Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for action movies like Lift:
The Pickup
I’ll admit I had more fun with The Pickup (2025) than I expected. Prime Video has been churning out a steady stream of C-tier action comedies, and most of them vanish from memory the moment the credits roll. I figured this would be another one of those forgettable titles, but to my surprise, it has just enough charm and comedic energy to make for a breezy, if uneven, watch.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
Dead Reckoning surpasses many recent action movies, using Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts as a reason to see them by themselves. Despite a few nitpicks, nothing compares to the practicality that the new Mission: Impossible movie offers.
Read our full review of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning
The Gray Man
When The Gray Man is working at its best, it has the wiseass-ery of Chris Evans at the center, even if it takes a decent amount of runtime for him to even enter the fold. Otherwise, Ryan Gosling barely ties this comatose Netflix action movie together.
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.
Heads of State
There’s no shortage of international action movies each year, and Heads of State barely meets the bar to even be called one. It’s the kind of movie you might click on out of curiosity, watch for 20 minutes, and then forget existed by the next morning. For a film trying to make world leaders into action stars, it can’t even lead itself.
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.
Ocean’s Eleven
Ocean’s Eleven might just be the coolest heist movie ever made. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and featuring one of the most effortlessly charismatic ensembles in film history—George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia—it’s a masterclass in smooth, stylish entertainment. Decades later, it remains endlessly rewatchable, a perfect blend of clever plotting, sharp dialogue, and pure Hollywood star power.
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.
G20
G20 is not just a misfire, it’s a symptom of a larger streaming trend: high-concept projects stretched thin by weak scripts, formulaic direction, and over-reliance on big names to carry the weight. Viola Davis has led action movies far superior to G20.
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.
