When it comes to action movies, there are so many classics that fans love to watch and re-watch, again and again. Then, there are new ones, sometimes remakes, that might catch your attention. The best action movies, no matter when they were introduced, feature actors who have become deeply tied to the genre.
We’re here to help you find ones you’ll want to watch (or, more likely, re-watch) by highlighting three action movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in August that come from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2010s. With Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Liam Neeson leading each of these movies, you can’t go wrong. Plus, don’t worry because all three are available with a standard Amazon Prime subscription or standalone Amazon Prime Video subscription, no add-on channels needed.
Rocky III (1982)
Rocky Balboa became an icon when Sylvester Stallone first brought the character to life on screen in 1976’s Rocky. He returned in 1979 for Rocky II then again in 1982 for this, the third film in the franchise. In Rocky III, Balboa (Stallone) looks to his old rival Apollo Creed (the late Carl Weathers) to help him train to fight a formidable new opponent: Clubber Lang (Mr. T).
While Rocky III received mixed reviews, there’s no debating the intense action sequences, set to a perfect soundtrack that includes the iconic theme song Eye of the Tiger, which earned a Best Original Song Academy Award nomination. In the many decades since the movie came out, the underdog, supreme perseverance story in Rocky III has been viewed with a different lens and garnered a strong cult following.
Stream Rocky III on Amazon Prime Video.
Payback (1999)
At the height of his movie career, Mel Gibson starred in this neo-noir action thriller about Porter (Gibson), a former U.S. Marine who also happens to work as a career thief. After being shot and left for dead, he vows to get revenge on his former crime partner Val (Gregg Henry), who has betrayed him.
Payback follows Porter’s exciting, dangerous, and action-packed journey to find Val and exact not only vengeance but also get back stolen money. At every corner, however, the plot thickens, and Porter finds himself battling all types of nefarious characters in exciting action scenes that will get your blood pumping. Also starring Maria Bello, Lucy Liu, and Kris Kristofferson, Payback is a perfect vehicle for Gibson’s talents and proves he’s worthy of the title “action movie star.”
Stream Payback on Amazon Prime Video.
Non-Stop (2014)
The story of a plane hijacking has been told before, time and time again, in both movies and on TV. But Non-Stop puts an original twist on the plot. Bill Marks (Liam Neeson in action hero mode) is a Federal Air Marshal who learns that someone has secretly hijacked the plane he’s on. They’re demanding a large sum of money, and if their demands are not met, they’ll kill someone every 20 minutes until the funds have been deposited. Soon, however, the script flips when a series of events lead others to believe that Marks is the perpetrator, not someone trying to stop them.
An intense story that takes place almost entirely on a plane, Neeson brings his subtle yet menacing energy to the role. He’s desperate to save everyone but also to prove his innocence as manufactured evidence continues to mount against him. Non-Stop is a whodunit story told in the span of under two hours that will have you guessing and at the edge of your seat right to the very end. The supporting cast is tremendous, too, including Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery, Corey Stoll, Lupita Nyong’o, and Corey Hawkins.
Stream Non-Stop on Amazon Prime Video.
