The best action movies on Netflix

After years of pandemic-induced stagnation, who's up for some nice, cathartic action and adventure? To help you parse through Netflix's endless array of action offerings, we picked the films most likely to satisfy your cravings for wide open spaces and bare-fisted adventure. From science fiction action sequences to the most unexpected of buddy cop comedies, this list contains the best action films currently on Netflix, and is sure to offer something for everybody on your couch.

<i>Arctic</i> (2018)

As far as movie villains go, Mother Nature is one hell of an adversary. Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) is a plane crash survivor stuck in the Arctic Circle, awaiting rescue. His day-to-day routine is interrupted after a would-be helicopter rescue ends in another crash, with the only surviving passenger (María Thelma Smáradóttir) left severely injured. Determined to save them both, Overgård embarks on foot on a journey across the Arctic, where he finds himself challenged by every weapon nature can throw at him. Mikkelsen carries the film on his parka-clad shoulders; mostly stripped of dialogue, director Joe Penna employs silence the same way other filmmakers use screams. A startling tale that will have you writing odes to your heating system, Arctic is a tense and thrilling survival tale. EW's Leah Greenblatt writes that Penna's "concept is hardly new, but his execution is sharp, clean, and smartly paced; a harrowing postcard from the void." — I.G.

Where to watch Arctic: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Joe Penna 

Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Maria Thelma Smáradóttir 

Related content: Mads Mikkelsen battles ice storms and polar bears in harrowing Arctic trailer

<i>Bullet Train</i> (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

<i>Da 5 Bloods</i> (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

<i>Extraction</i> (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'

<i>Goosebumps</i> (2015)

Inspired by the bestselling young adult books beloved by Millennials, the Goosebumps film finds a way to cram as many of the 60-plus stories that comprise the series into one giant monster movie. Jack Black stars as real life Goosebumps author R.L. Stine, who is living in suburban Delaware with his daughter Hannah (Odeya Rush). When Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) moves in next door with his mother Gale (Amy Ryan), he accidentally frees one of the monsters from the locked manuscripts Stine keeps in his house. As Stine's literary monsters continue to escape from the pages and cause chaos in real life, it's up to Zach, Hannah, and the other kids in town to save the world from Stine's imagination. A great choice for a family movie night, an EW writer calls the film "a never-boring trip to a world where stories and imagination are powerful tools." — I.G.

Where to watch Goosebumps: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Rob Letterman 

Cast: Jack Black, Odeya Rush, Dylan Minnette, Amy Ryan

Related content: New York Comic Con: R.L. Stine's Goosebumps advice for Rob Letterman

<i>Hanna</i> (2011)

Deep in rural Finland, 15-year-old Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has spent her childhood living off the grid, training to become an assassin. Raised by her ex-CIA father (Eric Bana) and fashioned into a killing machine, Hanna understands that her life's mission is to eliminate the CIA officer (Cate Blanchett) who has long been hunting them. Now old enough to embark on her quest, Hanna leaves the security of Finland's wild country and journeys across Europe, dodging intelligence agents and operatives as she seeks to complete her assignment and rendezvous with her father in his native Berlin. But the closer she comes to achieving her goal, the more she learns about her past and the motivations behind her unconventional childhood. An action adventure thriller with fairy tale vibes, Hanna works thanks to its stylistic direction and the strength of its stars: Ronan is a revelation, proving once again that the depths of her talent can't be contained by one genre. — I.G.      

Where to watch Hanna: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Joe Wright 

Talent: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams, Michelle Dockery, Jessica Barden, Jason Flemyng,

Related reading: Killing time with Hanna star Saoirse Ronan: from child-assassins to The Hobbit

<i>Hunt for the Wilderpeople</i> (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

<i>Inside Man</i> (2006)

If you were to ask Inside Man's lead character, Dalton Russell (Clive Owen), he would say he committed the perfect bank robbery. Over the film's 129-minute run time, Russell and his crew attempt to prove that thesis as they take a Manhattan bank hostage, and toy with the NYPD Detective assigned to negotiate with them (Denzel Washington). Also keeping abreast of the robbery's developments is bank founder Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer), whose most secret possession is stored in a box located within the bank's vault, and who dispatches professional fixer Madeleine White (Jodie Foster) to ensure its safety. Inside Man was Spike Lee's first big budget project, and the crime thriller earned him props for his plot twists and character development. EW's critic writes "Everyone's complicated in this jam-packed, spring-loaded contraption, everyone's sneaky, compromised, clever, nervous, mouthy, opinionated, and New Yorky." — I.G.

Where to watch Inside Man: Netflix

EW grade: (read the review)

Director: Spike Lee 

Cast: Clive Owen, Denzel Washington, Christopher Plummer, Jodie Foster, Willem Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor,  

Related content: The best Spike Lee movies, ranked

<i>Outlaw King</i> (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. Fimed, 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)

<i>Project Power</i> (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

<i>Rocky</i> (1976)

Almost half a century after the first Rocky film brained audiences with a knockout punch, Rocky Balboa's legacy remains strong. (You can catch the ninth film in the franchise, Creed III, starring and directed by Michael B. Jordan, by renting it on Amazon Prime Video.) But rewind 47 years to when the world first met Rocky (Sylvester Stallone), a blue-collar Philly boy and amateur boxer with the heart of a champion and a dream of proving himself. When heavyweight title holder Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) selects Rocky to face him in a big time fight, it's up to Rocky to show the world that you can never count out the underdog. Also starring Talia Shire as Rocky's girlfriend Adrian (of "Yo, Adrian" fame), Rocky is nostalgic, heartwarming, and endlessly quotable. Watching someone else do cardio never felt so empowering. — I.G.

Where to watch Rocky: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: John G. Avildsen

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith

Related content: Sylvester Stallone condemns Rocky spin-off Drago, says franchise characters are being 'exploited'

<i>The Harder They Fall</i> (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

<i>The Nice Guys</i> (2016)

Inherent Vice fans may find something to enjoy in 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'

<i>The Old Guard</i> (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

<i>Triple Frontier</i> (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