Top Picks For Action Movies To Get Your Adrenaline Pumping!

1. Tom Clancy’s Without remorse (2021) –

Director – Stefano Solima

Genre – Action · Drama · Thriller · War

Cast – Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren London, Brett Gelman, Jacob Scipio, Jack Kesy, Colman Domingo, and Guy Pearce (among others)

Plot – One of the best action movies to watch, Without Remorse follows John Kelly, a tough Navy SEAL. After a mission in Syria goes wrong, Kelly finds his pregnant wife and fellow SEALs murdered by Russian assassins. Filled with the feeling of revenge, Kelly embarks on a bloody quest to find those responsible for it. However, he soon uncovers a tangled web of conspiracy that forces him to question who he can trust.

2. Man on Fire (2004)-

Director – Tony Scott

Genre – Action · Crime · Drama · Thriller

Cast – Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin, Mickey Rourke (among others).

Plot – In “Man on Fire, a Hollywood Action Movie, ” Denzel Washington plays John Creasy, a ex-CIA operative. Haunted by past actions, he reluctantly takes a bodyguard job for a wealthy Mexican family’s young daughter, Pita. Initially distant, Creasy forms a strong bond with the girl. When Pita is kidnapped, a vengeful Creasy sheds his apathy and unleashes a brutal skillset to find her, taking on the corrupt underworld of Mexico City in a fiery quest for redemption. The movie is for people who know Denzel Washington’s action style, similar to Jason Statham’s.

3. Jack Reacher (2012)-

                                                                    Tom Cruise on the sets of a movie in Rome

Director – Christopher McQuarrie

Genre – Action · Mystery · Thriller

Cast – Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog, David Oyelowo, Jai Courtney, Joseph Sikora, Robert Duvall, Michael Raymond-James, Josh Helman

Plot – The movie is another of Tom Cruise’s great action series similar to Mission Impossible. In the movie “Jack Reacher,” a sniper unleashes chaos in a small town, leaving five people dead. Former military investigator Jack Reacher, played by Tom Cruise, is drawn into the case when a seemingly innocent ex-soldier, James Barr, is framed for the killings. Reacher, a drifter with a keen mind for detail, uncovers a hidden conspiracy and must help Barr clear his name. As he digs deeper, Reacher faces off against ruthless villains and has to rely on his sharp intellect and fighting skills to expose the truth. Jack Reacher is one of the best action movies of all time.

4. Commando (1985)-

Director – Mark L. Lester

Genre – Action · Adventure · Thriller

Cast – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong , Alyssa Milano, Dan Hedaya, Vernon Wells , James Olson , David Patrick Kelly (among others)

Plot – In the explosive 1985 action flick “Commando,” Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as John Matrix, a retired elite soldier. When his peace is shattered by the kidnapping of his daughter by a former teammate seeking revenge, Matrix springs back into action. With muscles bulging, he bathes in the blood of bad guys to reach his daughter. Expect over-the-top action sequences, cheesy but quotable dialogue (as you might expect from a movie of that time), and a hero who solves problems very efficiently with bullets and grenades (seems too much at times, don’t you think? Still good enough to watch for action movie lovers!).

5. Equalizer 2 (2018)-

Director – Antoine Fuqua

Genre – Action · Crime · Thriller

Cast – Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Orson Bean, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Jonathan Scarfe, Sakina Jaffrey (among others)

Plot – (This movie had to be on the list, since now you already know, how big a fan I am of Denzel Washington) Denzel Washington reprises his role as Robert McCall, a retired black ops agent with a mysterious past. Now a Lyft driver, McCall uses his skills to help those in need. When a close friend and former colleague, Susan Plummer, is murdered, McCall is thrown into a rage. Seeking revenge, he utilizes his exceptional fighting skills and network of contacts (which usually all guys tend to have, wink wink) to track down Susan’s killers. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a conspiracy that forces him to confront his own sense of justice and the violent life he left behind. Denzel Washington has some of the greatest action movies of all time under his name.

6. Collateral (2004)-

Director – Michael Mann

Genre – Action, Crime, Drama

Cast – Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg, Bruce McGill, Irma P. Hall, Barry Shabaka Henley, Klea Scott, Javier Bardem, Emilio Rivera, Thomas Rosales, Inmo Yuon, Jason Statham, Angelo Tiffe, Paul Adelstein

Plot – In “Collateral” (2004), a seemingly ordinary night for Los Angeles cab driver Max (Jamie Foxx) takes a dark turn when he picks up Vincent (Tom Cruise). Vincent, a ruthless hitman, forces Max to be his chauffeur throughout the night, driving him to a series of deadly appointments. As the night progresses, Max becomes increasingly desperate to escape and prevent Vincent’s killings. The film explores themes of morality and chance encounters, all set against the neon-lit backdrop of Los Angeles.

7. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)-

Director – Simon West

Genre – Action · Adventure · Thriller

Cast – Angelina Jolie, Rachel Appleton, Iain Glen, Jon Voight, Daniel Craig, Noah Taylor, Mark Collie, Hilary, Leslie Phillips (among others)

Plot – (Some action sequences by Angelina Jolie are to die for, trust me!) Angelina Jolie takes on the role of the fearless adventurer Lara Croft. Lara, an heiress by day and thrill-seeking tomb raider by night, races against a secret society called the Illuminati to recover a powerful artifact called the Triangle. This ancient relic controls time itself, and Lara must find both halves before the Illuminati use it for their own dangerous-for-society type purposes. The film follows Lara on a globetrotting adventure filled with booby traps, puzzles, and thrilling action sequences.

8. Escape Plan (2013)-

Director – Brandon Slagle

Genre – Action · Adventure · Comedy · Crime · Thriller

Cast – Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Caviezel, Sam Neill, Curtis “50 Cent”Jackson, Faran Tahir (among others)

Plot – Relatively new action movie, Sylvester Stallone stars in “Escape Plan” as Ray Breslin, a security expert who tests prisons by going undercover as an inmate. Betrayed and trapped in a high-tech, supposedly inescapable prison known as “The Tomb,” Ray must use his unique skillset and rely on the help of a mysterious fellow inmate, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, to engineer a daring escape. Together, they hatch a plan to outsmart the sadistic warden and break free from the ultimate prison. In case you like twists, this movie is for you.

9. Tango and cash (1989)-

Director – Andrey Konchalovskiy and Albert Magnoli

Genre – Action · Comedy · Crime · Thriller

Cast – Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell, Teri Hatcher, Jack Palance, Brion James, James Hong, Marc Alaimo, Philip Tan (among others)

Plot – Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell play a mismatched cop duo, Tango and Cash. These rival narcotics detectives are framed for murder by a clever criminal mastermind and sent to a prison filled with criminals they put away. Forced to work together despite their differences (the cherry on top), Tango (the by-the-book cop) and Cash (the loose cannon) must clear their names, survive the prison threats, and take down the real villain. Expect over-the-top action sequences, buddy-cop banter, and an explosive escape plan.

10. The Italian Job (2003)-

Director – F. Gary Gray

Genre – Action · Crime · Thriller

Cast – Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, Jason Statham,   Seth    Green, Yasiin Bey, Donald Sutherland (among others)

Plot – “The Italian Job” is not like Money Heist series but on the same lines as Now You See Me. It revolves around a team of skilled thieves who plan to steal a stash of gold bars from a former associate who betrayed them. After successfully executing the heist in Venice, Italy, the team faces betrayal within their own ranks, leading to a thrilling pursuit as they seek revenge and attempt to reclaim their stolen loot. Packed with high-speed car chases, elaborate heists, and clever tactics, “The Italian Job” is a gripping action-packed adventure that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats until the very end. 

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