It's easy to find yourself scrolling through endless titles on Netflix without ever picking
anything.
But that doesn't mean the streaming platform has nothing good to offer: you just need to
know where to look.
If you're in the mood for a good action movie you haven't seen a million times, here are
some hidden gems waiting for you on Netflix.
13 Assassins
If you're a fan of Audition or Ichi the Killer, here's another classic action movie from Takashi
Miike. 13 Assassins is less brutal than those earlier films but was favorably compared to
Seven Samurai, which is about the highest praise a samurai film can get.
Taking place near the sunset of feudal Japan, a group of samurai gather together to defeat
a sinister lord before he takes the throne.
With a 96 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this might become a new action favorite.
Big Trouble in Little China
It's hard to go wrong with an '80s action movie starring Kurt Russell.
Big Trouble in Little China stars Russell as Jack Burton, a man who goes into the mythical
underworld of Chinatown to save a green-eyed damsel.
The movie has tons of humor and great '80s action.
If you like John Carpenter films, especially Escape from New York, you'll wonder why it's
taken you so long to watch Big Trouble in Little China.
Plus it features a great cheesy theme song from John Carpenter's band.
What's not to love?
Déjà Vu
Tony Scott didn't always get as much praise as his older brother Ridley, but he brought
us some fantastic films.
The man behind True Lies and the '80s staple Top Gun got together an A-list cast for the
2006 film Deja Vu, an underrated film that Netflix has been hiding right under your nose.
Denzel Washington stars as Doug Carlin, an investigator tasked with solving a deadly
bombing in New Orleans.
He's given a new piece of technology that can gaze back four days into the past to help
with the investigation, but he becomes obsessed with the idea of actually traveling through
time to stop the tragic event from happening.
It's a little sci-fi, a little action, and all awesome.
The Hunter
Ever wanted to watch Willem Dafoe hunt for an extinct tiger in the wilds of Tasmania?
Well, The Hunter has just made your dreams come true.
This unusual action film combines science, exotic locales, and rich character depth to
create a really intriguing action movie.
If you're looking for a slower-paced but extremely well-acted action adventure, The Hunter is
just the ticket.
Lucky Number Slevin
This quirky crime comedy flew under the radar on its release, but Lucky Number Slevin is
full of twists, turns, and distracting fun that'll keep you watching to the end.
It's clever, funny, and has an amazing cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis,
Lucy Liu, and Ben Kingsley.
With a clever script and slick visual style, Lucky Number Slevin is surprisingly entertaining.
The Finest Hours
Based on a true story, this tale of a daring 1952 Coast Guard rescue received some pretty
positive reviews, but kind of sank after its initial release.
Maybe because The Finest Hours is pretty generic for a title, but this real-life tale starring
Star Trek's Chris Pine is full of thrilling moments and moving drama.
So before The Finest Hours slips from your memory again, give this fine historical drama
a try.
Alive
This gripping drama is based on the true story of a Uruguayan rugby team struggling to survive
in the Andes after a plane crash.
After only 25 people live through the initial accident, the team members have to resort
to desperate measures to stay alive.
If you haven't already guessed, yes, this is the movie where the survivors end up eating
each other.
But it's not a horror film.
Watching these people grasp at hope through the very worst conditions is harrowing, and
although the movie sounds kind of depressing, it's actually an uplifting tale of survival
and the unbelievable strength of mankind — not to mention a roller coaster ride of sheer
adrenaline.
Super
Just in case two installments of Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't enough to satisfy your
love of James Gunn films, Netflix has a classic waiting for you.
Before you watch Super, Gunn's first superhero film, you should know that it's a dark comedy.
Very dark.
That said, it's definitely a visually unique take on superheroes.
Starring Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page, Super is about a man who decides to dress up as
a superhero to save his ex-wife...who doesn't really want to be saved.
It may not have the budget of Guardians, but you can see Gunn's flare for action and irreverent
humor shine through.
Trollhunter
This surprisingly unique film follows a group of people on a quest to find real trolls in
the frozen tundra of Norway.
After they find out that the existence of trolls has been covered up by the Norwegian
government, they make it their duty to capture one of the elusive monsters on film.
This is no Troll 2.
These trolls look amazing and don't have to turn humans into plants to eat them.
Shot like a documentary, the film is often hilarious, though not without its tense moments.
Moira MacDonald, film critic at the Seattle Times, wrote, "Those fog-draped fjords provide
a distractingly pretty backdrop to this tale of mysterious, massive creatures who roam
the forest by night, searching for Christians on whom to munch."
It's safe to say that you're not going to find a better movie about massive monsters
eating religious folk.
Zombeavers
Don't worry: Zombeavers is completely aware that it's a movie about zombie beavers.
Thankfully, it's a fun horror parody that makes the idea of undead beavers as funny
as it could possibly be.
Critic Tim Brayton called it "the funniest horror-comedy since, at the very least, The
Cabin in the Woods."
If you want a campy, diverting comedy that's full of laughs and gross-out gags, Zombeavers
is exactly what you're looking for.
Welcome to the Punch
Starring Mark Strong and James McAvoy star as a criminal and cop who team up to uncover
a conspiracy, Welcome to the Punch is straight-up action in the best possible way.
The solid casting choices lend a bit of seriousness and depth of character to the story, but let's
all be honest: this is a movie you watch for awesome chase scenes and gun fights.
Welcome to the Punch is pretty violent, but you'd probably expect that from a film that
invites you to a beating in the title.
Last Knights
A cast that stars Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman usually means a movie worth watching.
Add in castles, swords, and revenge, and you have yourself a fine action film.
Now, the critics weren't especially kind to Last Knights, but the New York Times thought
Bonnie and Clyde was an overly violent, pointless piece of cinema, so why listen to critics?
Last Knights probably won't stand the test of time like Bonnie and Clyde, but if Game
of Thrones reruns aren't doing it for you, or if you just like hearing the soothing tones
of Morgan Freeman while people are killed with swords, Last Knights is worth a watch.
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