There’s nothing like a good action movie to get the blood pumping without even having to leave the couch. Whether someone prefers a fast-paced thriller with epic setpieces or a smaller-scale story on the comedic side, there are plenty of great action flicks out there for every kind of movie fan.
Netflix has one of the most robust libraries of action films in the entire streaming world, starring some of the biggest movie stars working today. But, while anyone would love settling down with a familiar favorite for their next movie night, Netflix also has plenty of forgotten classics that deserve more love. Instead of rewatching Back to the Future or Baby Driver, try out these underrated action films that could become new favorites.
Edge of Tomorrow Is Tom Cruise’s Most Underrated Movie
Edge of Tomorrow (sometimes known as Live. Die. Repeat.) is a terrific time loop thriller starring Tom Cruise. The film depicts a world at war with a race of alien invaders, turning the entire continent of Europe into a warzone. Cruise plays Major William Cage, an officer who has never been in battle, who is suddenly dropped into the front line when he crosses his superiors. Unprepared for action, Cage is killed in his first battle, only to wake up again a day earlier. Upon discovering that he has somehow entered a time loop, Cage sets about looking for ways to survive and to win the war for humanity.
Based on the graphic novel All You Need is Kill, this 2014 sci-fi action film takes the classic Groundhog Day trope and perfects. Edge of Tomorrow may not have been a smash hit at the box office, but it has retained a cult following for over a decade–and rightfully so. The film is everything viewers could want from a time loop thriller and deserves every bit of attention it gets as it continues to dominate streaming service after streaming service.
The Book of Eli Puts Denzel Washington In a Dystopian Wasteland
The Book of Eli introduces audiences to a dystopian world doomed to crumble thirty years after a cataclysmic war. In the wasteland that was once civilization, one nomad named Eli, played by Denzel Washington, travels across great distances to deliver a mysterious book, which is supposedly the only hope left for humanity. Along the way, he struggles to understand his mission and comes to realize his place in saving the world.
The Book of Eli is far from Denzel Washington’s greatest film, but it gives the Academy Award-winning actor the chance to explore his skills as an action movie star. The film’s mystery may divide viewers, but it paints a compelling moral throughout the story that may hit home for some. The Book of Eli may not be for everyone, but it’s certainly worth a watch.
Non-Stop Is Liam Neeson’s Best Taken Replacement
While Liam Neeson is best known today for his Taken movies, the actor’s other action films are generally not as well-loved. However, the 2014 action-thriller Non-Stop deserves just as much attention as Neeson’s hit trilogy. Non-Stop follows air marshal Bill Marks, who discovers that there is an international terrorist aboard his plane.
The only problem is that he doesn’t know which one of the passengers it is. As he gets threatening texts from the perpetrator, Marks must do everything in his power to discover their identity, save the other passengers, and prevent a terrorist attack.
Set in a confined space for most of its runtime, Non-Stop expertly builds up the tension as time runs out for Marks to save the day. The film works as both an action-thriller and a “whodunit,” as it introduces a large cast of characters, any one of whom could be revealed as the villain. By the time the credits roll, viewers will find they’ve had a terrific time with this surprisingly great Taken replacement.
The Adam Project Never Got the Attention It Deserved
Ryan Reynolds has starred in several of Netflix’s best original action movies, but none tops The Adam Project. From director Shawn Levy, who also partnered with Reynolds on Free Guy and Deadpool & Wolverine, this 2022 original movie follows the young Adam Weed (Walker Scobell), who is visited by an older version of himself (Reynolds) from the future. The older Adam hails from a time soured over by war, and has been sent on a mission to prevent his future from coming true.
The Adam Project uses an age-old premise from countless other time travel adventures, but manages to carve out a unique place for itself in the genre thanks to its surprisingly emotional story. At its core, the film is about family, and it manages to work in a compelling narrative as the younger Adam learns to appreciate what he has–and what he has lost. Of course, the action is also top-tier, with Shawn Levy proving why he is the perfect person to direct Star Wars: Starfighter with several sequences that reflect his love for the iconic sci-fi franchise.
Tower Heist Is a Hilarious Ensemble Comedy
Tower Heist is a forgotten 2011 comedy that deserves a comeback over a decade later. Putting a comedy spin on the classic heist genre, the film follows Ben Stiller’s Josh Kovaks, a property manager who reaches the end of his patience with an obnoxious resident (played by the great Alan Alda) who has stolen a massive amount of retirement funds. Kovaks puts a team of victims together to pull off the heist of the century by breaking into Arthur Shaw’s apartment and stealing back what he took from them.
With a terrific ensemble cast that includes Stiller, Alda, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Michael Peña, Téa Leoni, and more, Tower Heist is the perfect counterprogramming to other, more serious heist films. The film deserves a chance to come out of obscurity and find a new audience now that it is streaming on Netflix.
San Andreas Is a Great Disaster Flick
Dwayne Johnson’s 2015 disaster thriller San Andreas may have been forgotten in the decade since its release, but it deserves another life on streaming. San Andreas depicts the chaos that ensues when “the Big One” finally hits. A massive earthquake destroys the entire state of California, forcing one search-and-rescue helicopter pilot to navigate the chaos as he tries to protect his family.
San Andreas has the epic scale and widespread destruction that one would expect from a natural disaster flick, earning comparisons to the work of Roland Emmerich. It is a terrific film for viewers looking to turn their brain off and enjoy a fast-paced and action-packed story that doesn’t try too hard to challenge its audience.
The Brothers Grimsby Is an Action-Comedy That Deserves More Love
The Brothers Grimsby is an irreverent action-comedy that brilliantly parodies the spy genre. Mark Strong and Sacha Baron Cohen play two brothers with nothing in common. When the simple everyman Nobby discovers that his long-lost brother Sebastian is a secret agent working for MI6, he finds himself drawn into an international mission to take down an evil villain and save the world. Along the way, the brothers reconnect, learn to accept one another, and take out the world’s worst villains.
The Brothers Grimsby may not have been a critical darling, but it flourishes thanks to the wonderfully fun dynamic between Strong and Cohen. Strong is, as always, brilliant as the straight man secret agent, clashing with Cohen’s loud, irreverent humor. With a strong supporting cast that includes the likes of Rebel Wilson, Isla Fisher, Penelope Cruz, and Annabelle Wallis, The Brothers Grimsby is certainly worth a viewing.
Plane Is Streaming Ahead of an Exciting Sequel
Plane was 2023’s surprise action hit. The film follows Gerard Butler’s Brodie Torrance, a pilot who is forced to crash-land his plane on a war-torn island when it is hit by a bolt of lightning. Stranded in the middle of a warzone, things only get worse for the survivors when they are taken hostage by a group of rebels. To save the others, Torrance must team up with his most dangerous passenger, Mike Colter’s Louis Gaspare, an accused murderer with a dark past.
Plane has fun with what could have easily been a dry and predictable premise. The team-up between Butler and Cotler turns out to be surprisingly interesting, with both characters emerging as highlights. Plane may sound like a generic action-thriller, but it has enough unique details to make it worth a watch, especially with Colter returning for a sequel titled Ship.
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