Entertainment
9 Forgotten Netflix Action Movies That Are Flawless From Start to Finish
Netflix has evolved from one of the foremost places to stream studio content to a producer of its own excellent original works. Whether it’s dominating the animated landscape with mega-hits like KPop Demon Hunters or taking over the sci-fi genre with shows like Stranger Things, Netflix is a force to be reckoned with in the battle for new and iconic IPs. One area where the channel is slowly making progress is in the action movie genre.
Gripping plotlines, impressive stunts, and nonstop thrills are all par for the course when it comes to action films. Like children’s and family movies, action films are deceptively difficult to execute well. It is not merely a matter of throwing in an explosion here or adding a few more stunts there. A great action movie needs to feel like an odyssey, a rewarding saga that audiences are allowed to participate in. While Netflix makes strides in almost every genre, its foray into action is steadily rising in both quantity and quality. Here are Netflix’s best original action movies so far.
‘Carry-On’ (2024)
Whether or not Carry-On can be called a Christmas movie is up for debate in the same vein as the ongoing Die Hard debate. Taron Egerton stars as Ethan Kopek, a TSA agent working on one of the busiest travel days of the year, Christmas Eve. As if his workday wasn’t stressed enough, Ethan soon has an unknown hijacker talking to him through an earpiece, threatening his coworkers and loved ones if he does not let a suspicious package go through the safety check and onto a plane.
Carry-On is full of suspense. Its realistic and close-to-home setting ramps up the stakes and makes it instantly gripping. Egerton is phenomenal in the movie and carries the focus well. Jason Bateman is brilliant as the cold, calculating, and methodical Traveler. Carry-On makes a good watch any time of the year, but especially for action fans who want a little mayhem in their holiday movies.
‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ (2021)
If you were to combine the maternal feelings and chaotic felicity of Everything Everywhere All at Once with the fast-paced fight scenes of John Wick, you would get Gunpowder Milkshake. Karen Gillan stars as Sam, an assassin who is used to kicking ass and taking names, who gets saddled with an eight-year-old girl named Emily (Chloe Coleman) who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gunpowder Milkshake is packed with talent, including Everything Everywhere All at Once‘s Michelle Yeoh. Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Angela Bassett, and Paul Giamatti are also part of the extremely gifted cast.
Gunpowder Milkshake is refreshingly original and one of the best female-led action movies of the 21st century. There are gorgeous slow-motion sequences that make the visceral visually stunning. Released during the height of the COVID pandemic, Gunpowder Milkshake didn’t receive the attention it deserved. The blend of distinctly feminine elements and gritty action tropes is brilliant, and if you haven’t checked out this absolute triumph yet, this is your sign.
‘Damsel’ (2024)
From facing monsters in titles like Stranger Things and Godzilla: King of the Monsters to solving mysteries in the popular Enola Holmes trilogy, there is nothing Millie Bobby Brown can’t do. One of her most epic action movies yet is the 2024 dark fantasy Damsel. In Damsel, Brown stars as Elodie, a young woman who thinks her dreams are about to come true when she is wedded to the young and eligible Prince Henry (Nick Robinson). However, there are darker circumstances and deeper motives at play, and immediately after saying her vows, Elodie is tossed into a deep cavern where a dangerous dragon lives.
Damsel is a fantastic flip on the fairytale genre. It takes back the ground used as an all-too-often trope of sacrificing the lives of innocent young women as a means to an end. Brown proves in Damsel why she is one of the foremost action stars of the day, and the performances given by Robin Wright, Angela Bassett, and the rest of the cast are equally dedicated and captivating. Shohreh Aghdashloo is irreplaceable as the voice of the dragon. The writing in Damsel lifts the character of the dragon off the page and, much like the damsel herself, she isn’t relegated to merely being a plot device, but is in fact an important part of the story.
‘Day Shift’ (2022)
In a world where vampire hunting is a money-making enterprise, Bud Jablonski (Jamie Foxx) goes on an all-out killing spree trying to make money fast so his ex-wife doesn’t relocate with his daughter. Day Shift is a gory, nonstop horror-meets-action banger. As the movie makes note, this is nowhere near Twilight. In Day Shift, vampires are soulless, blood-sucking villains, and the hunters like Bud are there to “cut necks and cash checks.”
Foxx is, as always, brilliant, and his odd couple dynamic with Dave Franco as Seth makes for a highly entertaining movie. Day Shift is a perfect choice for dark fantasy-action fans and puts viewers in the mind of films like Blade and Daybreakers. The comedic elements lift the overall tone of the film and keep it from being a straight horror. There have been whispers about a possible Day Shift sequel in the future, and Franco has said he would be up for it and would love to work with Foxx again.
‘Ultraman: Rising’ (2024)
Ultraman: Rising is an awesome Netflix original action movie that the whole family can enjoy. It is one of the best animated movies of the past five years and packs a whole lot of punch and heart. The story revolves around protagonist Ken Sato (Christopher Sean), a famous baseball player who returns to Japan after having a successful life and career overseas. Ken’s return to Japan carries the emotional weight of taking over the Ultraman mantle from his father, a source of deep contention between them, and his relocation is made even more complicated when he takes in a baby Kaiju that has lost its mother.
Ultraman: Rising is the latest in a solid canon that has included everything from anime to TV shows. It feels like a capsule story within the Ultraman franchise, and you don’t have to be familiar with any of the other projects to enjoy this spectacular standalone film. Ultraman: Rising has action scenes with superhero themes and a touching undercurrent about family and parenting. The baby Kaiju is absolutely adorable, and watching Ken bond with her makes the movie highly rewarding. If you want a fun action-packed movie with a good story that everyone can watch together, Ultraman: Rising is your next watch.
‘Space Sweepers’ (2021)
Set in the future, Space Sweepers follows a misfit crew of scavengers who stumble upon a highly advanced android child. Those onboard The Victory face a crisis of conscience and have to decide whether to turn the robot Dorothy (Park Ye-rin) in for money, or keep her safe. The cast is spot-on, and Space Sweepers delivers one of the more interesting and introspective performances about an android with the identity journey of Bubs (Yoo Hae-jin and Kim Hyang-gi).
Netflix is known for its excellent selection of South Korean TV shows and movies, and Space Sweepers is no exception. It has the ensemble movie format down to an art. Each character is interesting on their own, and the group as a whole is dynamic to watch. Netflix offers an English dub of the movie and subtitles. Space Sweepers is an interesting and enthusiastic fan-favorite that could be poised to reach cult status as time goes on.
‘Enola Holmes 2’ (2022)
Taking after her older brother, the famed detective Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill), Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) has a keen mind for solving mysteries. Instructed by her mother, Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), to be cunning and independent, Enola is a leading lady like none other in the Victorian era. Headstrong, fiercely loyal, and abounding with tenacity, Enola tackles cases that get dismissed by other detectives.
The second movie in the trilogy, Enola Holmes 2, is the best of the canon. The romance, action, and intrigue are all dialed up to 11, and the introduction of Moriarty (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) as a villain is excellent. Enola Holmes 2 offers some interesting insights into social and gender issues of the era and is a great watch for fans of period murder mysteries.
‘The Gray Man’ (2022)
Directed by The Russo Brothers, The Gray Man stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans as combatants. In the movie, Gosling plays Six, a CIA agent with virtually no identity. Evans plays Lloyd, a psychotic hitman who puts a bounty on Six’s head, ensuring that everyone, not only himself, will be trying to end him. It becomes an all-out brawl as multiple agents and assassins get involved, and The Gray Man is full of excitement.
The Gray Man is a divisive movie. It has an abysmal critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, but an audience approval rating of 90%. It seems as though viewers either love or hate this original action movie. While The Gray Man is no Avengers, it has exhilarating action scenes, solid fight sequences, and watching Evans play a villain in an action movie after his long stint as Captain America in the MCU is refreshing. Although there were talks about a possible sequel to The Gray Man, the project has been put on hold for the time being.
‘Vampires vs. the Bronx’ (2020)
Bringing some fresh blood (pun intended) to the vampire genre is the dark comedy Vampires vs. the Bronx. In the movie, three young friends notice a strange influx of people to their neighborhood who act out of the ordinary, right as a bunch of locals go missing. When Miguel (Jaden Michael), Bobby (Gerald Jones), and Luis (Gregory Diaz IV) investigate, they find out that the newcomers are actually vampires.
Vampires vs. the Bronx is a funny and bloody action movie. It has a distinct energy and grit to the mise en scène and the storyline emphasizes the importance of a local community. All of the cast are brilliant, and fans of shows like Stranger Things and Buffy the Vampire Slayer need to add this Netflix original to their watchlist.
Vampires vs. the Bronx has a direct contradiction of Rotten Tomatoes scores compared to The Gray Man. It ranks incredibly high with critics, but very low with audience votes. This makes it another movie you have to see for yourself to decide. Movies like Vampires vs. the Bronx and The Gray Man prove that action fans are a highly discerning crowd, and they can’t be swayed by critics’ votes, one way or the other.
Vampires Vs the Bronx
- Release Date
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October 2, 2020
- Runtime
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85 minutes
- Director
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Osmany Rodriguez
- Writers
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Blaise Hemingway, Osmany Rodriguez
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