What2Watch AIAction movies: 10 top-rated picks
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Last updated October 24, 2026
Big, loud and well reviewed. The top picks are The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The 10 films below rank highest on TMDB among titles with thousands of votes, so each one has a large audience behind its score. Streaming availability is for the US as of October 24, 2026.
| Title | Genres | Length | TMDB rating | US streaming (October 24, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dark Knight (2008) | Action, Thriller, Crime | 152 min | 8.5/10 | HBO Max |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) | Adventure, Fantasy, Action | 201 min | 8.5/10 | TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max |
| Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) | Science Fiction, Action, Adventure | 145 min | 8.5/10 | Not on a US subscription service right now |
| Seven Samurai (1954) | Action, Drama | 207 min | 8.5/10 | HBO Max |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) | Adventure, Fantasy, Action | 179 min | 8.4/10 | TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) | Adventure, Fantasy, Action | 179 min | 8.4/10 | TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max |
| The Empire Strikes Back (1980) | Adventure, Action, Science Fiction | 124 min | 8.4/10 | Disney+ |
| Inception (2010) | Action, Science Fiction, Crime | 148 min | 8.4/10 | Not on a US subscription service right now |
| Léon: The Professional (1994) | Crime, Drama, Action | 111 min | 8.3/10 | Sundance Now |
| The Matrix (1999) | Action, Science Fiction | 136 min | 8.3/10 | Not on a US subscription service right now |
The Dark Knight
2008 · Action, Thriller, Crime · 152 min · TMDB 8.5/10
Rated 8.5/10 by 37,051 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime.
US streaming: HBO Max
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2003 · Adventure, Fantasy, Action · 201 min · TMDB 8.5/10
Rated 8.5/10 by 27,654 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men.
US streaming: TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
2026 · Science Fiction, Action, Adventure · 145 min · TMDB 8.5/10
Rated 8.5/10 by 6,010 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn't remember him—and the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him—sparks a change in Peter Parker he may not have the power to control.
US streaming: not on a US subscription service as of October 24, 2026
Seven Samurai
1954 · Action, Drama · 207 min · TMDB 8.5/10
Rated 8.5/10 by 4,429 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times.
US streaming: HBO Max
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2001 · Adventure, Fantasy, Action · 179 min · TMDB 8.4/10
Rated 8.4/10 by 28,660 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Young hobbit Frodo Baggins, after inheriting a mysterious ring from his uncle Bilbo, must leave his home in order to keep it from falling into the hands of its evil creator.
US streaming: TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2002 · Adventure, Fantasy, Action · 179 min · TMDB 8.4/10
Rated 8.4/10 by 24,819 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths.
US streaming: TNT, TBS, tru TV, HBO Max
The Empire Strikes Back
1980 · Adventure, Action, Science Fiction · 124 min · TMDB 8.4/10
Rated 8.4/10 by 19,022 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda.
US streaming: Disney+
Inception
2010 · Action, Science Fiction, Crime · 148 min · TMDB 8.4/10
Rated 8.4/10 by 40,528 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious.
US streaming: not on a US subscription service as of October 24, 2026
Léon: The Professional
1994 · Crime, Drama, Action · 111 min · TMDB 8.3/10
Rated 8.3/10 by 16,702 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Léon, the top hit man in New York, has earned a rep as an effective "cleaner".
US streaming: Sundance Now
The Matrix
1999 · Action, Science Fiction · 136 min · TMDB 8.3/10
Rated 8.3/10 by 29,034 TMDB voters.
TMDB synopsis: Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.
US streaming: not on a US subscription service as of October 24, 2026
Questions
What are the best action movies?
By TMDB rating among well-voted films, the top three are The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
How was this ranked?
By TMDB average rating, only counting films with a large number of votes, so a handful of fans cannot push a title up.
Where can I watch them?
Each film's US subscription services are in the table. Some are only for rent or purchase.
Is the list current?
Streaming data is from October 24, 2026. Catalogs change often.
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Sources: TMDB for titles, ratings, runtimes and synopses. JustWatch (via TMDB) supplies streaming availability. Streaming lists change often. Check the service before you plan your night.