The 15 best action movies to stream on Hulu

Megan VickThu, August 27, 2026 at 9:00 PM UTC

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‘Bullet Train,’ ‘The Equalizer 3,’ ‘The Raid’Credit: Everett(3)

Sometimes you just want to watch stuff blow up. Or maybe seeing people get punched in the face is more your cup of tea. To the true connoisseur, both may be in order. These are the hallmarks of a great action flick.

If the above ingredients are to your liking, Hulu should be one of your streaming networks of choice — and these 15 movies prove it. They range from Michael Bay’s irreverent chaos (Bad Boys) to gritty historical epics (The Woman King) to tense thrillers that will have you thinking long after the credits roll (How to Blow Up a Pipeline).

The streamer has something for every flavor of action fan, including ‘90s classics like Jurassic Park and Independence Day. So kick your feet up and figure out what kind of good time you’re in the mood for. Just know that every one of these movies offers its own kind of thrill ride to the end credits.

All that said, let’s get on with it: These are Entertainment Weekly’s picks for the 15 best action movies currently streaming on Hulu.

Bad Boys (1995)

Marcus and Mike, in a rare silent moment in between bickeringCredit: Everett Collection

Say what you will about Michael Bay (and we have), but the divisive director knows how to blow stuff up. It’s hard to imagine any action-movie list without at least one Bay entry. Here, we’re throwing it back to his feature debut, which turned both Will Smith and Martin Lawrence into movie stars. The duo play a pair of Miami narcotics detectives charged with finding $100 million worth of stolen heroin in 72 hours — or see their division shut down.

They’re the perfect guys for the job, but it’s going to take a lot of explosions and insanity to get it done. The two actors are so fun together, they made three sequels (and counting). Nothing hits quite like the original, though.

Director: Michael Bay

Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Theresa Randle, Tea Leoni, Joe Pantoliano

The Boondock Saints (1999)

Just a couple of nice Irish boys in Boston, doing the Lord’s work (Old Testament version)Credit: Shutterstock

Long before he hunted zombies as Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead, Norman Reedus was the epitome of a cult hero in TheBoondock Saints. Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery star as brothers who kill a couple of Russian mobsters in self-defense before appointing themselves righteous vigilantes; meanwhile, Willem Dafoe is the eccentric, scene-stealing cop on their trail.

Troy Duffy’s feature debut went from buzzy “next big thing” script to Hollywood castoff, but found a second life on DVD thanks in no small part to Blockbuster Video. One of many irreverent, violent, quippy crime movies that proliferated in Quentin Tarantino’s wake, this Irish shoot-‘em-up is one of the few to be remembered on its own terms. Its cult status even led to a sequel in 2009.

Director: Troy Duffy

Cast: Willem Dafoe, Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery, David Della Rocco, Billy Connelly

Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)

Vince Vaughn, about to let his fists do some talking in ‘Brawl in Cell Block 99’Credit: Everett

Warning: You’re going to need an iron stomach to make it through this one. Brawl in Cell Block 99 brings new meaning to “bone-crunching” as Vince Vaughn fights his way through prison after a drug deal goes horrifically wrong. You need to be in the mood for pain for this “shockingly graphic, relentlessly bleak” character study that seems to exist in “some sick circle of hell that Dante wasn’t depraved enough to imagine,” per EW’s review.

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: S. Craig Zahler

Cast: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Don Johnson, Udo Kier, Marc Blucas, Mustafa Shakir

Bullet Train (2022)

Brad Pitt (L) and a guy who’s never gonna be James Bond (R)Credit: Scott Garfield/Sony

Brad Pitt plays an assassin stuck on a train for what should be a simple job: “Get the briefcase.” Turns out, a bunch of other dangerous people are on that train, too. And they all kind of have to kill each other to complete their varied but overlapping missions. This may not reinvent the assassin free-for-all, but it does underscore just how much fun one can be. It’s got katanas, snakes, savage one-liners… what more do you want?

“Bullet Train doesn’t have a destination, really, or a moral imperative other than mayhem. But it’s got a ticket to ride,” EW’s critic said. That’s our way of saying hold on to your bucket hats and get ready for a kick-ass time.

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: David Leitch

Cast: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Brian Tyree Henry, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Zazie Beetz, Michael Shannon

The Equalizer 3 (2023)

Denzel explaining that he, too, has a particular set of skillsCredit: Stefano Montesi/Sony

Denzel Washington returns for his third turn as vigilante Robert McCall. It’s an international affair this time, as Robert recuperates from a gunshot wound in a coastal Italian town. But rest isn’t really on the menu, as he realizes his new friends are being terrorized by the local mafia. It’s time to reload the guns and give the kind people taking care of him some peace of mind.

The Equalizer 3 may not be better than its predecessors, but the intense ending is worth the investment. Plus it has the nostalgic benefit of reuniting Washington with his Man on Fire costar Dakota Fanning after almost 20 years.

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Sonia Ammar, Andrea Dodero, Andrea Scarduzio

How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2022)

Marcus Scribner, Jake Weary, and Ariela Barer learn the tricks of the eco-terrorism tradeCredit: Neon/Courtesy Everett Collection

If you’re looking for an action movie that makes you think and keeps you on the edge of your seat, then How to Blow Up a Pipeline is for you. It’s a fictional adaptation inspired by climate scholar Andreas Malm’s 2021 manifesto about modern-day activism. Featuring a great cast of young talent — including Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, and Jayme Lawson — as activists, the film shows what pushes them over the line into radical environmental sabotage.

“Unfolding with the tension of a heist movie, the film doesn’t just entertain as an action thriller but also gives valid reasons as to what led each activist to take such drastic measures in the hope of saving the planet,” EW wrote.

Director: Daniel Goldhaber

Cast: Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane, Jayme Lawson, Jake Weary

Independence Day (1996)

Steven Hiller, trying to come up with a really cool one-liner for if he ever gets to punch an alien in the faceCredit: 20th Century Fox

If you looked up “fun summer blockbuster” in the dictionary, you’d find a freeze-frame from Independence Day. The alien spacecraft blowing up the White House is one of the most recognizable shots in modern cinema, and watching the movie on the Fourth of July is basically an American rite of passage. But it’s not just about special effects. It’s Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum‘s buddy chemistry and Bill Pullman’s aw-shucks charm as the overwhelmed president.

EW’s original review praised ID4 for “its we-are-the-world sensibility, for its eve-of-the-millennium message of hope, and for its intrinsic lightness… It’s the first futuristic disaster movie that’s as cute as a button. Which, when all the special effects blow over, is what we Americans like in a monster hit.”

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Roland Emmerich

Cast: Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin

Jurassic Park (1993)

Sam Neill turning denim shirt, Panama hat, and red bandana into a classic lookCredit: Universal Pictures

Do you really need to be talked into watching Jurassic Park? Is there ever a bad time to do so? We’re talking about an absolute classic. It’s not just the dinosaurs — it’s the dinosaurs as seen through the awestruck eyes of The Steven Spielberg Reaction Shot.

“The film is held together by the authentic wonder we feel in the presence of its splendiferous creatures,” reads EW’s original review.

Meanwhile, Jeff Goldblum lying basically shirtless in the back of a Jeep as it speeds away from a chomping T-rex is peak cinema.

This is the closest we’ll ever get to hanging out with dinosaurs. Without seeing it, how would you ever know how to survive being hunted by raptors? That’s essential life knowledge.

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EW grade: n/a (read the review)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, BD Wong, Ariana Richards, Joseph Mazzello

Men in Black (1997)

J and K decompressing after killing some alien bugsCredit: Columbia Pictures/ Everett

Every Will Smith action movie from his early superstar era is fun, but Men in Black takes it to a completely different level. It’s as funny as it is thrilling — and gave us a whole new idiosyncratic take on aliens living among us in the midst of the X-Files era.

But the best thing about the movie isn’t the aliens. “The real magic,” EW wrote, “comes from Smith’s turn as an audience surrogate who is brought into a world much larger and stranger than anything he could have imagined.”

Smith and Tommy Lee Jones memory-blast their way through an intergalactic conspiracy that threatens Earth as we know it. It’s such an original story, and there are new things to laugh at every time you watch.

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld

Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Vincent D’Onofrio, Linda Fiorentino, Rip Torn, Tony Shalhoub

Prey (2022)

Naru (Amber Midthunder, center) get a look at the handiwork of the galaxy’s greatest huntersCredit: David Bukach/20th Century Studios

Dan Trachtenberg initially conceived Prey as a period coming-of-age story before it became part of the Predator universe. So it’s no wonder this prequel wound up being one of the most character-driven stories in the franchise. Amber Midthunder anchors the drama as Naru, a young Comanche warrior trying to prove herself as a hunter when she finds herself going toe-to-toe with the Predator.

It’s “a slower, more character-driven story that channels the emotion of its characters in a different way from its predecessors,” EW previously wrote. That all leads up to a profoundly satisfying conclusion, as Naru has to harness all of her strength to take down this one-of-a-kind threat.

Director: Dan Trachtenberg

Cast: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Michelle Thrush, Stormee Kipp, Julian Black Antelope

The Raid (2011)

Iko Uwais fights for his survival in the world’s most dangerous apartment buildingCredit: Akhirwan Nurhaidir/Sony Pictures Classics/Courtesy Everett

If you value intricate fight choreography with your crunching bones and bloody fists, you’ve probably seen The Raid already. If not… well, this is an oversight you should remedy.

Gareth Evans’ actioner stars Iko Uwais as Rama, a rookie cop in a tactical squad sent to raid an apartment block controlled by a ruthless drug lord. When an army of criminals and killers surrounds Rama and his cohorts, our hero learns a very important lesson about being in a cop thriller: You’ve got to fight like hell to escape with your life.

Uwais and costar Yayan Ruhian choreographed the film’s stunning (and exhausting) fights. This is “an exquisitely rigged mousetrap of ultraviolence,” which is why so many people have tried to remake — sorry, reimagine — The Raid over the last 15 years.

Director: Gareth Evans

Cast: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Donny Alamsyah, Ray Sahetapy, Yayan Ruhian

Snowpiercer (2013)

Chris Evans, remembering a delicious meal he once had, in ‘Snowpiercer’Credit: Weinstein Company/Courtesy Everett Collection

Before Parasite (2019) made Bong Joon-ho a household name (and winner of multiple Oscars), he made his English-language film debut with Snowpiercer. Based on a French graphic novel series, it details civilization’s grueling new normal after a wintry apocalypse forces the remaining members of humanity onto a speeding train that circumnavigates the globe, where they’re segregated by class and wealth.

Chris Evans stars as the reluctant leader of the lower-class revolt at the back of the train. After all, they’re sick of their… questionable diet, among other things. Time to fight their way toward the front and take action against the elite. This is a “one-way ticket to chaos.”

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Cast: Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Song Kang-ho, Ed Harris, John Hurt

Strange Days (1995)

Ralph Fiennes and Angela Bassett ring in the new millennium by looking hot as hellCredit: Merie W. Wallace/MGM

Kathryn Bigelow’s follow-up to Point Break (1991), written by her ex-husband James Cameron and Jay Cocks, takes place in the last two days of 1999. In one of his best performances, Ralph Fiennes plays Lenny Nero, a black-market dealer who peddles recordings that let people experience the memories and physical sensations of others.

Nero and his will-they-won’t-they pal Mace (Angela Bassett) get drawn into a conspiracy involving Nero’s ex (Juliette Lewis) and a murdered woman.

This is a bleak, dynamic vision of a burgeoning cyberpunk millennium and “creates a darkly logical extension of our media-wired culture of vicarious sensation seekers,” as EW’s critic wrote at the time. It’s an indelible sci-fi case study of the era.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis, Tom Sizemore, Vincent D’Onofrio

Twisters (2022)

Glen Powell in a white T-shirt and a cowboy hat. The titular ‘Twisters’ not pictured

Following up a decades-old hit is a daunting task, but Lee Isaac Chung pulled it off with this standalone sequel to Twister (1996). It’s just as fun and ridiculous as the original while giving us new heroes to root for. It also cements Glen Powell as a modern action hero and leading man.

Sure, he and Daisy Edgar-Jones should have kissed at the end (thanks for nothing, Steven Spielberg!), but everything before that is pitch-perfect for an afternoon of movie-watching. The cast is terrific — and, of course, the tornado action is even better.

EW grade: A- (read the review)

Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Cast: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, David Corenswet, Maura Tierney

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The Woman King (2022)

Viola Davis and her trustiest weapons: Two knives, two fists, and a steely gazeCredit: Ilze Kitshoff/TriStar Pictures

Viola Davis can do anything, including leading an action epic in her late 50s. Here, she creates a truly formidable heroine in a historical action epic. The film offers a fictionalized drama about the Agojie, an all-female warrior force that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey for generations. Unsurprisingly, bringing that army to life took a lot of work — including intense martial-arts training.

“Look at the scars on all of us, on the characters, on our faces, on our backs. You can imagine where those came from,” Davis told EW. “To tap into the spirit of all these human beings, absolutely, you had to do a lot of hardcore work.” Davis says the movie forged her into a warrior. Watching her on screen here, you better believe it.

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Cast: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Sheila Atim, Jayme Lawson

on Entertainment Weekly

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