If there’s a king of action movies on Netflix, it’s Gerard Butler.
Butler already secured a place for himself on the Watch With Us team’s picks for the must-see action movies on Netflix with London Has Fallen. And he already has a new No. 1 action thriller with Kandahar.
However, Kandahar has some very long stretches between action sequences, so we’ve added Plane, a more conventional action movie starring Butler.
This month’s other prominent addition is the John Cena-led action comedy Freelance, which embraces both genres with open arms and lots of explosions. You can find the rest of our choices for Netflix’s must-watch action movies below.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the Best New Movies on Netflix, Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and More, the Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video Right Now, the Best Movies on Hulu Right Now and the Must-See Movies on Netflix Right Now.
‘Plane’ (2023)
Gerard Butler has been an action hero so many times that Plane carefully dismantles his reputation by casting him as an ordinary pilot, Brodie Torrance. Brodie does have some combat experience, but he’s out of his element in the wilds of the Philippines. After successfully landing his disabled commercial airliner, Brodie discovers that a band of rebels intends to hold everyone on the plane hostage for a ransom.
Mike Colter costars in the film as Louis Gaspare, a man who was being transported on the plane because he’s accused of murder. Louis seems a lot more comfortable using the tools of their mutual enemies against them than Brodie is. Between Louis and Brodie, the passengers on the damaged plane have their best shot at freedom and survival.
Plane is streaming on Netflix.
‘Freelance’ (2024)
The funny thing about Freelance is that it feels like it should be a Hulu original movie rather than a title reserved for Netflix. That’s probably because John Cena had such prominent roles in Vacation Friends and its sequel. In this film, Cena plays Mason Pettits, a man who has a serious grudge against a South American dictator, President Juan Venegas (Juan Pablo Raba).
Mason reluctantly returns to Paldoñia to accompany a reporter, Claire Wellington (Alison Brie), on an interview with President Venegas. However, a coup attempt in the field forces Mason to protect both Venegas and Hurtz in the field.
Freelance is streaming on Netflix.
‘Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’ (2015)
Before director Christopher McQuarrie took the helm of the Mission: Impossible movies, the franchise was a collection of good action films. But starting with Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, McQuarrie and series star Tom Cruise took things to the next level and beyond.
The rogue nation referenced in the title is The Syndicate, a cabal of former intelligence operatives who have turned their backs on their countries in the name of power. In no time at all, The Syndicate has Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team branded as traitors. Luckily, Ethan has a new ally inside The Syndicate: Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). And she’s the complex and compelling heroine that these films badly needed.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is streaming on Netflix.
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
It’s probably best not to think about the continuity of the Mad Max films since Tom Hardy‘s “Mad Max” Rockatansky is clearly younger than Mel Gibson‘s take on the character from three decades prior. Luckily, it doesn’t matter because Mad Max: Fury Road outdid its predecessors and earned its reputation as one of the greatest action movies ever made.
Max briefly finds himself imprisoned by Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and his War Boys before getting caught up in an escape attempt by Joe’s right-hand woman, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), and Joe’s harem of wives. Max and Furiosa really don’t like each other, but if they want to outrun Joe’s forces, they need to work together to survive.
Mad Max: Fury Road is streaming on Netflix.
‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023)
This critically acclaimed take on the legendary Japanese kaiju monster is set in a post-war Japan, exploring the catastrophic impact of Godzilla’s emergence in an already devastated nation. The storyline is set in the tense and uncertain period following World War II, where Godzilla’s arrival threatens the fragile reconstruction of a country recovering from the horrors of war.
Godzilla Minus One delves into themes of trauma, hope, guilt and redemption. It’s told mostly from the perspective of Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a PTSD-riddled kamikaze pilot who survived World War II only to face down an even bigger threat in the form of the giant lizard. Many fans have compared the film to Oppenheimer for its depiction of the unimaginable devastation of the atomic bomb. The movie won the Academy Award for Visual Effects, despite having a relatively low production budget. The film is a visual marvel, with action sequences that will thrill and terrify you as well as emotional sequences that will bring you to tears.
Godzilla Minus One is streaming on Netflix.
‘The Old Guard’ (2020)
The Old Guard is a superhero story meets covert ops and military, but without any capes or costumes. The superpowered beings at the heart of the film are a mysterious group of immortal beings, led by Andromache or “Andy” (Charlize Theron), who have secretly protected humanity for millennia. As they struggle to maintain their anonymity, they must also contend with the emergence of a new immortal, Nile (KiKi Layne). Together, the team faces both modern threats and age-old enemies in their quest to preserve secrecy about their identities and ensure security for the future.
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, who previously created much quieter movies like The Secret Life of Bees and Beyond the Lights, The Old Guard has an emotional depth that you might not expect from a superhero action film. The themes of sacrifice and guilt are grounded by Theron’s stellar performance, as well as those of Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli and Chiwetel Ejiofor. With its blend of thought-provoking elements and adrenaline-pumping action, The Old Guard offers a refreshing take on the genre, providing both entertainment and substance for viewers. A sequel is now streaming, so now is the perfect time to watch the original.
The Old Guard is streaming on Netflix.
‘London Has Fallen’ (2016)
Gerard Butler and most of the cast of Olympus Has Fallen returned for the 2016 sequel, London Has Fallen. Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Butler) must be having a serious case of deja vu. He already saved President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) from one terrorist plot, and now he has to do it again.
As the chaos unfolds in London, Vice President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) seems powerless to help Banning and President Asher. Terrorist Aamir Barkaw (Alon Moni Aboutboul) has already taken out most of the G7 leaders, and he just needs to find Asher to complete his revenge. Over Banning’s dead body, of course.
London Has Fallen is streaming on Netflix.
‘Havoc’ (2025)
After taking a very long break between films, The Raid director Gareth Evans returns with Havoc, an action-packed crime thriller. Tom Hardy stars as Patrick Walker, a disgraced cop who is also on the payroll for Lawrence Beaumont (Forest Whitaker), an extremely wealthy man who is running for mayor.
Beaumont has a particularly dangerous mission for Walker. Beaumont’s son, Charlie (Justin Cornwell), and Charlie’s girlfriend, Mia (Quelin Sepulveda), have been framed for murdering the leader of the Triad gang, and there’s a price on their heads. Beaumont wants his son to be protected at all costs, but even his money can’t prevent the Triads from coming after him as well.
Havoc is streaming on Netflix.
‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ (2024)
How does an action franchise stay fresh after three decades? A 17-year hiatus between the second and third films certainly helped Bad Boys make a comeback. But the fourth sequel, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, only had a four-year break between movies. This time, Detective Lieutenants Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) have a very personal mission. Someone has posthumously framed their beloved former captain, Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano), for crimes he didn’t commit.
Mike and Marcus’ quest to clear Howard’s name hits a snag when they are also framed by the perpetrators and forced to go on the run from their colleagues in the Miami PD. In times like these, it helps to know who your friends are.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is streaming on Netflix.
‘Upgrade’ (2018)
Upgrade serves as a reminder of why it’s a bad idea to trust a billionaire to put a computer chip in your brain. Artist Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) felt he didn’t have a choice when Eron Keen (Harrison Gilbertson) offered to install STEM in his mind to restore his mobility. Grey was paralyzed during an attack that left his wife dead, and now his heart calls out for revenge.
STEM (Simon Maiden) has a voice and a mind of its own. It heard Grey’s cries, and it can give him the vengeance he so desperately needs, as seen in some incredibly brutal action sequences. But STEM is only helping Grey as long as the artist gives in to its will. And if Grey isn’t careful, he’ll be permanently sidelined in his own body.
Upgrade is streaming on Netflix.
