The surprise box office hit The Lost City, starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, among other A-listers, has brought with it a renewed interest in the rom-com action movie subgenre. This is a special type of action movie, one that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Though the movie turns some of the subgenre's conventions on its head, it still owes a large debt to the movies that came before it and helped define it. For fans looking for more fun rom-com action movies to enjoy, look no further.
Six Days, Seven Nights (1998) - 5.8
A career-driven magazine editor finds herself stranded on a deserted island with a cantankerous pilot and together they need to put aside their differences to find a way off the island and a way to avoid pirates who arrive on the island as well. What sounds like a fairly standard script is elevated by director Ivan Reitman and the movie's leads, Anne Heche and Harrison Ford, who share surprisingly strong chemistry.
The movie was a surprise hit as audiences enjoyed the chemistry between the leads and the fast-paced, upbeat story. Cantankerous isn't a new role for Ford but his gruff likability is at an all-time high as he seems to truly be enjoying himself throughout.
Jewel Of The Nile (1985) - 6.1
The sequel to Romancing The Stone, Jewel Of The Nile picks up with Jack and Joan's romance having grown stale in the months following the events of the first movie. But when Joan is kidnapped by a man looking for the famed Jewel of the Nile, Jack must leap into action to rescue her.
Capitalizing on the popularity of the first movie and the undeniable chemistry between Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Jewel Of The Nile was a box office success, and while audiences didn't love it quite like the first movie, it's a fun sequel that still manages to capture everything audiences expect from an action rom-com.
Date Night (2010) - 6.3
Hopes were high for an action-romance-comedy movie starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey at the heights of their popularity and while Date Night doesn't quite reach the level audiences were hoping for, the movie still delivers consistent laughs and thrills.
What holds the movie back from achieving legendary status is what some feel is an overstuffed plot that spends more time sending Fey and Carell on misadventures and less time letting them riff and react to the absurdity surrounding them. But when those quiet moments between the two of them do occur, they generate some of the biggest laughs of the movie, alongside hilarious cameos from actors like Mark Wahlberg, Ray Liotta, and Mila Kunis.
Knight And Day (2010) - 6.3
Directed by James Mangold and starring Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Paul Dano, and Peter Sarsgaard, Knight and Day is a perfectly passable action rom-com, which explains why audiences have this movie rated slightly above average. While the story is stereotypical and the supporting characters are underwritten, there is still fun to be had watching Tom Cruise play up his action hero legend status and turn his charm up to 11.
The chemistry he shares with Diaz is believable, if not exactly setting the screen on fire, and it seems like everyone involved in making the movie was having a blast. With highly skilled action director James Mangold behind the lens, it's just a shame the movie doesn't rank higher with fans.
This Means War (2012) - 6.3
A unique plot and strong cast help lift This Means War above other action rom-coms. Chris Pine can always turn on the charm when needed, but it's the inclusion of Tom Hardy in the cast that stands out when rewatching it.
Known primarily for his more serious, action-based roles, watching Hardy bring the same intensity and commitment to the absurd setups and scenes throughout the movie helped audiences forgive things like director McG's seemingly inability to decide what he wanted the tone of the movie to actually be. Reese Witherspoon is strong as the love interest of both men but, unfortunately, isn't given as much to do as other female leads in the genre.
Mr. Right (2015) - 6.3
Streaming brought new life to Mr. Right and helped audiences discover a surprisingly strong entry in the action rom-com genre. The leads, Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell, have wonderful chemistry, and the movie absolutely makes the most of its premise while earning its R rating.
Often, action rom-coms are rated PG-13 in the hopes of finding wider audiences, so this movie's gleeful willingness to lean fully into the violence and vulgarity surrounding the main characters helps it stand out even more in a crowded genre. There are times the movie goes too heavily into the violence, but with rapid-fire jokes and nonstop humor from the leads, it remains an entry that audiences continue to enjoy.
Mr. And Mrs. Smith (2005) - 6.5
There's chemistry in an action rom-com and then there's Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The movie likely would've been a hit even without the tabloid stories running wild about the co-stars because the movie itself remains just as rewatchable as ever.
From Pitt's excellent comedic timing and deadpan delivery to Jolie's devilish glee as situations devolve around her, the movie is a perfect example of what the genre can look like at its best.
Crocodile Dundee (1986) - 6.6
A fish-out-of-water is a common setup in rom-coms and Crocodile Dundee manages to tell two of them in one movie. First, following Linda in the Australian outback, then, by planting Mick Dundee in New York City. The movie proved that with strong chemistry and likable leads audiences can overlook any perceived shortcomings and was a smash hit at the box office and continues to garner high ratings on TV.
While many action rom-coms suffer from trying to add too much, Crocodile Dundee is perfectly content with a less-is-more approach which allows the characters time to develop a more meaningful relationship that audiences can continue to invest in on each rewatch.
The Lost City (2022) - 6.6
Part of what makes The Lost City work so well is that it openly acknowledges all of the movies that have come before it in this genre. The other part is casting undeniably likable leads like Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum.
The two have great chemistry and the movie's script allows them plenty of chances to put it on display as they navigate a series of sequences and setups that seem ripped straight from the movies they're paying homage to. Add in a ridiculously fun cameo from Brad Pitt and a wonderful turn from Daniel Radcliffe as the villain and there's hardly a second for the movie to lose steam. Instead, it tries (and mostly succeeds) to keep the audience entertained every second.
Romancing The Stone (1985) - 6.9
The benchmark for a good action rom-com, Romancing The Stone walks a perfect line as a treasure hunting movie between humor, action, and heart. Many viewers watching this movie for the first time will recognize plot points and moments that other movies in the genre have lifted from this one over the years, but nothing can duplicate the on-screen pairing of Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. Never bogged down by too many action sequences that distract from the heart of the story, the movie remains one that audiences can jump into at any point, anytime it's on.
Blending action and rom-com movies together isn't always the smoothest mix but when done right, the soaring highs can often create unforgettable movie moments that keep audiences coming back to rewatch them again and again.