James Gunn recommends 54 "A+ Action Movies to Watch in Quarantine"

By Patrick Gomez  |  April 20, 2020 | 6:10pm
Film Features James Gunn
James Gunn recommends 54 "A+ Action Movies to Watch in Quarantine"
Clockwise from top left: V for Vendetta (YouTube); James Gunn (Richard Harbaugh/Getty); The French Connection (YouTube); The Villainess (YouTube); Mad Max: Fury Road (YouTube)

Like many of us under stay-at-home orders, James Gunn apparently has some time on his hands: The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director took to Twitter recently to provide a list of 54 “A+ Action Movies to Watch in Quarantine.” And while his taste is not infallible (as our Alex McLevy has pointed out, “people, Godfather Part II is not a better film than the first one, The Godfather is essentially flawless”), we felt like his list was pretty thorough and wide-ranging. So here are his selections for the best action movies—and where you can them watch at home right now.

The Matrix

Directors: Lana and Lilly WachowskiAvailable on Netflix

The Bourne Ultimatum

Director: Paul GreengrassAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, or Amazon

Die Hard

Director: John McTiernanAvailable on HBO Go/HBO Now

Edge of Tomorrow

Director: Doug LimanAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, or Amazon

JSA: Joint Security Area

Director: Park Chan-wookAvailable for free on Tubi, or to rent on YouTube and Google

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within

Director: José PadilhaAvailable for free on Tubi and Vudu, or to rent on iTunes and Amazon

Lady Vengeance

Director: Park Chan-wookAvailable on Tubi

Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Director: Christopher McQuarrieAvailable on Hulu

Bullitt

Director: Peter YatesAvailable to on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

North By Northwest

Director: Alfred HitchcockAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

The Yellow Sea

Director: Na Hong-jinAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

The Raid: Redemption

Director: Gareth EvansAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Hero

Director: Yimou ZhangAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, and Vudu

Night Watch

Director: Timur BekmambetovAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Director: Ang LeeAvailable on Netflix

Taken

Director: Pierre MorelAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

The Heroic Trio

Director: Johnnie ToSadly not currently unavailable to stream

The French Connection

Director: William FreidkinAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Robocop

Director: Paul VerhoevenAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, or Amazon

The Killer

Director: John WooSadly currently unavailable to stream

The Legend of Drunken Master

Director: Chia-Liang LiuSadly currently unavailable to stream

The Legend (Fong Sai Yuk)

Director: Corey YuenAvailable to by on Amazon

Mad Max: Fury Road

Director: George MillerAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, and Vudu

Kill Bill: Volume 1

Director: Quentin TarantinoAvailable on Hulu

The Villainess

Director: Jung Byung-gilAvailable on Hulu

Revenge

Director: Coralie FargeatAvailable for free on Shudder, and to rent on YouTube and Amazon

Crank

Director: Neveldine/TaylorAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Director: Matthew VaughnAvailable to rent on YouTube and Amazon

Escape From New York

Director: John CarpenterAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Battle Royale

Director: Kinji FukasakuAvailable for free on Tubi and Vudu and to rent on iTunes and Amazon

Full Contact

Director: Ringo LamAvailable on Fandor

Oldboy

Director: Park Chan-wookAvailable on Mubi

Thunderball

Director: Terence YoungAvailable on Amazon and Hulu

La Femme Nikita

Director: Luc BessonAvailable to rent on Vudu, YouTube, and Google

Léon: The Professional

Director: Luc BessonAvailable for free on Crackle, and to rent on Vudu, YouTube, Google, and Amazon

Magnum Force

Director: Ted PostAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Speed

Director: Jan de BontAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Director: Steven SpielbergAvailable on Netflix

’71

Director: Yann DemangeAvailable on Hulu

Payback (Theatrical Cut)

Director: Brian HelgelandAvailable to rent on iTunes

Equilibrium

Director: Kurt WimmerAvailable on Netflix

John Wick

Director: Chad Stahelski and David LeitchAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Mesrine: Killer Instinct

Director: Jean-François RichetAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Mesrine: Public Enemy #1

Director: Jean-François RichetAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Where Eagles Dare

Director: Brian G. HuttonAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Ms. 45

Director: Abel FerraraAvailable for free on Tubi, and to rent on YouTube, Google, iTunes, and Amazon

Green Snake

Director: Hark TsuiAvailable on Fandor

Captain Phillips

Director: Paul GreengrassAvailable to rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google, Vudu, and Amazon

Seven Samurai

Director: Akira KurosawaAvailable on the Criterion Channel

Rolling Thunder

Director: John FlynnAvailable on Vudu

The Wild Bunch

Director: Sam PeckinpahAvailable to rent on Google, Vudu, iTunes, and Amazon

V For Vendetta

Director: James McTeigueAvailable to rent on Google, YouTube, Vudu, iTunes, and Amazon

 
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