The epic scale and action set pieces of ‘thrillers’ mentioned below are MUST WATCH for you. They are highly recommended for you.
The 10 movies listed below are staggeringly effective action film with potent orchestral scores and casts. They are powerful and emotionally resonant works with themes that are thought-provoking and expertly woven into the narrative.
The performances are exceptional, conveying both the strength and vulnerability of each character, while the technical aspect of the films are just as impressive.
1. The Covenant – 2023
This movie is a spellbinding blend of ‘action and mysticism’.
Set in the mystical world of ancient witchcraft, The Covenant introduces us to a group of young wizards who possess extraordinary powers passed down through generations.
The narrative revolves around their struggle to maintain balance between their own desires and the responsibilities that come with their supernatural abilities.
This film will (probably ) be one of your favorite war movies. The immeasurable dynamic ‘one’ two men had and the struggles to survive and rescue one another will make you cling to your seat from ‘start to finish’.
2. The Last Ship (2014-2018)
The crew inside the US Navy missile destroyer must find a cure for a global viral pandemic that has wiped out over 80% of the world’s population.
The TV series come with a classic focus on naval warfare and a solid premise of finding a cure to the virus.
As the series progresses, the TV keeps reinventing itself as it lean into more military action. The show has the perfect blend of action, drama, comedy, mystery, twists, etc.
3. The Outpost – 2019
‘The Outpost’ is crafted with precision, expertise and experience. It’s a war drama that transports you to the battlefield in all its cinematic brilliance.
Some handful of American soldiers take hundreds of Taliban terrorists head-on from the remote combat outpost, located deep in the Afghanistan valley.
The Battle of Kamdesh then became the bloodiest American engagement of the Afghanistan War in 2009 and one of the most heroic tales of bravery.
The movie has one of the finest build ups and a lot of realism in the way each event is constructed under different captains.
The Outpost, directed by Rod Lurie and based on the book by Jack Tapper is a brilliant film about survival and strength faced upon certain death.
The movie is based on the true story of the battle of Kamdesh, one of the hardest battles fought in the war in Afghanistan.
4. Operation Red Sea – 2018
Operation Red Sea is one of the most explosive action movies with spectacular set-pieces that come with a blast.
It centers on this elite group of Chinese Navy Soldiers battling terrorists.
Talk of action scenes! They are genuinely stunning and have a real sense of scale.
Operation Red Sea is a bold and ambitious action epic with some of the best actions scenes you will ever see.
As the action is as visceral and brutal, you just strap in and enjoy the ride!
5. Lone Survivor – 2013
Brutal and realistic – you will never get bored watching it. It is a story of preparation, courage and resilience of four soldiers in enemy territory.
The movie that characterizes ‘capture OR kill’ will make you think long after it is over; What would have happened if they just killed the herders? What would have happened if they tied them up, went a bit down, risked a sniper shot at the enemy commander, then just ran? What would have happened if the Pashtuni would have ignored the wounded American or would have killed the Taliban scout force when they came to them? How would the mission have gone if the four guys would have known from the get go that they would be completely alone, with no support or hope for extraction?
6. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi – 2016
The movie loaded with ‘unfiltered truths’ is powerful. The 13 hours that didn’t have to be and the 14 American lives that didn’t have to be lost!
You’ll laugh, you’ll be mad, you’ll (probably) cry too.
The acting is excellent, the attack is a part of history that deserves to be put on screen in as grand and well produced manner as can be. The filming in Morocco and Malta captures a really on location feel.
At a point, the film gets ‘personal’. Many war films lack that personal touch, but ’13 Hours’ reminds you that even America’s most prestigious militants are humans with a life beyond warfare.
13 Hours is an incredibly intense war movie that’s thrilling, tense and emotional whilst easily being one of Michael Bay’s best films.
It is a movie based on a true story about the attack on an American embassy and a secret CIA base in Benghazi, Libya, on the 9/11 anniversary in 2012.
7. Saving Private Ryan – 1998
Saving Private Ryan is not your regular war film, even if your favorite genre is not ‘war’, you will fancy this movie.
Straight away into the opening 20 minutes, the brutality and emotional toll of war is captured well in the settings and acting.
Captain John Miller takes his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded by the brutal realties of war, while searching for Ryan, each man embarks upon a personal journey and discovers their own strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honor, decency and courage.
Saving Private Ryan is a very long, drawn out battle for a movie set piece that will constantly leave you on the edge of your seat until the final bullet.
The movie in surround sound is a real killer, it sounds like the bullets are flying across your living room from all directions – watch out.
8. 12 Strong
The plot depicts friendship, commitment, true courage and bond between a kid and soldiers in a beautiful manner.
The awesome movie is worth a watch as it shows many beautiful qualities which every leader should possess and also it shows that your favorite actor, Chris Hemsworth is much better actor who doesnt need to be called just Thor anymore.
It has one of best closing credit songs sang by Zac Brown which will leave you in tears as the movie closes.
Bruckheimer calls the mission ‘unprecedented’ because despite being among the best-trained soldiers in any branch of the military, the 12 Green Berets were unprepared for the unique challenge of working in northern Afghanistan’s treacherously steep, mountainous terrain with Afghan modes of transportation.
9. Hacksaw Ridge – 2016
An extraordinary film about an extraordinary man who, true to his beliefs saved the lives of a reported 75 men without firing a single shot during the battle for Okinawa in WWII.
How can one represent the gut, glory and yet without gun like the simple man from Virginia?
The war sequences here were some of the best ever put to the big screen. It will surely gets you pumped up.
The movie highlights strength, courage, compassion and heroism.
Most people say ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ could very well challenge Saving Private Ryan in being the best war movie of all time – after all, it is bound to affect even the most hardened viewer.
10. The Extraction
This is it! The movie with (one of) the most intense action sequences ever made in recent history.
Chris ‘Thor’ Hemsworth delivers the best ever performance till date mixing it with raw action and dark emotion.
Those fed up of quick cuts in recent action movies would be pleasantly surprised to find long takes in this film (in this case, a prolonged single-shot action sequence!) instead of fast cutting. The color tone is rich and suits the film’s own tone.
There are a couple of dramatic breaks between the action that make the viewers root for the characters.
Action aficionados are definitely in for a massive treat. Prepare yourself for a thrill-a-minute, no-nonsense action ride.
Here, an already deadly mission approaches the impossible.
