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WeirdThe 20 Best Action Movies On Netflix
By Jade Budowski
@jadebudowski
Published
Aug. 15, 2017, 9:00 p.m. ET
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Shall we begin? Here are the top 20 action flicks on Netflix, ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes Critic Scores.
Photos: Everett Collection ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps
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The African Queen
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Set in Africa during World War I, this classic adventure film stars Humphrey Bogart as a gin-drinking boat captain and Katharine Hepburn as an uptight missionary who wind up on a quest to take down the Germans after her brother dies. The enthralling quest and unexpected romance combine to create one of the best films the 1950s has to offer.
[Stream The African Queen]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Set in Africa during World War I, this classic adventure film stars Humphrey Bogart as a gin-drinking boat captain and Katharine Hepburn as an uptight missionary who wind up on a quest to take down the Germans after her brother dies. The enthralling quest and unexpected romance combine to create one of the best films the 1950s has to offer.
[Stream The African Queen]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Call of Heroes
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
This Chinese action flick offers an adrenaline rush rarely matched these days. Directed and written by Benny Chan, Call of Heroes tells the story of a group of villagers who stand up to a cruel, merciless warlord to protect their home after the Qing dynasty collapses. It's an old school action epic for the ages; perfectly choreographed fight scenes, sincere speeches, and exciting plot developments combine for a helluva cinematic experience.
[Stream Call of Heroes]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
This Chinese action flick offers an adrenaline rush rarely matched these days. Directed and written by Benny Chan, Call of Heroes tells the story of a group of villagers who stand up to a cruel, merciless warlord to protect their home after the Qing dynasty collapses. It's an old school action epic for the ages; perfectly choreographed fight scenes, sincere speeches, and exciting plot developments combine for a helluva cinematic experience.
[Stream Call of Heroes]
Photo: Netflix
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13 Assassins
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
A remake of the 1963 film of the same name, this samurai epic follows a group of assassins who band together to take down an unfathomably cruel, ruthless lord who is terrorizing 1840s Japan. Armed with some of the best fight and battle scenes that cinema has to offer, this electrifying spectacle is one you won't want to skip.
[Stream 13 Assassins ]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
A remake of the 1963 film of the same name, this samurai epic follows a group of assassins who band together to take down an unfathomably cruel, ruthless lord who is terrorizing 1840s Japan. Armed with some of the best fight and battle scenes that cinema has to offer, this electrifying spectacle is one you won't want to skip.
[Stream 13 Assassins ]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Wildlike
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Full of our most talented, underrated players (Bruce Greenwood and Ann Dowd, to name a couple), this unique film tells the story of a 14-year-old girl named Mackenzie sent to stay with her uncle in Alaska after her father passes away. After she's abused by her uncle, she runs away and encounters an old backpacker who teaches her a thing or two about life and helps her get back home to Seattle.
[Stream Wildlike]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Full of our most talented, underrated players (Bruce Greenwood and Ann Dowd, to name a couple), this unique film tells the story of a 14-year-old girl named Mackenzie sent to stay with her uncle in Alaska after her father passes away. After she's abused by her uncle, she runs away and encounters an old backpacker who teaches her a thing or two about life and helps her get back home to Seattle.
[Stream Wildlike]
Photo: Everett Collection
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The Longest Day
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
This classic war epic famously combined the efforts of multiple famed directors and the biggest names of the time (John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton, and Sean Connery among them). The film intricately depicts Normandy on D-Day in World War II and the five invasion points that were part of the operation.
[Stream The Longest Day]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
This classic war epic famously combined the efforts of multiple famed directors and the biggest names of the time (John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton, and Sean Connery among them). The film intricately depicts Normandy on D-Day in World War II and the five invasion points that were part of the operation.
[Stream The Longest Day]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Hot Fuzz
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Edgar Wright's uproarious action comedy is nothing short of brilliant. Starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as police officers in a rural English village, their quest to discover the sinister truth beneath their seemingly perfect town leads them to an unexpected - and absurd - revelation. Also ranked on our list of the best comedies on Netflix, this flick's got everything; car chases, comic gold, and gun fights are just a few things sure to make you love this ridiculous movie.
[Stream Hot Fuzz]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Edgar Wright's uproarious action comedy is nothing short of brilliant. Starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as police officers in a rural English village, their quest to discover the sinister truth beneath their seemingly perfect town leads them to an unexpected - and absurd - revelation. Also ranked on our list of the best comedies on Netflix, this flick's got everything; car chases, comic gold, and gun fights are just a few things sure to make you love this ridiculous movie.
[Stream Hot Fuzz]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Captain America: Civil War
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
While most of the Marvel movies embrace the value of camaraderie, this installment chronicles the dissolution of the relationship between Captain America and Iron Man due to political differences (and feelings about one Bucky Barnes) and evidently leads to a divide in The Avengers. Action-packed and emotionally driven, this slick sequel will have you holding your breath and crossing your fingers for a resolution.
[Stream Captain America: Civil War]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
While most of the Marvel movies embrace the value of camaraderie, this installment chronicles the dissolution of the relationship between Captain America and Iron Man due to political differences (and feelings about one Bucky Barnes) and evidently leads to a divide in The Avengers. Action-packed and emotionally driven, this slick sequel will have you holding your breath and crossing your fingers for a resolution.
[Stream Captain America: Civil War]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Doctor Strange
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Dr. Stephen Strange in this gorgeous adaptation of the beloved Marvel comic. After a car accident, Strange is forced to set aside his ego and dive into a world of alternate dimensions and mystic arts. To protect New York City and the rest of the worlds from threats across dimensions, he must utilize his newfound abilities and learn lessons about his power along the way. This gorgeous, thrilling flick is bound to appeal to comic lovers and the general public alike.
[Stream Doctor Strange]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Dr. Stephen Strange in this gorgeous adaptation of the beloved Marvel comic. After a car accident, Strange is forced to set aside his ego and dive into a world of alternate dimensions and mystic arts. To protect New York City and the rest of the worlds from threats across dimensions, he must utilize his newfound abilities and learn lessons about his power along the way. This gorgeous, thrilling flick is bound to appeal to comic lovers and the general public alike.
[Stream Doctor Strange]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Inglourious Basterds
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
What better time to fantasize about killing Nazis than right now? Quentin Tarantino's sweeping, wild imagining of Nazi-occupied France during World War II is bloody, frightening, and occasionally funny, and it's no surprise that this 2 and 1/2 hour film packs the punch it does. Starring Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, and Christoph Waltz in a career-making role, Inglourious Basterds is truly Tarantino at his extravagant best.
[Stream Inglourious Basterds]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
What better time to fantasize about killing Nazis than right now? Quentin Tarantino's sweeping, wild imagining of Nazi-occupied France during World War II is bloody, frightening, and occasionally funny, and it's no surprise that this 2 and 1/2 hour film packs the punch it does. Starring Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, and Christoph Waltz in a career-making role, Inglourious Basterds is truly Tarantino at his extravagant best.
[Stream Inglourious Basterds]
Photo: Everett Collection
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The Matrix
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Starring Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss, this wild sci-fi franchise kicks off when a computer hacker (Reeves) is contacted by elusive rebels who reveal the truth about his reality and how they must take down the people who control them. Totally iconic (and frequently parodied), this near-perfect action/sci-fi hybrid packs a punch with every viewing.
[Stream The Matrix]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Starring Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss, this wild sci-fi franchise kicks off when a computer hacker (Reeves) is contacted by elusive rebels who reveal the truth about his reality and how they must take down the people who control them. Totally iconic (and frequently parodied), this near-perfect action/sci-fi hybrid packs a punch with every viewing.
[Stream The Matrix]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Killers
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
This Japanese crime film might just be your new favorite; when a crazy executive with a taste for torture inadvertently triggers a journalist's "dark side", the two form a complicated bond over the internet. Soon, a rivalry of serial killer and vigilante begins, and their showdown deems no one safe. Full of twists, horrifying images, and tense sequences, this nightmarish flick is one-of-a-kind.
[Stream Killers]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
This Japanese crime film might just be your new favorite; when a crazy executive with a taste for torture inadvertently triggers a journalist's "dark side", the two form a complicated bond over the internet. Soon, a rivalry of serial killer and vigilante begins, and their showdown deems no one safe. Full of twists, horrifying images, and tense sequences, this nightmarish flick is one-of-a-kind.
[Stream Killers]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Okja
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
This unique adventure film depicts a young girl named Mija willing to do anything to save her best friend - a giant animal named Okja - from being kidnapped by an influential, multinational corporation (led by a transcendent, terrifying Tilda Swinton). This moving, magical, genre-blurring film speaks to the incredible, one-of-a-kind storytelling Joon Hoo is capable of.
[Stream Okja]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
This unique adventure film depicts a young girl named Mija willing to do anything to save her best friend - a giant animal named Okja - from being kidnapped by an influential, multinational corporation (led by a transcendent, terrifying Tilda Swinton). This moving, magical, genre-blurring film speaks to the incredible, one-of-a-kind storytelling Joon Hoo is capable of.
[Stream Okja]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
This Star Wars spin-off takes the franchise in an uncharted, darker direction, and it does it in an extraordinary manner. Starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, and an all-star ensemble cast, the film acts as a prequel to Star Wars: A New Hope and follows the team of rebels who embark on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star and save the universe as they know it. Well-acted, stunningly shot, and frankly thrilling, this flick will please Star Wars fans and new audiences alike.
[Stream Rogue One: A Star Wars Story]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
This Star Wars spin-off takes the franchise in an uncharted, darker direction, and it does it in an extraordinary manner. Starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, and an all-star ensemble cast, the film acts as a prequel to Star Wars: A New Hope and follows the team of rebels who embark on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star and save the universe as they know it. Well-acted, stunningly shot, and frankly thrilling, this flick will please Star Wars fans and new audiences alike.
[Stream Rogue One: A Star Wars Story]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Silver Streak
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
This iconic action comedy featuring a murder on a train journey marked the first of multiple collaborations between one late, great screen team: Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. This flick is filled with a number of truly hilarious hijinks and suspenseful sequences, and you might just be tempted to embark on a marathon afterwards - don't say we didn't warn you.
[Stream Silver Streak]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
This iconic action comedy featuring a murder on a train journey marked the first of multiple collaborations between one late, great screen team: Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. This flick is filled with a number of truly hilarious hijinks and suspenseful sequences, and you might just be tempted to embark on a marathon afterwards - don't say we didn't warn you.
[Stream Silver Streak]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Tropic Thunder
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
"What do YOU mean, 'you people'?" This uproarious action comedy starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., and a shocking turn from Tom Cruise is ever-quotable and completely bonkers (even if it is slightly #problematic). This subversive satire chronicles the endeavor of Tugg Speedman (Stiller) to produce the most expensive war movie ever made alongside Hollywood's other biggest stars (Downey Jr. and Black). When the fights in the jungle they're filming in become real, however, the actors must become soldiers - or face a gruesome fate.
[Stream Tropic Thunder]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
"What do YOU mean, 'you people'?" This uproarious action comedy starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., and a shocking turn from Tom Cruise is ever-quotable and completely bonkers (even if it is slightly #problematic). This subversive satire chronicles the endeavor of Tugg Speedman (Stiller) to produce the most expensive war movie ever made alongside Hollywood's other biggest stars (Downey Jr. and Black). When the fights in the jungle they're filming in become real, however, the actors must become soldiers - or face a gruesome fate.
[Stream Tropic Thunder]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Trollhunter
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Everything is not as it seems in this fast-paced, sci-fi/horror flick; a group of students initially sets out to investigate a series of strange bear killings, but soon encounter a mysterious hunter who tells them he spends his days tracking and hunting trolls. Full of fascinating folklore, comedy, thrills, and chills, this unique Norwegian film might just become your new fave.
[Stream Trollhunter]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Everything is not as it seems in this fast-paced, sci-fi/horror flick; a group of students initially sets out to investigate a series of strange bear killings, but soon encounter a mysterious hunter who tells them he spends his days tracking and hunting trolls. Full of fascinating folklore, comedy, thrills, and chills, this unique Norwegian film might just become your new fave.
[Stream Trollhunter]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Tracks
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Starring Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver, Tracks tells the unbelievable true story of a young woman who leaves everything behind to trek through 2,000 miles of Australian desert alone (well, with a dog and her four camels). Her fascinating journey of self-discovery soon finds photographer Rick Smolan (Driver) in her path, and he joins her to document her journey.
[Stream Tracks]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Starring Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver, Tracks tells the unbelievable true story of a young woman who leaves everything behind to trek through 2,000 miles of Australian desert alone (well, with a dog and her four camels). Her fascinating journey of self-discovery soon finds photographer Rick Smolan (Driver) in her path, and he joins her to document her journey.
[Stream Tracks]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Get the Gringo
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Mel Gibson stars as a career criminal who is apprehended by the Mexican police and holed up in the toughest of prisons, where he finds new life and purpose. This antihero may be just as bad as the rest of them, but it's hard not to root for him while he survives amongst the other corrupt folks surrounding him. The flick is unexpectedly funny and features a series of solid action sequences and interactions between Gibson and his talented co-stars.
[Stream Get the Gringo]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
Mel Gibson stars as a career criminal who is apprehended by the Mexican police and holed up in the toughest of prisons, where he finds new life and purpose. This antihero may be just as bad as the rest of them, but it's hard not to root for him while he survives amongst the other corrupt folks surrounding him. The flick is unexpectedly funny and features a series of solid action sequences and interactions between Gibson and his talented co-stars.
[Stream Get the Gringo]
Photo: Everett Collection
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Innerspace
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
This zany, wild sci-fi rom-com features an 80s dream cast; Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan, and more tackle Joe Dante's wacky tale of a scientifically-shrunk marine who finds himself floating around a hypochondriac's body as he tries to evade the thieves who want the device that made him miniature. While his colleagues attempt to retrieve him, he stays protected inside his tiny submarine while thwarting the attempts of a technology smuggler to steal the chip.
[Stream Innerspace]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
This zany, wild sci-fi rom-com features an 80s dream cast; Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan, and more tackle Joe Dante's wacky tale of a scientifically-shrunk marine who finds himself floating around a hypochondriac's body as he tries to evade the thieves who want the device that made him miniature. While his colleagues attempt to retrieve him, he stays protected inside his tiny submarine while thwarting the attempts of a technology smuggler to steal the chip.
[Stream Innerspace]
Photo: Everett Collection
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The Man from Snowy River
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Perhaps the film responsible for reviving the Australian film industry in the 1980s, The Man from Snowy River follows young Jim Craig as he copes with the death of his father and goes to extreme measures to earn enough money to get the family farm up and running again. Visually stunning, evenly-paced, and totally compelling, it's not hard to see why this film is so beloved.
[Stream The Man from Snowy River]
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Perhaps the film responsible for reviving the Australian film industry in the 1980s, The Man from Snowy River follows young Jim Craig as he copes with the death of his father and goes to extreme measures to earn enough money to get the family farm up and running again. Visually stunning, evenly-paced, and totally compelling, it's not hard to see why this film is so beloved.
[Stream The Man from Snowy River]
Photo: Everett Collection
