Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like Back in Action:
Novocaine
Novocaine works best as an entertaining genre exercise. It’s competently made, sometimes clever, and visually sharp. But it never quite reaches the heights it’s aiming for. It doesn’t reimagine the action-comedy or elevate its characters beyond the surface. Still, it’s a watchable 90 minutes, and for fans of Jack Quaid or high-concept thrillers with a soft edge, it’s worth a casual look.
Read our full review of Novocaine
Fight or Flight
Fight or Flight feels like it’s trying to play in the big leagues of modern action but without the distinctive characters, choreography, or creative spark to back it up. It’s neither grounded enough to be gritty nor wild enough to be fun. While Josh Hartnett remains an intriguing actor in the right roles, this isn’t one of them. It’s a forgettable detour in a genre full of better, more fully realized flights.
Read our full review of Fight or Flight
The Beekeeper
While David Ayer‘s The Beekeeper is a lot of fun and has some surprisingly effective and exhilarating action sequences that are decked out with every possible way you could break a bone or die, it’s still too odd and ill-conceived to be taken seriously. And for that reason, it’s a perfect Dumpuary movie. Jason Statham stars a rogue special forces agent.
Read our full review of The Beekeeper
Kraven the Hunter
It’s almost impressive how Kraven the Hunter manages to be the final nail in the coffin for the Sony Spider-Verse, a franchise that never really got off the ground. With the exception of the Venom films, the consistency just wasn’t there, and Kraven the Hunter is no exception. This was a doomed project from the start—after delays, reshoots, and minimal studio enthusiasm, it arrived in late 2024 already feeling like an afterthought.
Read our full review of Kraven the Hunter
Carry-On
Jaume Collet-Serra wouldn’t seem like the next director to add to that list, given his recent track record with disappointing Dwayne Johnson vehicles like Jungle Cruise and Black Adam. However, his holiday thriller Carry-On defies expectations, moving quickly and building enough tension to make it a surprisingly worthwhile entry in the Netflix action canon.
Read our full review of Carry-On
Wolfs
The appeal of Jon Watts’ Wolfs is obvious. The film serves as the long-awaited reunion between George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The two mega movie stars have shared the screen for a handful of projects over the years, most notably the Ocean’s franchise and Burn After Reading.
Rebel Ridge
Jeremy Saulnier is continuing to show that there aren’t many filmmakers capable of making movies like he is. Rebel Ridge occasionally establishes him as an auteur capable of extreme visceral sequences and building up tension that will make you squirm in your seat, but I’m not as sold on his attempt to tie these themes to this story. A good movie made by a director capable of making great movies.
Read our full review of Rebel Ridge
The Instigators
The Instigators features an occasionally entertaining set piece and an ensemble cast of industry mainstays (headlined by Matt Damon and Casey Affleck), but this Apple TV+ streamer has all the common tropes and vibes of streaming content, best enjoyed passively and without thinking critically.
Read our full review of The Instigators
Knox Goes Away
Knox Goes Away becomes a race against time for the titular character, outrunning the police and attempting to make good on his past before his own memory deteriorates beyond recoverable. Knox Goes Away could’ve been a surprisingly enthralling genre movie, but instead resorts too often to run-of-the-mill technical work and plot choices.
Read our full review of Knox Goes Away
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is an admirable demo tape for director Wes Ball. The movie shows his talent for directing large-scale action sequences and consistent CGI-driven work, but it doesn’t quite have the succinct and emotionally powerful story to match.
Read our full review of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
READ MORE: Back in Action (2025)
