Best Action Movies on HBO Max (January 2026)
The action genre is one of the most varied in all of fiction. Indeed, it is hard to quantify action movies without breaking them down into subgenres. However, whatever preferences an action enthusiast may have, there is much on HBO Max to satisfy them heading into 2026.
What are the best action movies on HBO Max as of January 2026?
Selecting the best action movies from a limited list is admittedly subjective. Some action fans prefer explosions and car chases to historic epics, with warriors on horseback and sword in hand. To that end, this list features five films, in order of release date, that offer a wide selection of different forms of action movie.
End of Watch (2012)
Filmmaker David Ayer grew up in South Central Los Angeles and had written several police procedural films before End of Watch. However, all of these works centered around crooked cops and big crimes. With End of Watch, Ayer wanted to tell a story about honest cops, the friendships they develop, and the day-to-day work of patrolmen.
End of Watch centers around Brian Taylor and Mike Zavala. The two LAPD patrolmen are best friends. They are also partners, assigned to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Newton Division. Despite the corruption of other officials and the threats to their families, the two struggle to remain honest and protect South Central Los Angeles.
End of Watch was a critical and commercial success, making back its $7 million dollar budget several times over. Roger Ebert gave the film a 4 out of 4 star rating, calling it “one of the best police movies in recent years.” The movie was also praised for Michael Peña’s portrayal of a Hispanic police officer; a relative rarity at the time.
John Wick (2014)
The John Wick franchise barely requires introduction in 2026. The original 2014 neo noir action movie starring Keanu Reeves as the titular assassin spawned a lengthy and profitable franchise. This is somewhat astonishing given the original movie barely secured wide distribution before its release date.
John Wick was a passion project for screenwriter Derek Kolstad, who only had two published scripts at that point. Reeves saw the script and liked it, suggesting that Chad Stahelsk and David Leitch direct the movie. Stahelsk had been Reeves’ stunt double on The Matrix and both he and Leitch had done some second-unit directing work and stunt coordination. However, studio executives were reluctant to take a chance on an action movie helmed by two first-time directors and a relatively inexperienced screenwriter. It didn’t help matters that Reeves was seen as past his prime and was fresh off a string of underperforming films.
Thankfully, John Wick was picked up by Lionsgate and became a surprise smash. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with the film’s intricate stunt work and action sequences being singled out. Many film experts now credit the movie with single-handedly reviving the action genre in the mid-2010s.
No Sudden Move (2021)
In 1954, gangster Curt Goynes (Don Cheadle) is looking to get out of Detroit. To get the money he needs, he joins a crew as part of a blackmail scam. Their goal; to get some papers out of a certain safe by taking the family of an accountant at General Motors hostage.
The simple job goes sideways very quickly. The accountant gives them fake papers and Goynes is forced to kill his cohort when he decides to kill the family in response. Then Goynes uncovers the real papers and discovers the real value of what he’s been sent to get. Throw in the price on his head and the cops at his heels, and the action only heats up from there.
No Sudden Move was a throwback to the classic crime capers of old. Beyond Don Cheadle in the lead role, it boasts an impressive ensemble. This includes Benicio del Toro, David Harbour, John Hamm, Kieran Culkin, Brendan Fraser, and Ray Liotta. It also features a witty script by Bill and Ted creator Ed Solomon and intense action scenes directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
2016’s Mad Max: Fury Road was an impressive update of the classic post-apocalyptic franchise. It received 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. There was an immediate demand for a sequel, but Miller took his time on scripting a follow-up. He ultimately decided to make a prequel instead, centered around the breakout character of Fury Road; Furiosa.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga opens on a young Furiosa (Ana Taylor-Joy) and her abduction from The Green Place of Many Mothers. Her mother tries to rescue her, but Furiosa refuses to leave her behind. Ultimately, Furiosa is forced to watch her mother’s brutal death and is adopted by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth).
Furiosa is traded to Dementus’ rival Immortan Joe, but escapes Joe’s harem and poses as one of his War Boy soldiers. For a decade she works her way up the ranks, biding her time while plotting escape. However, she ultimately abandons that plan when she has a chance to avenge her mother and kill Dementus.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga featured more of the intense action that defined the franchise. Despite this, it suffered from disappointing box office and barely broke even by some accounts. However, the critical reviews of the movie were overwhelmingly positive. Chris Hemsworth was praised for how well he played against type as the twisted Dementus. Anna Taylor-Joy was hailed as “an overwhelmingly convincing action heroine” by Pete Bradshaw of The Guardian.
Warfare (2025)
War movies have been a popular subgenre of action movies for as long as there have been movies. While early movies romanticized armed conflict, more modern films tend to favor more realistic portrayals. Not only in terms of violence, but also in terms of how such things affect the soldiers forced to face some of the greatest horrors imaginable. Few films have accomplished this quite so well as 2025’s Warfare.
The movie is set in 2006, shortly after the Battle of Ramadi in Western Iraq. The film centers around Navy SEAL platoon Alpha One, as they take control of a two story house in a joint-operation with a team of US Marines. Unfortunately, their position is compromised, and the platoon face heavy casualties and injuries. As the Alpha Two platoon try to evacuate Alpha One, the survivors face intense disorientation and begin to disassociate from the action around them.
Warfare was co-written and co-directed by former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza, who based the film on his direct experiences. The real SEAL Team 5 involved in the mission also participated in the production of the film as consultants. All of the characters in the movie are based on actual military personnel, albeit with aliases instead of their real names. The sole exceptions to this are the JTAC based on Ray Mendoza and Marine sniper Elliot Miller. The film is dedicated to the real life Elliot Miller, who lost his leg and the ability to speak as a result of the battle.
How we picked the best Action Movies on HBO Max in 2026
The most obvious qualifier in constructing this list was that the movies had to be available on HBO Max in January 2026. Beyond that, the focus was on finding a variety of action-packed movies from many genres. The list was also limited to one of each subgenre, such as one war movie or one heist movie.
Source: Comingsoon.net