The 25 best action movies on Netflix

Fast cars, foiled assassinations, and a major problem in space: These are a few of Netflix’s most action-packed offerings.

From the roaring bustle of a Japanese bullet train to a multiverse outside that of the MCU, the following films are set all over the world, but they do have one thing in common: action. The characters in these feature films have little use for small talk and prefer to lead with their feet and fists. With denouements set in exotic locations and redemption arcs that eschew the erudite in favor of pure, physical effort, this list of the best action films currently streaming on Netflix has something for everyone on your couch to enjoy.

Apollo 13 (1995)

The United States’ fifth trip to the moon was expected to feature NASA’s third walk on the lunar surface. But when an explosion onboard the service module compromised the Apollo 13 mission and the safety of the astronauts, NASA’s priority shifted to getting their people home safely. Ron Howard’s dramatization of the 1970 space emergency was a hit among critics and viewers when it was released in 1995, earning nine Academy Award nominations, including a nod for Best Picture. Howard’s interpretation of the events pledges fealty to the source material, sometimes at the expense of character development, but the film’s all-star cast is more than equipped to pick up the slack. As EW’s critic at the time writes, the film “chronicles one of the most dramatic of all spaceflights, an American catastrophe that became an American victory, and it does this in a way that’s so authentic, so brilliant in its technical details, that it succeeds in putting us on that ship.” — Ilana Gordon 

Where to watch Apollo 13: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review) 

Director: Ron Howard

Cast: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quinlan

Related content: Kevin Bacon was puked on by a cameraman while making Apollo 13

Bullet Train (2022)

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)

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

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. —James Mercadante

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'

The Foreigner (2017)

A father’s pursuit of vengeance is on full display in The Foreigner, an action film that an EW writer describes as Jackie Chan’s take on Taken. A two-hander that stars Chan opposite Pierce Brosnan in the role of a First Minister of Northern Ireland and former IRA leader, The Foreigner gives Chan a chance to stretch both his acting and fighting muscles as a grieving father whose most recent loss reawakens traumas from earlier in his life. Chan’s nuanced performance is equally matched by a committed showing from Brosnan, whose character is trying to walk the political tightrope while not burning bridges with his old ideological comrades. A lean action thriller marked by solid acting and excellent fight sequences, The Foreigner will remind you that Jackie Chan is so much more than just powerful kicks and one-liners. —I.G.  

Where to watch The Foreigner: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review) 

Director: Martin Campbell 

Cast: Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan

Related content: Jackie Chan talks battling Bond and learning to build (fake) bombs for The Foreigner

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. —Dennis Perkins

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. — D.P.

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.

Where to watch Kate: Netflix

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

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

The Bride (Uma Thurman) is back and she’s checking more names off her hit list. The second part of Quentin Tarantino’s martial arts action opus and homage to grindhouse cinema, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 picks up where the first Kill Bill left off — only this time, with added history, context, and an appearance from Bill himself. The body count in the second film may be lower, but the Bride’s character is far more fleshed out, making for a more emotional installment. Vengeance still arrives in many forms (some of them eyeball related), but as EW’s critic at the time writes, “it’s the journey taken by Uma Thurman’s Bride from indestructible heroine to open-hearted woman that matters.” —I.G.   

Where to watch Kill Bill: Vol. 2: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, Gordon Liu, Michael Parks

Related content: Kill Bill: Vol. 3 with Uma Thurman's daughter Maya Hawke would be 'f---ing exciting,' says Quentin Tarantino

Looper (2012)

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

Okja (2018)

Two years before Bong Joon Ho wowed the world with Parasite, the South Korean director partnered with Netflix to make Okja. A pig-centered movie that leans decidedly more toward Animal Farm than Babe, the movie follows Mija, a South Korean teen who bonds with Okja, the "super pig" she's helped raise — only to have Okja taken from her after he is crowned the winner of an agrochemical company's competition for best pig. With Okja headed for the slaughterhouse, Mija travels from South Korea to New York City on a mission to save her friend and to help expose the inhumane practices of the Mirando Corporation and its leader, Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton). A mixture of science, fantasy, action, and adventure, Okja is one of those movies you have to see to believe. As EW's critic writes, Okja is "the antithesis of cookie-cutter, made-by-committee filmmaking. Prepare to be amazed, grossed out, provoked, punchdrunk, and tickled." —I.G.

Where to watch Okja: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Bong Joon Ho

Cast: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Ahn Seo-hyun, Byun Hee-bong, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Yoon Je-moon, Shirley Henderson, Daniel Henshall, Devon Bostick, Choi Woo-shik, Giancarlo Esposito, Jake Gyllenhaal

Related content: Okja cast on film's political parallels, 'wars' against nature and women

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)

Pineapple Express (2008)

Long before Seth Rogen was making pot paraphernalia, he was making stoner films — and Pineapple Express is a stoner film for the ages. A crime comedy, the movie follows Dale (Rogen) and his drug dealer Saul (James Franco) who are forced to flee town after Dale accidentally witnesses a corrupt cop (Rosie Perez) and a drug lord (Gary Cole) execute a rival gang leader. In 2008, producer Judd Apatow told the Playlist that the role of Saul was inspired by Brad Pitt’s stoner character Floyd in the 1993 film True Romance, but the rest of the film comes straight from the brains of Rogen and his co-writer Evan Goldberg — likely with the help of a few Pineapple Express-infused brainstorming sessions. —I.G.

Where to watch Pineapple Express: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: David Gordon Green

Cast: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, Gary Cole, Craig Robinson, Rosie Perez, Ken Jeong, Amber Heard, Ed Begley Jr., Bill Hader

Related content: Seth Rogen on what the Sony hack revealed about Pineapple Express 2

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.

Where to watch RRR: Netflix

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

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

Related content:

• The cast of Everything Everywhere All at Once pulls no punches in EW's Around the Table chat

• Russo brothers and RRR director S.S. Rajamouli on the 'universal language' of blowing stuff up

• The best action movies on Max

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.