2024 has been a busy year in more ways than one. If you’re an action aficionado, though, it’s been the kind of movie you dream of (and maybe even look forward to). The year’s not over yet, but we’ve already got a list of excellent action movies that came out this year.
Some of these titles debuted exclusively on streaming, while others hit theaters first before becoming available online. We’ve pulled together a list of the best streaming movies that were released in 2024, and they range from sci-fi epics to more streamlined romantic comedies. Without further ado, here are the best action movies of 2024 so far.
Recommended Videos
Rebel Ridge (2024)
132m
Genre
Crime, Action, Thriller, Drama
Stars
Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb
Directed by
Jeremy Saulnier
Watch on Netflix
A brilliant, supremely satisfying ground-level action movie, Rebel Ridge tells the story of a man who has a run-in with a Southern police force and has the bail cash he assembled for his cousin confiscated. While he tries to find a peaceful resolution, he ultimately discovers that the department is corrupt beyond his wildest imagining and becomes determined to take it down. Featuring a commanding central performance from Aaron Pierre, Rebel Ridge is riveting from the minute it starts, and the movie’s carefully constructed action beats are among the very best in any movie this year.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
149m
Genre
Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
Stars
Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke
Directed by
George Miller
Watch on max
George Miller’s prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road could have been a disaster. Instead, it manages to live up to its predecessor, telling a five-part story that explains exactly how Furiosa became the war rig driver she is in Fury Road. The film’s epic scale includes action sequences that rival anything in Fury Road. While this movie is not as relentlessly propulsive as Fury Road, though, Furiosa is more contemplative, a story of one woman’s quest for revenge and the many indignities that she suffers on the way there. Anya Taylor-Joy is remarkable at its center, and Chris Hemsworth delivers what might be the best performance of his career.
Hit Man (2024)
116m
Genre
Comedy, Romance, Crime
Stars
Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio
Directed by
Richard Linklater
Watch on Netflix
The movie that cemented Glenn Powell’s 2024 dominance, Hit Man tells the story of a regular guy who moonlights as a fake hit man for the New Orleans Police Department. When he finds himself having chemistry with one of the people who wants to hire him, he starts a dangerous romance with her as a different version of himself. Hit Man is funny, daring, and entirely reliant on the chemistry between Powell and Adria Arjona. Thankfully, the two of them are more than capable of selling their romance, which turns out to be crucial to the movie’s plot.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
167m
Genre
Science Fiction, Adventure
Stars
Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson
Directed by
Denis Villeneuve
Watch on max
Somewhat shockingly, Dune: Part Two was even better than the first installment. The movie picks up right where Part One leaves off, following Paul Atreides as he joins the Fremen and slowly comes to be seen as their messiah. As he begins to plot his revenge agains the Harkonnens who plotted against his family, he must reckon with the violent future he sees in his future. Featuring a slew of great performances from Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, and the rest of the ensemble, Dune: Part Two has the kind of awe-inspiring scale that we should want from every blockbuster that hits theaters.
Civil War (2024)
109m
Genre
War, Action, Drama
Stars
Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny
Directed by
Alex Garland
Watch on max
One of the more serious movies on this list, Civil War is set in an America that has been torn apart by a a civil war. Notably, that war does not neatly align to our current political realities, but it is a bracing story about what it would be like to live in an America where you weren’t sure who you could trust. The film follows journalists who are traveling to Washington, D.C. to chronicle the final days of the war. As they travel across the country, they encounter a wide array of dangers, and discover exactly what it means to be a journalist in a war zone. Featuring a genuinely great performance from Kirsten Dunst, Civil War is well worth checking out.
Monkey Man (2024)
121m
Genre
Action, Thriller
Stars
Dev Patel, Sikandar Kher, Pitobash
Directed by
Dev Patel
Watch on Amazon
Dev Patel’s directorial debut has lots of flair, and while the movie’s plotting isn’t perfect, Monkey Man has more than enough gritty action to compensate for it. The film follows an underground fighter who finds his way into the elite echelons of power and is able to enact revenge as a result. Monkey Man is all the proof we need that Patel could be an outstanding James Bond, but what’s even more exciting about the project is what it suggests about Patel’s directorial capabilities. Once the plotting is nailed down, Patel will be a force both in front of and behind the camera.
The Fall Guy (2024)
126m
Genre
Action, Comedy, Romance
Stars
Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Directed by
David Leitch
Watch on Peacock
A fun, thrilling action movie in a more old-fashioned mold, The Fall Guy follows a stunt performer who comes out of retirement to work on his crush’s first directorial effort. When the star of the movie goes missing, he springs into real-world action to save the movie and the star. Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling are key to the movie’s overall success, as their charisma allows the film to overcome its weakest moments. Overall, though, The Fall Guy is the kind of blockbuster we should want more of, filled with genuinely great stunts and enough solid jokes to remind you just how fun movies can be.
Twisters (2024)
123m
Genre
Thriller, Action
Stars
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos
Directed by
Lee Isaac Chung
Watch on Amazon
An throwback to old-fashioned action movies that is also a legacy sequel to one such action movie, Twisters tells the story of two storm chasers who find themselves falling for one another as they chase a generational storm across Oklahoma. The movie’s principal characters are a reformed storm chaser who lost a previous crew to a wild tornado, and an influencer who chases storm for online clout and may have more on his mind than he appears to. Twisters features solid set pieces, surprisingly sturdy characters, and an utterly magnetic performance from Glen Powell, who proved in 2024 that he is a true-blue movie star.
