When it comes to fight or flight, the characters in these 16 action films seem to all choose the former.

The 16 best action movies on Amazon Prime Video to get your day moving

When it comes to fight or flight, the characters in these 16 action films seem to all choose the former.

By Ilana Gordon,

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

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Declan Gallagher,

and Dennis Perkins

on March 1, 2026 3:30 p.m. ET

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Donnie Yen as Ip Man in 'Ip Man'; Viola Davis as General Nanisca in 'The Woman King'; Will Ferrell as Det. Allen Gamble in 'The Other Guys'. Credit:

Well Go; Ilze Kitshoff/TriStar Pictures; Macall Polay/Columbia

Some of us aren’t built to fight, so we enjoy conducting our confrontations from the couch and letting other people do the heavy lifting. The movies on this list are filled with physical clashes, car chases, and climactic character deaths. Let these films transport you to the Arctic, ancient Rome, and any number of places in between — and let **'s list of 16 of the best action movies on Amazon Prime Video guide you along the way.**

Arctic (2018)

Mads Mikkelsen as Overgård in 'Arctic'. Bleecker Street Media/Everett

As far as movie villains go, Mother Nature is one hell of an adversary. Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) is a plane crash survivor stuck in the Arctic Circle, awaiting rescue. His day-to-day routine is interrupted after a would-be helicopter rescue ends in another crash, with the only surviving passenger (María Thelma Smáradóttir) left severely injured. Determined to save them both, Overgård embarks on foot on a journey across the Arctic, where he finds himself challenged by everything nature throws at him.

Mikkelsen carries the film on his parka-clad shoulders; mostly stripped of dialogue, director Joe Penna employs silence the same way other filmmakers use screams. A startling tale that will have you writing odes to your heating system, *Arctic* is a tense and thrilling survival tale. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *Arctic*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B+

**Director: **Joe Penna

**Cast: **Mads Mikkelsen, María Thelma Smáradóttir

Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis as John McClane in 'Die Hard'. Twentieth Century Fox

Fans have debated whether *Die Hard* is a Christmas movie for more than three decades, but it's an agreed upon fact that the film launched one of the most beloved action thriller franchises of all time. The first of five installments introduces audiences to the series' hero — New York police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) — who has traveled to Los Angeles hoping to rekindle a romance with his estranged wife, Holly. After German terrorists — led by the nefarious Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) — take control of the building where Holly's company's Christmas party is being held, McClane must work to take down the terrorists from the inside in order to save his family.* —I.G.*

Where to watch *Die Hard*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** John McTiernan

**Cast: **Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, Bonnie Bedelia

Dragged Across Concrete (2018)

Vince Vaughn as Anthony Lurasetti and Mel Gibson as Brett Ridgeman in 'Dragged Across Concrete'. David Bukac/Summit Entertainment

As police brutality becomes an increasingly urgent topic of conversation, films and television shows have received criticism from viewers and the media for glamorizing law enforcement. *Dragged Across Concrete* does not have this issue. A thriller categorized by EW's critic as a long-forgotten class of "nasty, nihilistic, nicotine-stained '70s death trips," *Dragged Across Concrete* stars Mel Gibson as Det. Brett Ridgeman, a racist cop who finds himself suspended from duty — along with his partner, Anthony Lurasetti (Vince Vaughn) — after the pair assaults a suspect during an arrest. Pissed off and in need of quick cash, the detectives decide to rob a thief, only to discover that this criminal's propensity for brutality far outstrips their own. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Dragged Across Concrete*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** S. Craig Zahler

**Cast: **Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, Tory Kittles, Michael Jai White

Escape From New York (1981)

Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken in 'Escape From New York'. Everett Collection

John Carpenter's actioner stars Kurt Russell as prison inmate Snake Plissken, who's tasked with saving the president (Donald Pleasence) from infidels in an apocalyptic 1997. One of the director's last films from his most furtive period, *Escape From New York* is an assured blend of sci-fi thriller and the Howard Hawks Westerns he grew up loving as a kid. *—Declan Gallagher*

Where to watch *Escape From New York*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** John Carpenter

**Cast: **Kurt Russell, Adrienne Barbeau, Lee Van Cleef, Donald Pleasence, Isaac Hayes

Gladiator II (2024)

Paul Mescal as Hanno/Lucius and Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius in 'Gladiator II'.

Almost 25 years after *Gladiator* premiered and entertained theater audiences with its epic historical narrative and bold action sequences, Ridley Scott returns with his long-awaited sequel. The successor to his Best Picture winner follows a fresh crop of characters led by Paul Mescal, who stars as Hanno, a prisoner of war.

Hanno shows promise in the ring and carries vengeance in his heart for his murdered wife and conquered kingdom, but as he acquits himself as a gladiator and learns about his background, he begins to imagine the possibilities for a rehabilitated Rome. *Gladiator II* boasts a fresh cast of brilliant actors, a smart, well-constructed script, and employs a quarter-century’s worth of cinematic and visual effect advancements that propel this project to new heights. —*I.G.*

Where to watch *Gladiator II*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A

**Director: **Ridley Scott

**Cast: **Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn

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The Great Escape (1963)

Steve McQueen as Capt. Virgil Hilts in 'The Great Escape'. Everett Collection

An epic World War II classic highlighting the resiliency of the human spirit, *The Great Escape* is a 1963 adventure film directed by John Sturges and starring an ensemble cast led by Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, and James Garner. Loosely based on the true story of a mass escape of British soldiers from a German POW camp — and crafted with many narrative concessions intended to appease American viewing audiences — the action unfolds like a heist movie as a group of soldiers plots to free 250 men from detention at great risk to their lives. The film was mostly overlooked on the awards circuit, only winning one Oscar for Best Film Editing, but it was a hit at the box office and with critics and remains one of the most enduring WWII films to this day. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Great Escape*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** John Sturges

**Cast: **Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, Charles Bronson

Ip Man (2008)

Donnie Yen as Ip Man in 'Ip Man'. Well Go/Everett

Eight years before Donnie Yen portrayed a stoically deadly warrior in *Rogue One*, the Hong Kong superstar played the titular martial arts master most famous for teaching Bruce Lee. *Ip Man* takes place long before that, though, with Yen's Wing Chun master reluctantly proving his superior skills against rival martial arts schools, and, eventually, the invading Japanese.

Playing loosely with the biography of the very real Ip Man, Wilson Yip's film is a jingoistic mix of anti-Japan sentiment and stunning action set pieces. Yen, already a global martial arts star, studied Wing Chun under fellow Hong Kong action star Sammo Hung, and makes his unassuming Ip Man a riveting blur of jackhammer punches and balletic movement whenever anyone proves unwise enough to disturb his quiet life. *—Dennis Perkins*

Where to watch *Ip Man*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Wilson Yip

**Cast: **Donnie Yen

The Lost City of Z (2017)

Charlie Hunnam as Percy Fawcett and Tom Holland as Jack Fawcett in 'The Lost City of Z'.

Aidan Monaghan/Bleecker Street Media/Everett

James Gray’s film, adapted from *Killers of the Flower Moon* author David Grann’s nonfiction book, is a cracking old-fashioned adventure yarn. *The Lost City of Z* stars Charlie Hunnam as fabled explorer Percy Fawcett, who discovers a previously unknown civilization during a trek into the Amazon jungle — but when his interest in his work begins to border on obsession, Fawcett finds himself struggling to maintain his relationships with his wife and children. The film was chosen to close the New York Film Festival in 2016, and while it was overlooked by audiences during its time in theaters, the film found favor with most critics. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *The Lost City of Z*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director: **James Gray

**Cast: **Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland, Ian McDiarmid

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt in 'Mission: Impossible'.

Ethan Hunt is America’s answer to James Bond. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, CBS series *Mission: Impossible* followed U.S. undercover officers as they engaged in top-secret operations. Under Brian De Palma’s cinematic direction, the spy work goes high-tech and high impact. Tom Cruise stars as Ethan Hunt, a member of the Impossible Missions Force, or IMF, whose mission is compromised when he is suspected of being an agency mole.

“*Mission: Impossible* is structured as a Rubik’s Cube that keeps on twisting,” writes EW’s critic. The film is also the gift that keeps on giving: There are eight movies in the franchise, although *Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning* (2025) is allegedly Cruise’s last. But, as in all *M:I *movies, it’s possible this is just a misdirection and the IMF’s work will continue. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Mission: Impossible*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Brian De Palma

**Cast:** Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Henry Czerny, Emmanuelle Béart, Jean Reno

The Other Guys (2010)

Will Ferrell as Det. Allen Gamble and Mark Wahlberg as Det. Terry Hoitz in 'The Other Guys'. Macall Polay

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg team up for a buddy cop action comedy that will be relatable to anyone who doesn’t thrive under pressure. Ferrell and Wahlberg play Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, two NYPD detectives that have been relegated to desk duty. Gamble (Ferrell) loves his orderly existence while Hoitz (Wahlberg) rages against his new assignment, which he acquired after mistakenly shooting Derek Jeter.

But when the most Alpha cops on the force die in the line of duty, it’s up to the Other Guys to investigate the biggest crime the city has seen in years. Ferrell and Wahlberg are perfectly cast as an odd couple duo, and director Adam McKay is a pro at satirizing a genre that has turned law enforcement officers into superheroes. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Other Guys*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Adam McKay

**Cast:** Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan

RoboCop (1987)

Peter Weller as RoboCop in 'RoboCop'.

Orion/Courtesy Everett Collection

Set in a crime-ridden Detroit is *RoboCop*, Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi action/social satire classic. After police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is killed in the line of duty, his body is reconfigured by the mega corporation Omni Consumer Products and transformed into that of a cyborg law enforcement agent. The former Officer Murphy — now referred to as RoboCop — has no memories of his family or previous existence, but is armed with directives to serve the public trust, protect the innocent, and uphold the law. In a world populated by crime lords and executives fueled by ruthless ambition, it’s refreshing to watch Peter Weller as RoboCop explore the vulnerability and humanity buried deep below his layers of steel and computer programming. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *RoboCop*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade: **A

**Director: **Paul Verhoeven

**Cast:** Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Daniel O'Herlihy, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith

Sinners (2025)

Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and Miles Canton as Sammie in 'Sinners'.

*Sinners *picked up just about every Oscar nomination possible (a record-breaking 16) and for good reason: The period horror film has so much to offer, it’s hard to know what to highlight. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, *Sinners* stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who return to their hometown in the Mississippi Delta to create a juke joint for the Black community. But when the spot’s music is powerful enough to summon supernatural forces to its door, the bar’s patrons struggle to survive their night of revelry.

Set in 1932, the first half of the movie is a compelling drama about gangster brothers returning to the South and confronting their past loves and hopes for the future. The second half — a bacchanalian, gore-filled night of singing, dancing, and vampire attacks — is both gripping and terrifying. The acting, casting, and music are excellent, making *Sinners* a must-see movie. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Sinners: *Amazon Prime Video

**Director: **Ryan Coogler

**Cast: **Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku

The Tomorrow War (2021)

Chris Pratt as Dan Forester in 'The Tomorrow War'. Frank Masi/Amazon Studios

As if today’s geopolitical conflicts weren’t complicated enough, in *The Tomorrow War*, the world must unite and travel to the future to defeat the aliens creating an existential threat to humanity. The stakes are high, and there are the usual interpersonal fights to sort out amongst all the battles with intergalactic creatures. Chris Pratt stars as a biology teacher and Iraq War veteran whose military experience and personal ties help him survive his time fighting aliens.

As far as the tonal spectrum is concerned, the film leans more comedy than thriller, thanks in large part to its supporting cast of comedic actors and eccentric characters. EW’s critic writes that “Director Chris McKay (*Robot Chicken*) has forged his career in absurdist comedy, and the movie is best when it lets its weirdo flag fly.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Tomorrow War*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director: **Chris McKay

**Cast: **Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J. K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

Nicolas Cage as Nick Cage in 'The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent'. Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate

Nicolas Cage has enjoyed a long, illustrious career — who else has the range to do *Moonstruck *(1987), *Gone in 60 Seconds *(2000), and *Pig *(2021)? — but in this meta action comedy, Cage assumes his most difficult role yet: himself. In *The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent*, Cage plays a struggling Nicolas Cage (going by Nick instead of Nic) who quits acting and accepts a $1 million offer to be the guest of honor at billionaire Javi Gutierrez's (Pedro Pascal) birthday. What began as a job transforms into a friendship, but when the FBI tips Nick off that his new pal might be an arms dealer who kidnapped a politician's daughter, he agrees to assist with their investigation. Pascal is, frankly, adorable as a Nicolas Cage superfan. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Tom Gormican

**Cast: **Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Sharon Horgan, Ike Barinholtz, Alessandra Mastronardi

Waterworld (1995)

Kevin Costner as Mariner and Dennis Hopper as Deacon in 'Waterworld'.

Universal/Getty

*Waterworld* cost $200 million to make, required 166 days to shoot, and got a bad rap when it arrived in theaters. Often compared to *Mad Max *(1979), time and global warming have given people reason to reconsider the merits of this postapocalyptic science fiction film. Set in 2500, the movie finds the planet underwater after rising seas and melting ice caps covered the land, driving humans onto floating communities. *Waterworld *is, 30-plus years after its debut, depressingly prescient.

Kevin Costner stars as the Mariner, a nomad with a boat and a talent for defending himself against the gangs that travel the seas, raiding local communities. When the Mariner rescues a woman named Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and a young girl named Enola (Tina Majorino), he discovers he might have found the key to accessing dry land. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Waterworld*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade: **B

**Director:** Kevin Reynolds

**Cast:** Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tina Majorino, Michael Jeter

The Woman King (2022)

Viola Davis as General Nanisca in 'The Woman King'. Ilze Kitshoff/TriStar Pictures

It’s rare to find a historical action movie led by a woman of color, but *The Woman King* is one of the best around. Set in the early 19th century, the film tells the story of the Agojie, an all-female warrior regiment tasked with protecting the West African Kingdom of Dahomey. Viola Davis stars as General Nanisca, the regiment’s leader, who is working to train the next generation of Agojie when a conflict arises with the Oyo Empire.

Viola Davis is one of Hollywood’s singular talents — just ask Timothée Chalamet — and in *The Woman King* she delivers an elegant and fierce performance as the defender of her people, and a woman confronting personal choices she made long ago. EW’s critic writes that the film is a “classic hero's quest; one that just had to wait several lifetimes for the rest of the world to catch up.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Woman King*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Gina Prince-Bythewood

**Cast: **Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin

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