Despite it being the season of giving, Netflix has a surprising amount of action content queued up in December. The return of Squid Game, Netflix’s most popular TV show, returns for a second season that will be even more violent and bloodier than the first. Black Doves, an entertaining spy thriller starring Keira Knightley, is also on the streamer this month.
While those two offerings are TV shows, Netflix does not skimp on action movies. The service has an entire genre dedicated to action, with multiple subgenres highlighting blockbusters, indies, and more. This month, consider streaming these three action movies, including a live-action film based on popular action figures, a brutal war story, and a survival thriller.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Transformers (2007)
Michael Bay’s Transformers franchise goes off the rails in the latter films, but the initial trilogy is quite fun, especially 2007’s Transformers. In the battle between the admirable Autobots and the villainous Decepticons for alien robot supremacy, one person holds the key to victory: Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). Sam owns a valuable pair of glasses with the coordinates to the powerful AllSpark imprinted on them.
The AllSpark is the source of all Cybertronian life; whichever side finds it will win the war. Disguised as vehicles, the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), find Sam and recruit him to join the fight. It won’t be easy, as Megatron (Hugo Weaving) and the Decepticons plan to destroy humanity if it means finding the AllSpark.
Stream Transformers on Netflix.
300 (2007)
300’s lasting legacy is arguably the series of memes and gifs it inspired, including the “This is Sparta” chant. Hilarity aside, 300 is the best example of Zack Snyder’s talent — violent action, extravagant visuals, and slow motion. In a fictional retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae, 300 follows King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) of Sparta and his efforts to defend his country from King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) of Persia.
The Persian army boasts over 300,000 soldiers, while Leonidas can only muster about 300 Spartans. Despite their numbers’ disadvantage, the Spartans are superior fighters and repeatedly defeat whatever threats Xerxes sends their way. Death may be inevitable, but the Spartans will not go down without a fight.
Stream 300 on Netflix.
Lou (2022)
Oscar winner Allison Janney is a reclusive woman with a deadly past in Lou, a crime thriller directed by Anna Foerster. On Orcas Island, Lou Adell (Janney) lives a quiet life, leaving her property only for supply runs into town. Lou holds a secret: she is an ex-CIA agent with nearly 30 years of experience. Lou’s suicide attempt is interrupted by Hannah Dawson (Jurnee Smollett), a young mother living next door.
Hannah’s daughter Vee (Ridley Asha Bateman) has been kidnapped by her father Phillip (Logan Marshall-Green). Hannah convinces Lou to help her find Phillip and rescue Vee. With an impending storm in the area, the two women race to find the young girl before she disappears forever.
Stream Lou on Netflix.