Fast cars, foiled assassinations, and immortal warriors: These are a few of Netflix’s most action-packed offerings.

The 25 best action movies on Netflix

Fast cars, foiled assassinations, and immortal warriors: These are a few of Netflix’s most action-packed offerings.

By Ilana Gordon,

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

EW's editorial guidelines

James Mercadante,

Kevin Jacobsen,

and Dennis Perkins

on August 2, 2025 08:11AM EDT

Delroy Lindo as Paul in 'Da 5 Bloods'; Godzilla in 'Godzilla Minus One'; Charlize Theron as Andy in 'The Old Guard'. Credit:

David Lee/Netflix; Toho International/Everett; Everett

Welcome to your mental vacation, we hope you enjoy an action-packed itinerary. Your trip will take you from a football field in Texas 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.

Black Hawk Down (2001)

Josh Hartnett as Eversmann in 'Black Hawk Down'.

Sidney Baldwin/Columbia Pictures

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'.

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

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

Captain Phillips (2013)

Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips in 'Captain Phillips'.

Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett

Inspired by the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking incident, where four Somali pirates seized a U.S. cargo ship sailing through the Indian Ocean, *Captain Phillips* features a tour de force performance from Tom Hanks as Capt. Richard Phillips, a man who stands his ground armed only with his thick Massachusetts accent. Meanwhile, then-newcomer Barkhad Abdi, who plays the desperate hijacker leading the raid on Phillips' ship, balances violence with vulnerability in an Oscar-nominated turn.

The kind of film where you find yourself rooting for the heroes while still empathizing with the villains, *Captain Phillips*' actors and script are tough enough to navigate the most dangerous waters. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Captain Phillips*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+ (read the review)

**Director:** Paul Greengrass

**Cast: **Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener, Barkhad Abdi

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.

The Departed (2006)

Jack Nicholson as Frank Costello and Matt Damon as Colin Sullivan in 'The Departed'.

Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett

Loosely based on the exploits of real-life Irish gangster Whitey Bulger, *The Departed* is a twisted, violent descent into a criminal underworld that few emerge from alive. A film by Martin Scorsese, the crime thriller follows the parallel paths of two separate informants: Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), an undercover officer feeding information to the police from inside Boston Mob boss Frank Costello’s (Jack Nicholson) inner circle, and Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a compromised sergeant on the Boston Police force who is funneling information right back to Frank. Also featuring the most diverse array of Boston accents you’ve ever heard, *The Departed* is, as a former EW critic writes in her review of the film, “Scorsesean, and he’s in full bloom.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Departed*: Netflix

**EW grade: **N/A (read the review)

**Director:** Martin Scorsese

**Cast:** Leonard DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, Anthony Anderson

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

Friday Night Lights (2004)

Billy Bob Thornton as Coach Gary Gaines in 'Friday Night Lights'.

Before the Dillon Panthers took the field on NBC in 2006, *Friday Night Lights* debuted in the form of a film. Directed by Peter Berg — who co-executive produced the TV adaptation — the 2004 movie stars Billy Bob Thornton as Coach Gary Gaines (who was renamed Eric Taylor when Kyle Chandler took over the part for television). Inspired by the true story of a West Texas football team in the late-‘80s struggling to win a state championship, *Friday Night Lights* was lauded as a stirring and rousing sports drama, although critics did note that it shied away from addressing the race relations depicted in the non-fiction book that served as source material.

Connie Britton provides continuity, appearing as the coach’s wife in both the film and TV series — although her talents are far better served on the NBC show — and a critic for EW writes that “Billy Bob Thornton is splendid as the coach.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Friday Night Lights*: Netflix

**EW grade:** N/A (read the review)

**Director: **Peter Berg

**Cast: **Billy Bob Thornton, Derek Luke, Jay Hernandez, Lucas Black, Garrett Hedlund, Tim McGraw, Connie Britton

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

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'.

David Lee/Netflix

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

Jurassic Park (1993)

Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm 'Jurassic Park'.

Murray Close/Getty

Included on EW's list of 30 best summer blockbusters of all time, *Jurassic Park* was the sensation that launched a franchise when it was released in June of 1993. Set in a wildlife preserve occupied by cloned dinosaurs, the would-be theme park becomes a hunting ground for giant reptiles after the park’s power is cut. Those left inside include a chaotician (Jeff Goldblum), paleontologist (Sam Neill), paleobotanist (Laura Dern), and two of the owner’s grandchildren. *Jurassic Park* might not top the list of Steven Spielberg’s cinematic achievements, but the franchise is resilient and continues to spawn, with *Jurassic World Rebirth* (2025) being the latest installment. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Jurassic Park*: Netflix

**EW grade: **N/A (read the review)

**Director:** Steven Spielberg

**Cast:** Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, B.D. Wong, Samuel L. Jackson, Wayne Knight

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa in 'Mad Max: Fury Road'.

Jasin Boland/Warner Bros.

It took 30 years for George Miller to make a follow up to his original *Mad Max* trilogy, the last of which — *Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome* — premiered in 1985. But the three decades in between iterations of the franchise were not wasted, and *Mad Max: Fury Road* hits the gas immediately, sprinting off into a dystopian desert wasteland for a high-speed pursuit that wastes no time on exposition.

We pick up with Mad Max (Tom Hardy, assuming the mantle of his predecessor, Mel Gibson), who has been taken prisoner by an evil warlord. Unbeknownst to the warlord, his lieutenant — Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) — is about to break his wives out of the Citadel. The results play out in violent fashion, capturing, as EW’s critic writes, “the same Molotov-cocktail craziness of Miller’s masterpiece, 1981’s *The Road Warrior*.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Mad Max: Fury Road*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B (read the review)

**Director: **George Miller

**Cast: **Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Riley Keough, Zoë Kravitz, Abbey Lee, Courtney Eaton

Mission Impossible (1996)

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in 'Mission: Impossible'.

Ethan Hunt is America’s answer to James Bond. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, CBS’ series, *Mission: Impossible*, followed U.S. undercover officers as they engaged in top-secret operations. Under Brian De Palma’s cinematic direction, the spy work goes high-tech and high impact. Tom Cruise stars as Ethan Hunt, a member of the Impossible Missions Force, or IMF, whose mission is compromised when he is suspected of being an agency mole.

“*Mission: Impossible* is structured as a Rubik’s Cube that keeps on twisting,” writes EW’s critic. The film is also the gift that keeps on giving: There are eight movies in the franchise, although *Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning* (2025) is allegedly Cruise’s last. But, as in all *M:I *movies, it’s possible this is just a misdirection and the IMF’s work will continue with another lead agent. Either way, this streaming opportunity will self-destruct in five seconds. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Mission: Impossible*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B (read the review)

**Director: ** Brian De Palma

**Cast: **Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Emmanuelle Béart, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave

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

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**

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 if one movie wasn't enough, good news: *The Old Guard 2* is now available to stream. *—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

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The Other Guys (2010)

Will Ferrell as Det. Allen Gamble and Mark Wahlberg as Det.Terry Hoitz in 'The Other Guys'. Macall Polay

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg team up for a buddy cop action comedy that will be relatable to anyone who doesn’t thrive under pressure. Ferrell and Wahlberg play Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, two NYPD detectives who have been relegated to desk duty. Gamble (Ferrell) loves his orderly existence while Hoitz (Wahlberg) rages against his new assignment, which he acquired after mistakenly shooting Derek Jeter. But when the most Alpha cops on the force die in the line of duty, it’s up to *The Other Guys* to investigate the biggest crime the city has seen in years.

Ferrell and Wahlberg are perfectly cast as an odd couple duo and director Adam McKay is a pro at satirizing a genre that has turned law enforcement officers into superheroes. EW’s critic writes that the film “is aimed at all of us out there who long for excitement yet cling to safety because we’re more desk jockey than supercop ourselves.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Other Guys*: Netflix

**EW grade:** A– (read the review)

**Director: **Adam McKay

**Cast: **Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson

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 ** **

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

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. *—James Mercadante*

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

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?” —*Kevin Jacobsen*

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

Starship Troopers (1997)

Casper Van Dien as Johnny Rico in 'Starship Troopers'.

TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett

When Paul Verhoeven's *Starship Troopers* was released almost three decades ago, expectations reached higher than the stars. The Dutch filmmaker previously scored with action blockbusters like *RoboCop* and *Total Recall*, but his newest sci-fi satire didn’t land with audiences who failed to appreciate the filmmaker’s insights on fascism, military overreach, and the power of propaganda.

Unfortunately for humanity, time has proven *Starship Troopers *a much deeper and more prescient film than the one audiences thought they saw in 1997. EW's critic describes the movie, which positions humanity against violent and horrifying space bugs out for total domination, as “bloody, amoral, and — I won’t deny it — sensationally exciting.” Featuring a cast handpicked from the best of ‘90s teen television, *Starship Troopers *is the best sci-fi action film you’ll ever see about hot people killing bugs. *—I.G.***

Where to watch *Starship Troopers*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+ (read the review)

**Director:** Paul Verhoeven

**Cast: **Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, Michael Ironside

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+

**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

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** **

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'.

Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

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.*

Where to watch *Unbroken*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B–

**Director: **Angelina Jolie

**Cast: **Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Miyavi, Garrett Hedlund, Finn Wittrock

V for Vendetta (2005)

Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond in 'V for Vendetta'. 2006 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved/Ronald Grant Archive/Mary Evans/Everett Collection

Remember, remember, the 5th of November. Anarchy faces off against fascism in *V for Vendetta*, a sci-fi action thriller set in a dystopian version of the U.K. When the Norsefire political party, known for jailing and executing anyone in the population considered "undesirable," find themselves unable to contain V (Hugo Weaving), an anarchist terrorist on a personal mission to disrupt their policies, the police are instructed to stop him by any means necessary.

V's revolutionary antics — meant to provide hope for the populace and stir them into rebellion — find a more intimate audience in Evey (Natalie Portman), a fearful young woman whose parents were killed after they opposed the government in the early days of the Norsefire regime. A cross between *1984 *and *The Matrix* (courtesy of the Wachowskis, who wrote the screenplay), *V for Vendetta* is an action movie with a fine-tuned political message. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *V for Vendetta*: Netflix

**EW grade:** N/A (read the review)

**Director: **James McTeigue

**Cast: **Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, John Hurt

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Source: “AOL Movies”