Table of Contents
Action adventure movies are among the most popular genres in cinema, and it’s easy to see why. They combine adventure and suspense with thrilling action scenes and stunning visuals. Here we’ve compiled a list of some of the best Hollywood action movies ever made.
Here are the best action adventure movies right now.
Black Panther (2018)
Director: Ryan Coogler
Writer: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, Stan Lee
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
T’Challa, heir to the hidden but advanced kingdom of Wakanda, must step forward to lead his people into a new future and must confront a challenger from his country’s past. It is among the best action adventure movies you need to watch before the end of the year.
Inside Man (2006)
Director: Spike Lee
Writer: Russell Gewirtz
Cast: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
This is one of the best action adventure movies ever made. In this film, the man has to work out how all the robbers are related. The fact that they have hostages complicates things significantly. When he finally sees all the people involved, his plan changes.
Star Wars, Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Directors: George Lucas
Writers: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a thrilling new chapter in the “Star Wars” saga begins. A group of freedom fighters unearth a natural wonder and come face to face with a monstrous evil in this dazzling action-adventure.
Pirates of the Caribbean movies are among the best action-adventure movies of all time.
Jackie Brown (1997)
Directors: Quentin Tarantino
Writers: Quentin Tarantino, Elmore Leonard
Cast: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
An adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s novel “Rum Punch” about a flight attendant who gets caught smuggling money for her arms dealer boss, using her sex appeal to distract the authorities. This is also among the best action adventure movies ever made.
Inception (2010)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
A man who specializes in corporate espionage utilizes dream-sharing technology to steal business secrets from his targets. However, a malevolent corporation is hot on his trail, leading to a mind-bending confrontation.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Director: John Hughes
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
The adventures of teenagers in Chicago on one fateful day. Ferris is determined to have a day off from school, despite narrow escapes with his friend Cameron who is not very happy with Ferris’ plan. Meanwhile, Cameron’s sister is trying to get on her school’s cheerleading team without the approval of her parents.
The Terminator (1984)
Director: James Cameron
Writer: James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd (story), William Wisher
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
An android reaches Earth to track down a waitress. Seems weird, right? Why does a robot race care about a waitress? Well, the real reason is the unborn child of the waitress who is said to be the human that will lead mankind into a war against machines. This is among the best action adventure movies you need to watch.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Lawrence Kasdan (story), George Lucas (story), Philip Kaufman
Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
After arriving in Nepal, archaeologist, and adventurer Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. is asked by a group of thugs to find the legendary mystical object known as the Sankara Stones.
North By Northwest (1959)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writer: Ernest Lehman
Cast: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Roger Thornhill is an advertising executive who is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive. You need to watch this movie which is among the best action adventure movies ever made.
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Director: Jonathan Demme
Writers: Daniel Pyne (screenplay), Richard Condon (novel)
Cast: Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
A U.S. Major and his squad of soldiers set out to find a pair of missing infantrymen, only to learn that the enemy has planned an even bigger welcome for them as they find themselves in the middle of a brainwashing experiment that forces him into the ultimate moral conundrum.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Director: George Miller
Writers: Brendan McCarthy (story), George Miller (story), Nick Lathouris (screenplay)
Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
A rebellious woman alongside other female prisoners, Max the drifter, and a psychotic worshiper set out on a mission to find her homeland. In this destroyed world after a post-apocalyptic occurrence, she finds herself fighting for her life against tyrants who are ruling the world.
This Is The End (2013)
Director: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Writer: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, Jason Stone
Cast: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Jay Baruchel lands in Los Angeles to visit an old friend and soon-to-be-world famous actor James Franco only to discover that the apocalypse is near, and this pair of party pals may be the only ones to survive it. The script was originally conceived as a short film idea by Goldberg and Rogen, who previously worked together on Superbad (2007), but eventually developed into a full-length feature.
Aliens (1986)
Director: James Cameron
Writer: James Cameron
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
The sequel to Alien sees Ellen Ripley returning to the planet where she first encountered the deadly Xenomorphs. This time it’s personal, as she joins a band of Colonial Marines to infiltrate the aliens’ homeworld and bring back her daughter Amanda, who was abducted by the creatures. Aliens have been called “possibly the greatest sequel in film history.”
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Director: Peter Weir
Writer: John Collee, Peter Weir, Patrick O’Brian
Cast: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, Billy Boyd
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Amidst the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain is forced to push his ship and crew to their maximum limits in pursuit to get his hands on the ultimate weapon of doom. This is one of the best action adventure movies you need to keep in line. It is among the best action-adventure movies of all time you need to stream on Netflix!
Die Hard (1988)
Director: John McTiernan
Writer: Roderick Thorp, Steven E. de Souza, Jeb Stuart
Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
New York cop John McClane’s plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when minutes after he arrives at her office, the entire building is overtaken by a group of pitiless terrorists. While the criminal’s mastermind monitors police radio and tightens his grip, McClane fights a one-man battle to rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
Director: John McTiernan
Writer: Larry Ferguson, Donald Stewart
Cast: Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
An advanced Russian submarine cruise undetected from the North Atlantic to the North Pacific. It’s mission: nothing less than nuclear destruction of a city on American soil. In other words, WWIII has begun.
Speed (1994)
Director: Jan de Bont
Writer: Graham Yost
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
When a psychotic bomber man with a lifelong grudge against the LAPD conceives an ingenious revenge scheme, it’s up to determined cop Jack Traven and his partner Harry to foil the plan. However, there’s just one catch: they’ve got to get on the bus that contains the bomb first.
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Jeff Nathanson
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Frank Abagnale Jr. is an 18-year old about to turn 19. His talent? Conning people with his special skill and obtaining millions of dollars in a single night. Now, he’s under suspicion and an FBI agent makes it his mission to catch him in the act.
Apollo 13 (1995)
Director: Ron Howard
Writer: Jim Lovell, William Broyles Jr.
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
The true story about the unfortunate incident that happened during the 13th Apollo mission launched in April 1970, in which three astronauts brave tremendous odds to safely return to Earth after an onboard explosion cripples their craft and leaves them stranded in the Moon’s orbit.
Casino Royale (2006)
Director: Martin Campbell
Writer: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis
Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikklesen, Judi Dench
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
After receiving a license to kill, British secret agent James Bond heads to Madagascar, where he uncovers a link to Le Chiffre, a private banker to the world’s terrorists. Along with his contact, Rene Mathis assigns Bond with protecting Le Chiffre’s money due to the recent death of another agent.
Hot Fuzz (2007)
Director: Edgar Wright
Writer: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright
Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Timothy Dalton
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
For PC Nicholas Angel, it seems like a day can’t go by without some kind of trouble in Sandford. He and his new partner, PC Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), must track an escaped swan, stop a mysterious car and save Simon Skinner from a fate worse than death.
Mission Impossible IV: Ghost Protocol (2011)
Director: Brad Bird
Writer: Bruce Geller, Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
It’s a race against time and Ethan Hunt must lead his team into tracking down a mastermind terrorist known as Hendricks. He has access to Russian nuclear launch codes which he intends to use to attack the United States. However, Ethan’s attempts at stopping him come to a halt when a massive explosion takes the Kremlin and the IMF. Sadly, the team is to blame and things take a turn when Ethan and his team have to face those allegations.
The Avengers (2012)
Director: Joss Whedon
Writer: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlet Johnson
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Nick Fury is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, an international peace-keeping agency. The agency is a who’s who of Marvel Super Heroes, with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, and Black Widow. When global security is threatened by Loki and his cohorts, Nick Fury and Co. will need all their powers to save the world from disaster, which is formed by Loki and an army of villains.
John Wick (2014)
Director: Chad Stahelski, David Leitch
Writers: Derek Kolstad
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
John Wick is a mob hitman who upon falling in love with his next-door neighbor’s dog, Daisy, retires. The son of the man who arranged his retirement comes looking for John Wick with some gangsters to kill him and steal his car. When one of the gangsters takes a shot at him, they find out that he is close to unstoppable.
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
Director: Tony Gilroy
Writer: Tony Gilroy, Dan Gilroy, Robert Ludlum
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
This movie is a continuation of the past series. The story begins with an assassination program called Outcome, in which agents of Operation Treadstone have been activated and being held in secret by the CIA. One such agent, number five Aaron Cross, who is assigned to Alaska for a training assignment, is contacted by a scientist and Outcome operator, next-door Dr. Marta Shearing.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
Director: Peter Jackson
Writer: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson
Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
A dragon is unleashed and lays waste to the kingdom of men while Smaug takes refuge in the Lonely Mountain. Meanwhile, Gandalf and Radagast the Brown must move quickly to stop the evil Sauron from acquiring a magical artifact that could doom Middle Earth.
