Joker thrusts upon both Batman and Gotham City, Christopher Nolan’s sophomore outing for the caped crusader raises resonant questions about the nature of man.
Watch The Dark Knight on Max
The Batman
Matt Reeves’ The Batman, released in 2022, is less like a superhero epic and more of a detective thriller. Robert Pattinson plays a tortured Bruce Wayne and a brooding Batman equally well, while Zoë Kravitz brings Selina Kyle to life as a sensual, cynical Catwoman. Paul Dano is chilling as the Zodiac Killer-inspired Riddler, and he worked very hard to get there: He was such a perfectionist that Reeves said Dano filmed 200 takes of a single scene.
Watch The Batman on Max
The Old Guard
The Old Guard examines a power granted to many superheroes that often goes unquestioned: the loneliness and boredom associated with immortality. Charlize Theron and the rest of the cast kill it in hand-to-hand combat scenes, and it brought some long overdue LGBTQ+ representation to the superhero genre. A sequel is set to premiere on Netflix on July 2.
Watch The Old Guard on Netflix
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