When it comes to pure cinematic excitement, nothing quite hits like a truly great action movie. These are the films that keep you on the edge of your seat with heart-pounding sequences and incredible stunts. From high-octane blockbusters that redefine cinema to precision-choreographed martial arts epics, the action genre offers huge thrills and escapism.
Finding the best among a sea of options can be a mission in itself, but we’ve got you covered. We’ve selected the top 20 best action movies, all available to stream right now, and ranked them by their IMDb ratings. Experience the ultimate in on-screen excitement.
What are the best action movies available to stream right now?
To create this definitive list of the best action movies, we focused on the top 20 films that delivered high-impact sequences, compelling narratives, and powerful performances across the entrie genre. We used IMDb rating, a recognised and authoritative measure of a film’s quality and popularity, as the main ranking factor.
For each action film featured, we also give details like the movie’s release year, its director, and the leading actor. We also indicate the streaming service where you can currently watch it, notable awards won, its age rating, a synopsis, and its global box office revenue. This structured information ensures you can confidently choose your next adrenaline-pumping experience.
Heads of State
Mystery •Thriller •Action •Adventure •Comedy
Overview
The UK Prime Minister and US President have a public rivalry that risks their countries’ alliance. But when they become targets of a powerful enemy, they’re forced to rely on each other as they go on a wild, multinational run. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent, they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.
Director
Ilya Naishuller
Duration
113 minutes
Warfare
War •Action •Adventure •Drama
Overview
A platoon of Navy SEALs embarks on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.
Director
Alex Garland
Duration
95 minutes
The Accountant 2
Mystery •Thriller •Action •Adventure •Crime •Drama
Overview
When an old acquaintance is murdered, Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax, to help. In partnership with Marybeth Medina, they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.
Director
Gavin O’Connor
Duration
124 minutes
Deep Cover
Comedy •Crime •Action •Adventure
Overview
Kat is an improv comedy teacher beginning to question if she’s missed her shot at success. When an undercover cop offers her the role of a lifetime, she recruits two of her students to infiltrate London’s gangland by impersonating dangerous criminals.
Director
Tom Kingsley
Duration
100 minutes
Man of Steel
Action •Adventure •Sci-fi
Overview
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
Director
Zack Snyder
Cast
Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe
Duration
137 minutes
The Accountant
Thriller •Action •Crime •Drama •Mystery •Adventure
Overview
As a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.
Director
Gavin O’Connor
Cast
Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor
Duration
123 minutes
Looper
Sci-fi •Action •Thriller •Drama •Adventure •Mystery
Overview
In the year 2044, time travel has not yet been invented but in 30 years it will have been. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target into the past where a looper, a hired gun, like Joe is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good until the day the mob decides to close the loop, sending back Joe’s future self for assassination.
Director
Rian Johnson
Cast
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Piper Perabo, Noah Segan
Duration
119 minutes
Crippled Avengers
Action •Adventure •Drama
Overview
A group of martial artists seek revenge after being crippled by Tu Tin-To, a martial arts master, and his son.
Director
Chang Cheh
Cast
Chen Kuan-tai, Philip Kwok Chun-Fung, Lo Meng, Sun Chien, Lu Feng
Duration
100 minutes
Inception
Action •Sci-fi •Adventure •Mystery •Thriller •Drama
Overview
Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: “inception”, the implantation of another person’s idea into a target’s subconscious.
Director
Christopher Nolan
Cast
Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page
Duration
148 minutes
John Wick
Action •Thriller •Crime •Mystery •Adventure
Overview
Ex-hitman John Wick comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.
Director
Chad Stahelski
Cast
Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan
Duration
101 minutes
Plane
Action •Adventure •Thriller •Mystery
Overview
After a heroic job of successfully landing his storm-damaged aircraft in a war zone, a fearless pilot finds himself between the agendas of multiple militias planning to take the plane and its passengers hostage.
Director
Jean-François Richet
Cast
Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Yoson An, Tony Goldwyn, Daniella Pineda
Duration
107 minutes
Godzilla
Sci-fi •Action •Adventure •Thriller •Mystery •Drama
Overview
Ford Brody, a Navy bomb expert, has just reunited with his family in San Francisco when he is forced to go to Japan to help his estranged father, Joe. Soon, both men are swept up in an escalating crisis when an ancient alpha predator arises from the sea to combat malevolent adversaries that threaten the survival of humanity. The creatures leave colossal destruction in their wake, as they make their way toward their final battleground: San Francisco.
Director
Gareth Edwards
Cast
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe
Duration
118 minutes
Inglourious Basterds
War •Drama •Mystery •Thriller
Overview
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
Director
Quentin Tarantino
Cast
Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender
Duration
153 minutes
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Fantasy •Action •Adventure
Overview
At the urging of the wizard Gandalf, unassuming hobbit Bilbo Baggins joins 13 dwarves on a perilous quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor and gains possession of the powerful One Ring.
Director
Peter Jackson
Cast
Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott
Duration
182 minutes
Civil War
Action •Adventure •Mystery •Thriller •Drama
Overview
In the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war.
Director
Alex Garland
Cast
Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman, Stephen McKinley Henderson
Duration
109 minutes
Gladiator
Drama •Adventure •Action
Overview
After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome’s most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
Director
Ridley Scott
Cast
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris
Duration
149 minutes
A Knight’s Tale
Action •Adventure •Romance •Drama
Overview
William Thatcher, a knight’s peasant apprentice, gets a chance at glory when the knight dies suddenly mid-tournament. Posing as a knight himself, William won’t stop until he’s crowned tournament champion—assuming matters of the heart don’t get in the way.
Director
Brian Helgeland
Cast
Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany, Laura Fraser
Duration
132 minutes
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Fantasy •Drama •Action •Adventure
Overview
Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator. Along the way, a fellowship is formed to protect the ringbearer and make sure that the ring arrives at its final destination: Mt. Doom, the only place where it can be destroyed.
Director
Peter Jackson
Cast
Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean
Duration
171 minutes
Kraven the Hunter
Action •Adventure •Thriller •Mystery
Overview
Kraven Kravinoff’s complex relationship with his ruthless gangster father, Nikolai, starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
Director
J.C. Chandor
Cast
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Russell Crowe, Alessandro Nivola
Duration
127 minutes
The Dark Knight
Action •Adventure •Crime •Drama •Thriller •Mystery
Overview
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.
Director
Christopher Nolan
Cast
Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart
Duration
152 minutes
Frequently asked questions
The best action movies deliver intense, impactful sequences alongside a compelling storyline and strong characters. It’s not just about explosions; it’s about expertly choreographed fights, thrilling chases, and high stakes that keep you invested. The best examples balance spectacle with genuine excitement and narrative drive.
While special effects, especially CGI, play a significant role in modern action movies, they are not the sole focus. Exceptional action films rely on strong direction, practical stunts, compelling performances, and a solid script. Effects should enhance the story, not replace its core elements.
Action movies can indeed receive major industry awards, particularly for technical categories like sound mixing, editing, and visual effects. Occasionally, films within the genre, especially those with strong critical reception or innovative storytelling, also earn nominations for directing or even Best Picture.
Action movies have evolved significantly, moving from gritty 70s thrillers to 80s one-man army blockbusters to 90s CGI advancements. Modern action cinema often blends genres and continues to push boundaries with increasingly complex stunts and visual effects.
The action genre is incredibly diverse. Common subgenres include martial arts films, where combat choreography is central, and espionage thrillers, focused on spies and intrigue. You also have the disaster films and superhero epics adding to the mix.
Global box office revenue is a key indicator of widespread appeal, but it’s not the only measure of success. Critical acclaim, audience retention on streaming platforms, and lasting cultural impact also determine a film’s overall legacy. A movie can be highly influential without massive ticket sales, which is why we focused on IMDb rating in this list.
In Australia, major streaming platforms like Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, BINGE, and Paramount Plus consistently offer a strong selection of action movies. They frequently update their catalogues with high-octane blockbusters, classic thrillers, and new releases, providing plenty of options for your next action fix.
The action genre’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down. With advancements in filmmaking technology and continued audience demand for thrilling cinematic experiences, action movies will remain a dominant force. Expect more innovative storytelling, diverse characters, and groundbreaking stunts in the years to come.
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