Extraction 2 is the No1 film on Netflix UK — and half the world, for that matter — so it’s clear viewers are hungry for a little bit of violence, fighting, explosions and everything in between. And we are here to help.
After all, there are a lot — a lot — of action movies on Netflix, but not all of them deserve your attention. Since Extraction 3 will still take a while to be released, here are four amazing action movies to feed your appetite.
In the last few years we’ve enjoyed Netflix originals of all sorts, from Jennifer Lopez’s adventures in The Mother to the star-studded Red Notice, which remains the most watched Netflix movie of all time, believe it or not. Ryan Gosling showed potential in The Gray Man, and we had some European flavour with releases like the Swedish Black Crab with Noomi Rapace.
However, we want to look beyond the streaming giant’s originals and focus on the very best action movies you can find in the Netflix UK catalogue right now. Way more violent and bloody than Marvel movies, perfect for John Wick fans. We strongly recommend watching with abundance of popcorn!
Nobody
Better Call Saul‘s Bob Odenkirk becomes an action star in the amazing Nobody. Directed by Ilya Naishuller, responsible for the bonkers Hardcore Henry, the story follows a family man who fails to defend his family after they are assaulted in their suburban home. Some primal rage (and a certain amount of concealed backstory) inside of him awakens and he becomes a ruthless action hero desperate to earn his family’s respect back.
The style of the film has been compared to John Wick, to the point that even a crossover between Keanu Reeves’ character and Odenkirk’s was briefly considered.
Also, Nobody 2 in officially on the works, so you’d better catch up now.
The Raid
Without a doubt one of the best action movies of all time, Gareth Evans’ The Raid is a spectacular display of phenomenal martial arts and insane fighting sequences where there is no time to catch a breath.
The unbelievably talented Iko Uwais leads the cast as a member of an elite squad in Jakarta trapped in an impossible situation: during an infiltration in a high-rise building dominated by a dangerous drug lord, Uwais’ fearless protagonist becomes the last man standing and desperately fighting for his life.
If one was not enough, The Raid 2 is also available on Netflix UK and it’s equally incredible.
Sicario
If you still haven’t watched Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario, now is the time.
Written by Taylor Sheridan, who directed the stunning neowestern Hell or High Water, the movie follows an FBI special agent (played by Emily Blunt) who is tasked to join a special team trying to stop a powerful Mexican drug cartel. The line that separates right and wrong becomes blurry as her new partner (Benicio del Toro) is willing to do whatever it takes to get the mission done. Roger Deakins’ cinematography is just stunning. One of the best action movies on Netflix UK indeed.
The Night Comes For Us
Of course we are going to recommend another Iko Uwais movie, and you can’t stop us. The Indonesian actor and martial artist steals the show once more in Netflix’s The Night Comes For Us, directed by horror and action master Timo Tjahjanto (May The Devil Take You).
The film follows an organised crime enforcer who gives up his life as a killer to rescue a young girl, but his former employers are not so happy about that and they order him killed. The action is skilfully choreographed and Tjahjanto doesn’t shy away from explicit violence, blood and broken limbs. Get ready to feel the brutality of the fighting scenes in your bones. Extraction 2‘s prison break sequence multiplied by a 100.
Deputy Movies Editor, Digital Spy
Mireia (she/her) has been working as a movie and TV journalist for over seven years, mostly for the Spanish magazine Fotogramas. Her work has been published in other outlets such as Esquire and Elle in Spain, and WeLoveCinema in the UK. She is also a published author, having written the essay Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja about Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service.
During her years as a freelance journalist and film critic, Mireia has covered festivals around the world, and has interviewed high-profile talents such as Kristen Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more. She’s also taken part in juries such as the FIPRESCI jury at Venice Film Festival and the short film jury at Kingston International Film Festival in London.
Now based in the UK, Mireia joined Digital Spy in June 2023 as Deputy Movies Editor.