Hulu has a lot of fantastic content on offer at the moment. When I got my Hulu subscription, the first thing I did was indulge in their fantastic selection of documentaries, and some late-night scares with their selection of scary movies.
But while I enjoyed the intellectual stimulation of the documentaries, and the challenge of trying to figure out the truth behind the ghost stories, sometimes you just want a bit of uncomplicated action fun. People being shot, buildings getting blown up, and all with pretty uncomplicated moral questions over right and wrong.
Well, fortunately, Hulu has this too! Check out our list of the ten best action flicks currently available on Hulu.
‘71 (2014)
Jack O’Connell, a British actor fast making a name for himself, stars in this period drama set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
He plays a British soldier that gets separated from his unit during a riot in Belfast in 1971. He finds himself alone, deep in enemy territory during a conflict when it is entirely unclear who is a combatant and who is a civilian.
13 Assassins (2010)
A remake of an earlier Japanese action film, it is set during the Edo period, when the samurai were at their height.
A group of twelve samurai and one hunter secretly plot to kill the murderous leader of another clan in order to thwart the tyrant from gaining more power and bringing more death and destruction to their home.
Air Force One (1997)
In a story before its time, Air Force One is hijacked by terrorists with the president on board.
Of course, when the president is played by Harrison Ford, you know that you are in for some action. No need for bodyguards here. Ford takes the lead in saving everyone and taking back his airplane.
Blade Trilogy (1998-2004)
All three of the Blade movies are available on Hulu and offer some good bloody violence.
In the first movie, Wesley Snipes is introduced as the real first black superhero, a human-vampire hybrid determined to fight the vampire threat. While part II is a bit unmemorable, part III sees Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biele added to the mix for a new level of action fun.
Bond Movies
A selection of the classic Bond movies featuring Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton, and Roger Moore are all available on Hulu.
These original films delighted in putting Bond in impossible situations and seeing him do the miraculous, despite none of the actors getting particularly buff for the role. There is always a good chase scene and a shoot out.
Bourne Trilogy (2002-2007)
Hulu is currently streaming the first three Bourne movies, starring Matt Damon, and before the weird decision to do a movie with Jeremy Renner.
Bourne was a refreshing action hero when we first met him, being less arrogant and more conflicted than the character that we were used to. This, combined with some good, relatively believable action scenes, make for great viewing.
Crimson Tide (1995)
While most of the action in this movie might happen in your head, compelling performances from Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington keep the movie thrilling.
It focuses on a clash of wills between the commanding officer and executive officer of a U.S. submarine with conflicting opinions of what the last order they received was. The decision they make could mean international war.
Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018) & Ghost Protocol (2011)
While most action franchises end up with weaker storylines and more ridiculous action scenes over time, the Mission Impossible series has managed to improve its delivery with every outing.
Ghost Protocol, which sees Tom Cruise’s character pitted against his own people, while in Fallout we see Henry Cavill join the cast as inter-agency tension between the CIA and IMF boil over.
Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982)
Arguably the best of the Shatner-led Star Trek films, we see the enterprise pitted against its old enemy, Khan Noonien Singh, who is still best embodied by the Ricardo Montalbán portrayal.
Khan is all about getting revenge on Kirk and his crew, and what can you do when you are facing someone with nothing to lose and who wants nothing more than to see the galaxy burn?
Universal Soldier (1992)
This film is the perfect introduction for younger audiences as to why Jean-Claude Van Damme was the consummate action star of the 1990s.
He plays a U.S. soldier that was killed during the Vietnam War in 1969, but was then brought back to life as part of a secret military project. His memory lost, he is the perfect weapon, until he starts to remember.
What To Watch Next?
Once you get through this list, you are sure to be looking for more great action films that provide uncomplicated thrills. Why not turn your attention to Netflix and check out our list of the best action films on Netflix and the best action movie franchises on Netflix.