Action movies that don't take themselves too seriously or favor fight scenes over a coherent or creative story are generally known as guilty pleasure movies, which also make for some of the best kind in this genre.
The list below features 10 such films that are currently streaming on Netflix and are the standout options in the streaming giant's catalog. There's a variety of films for all different tastes, from kung fu, to B-grade, to ultra-violent, to sci-fi action - there's something for everyone here.
Updated on July 26, 2020, by Richard Keller: When the world starts to bring you down, a guilty pleasure movie hits the spot. If romance or comedy doesn't work, then an action flick might help you release the tension. We posted 10 recommendations a while ago. Now, here are five more of the best guilty pleasure action films on Netflix.
Starship Troopers (1997)
Starship Troopers is violent, gory, and over-the-top. It's also amazingly entertaining. Though it seems the government of Earth provoked the bugs, you can't help but root for Rico and his buddies. Each death is a pinprick in your mind.
Now over two decades old, Starship Troopers combines the classic war film with hard science fiction. It's not a glorified version of battle. Each death seems real. Yet, fans still rewatch the film when they want to get away from their daily problems.
Bloodsport (1988)
The fact Jean-Claude Van Damme is the film's star should be enough to watch it. If not, consider the fact this was the martial arts expert's first starring role. It's still memorable over three decades later.
In the film, Van Damme plays Frank Dux, a man trained in ninjutsu who attends an illegal martial arts tournament in Hong Kong. While there, he gains an enemy in Chong Li. In the end, Bloodsport is the story of a man who wants to prove that he is truly good at what he does.
2012 (2009)
Three years before the world was supposed to end, Columbia Pictures released the action-disaster film 2012. It provided a super-sized view of what the promised cataclysm would look like. Luckily, it only happened on celluloid.
The main protagonist is John Cusack's Jackson Curtis, a science fiction writer working as a chauffeur to make extra money. Though he originally scoffs at the idea of apocalypse, Jackson and his children race around the globe to save themselves and others from the ongoing destruction. Once the action starts, it barely stops.
Cop Out (2010)
Basically, any action movie that stars Bruce Willis is a guilty pleasure. This one pairs the Die Hard star with comedian Tracy Morgan. In the film, they play veteran police officers in a search for a multi-million dollar mint baseball card.
Turns out, organized crime has its hands in this as well. So, Willis and Morgan need to overpower them in order to retrieve the card. Cop Out is a standard buddy film that's great to watch any time.
Twister (1996)
In Twister, you can't help but root for the tornado hunter team led by Helen Hunt and Bill Pullman. The rest of the time, you might end up rooting for the tornado you want to hurt Cary Elwes because he's so mean.
This action film continuously ramps up the tension. Each tornado the team searches for is larger than the previous one. In the end, Hunt and Pullman get up close to an F5 twister that has the potential to kill them. Overall, Twister is an acting and special effects masterpiece.
Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
Chinese director Stephen Chow brings his signature style of over-the-top, quirky action to the film Kung Fu Hustle. Chow also stars in the film, playing an aspiring gangster with his heart set on joining the vicious Axe Gang, who run his town. He instead finds himself the target of the gang and decides to join up with the residents of a slum housing complex, who are secretly harboring a bunch of martial arts masters. Together they take the fight to the Axe Gang in an epic martial arts battle.
Kung Fu Hustle works on multiple levels as a fun, guilty pleasure action flick as not only is it full of amazing action set pieces, it's also hilarious, featuring lots of eccentric characters. Chow has become a brand unto himself with similarly bonkers films like Shaolin Soccer, Journey to the West and The Mermaid in his repertoire, all of which make for some highly entertaining, easy-viewing.
Wild Wild West (1999)
Will Smith and Kevin Kline play a pair of wild west era special agents tasked to protect the President from an evil Confederate scientist (Kenneth Branagh), who's seeking revenge for losing the Civil War in the much-maligned 1999 action comedy film Wild Wild West. Set onboard a steam train, the duo has to use their wits to survive an onslaught of deadly machines.
Wild Wild West was neither star's finest hour, with the film failing to capture the hearts and minds of critics and audiences. Despite its panning, it does have some redeeming qualities in that it's a fun, adventure-filled ride of a film that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's the perfect movie to laugh at in times when viewers need a mindless option.
The Night Comes for Us (2018)
Martial arts superstars Joe Taslim and Iko Uwais star in the stupendously violent Netflix film The Night Comes For Us. Taslim plays a Triad enforcer caught in the middle of an uprising and he, alongside Uwais' character is forced to battle a countless number of opponents who are out for their heads.
The Night Comes For Us is violent to the point of nearly being horror in that it's extremely gory. Director Timo Tjahjanto pulls no punches in providing one of the most gratuitous and bloody displays of martial arts action to hit the screen, which should please anyone with a strong stomach that's seeking a thrilling movie-watching experience.
Triple Threat (2019)
The action-packed martial arts epic Triple Threat features a who's-who of B-grade action movie stars. Iko Uwais, Tony Jaa, Tiger Hu Chen, Scott Adkins, Michael Jai White, Celina Jade, and Michael Bisping all feature prominently in this film about a woman whose attempts to bring down a major crime faction sees her hunted down by a team of elite assassins. Her only chance at survival is under the protection of a group of skilled mercenaries.
Triple Threat is the type of film that action fans wait their entire lives for. The aforementioned cast list features the biggest names in the B-movie scene, all of whom bring something special to the table. The story leaves much to be desired, however, audiences need to not concern themselves too much with the plot when all these superstars are on the screen together in epic combat.
Avengement (2019)
The current king of the B-grade action movie circuit, Scott Adkins, stars in what may be his finest work yet, 2019's Avengement. In it, Adkins plays a criminal who escapes from prison and heads back to the local English pub where his former crime gang hangs out to seek revenge, in a gloriously violent fashion.
Adkins puts in a career-best performance in a film that's only borderline guilty pleasure, but still makes the cut due to its senseless violence, B-grade cast, and fairly generic story. Nevertheless, it's crafted in a way that hooks the audience in from the start and keeps them engaged to the very end.
TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
The sequel to 1990's smash-hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action film took the gritty vibe of the first film and turned it on its head, opting for a campier, cheesier, and more fun-filled adventure follow-up. The Secret of the Ooze sees the Ninja Turtles battle their nemesis Shredder for control over a vial of ooze that created them, in order to stop him from creating other, more evil-inclined mutated creatures.
The 90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films are unique in that they feature virtually no CGI, with the Turtles themselves designed by the highly inventive people in the film's costume department, with excellent results. That coupled with the addition of some new characters, zany humor and cool fight sequences makes The Secret of the Ooze a worthy addition to the guilty pleasure viewing list.
Boyka: Undisputed IV (2016)
Also starring Scott Adkins is Boyka: Undisputed IV, the fourth film in the Undisputed fighting movie franchise. Boyka (Adkins) grows a conscience after accidentally killing a man in a big-league fight and seeks redemption by helping the dead man's wife escape a life of subjugation.
The Undisputed films have a cult following like no other in the B-grade action movie circuit, with their intense fight scenes and volatile characters drawing fans in. Ving Rhames, Wesley Snipes, and Michael Jai White have all featured in the series prior to it becoming the Scott Adkins show, with his character Boyka now synonymous with this popular franchise.
The Do-Over (2016)
The name Adam Sandler does not usually come to mind when thinking of action films, though in 2016 he and David Spade teamed up for the action-adventure-comedy-caper The Do-Over for Netflix, which saw the comedic actor prove he has what it takes to lead an action-centric film.
The Do-Over is a classic buddy-movie that sees Sandler and Spade play old school friends who after feeling bored with their lives, decide to fake their own deaths and take on new identities. Their new identities, however, see them become entwined with some dangerous criminals. This film is a great choice for anyone in the mood for a fast-paced action-adventure that hits the mark on the comedy.
Beyond Skyline (2017)
Action movie standout Frank Grillo joins Iko Uwais in the sci-fi-action film Beyond Skyline. Grillo plays a police officer who finds his son has been sucked into an alien warship and will stop at nothing to rescue him. He'll do this while leading a band of survivors and trying to stave off an alien invasion.
Beyond Skyline is a sequel to the 2010 sci-fi film Skyline, and picks up where that film left off. The first film played out more like a disaster-movie whereas this sequel goes all-in on the action. It's part sci-fi, part martial arts film, and all-round entertaining for the most part, despite being clichéd.
Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016)
A reboot of the 1989 cult classic martial arts film Kickboxer starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kickboxer: Vengeance follows the story of a martial artist who travels to Thailand to fight their deadliest Muay Thai champion, in order to avenge the death of his brother.
Following the same plotline as the original Kickboxer, 2016's Kickboxer: Vengeance is a mostly by-the-numbers remake. While Jean-Claude Van Damme does make an appearance in this new interpretation, it lacks the magic of the original film and its new leading star, Alain Moussi, is not quite as charismatic as JCVD. Nevertheless, the film features some awesome fight scenes along with some cheesy dialogue, both elements being a throwback to the style of 80s action films that came before it. This film is a must-watch for fans of the 80s action era, an era with a fanbase as strong as ever in 2020.