You know what really gets our blood pumping? A great action flick. Fight scenes, chase scenes, race scenes — all the hallmarks of a cinematic adrenaline rush. Live vicariously through your favorite heroes (or villains) by streaming one of the best action movies on Netflix right now.
Craving something more culinary? Check out the best food documentaries and series streaming on Netflix right now. If you like all kinds of docs, we’ve got you covered (or maybe you’re just really into crime docs and adventure flicks). Our brother site, Digital Trends, also has an overall guide on the best movies and shows.
Crime
The Irishman
After all the hip these past few months, our first suggestions almost needs no introduction. On November 27, The Irishman will finally drop. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Martin Scorsese are just a few of the big names attached to this action-packed biopic about Fank Sheeran and Jimmy Hoffa. It’s going to be good.
6 Underground (2019)
We’re tentatively filing this new Michael Bay movie under “crime” because the characters operate outside of the law, but they aren’t exactly criminals. Ryan Reynolds plays a badass billionaire who recruits other badasses to his cause: toppling a dictatorship. The catch? This team is technically dead, meaning they all faked their deaths to operate off the grid. The action is surprisingly brutal.
Bad Boys
Bad Boys 3 (aka Bad Boys for Life) hits the theaters on January 17. Catch up with Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett by watching Bad Boys 1 and 2, both streaming now on Netflix.
Triple Frontier (2019)
Triple Frontier is a new-ish Netflix film that came to the streaming service in March. An ensemble cast — Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Pedro Pascal, Charlie Hunnam, and Garrett Hedlund — stars as a crew of ex-military Americans who plan on robbing a known cartel member and setting themselves up with the retirement funds their jobs did not provide.
The Night Comes for Us (2018)
This relatively recent new-noir action flick also comes from Indonesia. Ito, a deadly and powerful gangster, has a 180-degree change of heart after he rescues Reina, a young girl from the remains of her massacred village. The resulting carnage — and there’s a lot of carnage — revolves around one man battling his former gang members to save one girl and, in some ways, himself.
War
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Another Tarantino pick? Not surprising, given the director’s mastery of brutality. In an alternate history, we watch as Shosannaa, a Jewish woman who lost her family, and a group of Amerian soldiers led by the quotable Lieutenant Aldo Raine hunt Nazis and, ultimate, Hitler himself.
Red Dawn (1984)
What happens when a bunch of high school students form a militia to fight off Soviet invaders in ’80s-era United States? Red Dawn happens. The plot isn’t exactly realistic, but it is still a fun watch,
Martial Arts
Ip Man
The Ip Man trilogy is the story the real-life Chinese martial artist, Ip Man (also known as Yip Man), who is credited with bringing the practice of Wing Chun to the global stage. The three movies highlight different parts of his life, from his education in Wing Chun to the legacy of his own teaching in Hong Kong (which included Bruce Lee as one of his pupils). The Grandmaster (2013) is another interesting take on the legend of Ip Man and Ip Man 4: The Finale hit theaters in December 2019.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
The acclaimed movie has it all: Hand-to-hand combat, swordplay, drama, romance, intrigue, and more. If you haven’t seen it yet, definitely add it to your queue. If you’ve already seen it, add it to your queue anyways; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon stands up to repeated viewings.
Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
Kill Bill is another difficult movie to assign to a genre. While it certainly isn’t your typical martial arts film, the action and exposition are definitely reminiscent of the film style. Uma Thurman is the Bride, who is out to exact revenge on Bill and a whole cohort of her fellow assassins. Both installments are streaming now on Netflix.
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Train to Busan (2016)
Train to Busan, which hails from South Korea, is one of the more refreshing zombie films to come out in recent years. The makeup effects are convincing and the terror palpable. Watch as divorced father Seok-Woo struggles to protect his daughter and other passengers from a swarm of zombies as they all travel by train to the city of Busan, a supposed safe zone. An American remake and a South Korean sequel are both in the works.
V for Vendetta (2005)
Welcome to the future, where the United Kingdom is lead by neo-fascists and the only one brave enough to stand up to them is a mysterious man in a Guy Fawkes mask. The film is as much a psychological thriller as it is a physical one. This is technically based on a comic book, but we separated V for Vendetta from the following section due to the lack of “classic” superheroes.
The Matrix
All three Matrix movies come to Netflix on November 1. This is your time to bing the trilogy before it comes a quartet. A new installment featuring original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss is currently in the works.
The Lord of the Rings
The second (The Two Towers) and third (The Return of the King) movies in The Lord of the Rings trilogy are worth revisiting on Netflix. Who doesn’t love a good ole fashioned fantasy flick? If you’ve already binged Netflix’s hit Witcher series, these are a good follow-up.
Classics
Indiana Jones
The entire Indiana Jones series — the original trilogy and the less-than-satisfactory fourth installment — are available on Netflix. Obviously, you should start with Raiders of the Lost Ark, but whether you follow Indy from The Last Crusade on to The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull … well, that’s up to you.
Start with Raiders of the Lost Ark
Patriot Games (1992)
More Harrison Ford? Yes, please. Ford portrayed Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy’s famous CIA desk jockey turned spy, in two hits from the ’90s. While John Krasinski is the latest actor to pick up the character’s mantle for an Amazon Prime series, the original Patriot Games still holds up.
Watch NowBond Binge
GoldenEye, Die Another Day, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The World Is Not Enough — all starring Pierce Brosnan as Bond — are on Netflix. What do you think about a 007 marathon?
Comic Book
We’re currently in the Golden Age of comic book movies. If you can get behind superhero action, Netflix hosts an entire lineup of flicks.
- Black Panther (2018)
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
- Sin City (2005)
- Hellboy (2004)
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