Bad Boys: Ride or Die and the 7 best action movies on Netflix in October 2024

It’s another month for Netflix lovers to indulge in some great action movies hitting the streamer!

One thing you can always count on with Netflix is some fun action movies. There are the scores of originals the streamer has made, as well as several recent ones from Hollywood or abroad. It’s tough to narrow down the watchlist at times, but October has offered a bunch of new action movies to watch.

From some brand new titles to the older action movies debuting on Netflix this month, we share a list of the best action movies that should be on your Netflix watchlist right now.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the much-anticipated fourth entry in the Bad Boys franchise, reunites Will Smith and Martin Lawrence for one of 2024’s biggest box office smashes.

This time out, the cops are trying to clear the name of their late captain (Joe Pantoliano) when he’s accused of corruption. That takes them on a case where they’re framed for murder themselves. A fun twist is that after a near-death experience, Lawrence is more willing to take chances, while Smith is more cautious. We still get some great action, and the banter between the pair is as fun as ever, making this return of the Bad Boys a better ride.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die was just added to Netflix in October 2024.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

Bad Boys isn’t the one action franchise that got a new sequel recently. After 30 years, Eddie Murphy finally returns to his famed role of wisecracking Detroit cop Axel Foley, once more heading to Beverly Hills.

In Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, we get the return of old faces like Judge Reinhold, John Ashton (in his final role), Paul Reiser, and more, as well as seeing Axel with his daughter. There’s plenty of action to spare but the real draw is Murphy once more letting out that distinctive laugh and jokes and showing he’s still got what it takes to make these movies so loved. 

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F was released on Netflix on July 3.

Rebel Ridge

Rebel Ridge, which premiered on Netflix on Sept. 6, has been a great success on Netflix since its premiere and deserves even more eyes on this movie. Overall, Rebel Ridge is less pure action than thriller, yet it works quite well

Aaron Pierre stars in the Netflix original film as a former soldier heading to a small town to bail out his cousin. He soon runs afoul of the corrupt sheriff (Don Johnson) and embarks on a one-man battle against the dirty cops.

The fight scenes are well done, and Pierre stakes his claim to be a new top action star as this low-key action film is much better than the bigger-budget Netflix originals. 

The Equalizer 3

In The Equalizer 3, Denzel Washington closes out his terrific action film franchise with this installment.

The film opens with Robert McCall badly wounded on a job in Italy. After being saved by locals, McCall thinks about retiring to a small village. When a local mob starts threatening his new friends, McCall obviously steps up to defend them.

Washington remains as compelling as ever as McCall, still utilizing his fantastic fighting skills and some nice turns. If this is the last Equalizer film, then it goes out on a high note with Washington making it one of the best roles of his storied career. 

Escape Plan

In 2013, the dreams of action movie fans were answered as, at long last, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger shared the screen together in Escape Plan.

In the film, Stallone stars as a security expert who tests prisons by having himself put inside and then breaking out. But, his latest test goes awry as he realizes, too late, that he’s trapped in the toughest prison ever designed. Sly turns to Arnie, played by Schwarzenegger, a fellow inmate, to stage an escape.

Seeing the pair bounce off each other is terrific and the movie has some intriguing twists. If nothing else, seeing two of the greatest action stars of all time together makes this a must-watch for any fan of the genre. 

Salt

Angelina Jolie gets a stellar showcase in the 2010 thriller, Salt.

In the action movie, Jolie stars as Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent who is accused of being a deep-cover mole for the Russians. She’s on the run, seemingly to clear her name only for some unexpected twists to occur.

The movie keeps you guessing as to whose side Salt is truly on as Jolie throws herself into the action sequences with some terrific flair. It’s a fun ride to the surprise ending, and Jolie makes for a compelling lead. 

Troy

Almost exactly 20 years after it hit theaters, Troy was Wolfgang Petersen’s take on the mythological conflict remains a fantastic spectacle. It’s helped by the cast with Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as Hector, Orlando Bloom, Brian Cox, Peter O’Toole and Diane Kruger as Helen.

The battle scenes are spectacular thanks to some big CGI pieces bringing them to life. The high point is the brilliantly filmed duel between Pitt and Bana which works perfectly. For fans of classic epic Hollywood action, this is a must-watch. 

21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street

For fans of action comedy, these 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street are absolute gems. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are unlikely cop friends who, after some bumbling, are assigned to a unit that sends them undercover in high school.

The first big joke is a mixup that has Hill as the jock and Tatum as the science geek. The pair have great chemistry from the comedy to the gunfights, yet some heart as they try to redeem themselves for high school mistakes.

The sequel is just as fun as the pair head to college on a case. We get some surprise cameos and some brilliant mockery of action movie sequels, so these films should be a fun time for fans of the genre. 

That's the list of action movies to watch in October!