Action movies represent one of the most versatile genres in filmmaking. Sometimes an action movie will try to give commentary on society or craft a hero’s journey from underdog to champion of the people. Other times action movies are just used as background noise, a junk food experience to pass the time. No matter what type of action movie you like, there’s always something for everyone’s movie taste buds.
With so many streaming services to choose from today and the prices of most of them increasing seemingly all the time, Tubi is a great way to watch your favorite hits or discover something new all for a great price . . . free! You won’t necessarily find Academy Award winners on Tubi, but there are plenty of underrated gems or forgotten B-tier films that are just as enjoyable as an Oscar nominee. These are the best action movies on Tubi. Famous actors like Bruce Willis and underrated stars like Luke Goss all feature in this list of action flicks.
Out of Death (2021)
Bruce Willis has been in some of the best thrillers of the last 30 years. Out of Death is the opposite of an iconic performance (Willis was originally nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for the film before his dementia diagnosis) but the movie is one of those “so bad it’s fun” experiences that Tubi is so known for. Willis plays a cop trying to take down a corrupt peer when he comes into contact with a photojournalist with an affinity for taking down the bad guys. They team up to try and save themselves and others from imminent danger.
Only God Forgives (2013)
Ryan Gosling stars in Only God Forgives, a twisty and violent affair about vengeance, betrayal, and family ties that doesn’t always understand exactly what it’s trying to say. The movie has a unique, exotic vibe with Thailand as the main setting. Kristin Scott Thomas and Vithaya Pansringarm are decent as the supporting actors as Gosling tries to get back at those who killed his brother at the behest of his mother.
The 51st State (2001)
Those who love Breaking Bad or Samuel L. Jackson or both might find The 51st State a casual romp through drug dealing and the bad guys that inhabit that world in the U.K. Jackson plays a drug chemist who turns to the European market to introduce his newest product to novel consumers. Things don’t go according to plan, violent mayhem ensues, Jackson plays the millionth version of himself, etc. It’s everything it sounds like in the description, for better and for worse.
Out of Time (2003)
Denzel Washington is Matthias Lee Whitlock, a police chief who falls in love with a terminal cancer patient who dies unexpectedly in an arsonist attack. Whitlock tries to get the facts straight, but his adjacency to his girlfriend turns him into prime suspect number one in the investigation. Washington’s typical screen presence and aura help to make an otherwise simple script into something with a lot more meat on the bone than one would have expected going in.
A Good Man (2014)
When all else fails in creating an action movie, turn to the mafia, right? A Good Man follows Steven Seagal as a macho, tough guy who retires from crime-fighting in Romania only to be sucked back into a conflict between two different mobs. Like with most crime movies that take place in remote locations with lots of different enemies, the plot isn’t all that important. Seagal’s performance makes the movie entertaining and Keoni Waxman’s experience directing Seagal allows the actor to maximize his action star potential throughout the film.
Interview with a Hitman (2012)
Luke Goss plays Viktor, the titular hitman in question with a lot of story to tell. Interview with a Hitman is exactly what it sounds like: Viktor tells his interesting and dangerous life as a hitman to a director in the film industry who wants to turn his story into a big action flick. The singular focus on just Viktor and the movie’s ability to pan out his life story into a bigger-picture narrative makes this a really fun action movie and something a little different narratively than others on the list.
Day of the Mummy (2014)
Day of the Mummy is cheesy, low-budget, and certainly not award-worthy, but Danny Glover trying to avoid the wrath of an awakened pharaoh? That’s got to be worth it a little bit, right? I wouldn’t suggest going into this one with any expectations, but rather just the attitude that you’re binging a low-budget cable TV quality flick to pass the time with a very well-known older actor at the forefront of the movie.
Close Range (2015)
Scott Adkins has got a lot on his plate in this action movie as a ex-military man with a plethora of responsibilities. He has his family on the run from cartel bad guys, his co-workers and associates are ready to backstab him at every turn, and it’s hard to tell what to prioritize to not get his loved ones killed. Nick Chinlund and Caitlin Keats are the supporting actors to look for here.
