Epic Action backdrop

Epic Action movies

Big-scale action movies with city-to-world stakes, massive set pieces, and nonstop spectacle.

201. One Piece Film: Z

One Piece Film: Z
Animation Fantasy Action Adventure Anime
7.7
20121h 48minJapan
Director: Tatsuya Nagamine

Overview

Zephyr, now known as Z, rides the seas with only one goal: Destroy all pirates and their dreams at becoming King of Pirates. When Luffy and his crew encounter him at sea, not only are they utterly defeated by the man with an arm made of Seastone, Nami, Robin, and Chopper are turned 10 years younger due to Z's minion Ain. Luffy is so determined to win against him that he does not even notice Z's master plan that could sacrifice thousands of lives.

Themes

Loyalty under threat, Duty under pressure, Power and consequences, Loss and anger fueling action, Mentor-student dynamic, Justice vs destruction

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

202. Resident Evil: Retribution

Resident Evil: Retribution
Action Horror Science Fiction Epic Action Zombie Horror
5.3
20121h 35minCanada, Germany
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson

Overview

The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, Alice, awakens in the heart of Umbrella’s most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by new found allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Corporate conspiracy, Survival under outbreak, Biotechnological threat to humanity, Clone ethics and autonomy, Mind control tension

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

203. Dredd

Dredd
Action Science Fiction Epic Action Dystopian Sci-Fi
7.1
20121h 36minSouth Africa, United Kingdom
Director: Pete Travis

Overview

In the future, America is a dystopian wasteland. The latest scourge is Ma-Ma, a prostitute-turned-drug pusher with a dangerous new drug and aims to take over the city. The only possibility of stopping her is an elite group of urban police called Judges, who combine the duties of judge, jury and executioner to deliver a brutal brand of swift justice. But even the top-ranking Judge, Dredd, discovers that taking down Ma-Ma isn’t as easy as it seems in this explosive adaptation of the hugely popular comic series.

Themes

Post-apocalyptic future, Crime fighter duty, Drug lord influence, Based on comic origins, Cyberpunk aesthetics, Police integrity under pressure

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
HBO Max
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

204. Cockneys vs Zombies

Cockneys vs Zombies
Action Comedy Horror Thriller Zombie Horror
5.9
20121h 28minUnited Kingdom
Director: Matthias Hoene

Overview

A group of Cockneys arm themselves to rescue their elderly relative and his retirement home friends who are trapped and fighting off a zombie attack during a zombie apocalypse in the East End of London.

Themes

Trust under pressure, Protecting vulnerable elders, Group loyalty vs self-interest, Urban crisis resilience, Resource scarcity and theft, Survival through collective effort

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

205. Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins

Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins
Adventure Action Fantasy War History
7.4
20122h 14minJapan
Director: Keishi Otomo

Overview

In 1868, after the Bakumatsu war ends, the ex-assassin Kenshin Himura traverses Japan with an inverted sword, to defend the needy without killing.

Themes

Trauma from violence, Restraint in violence, Protecting the vulnerable, Duty vs mercy, Oppression by wealth, Loyalty and crime

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

206. Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie

Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
Animation Fantasy Action Anime Dark Fantasy
7.6
20121h 49minJapan
Director: Hayato Date

Overview

Sixteen years ago, a mysterious masked ninja unleashes a powerful creature known as the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox on the Hidden Leaf Village Konoha, killing many people. In response, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and his wife Kushina Uzumaki, the Demon Fox's living prison or Jinchūriki, manage to seal the creature inside their newborn son Naruto Uzumaki. With the Tailed Beast sealed, things continued as normal. However, in the present day, peace ended when a group of ninja called the Akatsuki attack Konoha under the guidance of Tobi, the mysterious masked man behind Fox's rampage years ago who intends on executing his plan to rule the world by shrouding it in illusions.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Duty vs desire, Belonging under pressure, Alternate realities, Parental longing, Altered identity

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

207. Wrath of the Titans

Wrath of the Titans
Fantasy Adventure Action Mythological Fantasy Epic Action
5.7
20121h 39minSpain, United States
Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Overview

Perseus tries to live a quieter life as a village fisherman while – dangerously weakened by humanity's lack of devotion – the gods are losing control of the long-imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos.

Themes

Duty versus family, Loss of devotion, Divine power erosion, Treachery and power, Mortality of gods, Quest for weapons

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

208. John Carter

John Carter
Action Adventure Science Fiction Epic Action Adventure Epic
6.6
20122h 12minUnited States
Director: Andrew Stanton

Overview

John Carter is a war-weary, former military captain who's inexplicably transported to the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars) and reluctantly becomes embroiled in an epic conflict. It's a world on the brink of collapse, and Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

Themes

Leadership under pressure, Political manipulation, Identity and allegiance, Resource exploitation, Military duty vs humanity, Alliances and power

Available on

Disney Plus
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

209. Underworld: Awakening

Underworld: Awakening
Fantasy Action Horror Epic Action Vampire Horror
6.3
20121h 28minUnited States
Director: Måns Mårlind

Overview

Having escaped years of imprisonment, vampire warrioress Selene finds herself in a changed world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species. Now Selene must battle the humans and a frightening new breed of super Lycans to ensure the death dealers' survival.

Themes

Loyalty and betrayal, Conspiracy and manipulation, Coexistence under threat, Genetic experimentation ethics, Hybrid identity tension, Human versus immortal warfare

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

210. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
Adventure Action Science Fiction Exploration Adventure Epic Action
5.7
20121h 34minUnited States
Director: Brad Peyton

Overview

Sean Anderson partners with his mom's boyfriend on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.

Themes

Mentorship under pressure, Survival through peril, Teamwork and collective problem-solving, Family responsibility vs youthful rebellion, Greed and loyalty tensions, Risk and reward in exploration

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.