A little hand-to-hand combat alongside quippy remarks. Physical comedy meets physical excellence. Bickering meets badassery. There’s something about an action comedy that never gets old. They’re lighthearted, high-octane thrill rides that offer up both suspenseful storylines and slapstick buffoonery. Here are our picks for the top ten action comedies streaming on Netflix.
‘Day Shift’ | August 12, 2022
A no-holds-barred Jamie Foxx killing vampires opposite a dweeby, Betty-by-the-book Dave Franco. It’s ripe for buddy comedy fun. Foxx is “cutting necks and cashing checks,” as Snoop Dogg says in the film. It’s a ridiculous premise — he gets money for vampires’ teeth to provide for his daughter. So, he battles creepy, crawly, blood-sucking vamps to get them. And they disguise themselves as innocent old ladies, store clerks, and friendly neighbors. The film offers plenty of hand-to-hand combat, stick-shift-centric car chases, and a Dave Franco who pees himself mid-panic episode.
‘Bullet Train’ | August 5, 2022
The film suffers from a bloated runtime and a bit of a weak narrative, but an engaging Brad Pitt and top-notch ensemble largely compensate for the lacking script. It’s spiffy. There are a lot of clever insults thrown around — as the various assassins-for-hire nonchalantly converse before trying to end each other. They’re all on the same bullet train, and they all have conflicting objectives.
The brotherly bickering between Tangerine (Aaron Taylor Johnson) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) never gets old. And when Lemon and Brad Pitt’s Ladybug get into a brawl in the quiet car — feeling pain but silencing their wails — we can’t help but chuckle. The combat choreography is, at times, reminiscent of the likes of Shanghai Noon and Rush Hour — boasting the perfect combination of skillfulness and silliness.
‘The Adam Project’ | February 28, 2022
The Adam Project is a loveable family-friendly flick that reunites 13 Going on 30 stars Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner. That alone makes it a beyond-worthy film. The movie follows Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds) — who must team up with his 12-year-old self (Walker Scobell) to save the future after he crash lands in 2022. The conversations between the adolescent and adult Adam are cute and comedic, as well as quite moving. The film also boasts character-rich performances and palpable chemistry between the leading cast members. You’ll laugh, you’ll smile, but you may even shed a little tear when the movie goes for your heartstrings. It can be quite poignant, but the several instances of laugh-out-loud ridiculousness warrant its place on this list.
‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ | July 21, 2021
Gunpowder Milkshake follows a skilled assassin who teams up with three generations of lethal women to take down a crime syndicate and protect an innocent girl in the process. The movie maintains a light-hearted atmosphere despite the dire circumstances.
The Netflix original incorporates witty dialogue and slow-motion fight sequences that see Angela Bassett slam a man’s head into a diner table and Carla Gugino wield a gun turret. These women are not messing around. They’ve got guns. They’ve got throwing knives. They’ve got grenades. They’ve got fast fits and lethal legs. And they’re going to use them all.
‘The Sleepover’ | August 21, 2020
The Sleepover follows two siblings — and a couple of misfit friends — who team up to rescue their mother after discovering she is secretly a former thief in witness protection (on one last mission).
With lines like “ninjas just stole your parents” and “I don’t think your mom is just a regular mom,” the film capitalizes on the Spy Kids premise. These adolescents open quite a can of worms, discovering advanced weaponry, historical factoids, and pocket-rocket sports cars for speeding down the highway. Asking “What’s this button do?” before pushing it never results in a mild consequence. The film may be a bit cheesy and predictable, but the capable child actors make it worth the ride. And Ken Marino’s Rob as the incompetent husband with terrible fake accents and zero hand-eye coordination is stellar casting.
‘Murder Mystery’ and ‘Murder Mystery 2’ | June 14, 2019; March 31, 2023
Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler as a married couple haphazardly solving mysteries, speeding down the highway, and putting clues together is simply good fun. The chemistry between these two oozes from the screen. The pair are close friends in real life, and their friendship perfectly translates into an on-screen marriage filled with love and squabbles. How they manage to solve the crimes — and stay alive — when all the odds are stacked against them is anyone’s guess. The films adequately combine thrilling suspense tales with impressive physical comedy. Is it a bit lightweight? Yes. Is it the most original piece of content? No. Do Sandler and Aniston make both installments worth the ride? 1000% percent.
‘The Nice Guys’ | May 20, 2016
Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) become unlikely partners after a young woman, Amelia (Margaret Qualley), disappears. The two couldn’t be more different: March is a down-on-his-luck private eye and Healy is a hired enforcer who hurts people for money. The film is refreshingly reminiscent of buddy comedies of a bygone era. The script is taut (yet unafraid to venture into utter lunacy) and the chemistry between Gosling and Crowe is top-notch, as they embark on a blood-splattering adventure with unphased nonchalance to the backdrop of 1970s LA. It’s eccentric with a simple storyline — resting on its performers, clever dialogue, and a dose of disco aesthetics to capture a vibe akin to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
‘A Knight’s Tale’ | May 11, 2001
A Knight’s Tale is an action comedy classic starring Heath Ledger as a peasant-born man on a quest to change his fate and win the heart of a fair maiden (Shanynn Sossamon). With the help of his motley crew of misfits, he may just be able to emerge triumphant.
A Knight’s Tale is a spirited journey (on horseback) filled with cornball speeches and amusing gags. It sometimes forgets what century it’s in, but we can forgive the anachronisms thanks to the adorable romantic throughlines and goofy grandiosity. Not to mention, Heath Ledger is charming, cute, ambitious, and adventurous, making the film a worthwhile 2-hour and 12-minute ride.
‘Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me’ | June 11, 1999
The Spy Who Shagged Me presents Mike Meyers at his comedic finest. This movie is filled to the brim with sex and bathroom humor, so send the kids to bed before sitting down to watch this sex-crazed spy save the day. It captures the same innuendo inherent to its predecessor and arguably boasts a tighter storyline. The film covers private parts with the weirdest props and offers up conversational misunderstandings ripe for humor. Not to mention, Myers shifts seamlessly from Austin to his nemesis, Dr. Evil — who’s got nefarious intentions but is limited by his buffoonery and jealousy. The fight sequences are more ridiculous than thrilling, but that’s the charm of Austin Powers.
