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Nothing can match up to the adrenaline rush of a high-octane action film packed with fight scenes, epic chase sequences, tense shoot-outs and explosions.
Throughout the course of cinematic history, these films have consistently managed to remain in vogue and created stars out of actors such as Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves. Be it iconic sci-fi movies like The Matrix, or superhero flicks from MCU and DCEU, action films have only upped their game and become better with each passing day.
Wondering which of these films to add to your watchlist? Look no further. Here, we have curated some of the best action films currently streaming on HBO Max.
Kill Bill, Collateral and more: Power-packed action films on HBO Max
1) The Matrix
Directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, the impact of this 1999 sci-fi film on today's action cinema is immense.
Starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss as the revolutionaries Neo, Morpheus and Trinity respectively, the film is set in a dystopian reality where humanity has to fight against machines that keep mankind trapped within a simulation.
Apart from having ideas taken from the likes of William Gibson and Jean Baudrillard, the film introduced a visual effect known as “bullet time” in which Neo dodged gunfire in slow motion. The Hong Kong action-inspired stunt, coordinated by the legendary Yuen Woo-ping and Chad Stahelski, stunned the audience because of its unique nature.
The film's critical as well as commercial success eventually launched three sequels and turned Reeves into a major action star.
2) Collateral
Directed by Michael Mann, this 2004 action thriller stars Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in two of their career-defining performances. While Cruise had already honed his skills as an action star by then with his Mission Impossible films, it was Jamie who stole the show with his share of stunts.
The film follows Jamie's Max Durocher, a Los Angeles cab driver who is taken hostage by his customer Vincent, played by Cruise, who is a hitman on a contract killing spree. The critically-acclaimed film is also highly entertaining and is a nail-biter from start to finish.
3) Kill Bill: Volume 1
This list would be incomplete without at least one Quentin Tarantino masterpiece.
Tarantino's 2003 film, Kill Bill, which was followed by a second volume the following year, revolves around Uma Thurman's Beatrix Kiddo or The Bride, who is on a revenge mission to kill Bill (played by David Carradine), the leader of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad.
The film also stars Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah and Vivica A. Fox in the roles of the assassins that Beatrix used to work with, who later tried to kill her and her unborn child at her wedding. The film achieved cult status and saw Thurman clinch multiple awards for her role.
4) Blade Runner 2049
The 2017 sci-fi film directed by Denis Villeneuve is a sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 film Blade Runner.
Starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Dave Bautista and Jared Leto, Blade Runner 2049 features Gosling as a Nexus-9 replicant blade runner called K, who tracks down Ford's Rick Deckard, a former blade runner. K eventually uncovers a secret that threatens to potentially destabilize their society as well as the course of the Nexus civilization.
The film contains stylish action sequences and received multiple Academy Awards and commercial success. A sequel series called Blade Runner 2099 is currently being developed by Amazon Studios.
5) The Batman
Matt Reeves' March 2022 film stars Robert Pattinson as Batman and follows Gotham's caped crusader's fight against corruption while pursuing the Riddler, a serial killer targeting Gotham's elite.
The first feature-length Batman movie from the DC Extended Universe in recent times, the film breathes a much-needed fresh life into the story of Gotham's legendary superhero. Apart from outstanding performances from the cast, the film also boasts thrilling action sequences featuring Pattinson's Batman and Zoë Kravitz's Catwoman.
The film is also set to have two sequels.
Don't forget to watch these action films on HBO Max for a nail-biting experience.
