3 best action adventure movies on Netflix you (probably) haven't seen

News
By published

This trio of titles, spanning an Indonesian action-comedy to a harrowing extreme-sports doc, will get your adrenaline pumping

Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel in Upgrade
(Image credit: Alamy)

Few film genres are as exciting as an action-adventure movie — packed with explosions, car chases and sword fights galore, a fast-paced, fistfight-fueled movie night is sometimes exactly what you need to turn off your brain for approximately two-plus hours. (Hey, it's something!)

Thankfully, Netflix — one of the best streaming services around — has quite the stacked action-movie selection to get your pulse pumping and your energy up. That wealth of options, however, can make it difficult to narrow down exactly which action-adventure you want to immerse yourself in. Tom's Guide has made things a little easier for you by spotlighting three underrated titles that you might have missed the first time around.

These watch-worthy Netflix titles include an Indonesian action-comedy centered on retired assassins who are forced back into guns-blazing action; a cyberpunk action-thriller that's especially topical in this era of AI; and an extreme documentary following a mountaineer attempting to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in a matter of months.

'The Big 4'

The Big 4 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube The Big 4 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
Watch On

Written and directed by Timo Tjahjanto, 2022's "The Big 4" tells the story of four retired assassins–played by Abimana Aryasatya, Lutesha, Arie Kriting, and Kristo Immanuel–who have hung up their swords but are forced to return to the game when they cross paths with a straight-arrow cop (Putri Marino) who is determined to track down an elusive murderer.

When the acclaimed action flick — which has a stellar 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Brian Tallerico for RogerEbert.com calling it "'The Three Stooges' with bazookas ... you feel its impact when it explodes" — premiered, it made the Netflix top 10 in 53 countries, including Argentina, Finland, South Korea, Mexico and more, but it didn't break into the American rankings. Consider now your time to change that!

Watch on Netflix

'Upgrade'

Upgrade Trailer #1 (2018) | Movieclips Trailers - YouTube Upgrade Trailer #1 (2018) | Movieclips Trailers - YouTube
Watch On

Directed by Leigh Whannell and led by Logan Marshall-Green, this 2018 high-tech ride centers on Grey Trace, an auto mechanic living in 2046. After a brutal mugging leaves him paralyzed and his wife dead, Grey opts for an experimental AI chip implant called STEM that will allow him to walk again. It also leaves him with superhuman strength and a powerful voice in his head, both of which he uses to track down the criminals behind the attack to exact his revenge.

The movie boasts a solid 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where the site's critical consensus reads: "Like its augmented protagonist, 'Upgrade's' old-fashioned innards get a high-tech boost—one made even more powerful thanks to sharp humor and a solidly well-told story."

Watch on Netflix

'14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible'

14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
Watch On

The majority of us will never get to see the world from its highest peaks, but you can feel like you did with this 2021 action documentary, which follows Nepali mountaineer Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja, a Nepali mountaineer, as he attempts to summit all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks in a then-record-breaking seven months.

Most of the high-altitude footage was taken directly by the expedition team, offering a staggering and stirring depiction of all of the people and perseverance it takes for one man to achieve the seemingly impossible. With a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, critics praised the doc for expanding "a genre often focused on the feats of individuals to celebrate lessons about vast dreams and communal bonds."

Watch on Netflix

More from Tom's Guide

Christina Izzo
Christina Izzo
Writer

Christina Izzo is a writer-editor covering culture, food and drink, travel and general lifestyle in New York City. She was previously the Deputy Editor at My Imperfect Life, the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York. 

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.