The 25 best Netflix action movies to watch right now

Thanks to an incredible selection of heart-stopping thrillers, it can be tricky to narrow down the best action movies on Netflix. With electrifying fight sequences, high-tension drama, and twisting plots, our selection below features 25 of the most gripping action movies on the streaming platform.

We've covered everything from sci-fi entries to modern day action pieces so there should be something for whatever you're in the mood for below. We've also got great new releases covered too, including Rebel Ridge and Carry On, as well as more typical entries like The Old Guard and Extraction.

In short, if you're after the best action movies on Netflix – or even just some of the best Netflix movies ever – then you're in the right place. So put your feet up, grab a massive bucket of popcorn, and get streaming.

The best Netflix action movies out now

25. The Gray Man

Year: 2022
Director(s): Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

The directors of Avengers: Endgame sure knows how to attract an all-star cast. This time around, however, The Russo Brothers have switched superheroes for superspies in their new thriller The Gray Man. Starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, and Regé-Jean Page, the movie follows a former spy on the run from the corrupt CIA – and the assassin they've hired to kill him.

A chase around the globe ensues as Evans' psychotic Lloyd Hansen attempts to corner Gosling's Sierra Six. And if the A-List line-up wasn't enough to win you over, then the big-budget spectacle could be just the action fix you're after given it's reportedly Netflix's most expensive movie to date.

Read our The Gray Man review for more details!

24. Lou

Year: 2022
Director(s): Anna Foerster

Starring Allison Janney, Logan Marshall-Green, and Jurnee Smollett, Lou has been liked to Taken and John Wick, and those comparisons are sure to catch the attention of action movie enthusiasts. Directed by Westworld's Anna Foerster, its premise is simple: Janney plays the titular mother, who teams up with the mysterious woman next door to save her kidnapped daughter.

The mission pushes both of them to their physical and mental limits, while also exposing shocking secrets about their respective pasts.

23. Code 8

Year: 2019
Director(s): Jeff Chan

We're in a post-MCU world where the superhero schtick is no longer counterculture. As a result, we're now getting more fun, straight-to-streaming pics like Code 8, set in a world where roughly 4% of the population is born with abilities. Alas, this circumstance is sadly not met with excitement by the majority of citizens who cower away from "Powers", including Connor (Robbie Amell), a twenty-something labourer struggling to pay for his mother's medical bills. He harnesses his electrokinetic powers and joins forces with a criminal gang to raise the cash.

Arrowverse heroes and real-life cousins Robbie and Stephen Amell co-star after having raised the financing for the film through Kickstarter. It's their on-screen dynamic that truly sells it, with the older Amell playing the thuggish crook who enlists Connor. Writer-director Jeff Chan hardly has the type of budget typically tossed at superhero fare, yet this grittier take on an X-Men-esque world delivers plenty of compelling action sequences.

22. The Wandering Earth

Year: 2019
Director(s): Frant Gwo

Watching Chinese box-office smash The Wandering Earth, it seems its screenwriter mainlined every '90s Hollywood disaster movie then promptly declared, "Hold all the beers in the world." The sweaty-browed machismo of American popcorn entertainment is nothing compared to what's being dubbed China's first proper sci-fi blockbuster. The story somehow surpasses them all.

Earth is in dire straits as the sun is on the cusp of dying out, making life on the planet uninhabitable. Scientists pepper the Earth's surface with 10,000 rocket thrusters, enabling Earth to be directed to a new star system… as long as they also avoid pesky Jupiter's gravity. It's ambitious as hell, yet director Frank Gwo and his team somehow juggle the superb ensemble cast and a series of showy visuals for an at-times arresting disaster actioner.

For more space streaming picks, check out our list of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix.

21. The Lovebirds

Year: 2020
Director(s): Michael Showalter

A brisk, laugh-packed buddy comedy set over the course of one night. Nope, we're not talking about your standard '80s male-fronted pics. The Lovebirds takes that concept and splices it with the remnants of a fairy tale love story, opening on a couple, Jibran and Leilani, on their way to a party that they never reach because they fight in the car and decide to break up. It's tense, not particularly fun, and all feels a little grim. Until Jibran accidentally hits a cyclist who refuses their help.

Things spiral from that point, sending the duo into harm's way repeatedly over the evening. They encounter a host of crooks who want to kill them, naturally making them work together as a team to survive their ordeal. It's hardly reinventing the wheel, but it's worth a watch thanks to the comedic chops of Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae, a duo that delivers both gags and surprisingly solid beatdowns throughout.

20. Kate

Year: 2021
Director(s): Cedric Nicolas-Troyan

Mary Elizabeth Winstead gives John Wick a run for his money in Kate, Netflix's action thriller. Joined by Woody Harrelson and Game of Thrones' Michiel Huisman, Winstead plays the titular role of an assassin who finds out she only has 24 hours to live after being poisoned.

She decides to spend her last moments going on a manhunt through Tokyo and befriends the daughter (Miku Martineau) of a past target in the process. Ignore the naysayers who say this one's simply another knock-off of Keanu Reeves' action franchise – Kate strikes out on her own, making for an engaging romp that's well worth a watch.

For more adrenaline, read our list of the best action movies of all time.

19. Triple Frontier

Year: 2019
Director(s): J. C. Chandor

Think of Triple Frontier as Ocean's Eleven with a military slant. J.C Chandor directs from a script he co-wrote with Zero Dark Thirty's Mark Boal for the testosterone movie that tells of a group of former Special Forces Operatives who band together to rob a noted cartel drug lord. It’s hardly new, plot-wise, but the movie brings out plenty of surprises beneath its pecs. Notably, its cast manages to venture into interesting territory with their characters, who find themselves in dire straits when a simple plan goes wrong.

Oscar Isaac leads as Santiago "Pope" Garcia, a DEA Agent who reunites his former team (Ben Affleck on top form, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, and Garrett Hedlund) to carry out the heist, that undoubtedly doesn't pan out the way they expect. Netflix struck gold with this winning combo of top-shelf A-listers, taut, precision scripting, and great action sequences that have your heart in your throat. One of the best action movies on Netflix, Triple Frontier packs equal amounts of brawn and brain and is eminently watchable.

18. Carry-On

Year: 2024
Director (s): Jaume Collet-Serra

Carry-On was Netflix's number 1 movie over Christmas 2024, and it's not difficult to see why – Taron Egerton's film is a suspenseful, exciting, and deeply entertaining watch.

The Kingsman star plays a TSA agent working at the airport in Los Angeles, who's blackmailed into allowing a dangerous piece of luggage on board a flight on Christmas Eve. If he doesn't someone he loves could get hurt. If he does, he could be endangering the hundreds of passengers.

Directed by Black Adam and Jungle Cruise helmer Jaume Collet-Serra, the cast of the film also includes Jason Bateman, Dean Norris, and Danielle Deadwyler.

17. Extraction

Year: 2020
Director(s): Sam Hargrave

Sinking $65 million dollars into its action spectacle Extraction, it's no wonder Netflix chose to, as they say, go balls-to-the-wall on every front. Nabbing Chris Hemsworth for the lead was a masterstroke, but the big get aside from Thor is its director Sam Hargrave, who also happens to be an MCU stunt performer. Much like John Wick saw noted stunt genius Chad Stahelski take the reins as director for the first time, Hargrave gets that same chance to lens action the way a stuntman experiences it.

And that's largely why the plot might not matter much. Granted, the story's a decent enough tale of a sultry mercenary who accepts a job to locate the kidnapped son of an international crime lord, but it won't change the face of cinema. Come for Hemsworth playing a slightly more serious role, and stay for the terrific action set pieces and if you enjoy it, there's a sequel to whack on straight after, too.

Read our Extraction review for more information.

16. Wheelman

Year: 2017
Director(s): Jeremy Rush

You might know him as Crossbones from the MCU or as that guy from The Purge movies. Here Frank Grillo plays a getaway driver - aka the wheelman of the title - thrown into an unfortunate set of circumstances when a heist goes wrong. With a car full of cash and no idea who framed him, it's up to him to figure out what happened, even though he has no idea who he can trust.

Dubbed a thriller and a neo-noir, with flashes of melodrama, you can safely call it all of those things. By the time the end rolls around, there's no doubt this is a balls-to-the-wall actioner. And really, who doesn't like a good car chase movie? Even when they're bad, they're still a blast. Luckily, Wheelman is an excellent experiment in blending thrills and action, with a brisk running time that will make it speed by.

Want a franchise? Dive into our guide on how to watch all the Marvel movies in order.

15. The Siege of Jadotville

Year: 2016
Director(s): Richie Smyth

The Siege of Jadotville is inspired by the experiences of the 157-strong Irish Army during their 1961 UN peacekeeping mission in Congo. It's hard to believe that Jamie Dornan, he of Fifty Shades, can deliver on the dramatic action front but he's at the top of his game as Commandant Pat Quinlan in this Netflix Original. He leads his 150 men into battle with a world-weariness that seems baked-in, taking them on a life-changing mission to hold steady a fort from 3,000 Congolese troops.

Part of director Richie Smyth's plan to toughen up his actors before shooting was to ensure that their experiences felt real. He made all of them attend a soldier training camp... and boy, does it show. That's how you bring a layer of emotional truth to a movie like this.

For more streaming sagas, check out our list of the best movies on Apple TV.

14. Army of the Dead

Year: 2021
Director(s): Zack Snyder

Zack Snyder's latest offering is an action-packed zombie heist movie that sees a group of mercenaries venture into an undead-ridden Las Vegas to crack a near impenetrable safe, with the promise of a huge reward.

The problem is, Vegas is set to be nuked in just hours – and if that wasn't enough to get the adrenaline pumping, a lot of the zombies the crew encounter are faster, stronger, and smarter than you've seen before. Expect plenty of dead vs. living showdowns. The cast includes Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Ana de la Reguera, Matthias Schweighöfer, Omari Hardwick, and Tig Notaro.

For more undead action, read our Army of the Dead review.

13. Project Power

Year: 2020
Director(s): Ariel Schulman, Henry Joost

Another Netflix Original, Project Power stars Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Dominique Fishback. It follows a drug dealer (Fishback), a police officer (Gordon-Levitt), and a former soldier (Foxx) in a near-future New Orleans who team up to stop the distribution of a pill that gives the user superpowers for five minutes.

The movie was directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the duo behind Paranormal Activity 3 and Paranormal Activity 4. Colson Baker, Rodrigo Santoro, Amy Landecker, and Allen Maldonado also star.

Check out our Project Power review next, or head to our list of the best horror movies on Netflix for more picks.

12. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf

Year: 2021
Director(s): Kwang Il Han

A spin-off of The Witcher Netflix series, Nightmare of the Wolf serves as an origin story for Geralt's (Henry Cavill) mentor and fellow witcher Vesemir, voiced by Theo James. A servant on a nobleman's estate, Vesemir longs to explore the Continent and find his destiny. Sherlock's Lara Pulver is Tetra, a sorceress descended from one of the Continent’s first mages. She and her followers work to keep peace on the Continent by ensuring that magic is not abused. Graham McTavish voices warrior-leader Deglan, while Mary McDonnell is noblewoman Lady Zerbst.

Kwang Il Han directed the movie, while Beau DeMayo wrote the script, and The Witcher showrunner and executive producer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich is on board as a producer. Han is part of Studio Mir, who worked on the series The Legend of Korra, and DeMayo has also written and produced the original Witcher series.

For more on one of the best anime on Netflix, check out our The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf review.

11. Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Year: 2024
Director(s): Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah

Bad Boys: Ride or Die lands just outside of our top 10, but it's still well worth your time. The movie picks up after the events of 2020's Bad Boys for Life as we reunite with Will Smith's Mike Lowrey and Martin Lawrence's Marcus Burnett. The duo are brought back into the fray when they find out their former captain is being framed for involvement with a cartel. They attempt to clear their late mentor's name in a series of explosive and exciting action sequences. Critics were pretty lukewarm on the movie, but it's audience score on Rotten Tomatoes of 96% speaks for itself.

10. The Killer

Year: 2023
Director(s): David Fincher

It's no surprise to find David Fincher, one of the most critically-acclaimed filmmakers of the century, in this list of best action movies on Netflix. The Killer is one of his most recent and fascinating works, and was released as a Netflix original in 2023 with a terrific lead performance by Michael Fassbender.

Based on the graphic novels by Matz and Luc Jacamon, the film follows a professional hitman who is hired to kill a man in Paris. For days we see him explaining his routine, which involves yoga, naps and listening to The Smiths while keeping watch on his target. It's all about control, but, what if, despite the meticulous preparation, he misses? His failure brings tragedy, and what follows is a revenge journey filled with some truly stunning scenes.

For more, read our The Killer review.

9. The Old Guard

Year: 2020
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Charlize Theron headlines this popular graphic novel adaptation, a glorious mash of fight sequences and fantasy lore that plays the part of a modern-day actioner. The Old Guard follows a band of do-gooding mercenaries led by Theron's Andy, who also happens to be immortal. Through the ages, they've managed to keep their heads down and dispense with vigilante justice undetected, but the advent of technology soon makes that impossible.

Not content to rely solely on its cool "unstoppable warriors" schtick – that's unveiled in an early show-stopping sequence – the movie kicks serious ass on every front. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood showcases her flair for marrying together a tight story with likable characters. Oh, and it’s got a romance for the ages, too.

Check out our The Old Guard review or look over our list of the best fantasy movies on Netflix.

8. Da 5 Bloods

Year: 2020
Director: Spike Lee

It's not a classic action movie, but it features enough war-torn action to certainly find itself on this list. Spike Lee directs Da 5 Bloods, which tells the story of four US veterans (played by Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Isiah Whitlock Jr, Norm Lewis) returning to Vietnam to locate and repatriate the remains of their squad leader (played by Chadwick Boseman).

There's also the little matter of finding a trunk of gold bullion they buried during the war – it was intended to pay locals for their help against the Viet Cong, but when it went down with a CIA plane, our heroes took it for themselves. This is a frequently fierce, fascinating picture, and that's why it's classed here as one of the best Netflix action movies available now.

Read our four-star Da 5 Bloods review for more details.

7. The Harder They Fall

Year: 2021
Director: The Bullitts

Trumpeted by Netflix as a 'new-school western,' The Harder They Fall, in fact, takes the staples of old-school westerns (bandits, bank jobs, train robberies, rowdy taverns, shootouts) but blends them all together in a manner that feels fresh and vibrant.

Towns populated by Black people are painted in vivid hues, while an all-white town is literally that – stores built with pale wood and streets coated with sawdust shavings like snowflakes. Director Jaymes Samuel is a stylist, given to arresting compositions and whizz-bang set pieces, but he isn't afraid to let his magnificent actors simply lock eyes and jaw.

Check out our The Harder They Fall review for more Western fun.

6. The Night Comes For Us 

Year: 2018
Director: Timo Tjahjanto

Fancy watching something that will make your soul shake? Give this a go. It's a blistering actioner that seldom takes its foot off the gas. Keeping the story simple works as an anchor, a way to let the action run riot, which you want with a star like The Raid's Iko Uwais in charge. Here, he plays a triad thug called Ito, who, at the last minute, turns on his fellow enforcers when he spies a young girl in the village they're currently slaying. Choosing to save her life and waste his comrades, Ito must do whatever it takes to protect the child.

Cinema's gone pretty far in terms of what's deemed, well, acceptable, pushing the limits of good taste to the extreme. The Night Comes For Us charges down that route, somehow extending previous ideas on over-the-top violence and a relentless barrage of gore. You will not see another action movie like it this year.

5. Outlaw King

Year: 2018
Director: David Mackenzie

Action movies don't always need to take place in the modern world when history holds so much conflict and badassery to fill our screens. Netflix original Outlaw King is a stunning piece of work from David Mackenzie, who once again teams up with Chris Pine after their 2016 contemporary Western heist movie Hell or High Water.

Outlaw King is a true David vs. Goliath story of how the 14th-century Scottish hero Robert the Bruce used cunning and bravery to defeat the much larger and better-equipped occupying English army. Pine perfectly embodies the grit and leadership needed to portray a legend like Bruce, and with an impressive supporting cast including Florence Pugh and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, this is a period-action movie that deserves to be seen by more people.

For more epics, check out our list of the best Disney Plus movies.

4. Rebel Ridge

Year: 2024
Director: Jeremy Saulnier

With an almost-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score and high praise from both critics and viewers, Rebel Ridge is now one of the best action movies on Netflix. Aaron Pierre, who's previously appeared in movies like M. Night Shyamalan's Old and was the voice of the young Mufasa in Mufasa: The Lion King, delivers a stunning and powerful lead performance in this movie, which is a must-see on the streamer.

With Miami Vice's Don Johnson, The Act's AnnaSophia Robb and Succession's James Cromwell completing the cast, the story follows Terry Richards, an ex-Marine who finds himself in a stand-off against the corrupt local police force. He went to the town of Shelby Springs to post bail for his cousin, but police unjustly seize the money and things soon take a turn for the violent very quickly.

3. Beasts of No Nation

Year: 2015
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

One of Netflix's very first productions was a bold proposition indeed: a war movie in a fictional African country, performed for long stretches in Twi (a dialect of the Akan language spoken in Ghana), about a child soldier groomed for violence by a simultaneously terrifying and magnetic commandant. Beasts of No Nation plays out just as bleak a manner as the premise suggests, leaving the viewer morally conflicted and emotionally exhausted.

In a movie that's equal parts thrilling and harrowing, Idris Elba delivers an absolute masterclass in his role as the commandant. You watch him groom a child for war and perform several war crimes, and yet, somehow, you still find yourself wanting to root for him. And no less of a revelation is the young Abraham Attah as Agu.

Read our Beasts Of No Nation review for more information.

2. RRR

Year: 2022
Director: S. S. Rajamouli

Are you ready for one of the wildest movies you've ever seen? RRR is a masterpiece in Indian cinema. Directed by S. S. Rajamouli, the Telugu-language movie takes place in the 1920s and centers on two revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (N. T. Rama Rao Jr.), in their explosive challenge of the British Raj.

It's lengthy at 182 minutes but doesn't waste a second, cramming in everything from the fiery bow and arrow battles, and motorcycle chases to men fighting alongside bloodied tigers. If none of that tickles your fancy, firstly, what more do you want? Secondly, fear not; it also features a romantic subplot, a sweet bromance, and a couple of musical numbers too. No surprise it made huge amounts of money at the box office.

For more top picks, check out our list of the best movies on Amazon Prime.

1. Godzilla Minus One

Year: 2023
Director: Takashi Yamazaki

It has been 70 years since Godzilla first graced the big screen. Ishiro Honda's 1954 classic is a wonderful, poignant, ahead-of-its-time masterpiece that spawned an entire genre of big Japanese monster movies and introduced us to one of the most enduring characters in action movies - the big guy loves smashing up the place and sending people running and fighting with all the arsenal they can muster.

With so many iterations of Godzilla out there to enjoy, including huge Hollywood productions currently wowing audiences, it's truly remarkable that one movie should come along and stand out so far from the crowd. Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla Minus One goes back to its roots, pitting our favorite city-smasher against a Japan reeling from the nuclear attacks of World War II and painting a picture of humanity's enduring hope and persistence in the process.

Read our Godzilla Minus One review for more details on our top flick for the best Netflix action movies.

If you've seen all of these action flicks, then make sure to check out our guides to the best Netflix thriller movies and the best movies on HBO Max.