It goes without saying that Paramount Pictures has built a legacy for itself ever since 1912, the year it was founded. By distributing over a thousand films and acquiring rights to double the amount, the company has cemented itself as a globally respected production house. So naturally, it’s extension, that is the streaming service Paramount+ houses the same kind of expansive movie library. From giving you a throwback to popular franchises such as Star Trek and Mission: Impossible to add new titles to its library, the streamer has something that suits every palette.
As for the action genre, it contains within itself several subgenres like mystery, crime, dystopian, fantasy, and science fiction. What remains constant across all these stories is the genre’s ability to craft astonishing set pieces, pair them with sublime storytelling and intense characterization, and viola! You have an action flick that is remembered for the ages. Within the treasure trunk that is Paramount+, there are hundreds of modern roller coasters as well as cult classics to satiate your hunger for an adrenaline-fueled evening. So, let’s get started.
10 Collateral (2004)
Paramount Pictures
In Collateral, Jamie Foxx plays Max, an LA can driver who realizes that he may need to buckle up because his cab has been hijacked by a charismatic yet deadly hitman named Vincent (Tom Cruise). At first, he is just along for the ride but once Max understands his passenger’s true nature, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse across the city’s night lights.
On the other hand, Vincent needs to hold Max as collateral until he’s done with his assassination mission for the night. Needless to say, Cruise delivers one of his most fascinating performances ever. But what’s worth praising is Foxx’s characterization and the way he’s stuck between fate and deception.
9 World War Z (2013)
Imagine a zombie horror packed with so many fights and thrills that it easily passes off as an action movie. Well, don’t imagine it too hard because Marc Foster has already brought such an epic action rollercoaster to the silver screens. We’ve seen an abundance of predictable zombie movies, but World War Z turns things around by telling a story about a mysterious virus threatening to bring down the entire human civilization.
Amidst it all, former United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is revealed as humanity’s last hope. Staged phenomenally as a race against time, the movie watches Gerry go around the world in search of the pandemic’s origins and find a cure for those who are already infected. Brimming with visceral zombie attacks and heart-in-your-mouth action sequences, the film takes you on a fun global ride.
8 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Dan Trachtenberg makes a glorious and admirable directorial debut with 10 Cloverfield Lane. The science-fiction action film centers around Michelle, a car accident survivor who suddenly wakes up in a bomb shelter, trapped with two strange men. Howard and Emmett insist that they were the ones who saved her life from a dangerous situation outside and that she must stay underground with them, in safety.
Confused between what’s real and what’s not, and suspicious of Howard’s controlling nature, Michelle decides to get to the bottom of things and find out the truth herself. Building its paranoia in small bits, this suspenseful film ratchets up the intensity in a way that becomes unbearably scary. Moreover, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and John Goodman also served their best. Overall, what makes this modern thriller so exciting is wanting to know the reality of the situation and how it is much more than what meets the eye.
7 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
While Eddie Murphy is known for his impeccable comedy roles, there are few essential movies that make him more iconic than ever. Setting records from the first week of its release, Beverly Hills Cop takes you into the precious ‘80s big-city scenario where maverick Detroit cop Axel Foley is casually doing his thing. But when his best friend Mikey is murdered, Foley travels to sunny Southern California to investigate the case solo.
He clashes with locals and soon feels himself closer to finding the truth, but in the process, Foley also gets involved in the criminal underworld of Beverly Hills. Throughout the movie, you’ll be blessed with Murphy’s tough-talking cop delivering one-liners smoothly. Moreover, the rest of the characters and over-the-top action make it arguably the most entertaining and rewatchable buddy cop action movie ever made.
6 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Seven years after the groundbreaking success of his first film in the series, director James Cameron returns with a sequel that overflows with mind-blowing practical effects. The film raises the bar by showing the same dystopian science fiction premise but infusing it with a compelling cat-and-mouse storyline. John Connor is being pursued by a different terminator. Arnold Schwarzenegger's sheer-muscle T-800 Terminator, who was once after Conner’s mother Sarah, is now hellbent on protecting them.
While Schwarzenegger brings back his iconic hero, Linda Hamilton doesn’t wait a second to showcase her great ass-kicking skills and become one of the greatest action heroines of all time. With that said, Terminator 2: Judgment Day also has some great camerawork and the kind of action that still manages to blow our minds.
5 Jack Reacher (2012)
Adapted deftly from One Shot, the ninth book in Lee Child’s series of cerebral action mystery novels, Jack Reacher brings to the screen the titular character, who is an ex-US Army Military Police Corps investigator. After hearing the news about James Barr’s whereabouts, Jack arrives in Pittsburgh to find out whether or not the accusations of this trained former military sniper about killing 5 people are true or not.
As he works to prove his own innocence and find evidence pointing in the opposite direction, he begins to uncover a complex conspiracy involving people of power and the most harmless-seeming officials. Director Christopher McQuarrie uses several mind games to twist the story around and Tom Cruise fights with absolute grit and intensity. Heavy on mystery and action, Jack Reacher is the kind of thriller you won’t be able to look away from.
4 The Lost City (2022)
Steering away from the same-old action fare, The Lost City drops you in the middle of a romantic action-adventure story starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. Bullock plays Loretta Sage, a reclusive author who often writes about escapism-providing stories set in exotic locations. The movie follows her going on tour to promote her upcoming book, and tagging along is Alan, the male model who shows up on almost all of her book covers.
Daniel Radcliffe hams it up as an eccentric villain who kidnaps Lorette by believing that she knows the whereabouts of an ancient lost treasure. Brimming with breathless chase scenes, witty banter, over-the-top rescue missions, and crowd-pleasing action, the movie is on its way to becoming a cult classic because of how expertly it switches from comedy to action.
3 Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
The first film adaptation of Hasbro's toy line turned the idea into a million-dollar franchise and as years passed and filmmaking became more creative, so did the spectacle. Exploring brand new heights of science fiction, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a decent reboot of the original film. The movie daringly expands the universe by bringing in beast-like Maximals to fight alongside Optimus Primal and the Autobots. Fight who, you ask?
Apparently, Scrouge has sent the Terrorcons on Earth for a mission, and in the process they wage a war across the planet, threatening to destroy anything that comes their way. Balancing emotion with epic CGI action, the film is nothing short of a visual masterpiece. Moreover, it is set in the 90s, which means there is the beloved retro aesthetic and punk rock vibe that really redefines the franchise.
2 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
If you’re looking for a jolly old fantasy adventure filled with emotion, wit, and humor, then Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is the film for you. The movie clearly loved its source materials because it translates the magic of the game deftly and pleases not just the fans and players but also becomes a favorite among mainstream audiences who love a good thriller. The focuses on Edgin Darvis, whose peace is cut short when enemies from the past ruin his perfect life.
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves features an epic quest for an ancient powerful relic that can either make someone indestructible or resurrect them. Along with a band of adventurers, Edgin’s charming and clever thief gets swept away in fighting dragons and navigating arduous terrains. Overall entertaining and lighthearted, the film features marvelous set pieces and great action.
1 Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Tom Cruise dials up his action movie-star magic up to 11 in this iconic sequel that was 30 years in the making. As a massive summer blockbuster, Top Gun: Maverick features the aviation fanatic, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell working as a test pilot and avoiding the prospect of promotion because the air is where he feels most at home. However, when he is appointed to train a bunch of graduates for a special mission, Pete has no choice but to take the job and confront his past.
Miles Teller makes an impressive entry to the long-awaited sequel as Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of Pete’s former partner in action. The movie delivers spectacular aerial cinematography, jaw-dropping fighter jet action, and the kind of emotional stakes that make it more grounded and resonant than ever. Rarely does a sequel not only match but exceed expectations and make a record as the most obsessively rewatchable movie of the year.