Delroy Lindo as Paul in 'Da 5 Bloods'; Godzilla in 'Godzilla Minus One'; Charlize Theron as Andy in 'The Old Guard'
Delroy Lindo as Paul in 'Da 5 Bloods'; Godzilla in 'Godzilla Minus One'; Charlize Theron as Andy in 'The Old Guard'.
Welcome to your mental vacation, we hope you enjoy an action-packed itinerary. Your trip will take you from the dunes of Arrakis to CIA headquarters, and everywhere in between. The characters you'll meet on your journey have little use for small talk and prefer to lead with their feet and fists, but don't be offended: It's not you, it's them.
With denouements set around the world and redemption arcs that eschew the erudite in favor of pure, physical effort, this list of the best action films currently streaming on Netflix has something for everyone on your couch to enjoy.
01 of 26
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Josh Hartnett as Eversmann in 'Black Hawk Down'Josh Hartnett as Eversmann in 'Black Hawk Down'
Josh Hartnett as Eversmann in 'Black Hawk Down'.
Ridley Scott’s 2001 war film Black Hawk Down won Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound, marked Tom Hardy's big-screen debut, and features an absolutely stacked ensemble cast. When a US Army air and land operation in war-torn Mogadishu goes south in a hurry, the 1993 Somalia Civil War becomes personal for the Army rangers, Delta Force operators, and UH-60 Black Hawk flight crews that are pinned down in the city, running out of ammo, significantly outnumbered, and fighting for their lives.
With Jerry Bruckheimer producing and Scott directing, Black Hawk Down becomes an extended gun battle full of outsized slow-motion explosions, ringing automatic weapons fire, and the pockmarked infrastructure of scarred city Mogadishu seeming to collapse in real time around the soldiers’ positions. —Ilana Gordon
Where to watch Black Hawk Down: Netflix
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast:Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner, Sam Shepard, Tom Hardy
The Blues Brothers (1980)
John Belushi as Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as Elwood Blues in 'The Blues Brothers'
John Belushi as Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as Elwood Blues in 'The Blues Brothers'
An ode to stunt driving, blues music, and the city of Chicago, The Blues Brothers remains one of Saturday Night Live’s most successful cinematic exports. Jake and Elwood Blues — characters developed on the show by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, respectively — are brothers who decide to reunite their old band in the hope of raising enough money to save a local orphanage.
The only musical comedy to feature Nazis and Aretha Franklin in prominent roles, The Blues Brothers was one of the most expensive comedies ever made at the time of its release, but the production value paid off, with critics raving about the film’s songs and city-wide car chases. Released less than two years before Belushi’s death, The Blues Brothers marked the pinnacle of the actor’s movie career, and remains a cult favorite among comedy and musical lovers. —I.G.
Where to watch The Blues Brothers: Netflix
Director: John Landis
Cast: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Carrie Fisher, Aretha Franklin, Henry Gibson
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Delroy Lindo as Paul in 'Da 5 Bloods'.
David Lee/Netflix
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.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Zendaya as Chani in 'Dune: Part Two'.
Warner Bros. Pictures
The second film in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s fantasy novel, Dune: Part Two follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) on his quest to unite and lead the Fremen people into battle against House Harkonnen. Production on the film was also a fight: The project contended with pandemic filming restrictions and strike delays. The movie — a love story threaded with themes of imperialism and colonialism — triumphed anyway, earning the fourth slot on EW’s list of the 10 best movies of 2024.
EW’s writer explains, “Dune: Part Two found stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya deepening their performances, while Austin Butler and Florence Pugh brought new flavors to the mix.” Boasting stunning cinematography, this sci-fi epic isn’t just good for a sequel — audiences, critics, and top-tier directors have acknowledged it as one of the best movies in the sci-fi genre. —I.G.
Where to watch Dune: Part Two: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem
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The Equalizer 3 (2023)
Denzel Washington as Robert McCall in 'The Equalizer 3'. Stefano Montesi/Columbia Pictures
In the third entry of The Equalizer saga, Denzel Washington's Robert McCall finds solace in the simplicity of sipping tea along the Amalfi Coast...and beating the living hell out of those foolish enough to cross his path. Turning away from his life as an indestructible DIA officer, the former Marine seeks sanctuary from the scars of his violent past in a quaint Italian town but is disrupted once his newfound friends face threats from the Camorra, a local Mafia-like group.
This propels Robert back into action, igniting a carnage-soaked battle for their freedom, as well as his own. While treading formulaic ground for action sequels, The Equalizer 3 also provides everything you could possibly ask for: a tension-laced opening, squeaky-clean pacing/editing, picturesque mise-en-scène, and heavily-stylized combat. —James Mercadante
Where to watch The Equalizer 3: Netflix
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Denman, Gaia Scodellaro, Remo Girone
Extraction (2020)
Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake in 'Extraction'.
Jasin Boland/Netflix
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
07
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa, Tom Burke as Praetorian Jack, and Chris Hemsworth as Dementus in 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'
Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa, Tom Burke as Praetorian Jack, and Chris Hemsworth as Dementus in 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'
George Miller revitalized his Mad Max franchise with the 2015 release of Mad Max: Fury Road. Here, he’s telling Furiosa’s origin story in an eponymous prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy. The film follows Furiosa as she is kidnapped as a child (played by Alylya Browne) from her home in the Green Place of Many Mothers, and brought as a gift to the leader of a biker gang.
This is a perfect introduction to the events depicted in Fury Road, and it’s the first film in the franchise not to focus on Max himself (played in different versions by Mel Gibson and Tom Hardy). The movie fills in lots of narrative questions raised in the franchise, and while EW’s reviewer notes that Furiosa isn’t quite as good as Fury Road, “it does allow us to spend a little more time in this world and Miller’s mind.” —I.G.
Where to watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: George Miller
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne
08
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Kuranosuke Susaki as Kôichi Shikishima and Godzilla in 'Godzilla Minus One'.
Toho International/Courtesy Everett Collection
Godzilla Minus One won the 2024 Oscar for Best Visual Effects, but the film is so much more than a monster movie with incredible CGI. Set in Japan, a country ravaged by the after-effects of World War II, the film follows a failed kamikaze pilot as he is haunted both by his performance during the war and a gargantuan monster with a heat ray capable of razing Tokyo.
A love story disguised as a horror movie, Godzilla Minus One offers stunning performances, a fascinating historical perspective, and — of course — the kind of city-trampling mayhem one would expect when selecting a Godzilla movie. You know they did a good job when the filmmaker has you sympathizing with both the monster and the citizens rallying to defeat it. —I.G.
Where to watch Godzilla Minus One: Netflix
Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Cast: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki
09
Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
Karan Gillan as Sam in 'Gunpowder Milkshake'.
Reiner Bajo/StudioCanal
After honing her ass-kicking prowess in both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Jumanji franchise, Karen Gillan struts confidently into the leading role for Navot Papushado's action flick. If you enjoy Atomic Blonde (2017) or Birds of Prey (2020), you will revel in Gunpowder Milkshake, where Gillian stars as Sam — a highly-trained killer targeted by her ex-employers, who must forge alliances with her assassin mother (Lena Headey) and her former hitwoman comrades to survive.
With a stacked lineup of powerhouses like Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, and Carla Gugino, the film offers 114 minutes of nonstop thrill, which Gillian described to EW as "humorous at times and [doesn't] take itself too seriously, but [takes] the action seriously enough." —J.M.
Where to watch Gunpowder Milkshake: Netflix
Director: Navot Papushado
Cast: Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Chloe Coleman, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett, Paul Giamatti, Ralph Ineson
The Harder They Fall (2021)
Regina King as Trudy Smith, Idris Elba as Rufus Buck, and LaKeith Stanfield as Cherokee Bill in 'The Harder They Fall'
Regina King as Trudy Smith, Idris Elba as Rufus Buck, and LaKeith Stanfield as Cherokee Bill in 'The Harder They Fall'
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 stars 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. —Dennis Perkins
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
Heat (1995)
Robert De Niro as Neil McCauley in 'Heat'.
Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection
Notable for being the first onscreen partnership of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, this crime epic had a lot of, well, heat, ahead of its 1995 release, and it more than lived up to expectations. The film centers on experienced thief Neil McCauley (De Niro) whose various heists are detected by LAPD cop Vincent Hanna (Pacino).
As McCauley continues to chase the high of a well-orchestrated theft, Hanna loves the pursuit, leading to an iconic scene of the two of them calling a brief truce over some coffee at a diner, where they learn they're more alike than they thought. "You can feel their joy in performing," EW's critic writes of the scene. "We're not watching McCauley and Hanna anymore; we're watching De Niro and Pacino trying to out-insinuate each other." —Kevin Jacobsen
Where to watch Heat: Netflix
EW grade: B– (read the review)
Director:Michael Mann
Cast: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Jon Voight, Val Kilmer
12 of 26
Kate (2021)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate in 'Kate'.
Jasin Boland/Netflix
Imagine if John Wick had a daughter, and you'd evoke someone akin to Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a raging-bull assassin and A1 sniper operating in Tokyo. When she's injected with acute radiation poisoning caused by Polonium-204, Kate races against the clock, armed with less than 24 hours to unmask her assailant and deliver some lethal payback.
Bursting with candy-colored visuals, sensational stunts, brutal carnage, and Winstead's organic badassery (one that echoes her role as the Huntress in Birds of Prey), Kate delivers as a proper revenge thriller. Per EW's critic, the film "is red-meat storytelling, all broad outlines and crunched bones. But there's a visual wit and visceral energy to it that other recent efforts struggle to find." —J.M.
Where to watch Kate: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan
Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Miku Martineau, Woody Harrelson, Tadanobu Asano, Michiel Huisman, Miyavi, Jun Kunimura
13 of 26
Lou (2022)
Allison Janney as Lou and Jurnee Smollett as Hannah in 'Lou'.
Liane Hentscher/Netflix
Allison Janney knows how to deliver a line, and — thanks to stunt training for her Netflix film, Lou — she also knows how to deliver a punch. Janney stars as the film's titular character, a misandrist landlord who rents a home to a single mother named Hannah (Jurnee Smollett) and her young daughter, Vee. After Vee is kidnapped, Lou agrees to help Hannah bring her back, but saving Vee's future will require Lou to confront her own messy past.
Director Anna Foerster asked a lot of her cast during production, as evidenced by the fact that both Smollett and Janney spend much of the film covered in mud. (Smollett tells EW, "The mud is a character in itself!") As for Janney, she hopes this role will showcase her rarely-seen physical abilities — and maybe land her a role in the next John Wick movie. —I.G.
Where to watch Lou: Netflix
Director: Anna Foerster
Cast: Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett, Logan Marshall-Green
14 of 26
Lucy (2014)
Scarlett Johansson as Lucy in 'Lucy'.
Jessica Forde/Universal Studios
It is estimated that humans are able to access 10 percent of our brains’ potential. In the sci-fi action film Lucy, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and savage circumstances collide to give Lucy (Scarlett Johansson), an American student living in Taiwan, access to 28 percent of her brain — and counting. Featuring the signature, stylized violence of French director Luc Besson, the film is presented at high speeds and alongside imagery designed to make you question your sobriety.
There’s no debating that the movie remains firmly in the shallow end of the character development pool, but Lucy makes up for it with stunt work, pacing, and aesthetic. A non-Marvel or DC superhero story for the technology era, Lucy starts as a cautionary tale and ends in the realm of the trippily cerebral, but steadily summons what one EW contributor describes as “genuine bizarro excitement.” —I.G.
Where to watch Lucy: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Luc Besson
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-sik, Amr Waked
15 of 26
Mosul (2019)
Suhail Dabbach as Jasem in 'Mosul'.
Jose Haro/Netflix/Everett
Set in war-torn Mosul, this Arabic-language war movie centers on the skirmishes fought between an Iraqi SWAT team and ISIS insurgents during the 2016 Battle of Mosul. After 21-year-old police officer Kawa survives an ISIS attack, he agrees to accompany a SWAT team on their quest to free Mosul from militants. As Kawa navigates the ravaged city and fights alongside the other officers, he struggles to find answers to his questions about the purposes of the SWAT team’s secret mission.
Inspired by a 2017 article about the battle within Iraq to destroy ISIS, Mosul premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019, and received positive feedback for offering a new perspective on the violence in the region. Nuanced and thoughtful in spite of the violence, the film ends with a surprisingly heartwarming twist. —I.G.
Where to watch Mosul: Netflix
Director: Matthew Michael Carnahan
Cast: Suhail Dabbach, Adam Bessa, Is'Haq Elias
16 of 26
Ocean's Eleven (2001)
Don Cheadle as Basher Tarr, George Clooney as Danny Ocean, Shaobo Qin as Yen, and Casey Affleck as Virgil Malloy in 'Ocean's Eleven'.
Bob Marshak/Warner Bros.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas — unless you’re a casino owner squaring off against Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his crew of fellow con artists. Recently released from prison with a plan to rob three casinos and win back his ex-wife (Julia Roberts), Ocean’s elaborately choreographed heist is a master class in maximalist audacity.
A blockbuster action film crammed with movie stars and charisma — most notably evidenced in the bromance between Ocean and his right-hand man, Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) — Ocean’s Eleven is fast, funny, and endlessly entertaining. In their review at the time, EW’s critic writes "Ocean’s Eleven has no pretenses, yet it’s a scrumptious and dizzy-spirited lark, a what-the-hell-let’s-rob-the-casino flick made with so much wit and brains and dazzle and virtuosity that the sheer speed and cleverness of the caper hits you like a shot of pure oxygen.” —I.G.
Where to watch Ocean’s Eleven: Netflix
EW grade: A (read the review)
Director:Steven Soderbergh
Cast: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy García, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner
17 of 26
Okja (2018)
Okja and Ahn Seo-hyun as Mija in 'Okja'. Netflix
Two years before Bong Joon Ho wowed the world with Parasite, the South Korean director partnered with Netflix to make Okja. A pig-centered movie that leans decidedly more toward Animal Farm than Babe, the movie follows Mija, a South Korean teen who bonds with Okja, the "super pig" she's helped raise — only to have Okja taken from her after he is crowned the winner of an agrochemical company's competition for best pig. With Okja headed for the slaughterhouse, Mija travels from South Korea to New York City on a mission to save her friend and to help expose the inhumane practices of the Mirando Corporation and its leader, Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton).
A mixture of science, fantasy, action, and adventure, Okja is one of those movies you have to see to believe. As EW's critic writes, Okja is "the antithesis of cookie-cutter, made-by-committee filmmaking. Prepare to be amazed, grossed out, provoked, punchdrunk, and tickled." —I.G.
Where to watch Okja: Netflix
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Cast: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Ahn Seo-hyun, Byun Hee-bong, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Yoon Je-moon, Shirley Henderson, Daniel Henshall, Devon Bostick, Choi Woo-shik, Giancarlo Esposito, Jake Gyllenhaal
18 of 26
The Old Guard (2020)
Charlize Theron as Andy in 'The Old Guard'. Everett Collection
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 set to hit Netflix on July 2. —I.G.
Where to watch The Old Guard: Netflix
EW grade: B– (read the review)
Director:Gina Prince-Bythewood
Cast: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Veronica Ngo, Matthias Schoenaerts, Chiwetel Ejiofor
19 of 26
Outlaw King (2018)
Chris Pine as Robert Bruce in 'Outlaw King'. David Eustace/Netflix
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. Filmed, 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
20 of 26
Project Power (2020)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Frank, Dominique Fishback as Robin, and Jamie Foxx as Art in 'Project Power'.
Skip Bolen/Netflix
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)
Directors:Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback, Rodrigo Santoro, Colson Baker, Allen Maldonado, Amy Landecker, Courtney B. Vance
21 of 26
RRR (2022)
N.T. Rama Rao Jr. as Komaram Bheem in 'RRR'. Everett Collection
Though 2022 saw the triumph of Everything Everywhere All at Once, there existed another film that was also a pageant of absurd, maximalist thrill that left MCU blushing in its wake. Part buddy-comedy, part action-thriller, part historical drama, part musical, S. Rajamouli's Telugu-language blockbuster set in the 1920s — which won the Oscar for Original Song ("Naatu Naatu"), making history as the first song from an Indian feature film to win in that category — is a semi-historical story centered around the unlikely camaraderie between two Indian revolutionaries, Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan), who band together against British imperialism.
An explosion of electrifying spectacles, RRR successfully melds over-the-top action sequences — from battling tigers to swinging motorcycles — campy dance numbers, and emotional story lines into one cohesive theatrical experience. —J.M.
Where to watch RRR: Netflix
Director: S. Rajamouli
Cast: N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, Olivia Morris
22 of 26
Sicario (2015)
Daniel Kaluuya as Reggie Wayne, Hank Rogerson as Phil Coopers, Victor Garber as Dave Jennings, and Emily Blunt as Kate Macer in 'Sicario'.
Richard Foreman/Lionsgate Films
Recalling the complicated interconnected quality of 2000’s war-on-drugs film Traffic, this pulse-pounding thriller is a bleakly violent yet compelling examination of just how futile the war really is. Emily Blunt stars as Kate Macer, an FBI Special Agent assigned to bring down the lieutenant of a powerful drug cartel. As part of a joint task force, the team travels to the Mexican border to extradite the lieutenant’s brother, and Kate soon discovers the true extent of the CIA’s plans.
“Sicario is a brilliant action thriller with the smarts of a message movie,” writes EW’s critic. “And the message is this: Are we willing to bend the rules and sell our souls to fight a war that will probably never be won?” —K.J.
Where to watch Sicario: Netflix
EW grade: A (read the review)
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jon Bernthal, Daniel Kaluuya
23 of 26
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
Burt Reynolds as Bandit in 'Smokey and the Bandit'.
Silver Screen Collection/Getty
What would you do if someone offered you $80,000 to bootleg 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta within 28 hours? For Bo "Bandit" Darville (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Jerry Reed), the answer is obviously to accept. The plan is simple: Bandit will drive ahead in a Pontiac Trans Am intended to distract law enforcement, while Snowman drives the truck — but the duo's foolproof scheme is complicated when runaway bride Carrie (Sally Field) jumps into Bandit's car in an attempt to escape her would-be husband Junior, whose father just happens to be Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason), a.k.a. Smokey Bear.
As Buford and Junior pursue Carrie, Bandit and Snowman attempt to make it to Atlanta in time to collect their payout. An action comedy film rife with vehicular crashes and motorcycle pratfalls, Smokey and the Bandit is far from subtle, but that doesn't mean it's not funny. —I.G.
Where to watch Smokey and the Bandit: Netflix
Director: Hal Needham
Cast: Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason, Paul Williams
24 of 26
Train to Busan (2016)
Gong Yoo as Seok-woo in 'Train to Busan'. Well Go USA Entertainment
The only thing faster than a bullet train is the zombie infection overtaking its passengers. In the South Korean action horror film Train to Busan, Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) is a work-obsessed hedge fund manager and absentee father who agrees to accompany his young daughter, Soo-an (Kim Su-an), on a trip from Seoul to Busan so she can spend her birthday with her mother. As the train departs, a sick woman begins transitioning into a zombie — and infecting everyone around her.
Now barreling full-speed across the country, Seok-woo, Soo-an, and the other passengers must find a way to survive the apocalyptic journey in order to find refuge in Busan. These zombies seem to have studied at the World War Z School of Swarming; they move at the same frenetic speed, aiming to infect the entire country. —I.G.
Where to watch Train to Busan: Netflix
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Cast: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee, Kim Eui-sung
25 of 26
Triple Frontier (2018)
Charlie Hunnam as William 'Ironhead' Miller in 'Triple Frontier'. Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix
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
26 of 26
Unbroken (2014)
Ross Anderson as Blackie, Jack O'Connell as Louis Zamperini, Garrett Hedlund as Fitzgerald, Luke Treadaway as Miller, and Louis McIntosh as Harris in 'Unbroken'
Ross Anderson as Blackie, Jack O'Connell as Louis Zamperini, Garrett Hedlund as Fitzgerald, Luke Treadaway as Miller, and Louis McIntosh as Harris in 'Unbroken'
Angelina Jolie loves a war story, but her second foray into feature directing represents a return to classic World War II cinema, and is far more patriotic than one would expect given her brand. The film in question, Unbroken, is adapted from the 2010 nonfiction book by Laura Hillenbrand about World War II hero Louis Zamperini. A former Olympian who ran track before enlisting in the Air Force, Zamperini was captured as a Japanese POW and his journey through captivity is as tumultuous as one might expect.
A film EW’s critic describes as “moving, admirable, and occasionally exhilarating,” Unbroken sometimes seems almost old-fashioned in its presentation and subject matter, but Zamperini’s story of heroism remains triumphant, and Jolie doesn’t shy away from its most abusive and abhorrent moments. Jack O'Connell is, as EW’s critic says, “totally hypnotic” in the role of Zamperini, and Miyavi, a Japanese rock star turned actor for the film, plays opposite him as the film’s antagonist, Sgt. Mutsuhiro "the Bird" Watanabe. —I.G.