The 12 Best Action Movies on HBO Max

Sometimes the house is just too quiet. What it needs is a good shootout, or maybe an explosion. A cool quip couldn’t hurt either. There are days when — for whatever reason — you just need a great action film before you hit the sack. Luckily, Max has a ton of great action movies to offer. In fact, the titles below really just represent the tip of the action iceberg (particularly when it comes to fans of Samurai films or animated Batman movies). But if you are jonesing for a night of loud rock ‘em sock ‘em cinema, this is a great place to start your search.

In the mood for something a bit quieter? Check out our list of best comedies, dramas, or family movies on the platform, or browse our list of the best movies on Max across all genres.

Editor’s note: This article was updated June 2025 to include Bullet Train and Cleaner.

‘Bullet Train’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 53% | IMDb: 7.3/10

This stylish action comedy from director David Leitch follows Brad Pitt’s veteran assassin, Ladybug, who is bored of the adrenaline-fueled nature of his job and just wants to go about his work peacefully. The last place he wants to be is the Bullet Train, as a highly explosive meeting of four like-minded killers is ready to take place. Sure, Bullet Train puts emphasis on style over substance, but that doesn’t stop this Leitch effort from leaping from the screen with energy and vibrancy. Enormous fun from start to finish, you won’t want to miss this on Max. – Jake Hodges

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‘Cleaner’ (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes: 52% | IMDb: 5.1/10

Cleaner

Release Date

February 21, 2025

Runtime

97 minutes

Director

Martin Campbell

Writers

Paul Andrew Williams, Simon Uttley, Matthew Orton

Producers

Cindy Cowan, Thomas Fanning, Sebastien Raybaud

Directed by Martin Campbell, this action flick modeled after Die Hard follows Daisy Ridley’s ex-soldier turned window cleaner, Joey, who finds herself as the only hope of survival when a hostage situation goes wrong and an anarchist threatens to kill everyone at an energy company’s annual gala. A fast-paced, slick action tale with plenty of memorable moments, Cleaner isn’t going to threaten any awards shows, but it’s all the better for it. For anyone looking for an easy, entertaining 97 minutes of action-packed fun, this is the film for you. – Jake Hodges

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‘The Batman’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 85% | IMDb: 7.8/10

The Batman

Release Date

March 4, 2022

Runtime

176 minutes

Director

Matt Reeves

Writers

Matt Reeves, Peter Craig, Bob Kane, Bill Finger

After a mild portrayal in Justice League, Batman gets a new breath of life from director Matt Reeves. This time beneath the cowl of the caped crusader is a brooding, angsty Robert Pattinson. A detective’s story through-and-through, The Batman might have a staggering runtime but where it makes up for a lot of plot comes standout performances by Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, and Jeffrey Wright. From the thrilling batmobile chase to the unfolding mystery set out by The Riddler, there is something for everyone in this revival of the dark knight. With a sequel announced, it’s time to rewatch The Batman, because why not? – Therese LacsonWatch on Max

‘Dune’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 83% | IMDb: 8.0/10

Dune

Release Date

October 22, 2021

Runtime

155 minutes

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Writers

Frank Herbert, Eric Roth, Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts

A science-fiction epic whose scope is matched only by its sense of space in its battles, Dune has some of the most exciting action sequences that are as vibrant as they are vicious. Key amongst these is every scene with Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho, a charismatic yet skilled fighter who dives into every new challenge with a fearlessness and strength that is unmatched. One climactic scene in a confined hallway where he must take on impossible odds will forever stand out, making incredible use of Momoa’s immense presence and power. As he cuts through enemy after enemy, you can’t help but just watch in awe of his dedication to the performance. There is no one that could have done it like Momoa, and the scene itself is so well-choreographed that it all becomes a deadly dance. By the time it all concludes, it makes for one of the more moving and mesmerizing moments in a film that is full of them. – Chase HutchinsonWatch on Max

‘Chungking Express’ (1994)

Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 8.0/10

Chungking Express

Release Date

March 8, 1994

Runtime

103 minutes

Director

Wong Kar-wai

Writers

Wong Kar-wai

Chungking Express is one of Wong Kar-wai’s many dark and beautiful stories of love and loss. Although it plays like an homage to 1960s mafia and samurai films, Chungking Express explores the loneliness of its characters. Told in two distinct acts, the film opens with the adventures of He Qiwu (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a lovesick police officer yearning for an enigmatic drug dealer (Brigitte Lin); the second half features future In the Mood For Love star Tony Leung as another heartbroken police officer who shares his musings on life with a friendly snack seller (Faye Wong). Funny, poignant, and surprisingly action-packed, Chungking Express is one of Wong’s best. –Liam GaughanWatch on Max

‘The Suicide Squad’ (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 7.2/10

The Suicide Squad

Release Date

August 6, 2021

Runtime

132 minutes

Director

James Gunn

Producers

Charles Roven, Peter Safran

Bringing a much-needed injection of humor into the DCEU, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad takes the secret squad of villains, Task Force X, to the island of Corto Maltese. Under the orders of Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) this band of misfits and criminals is tasked with preventing an anti-American regime from gaining control over Project Starfish – an alien with mind-control abilities. As always, Margot Robbie kicks ass as Harley Quinn, while newcomers Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior) all bring a brilliant mix of humor, heart, and badassery to the movie. Gunn has become well known for mixing heartfelt moments in with bizarre and/or graphic action sequences, and The Suicide Squad is no different. It’s a wild and fun ride, no matter what level of DC Comics fandom you may be. (And did I mention that Sylvester Stallone is the voice of a himbo King Shark who is both adorable and deadly?) — Brynna ArensWatch on Max

‘Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 79% | IMDb: 6.1/10

Birds of Prey

Release Date

February 7, 2020

Runtime

109 minutes

Director

Cathy Yan

Writers

Christina Hodson

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) both embraces the tone and style of its comic book origins while carving out a unique narrative in the genre. The film is grounded in the reality of misogyny and sexism, which informs the characters’ journeys, but doesn’t define their entire identities. Credit goes to the two-woman team of creators who brought a new lens to this comic book adaptation. Each character has her own arc, and though not all the Birds of Prey get enough screen time, they’re fleshed out enough for viewers to love them all by the end of the film. Birds of Prey perfectly balances character dynamics with exquisite action sequences—this film works because of its bloodless violence and its unreliable narrator.

It’s the characters that steal the show because of how well Christina Hodson writes them—Harley Quinn finally feels like a person rather than a prop; Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya is a scene-stealer with her earnest and determined performance, Jurnee Smollett-Bell juggles Dinah Lance’s inner turmoil and snarky personality and Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a humorous delight as Helena Bertinelli. Ella Jay Basco may not play a recognizable version of Cassandra Cain, but she holds her own as the quintessential precocious teen character who thaws cold hearts. This film can be a difficult watch as Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), especially, often finds herself in dangerous situations, but it’s refreshing to see how the film celebrates sisterhood with characters that don’t quite like each other but work really well together. – Monita MohanWatch on Max

‘Aquaman’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 65% | IMDb: 6.8/10

Aquaman

Release Date

December 21, 2018

Runtime

143 Minutes

Director

James Wan

Writers

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Will Beall, Geoff Johns, James Wan, Paul Norris, Mort Weisinger

Producers

Peter Safran, Rob Cowan

The DCEU’s tumultuous history does have a bright spot with Aquaman. The James Wan directed feature starring Jason Mamoa expended on the character first introduced in Justice League. Arthur Curry (Mamoa), the human-born heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, goes on a quest to prevent a war between the worlds of ocean and land. There’s something so fresh about Aquaman and Wan’s direction; the action scenes, in particular, are something that you can feast your eyes on. While the film doesn’t always work, especially the story itself, which sometimes falters, the performances – especially from Mamoa and Patrick Wilson – bring it all together. It is a terrific fun from start to finish; if there is one film from the DCEU worth the watch, it is very much this one. – Arianne BinetteWatch on Max

‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 9.0/10

The Dark Knight

Release Date

July 16, 2008

Runtime

152 minutes

Producers

Benjamin Melniker, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Kevin De La Noy, Michael Uslan

The seminal entry in the canon of Batman live-action films, The Dark Knight is a masterclass in adapting comic books for all audiences. With gripping storytelling, visceral action, rounded character arcs and unbelievable performances, the Christopher Nolan sequel isn’t just a good Batman film, it’s a great film in so many ways. Nolan and team effortlessly evoke the realities of the criminal justice system with a cast of characters that span the Gotham City Police Department, the District Attorney’s office, and of course, Batman himself.

The film focuses on the interplay of Gotham’s political machinations where good people are caught up in corrupt legislation and need the help of a vigilante to protect the city even though they aren’t in a position to condone his actions. The tense opening sequence and grand reveal of the Joker (the late Heath Ledger) demonstrates that the stakes are high with a new villain terrorizing Gotham. The Joker in this film is a tour de force, and the writers expertly keep viewers guessing about what to expect from this character. The entire film is perfectly paced and balances the larger than life story with delicate character moments. The Dark Knight is a phenomenal adaptation that respects its comic book origins without being defined by them. – Monita MohanWatch on Max

‘Police Story’ (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 7.5/10

Police Story

Release Date

December 14, 1985

Runtime

99 minutes

Director

Jackie Chan

Writers

Edward Tang

Producers

Leonard Ho

• 

  Jackie Chan

  Sergeant ‘Kevin’ Chan Ka-Kui

• 

  Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia

  Salina Fong

Yes, HBO Max has Jackie Chan movies. And with Police Story, it might even have the best Jackie Chan movie. Drunken Master fans can disagree, but even they have to admit Police Story is way up there when it comes to Chan’s work. The film has everything you want from the guy – cartoonish comedy gags, kung-fu sequences where anything and everything becomes an action prop, and of course, amazing stunts that nearly kill poor Chan onscreen. The final mall set-piece is truly one for the ages, and right after it ends, you get a wonderful credit sequence showing you how all the stunts were pulled off. The short answer: painfully.Watch on Max