Table of ContentsTable of Contents7. Land of Bad (2024)6. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)5. Carry-On (2024)4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)3. Civil War (2024)2. Rebel Ridge (2024)1. Dune: Part Two (2024)Looking back at the past year in film, action remains a reliable genre both at the box office and on streaming. Action occupies six spots on the list of the 12 highest-grossing movies of 2024. From blockbusters and IP-driven properties to superhero stories and monster epics, action continues to be embraced by audiences globally.You know its been a competitive year in action when a superhero movie doesnt crack the list of the top seven action movies of 2024. What films did make the cut? Check out the full rankings below.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week,the best action movies on Netflix, RelatedVariance FilmsIts early, but Land of BadFord v FerrariandMiracle. Land of Bad is a great example of how a solid movie with little attention in theaters can increase its popularity exponentially on Netflix.Sergeant JJ Kinney (Liam Hemsworth), aka Playboy, joins Delta Force for an extraction mission in the Philippines. Their mission is to rescue a CIA spy and escape the hostile environment. Eddie Reaper Grimm (Russell Crowe) pilots a Reaper drone remotely from the U.S., providing air support to the team. When the mission goes haywire, Playboy is the only survivor. Now, he must rely on Reaper to guide him through the jungle in this loud, explosive, and masculine thriller.Stream Land of Bad on Netflix.Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)Disney/20th Century StudiosWhat a wonderful day to include Kingdom of the Planet of the ApesKingdomsprotagonist, Noa (Owen Teague), a teenage ape and heir to his tribe.One night, a rival ape clan burns down Noas village and kidnaps the surviving members. Noa manages to escape, but hes now an ape without a clan.Forced to come of age, Noa embarks on a journey to the rival kingdom to rescue his friends and family. Along the way, Noa gains an unlikely ally in Mae (Freya Allan), a girl immune to the virus that turns humans feral.While Kingdomfails to live up to Matt Reeves Apes films,Kingdomis a solid first film in a new trilogy, and the franchise remains the gold standard for motion capture performances.Stream Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on Hulu.Carry-On | Sneak Peek #2 | NetflixJaume Collet-Serra has seemingly dedicated his life to keeping the mid-budget action thriller alive. Collet-Serras resume includes Unknown, Non-Stop, Run All Night, The Shallows, and The Commuter. Add Carry-OnUpon putting it into his ear, Ethan hears a message from a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman), who demands a package make its way through security no questions asked. If Ethan refuses, his pregnant girlfriend, Nora (Sofia Carson), will be killed. Refusing to abide by the rules, Ethan goes full John McClane and embarks on a mission to save the day in this wildly entertaining Christmas thriller.Stream Carry-On on Netflix.Warner Bros.Unfortunately for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, its legacy will likely be associated with the films box office misfortunes and its inability to match the highs of the superb Mad Max: Fury Road. Its a shame because George Miller only has a finite number of films remaining in his career and should be praised for Furiosasbravery and boldness.Serving as a prequel toFury Road,Furiosafollows the origin stories of the titular character (Anya Taylor-Joy), a young girl kidnapped from her home as a girl and forced to hide her identity while working at the Citadel. Furiosa becomes a witness to the war over the Wasteland between the Citadels Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) and the Biker Hordes leader, Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). WhileFuriosa is not a chase movie, Miller still flexes his prowess in the War Rig scenes, proving no living director shoots better vehicle sequences than him.Stream Furiosa: A Mad Max Sagaon Max.A24Alex Garlands dystopian thriller Civil WarSeveral reviews criticized Garland for refusing to fully explore American politics in 2024, believing he took an apolitical approach to an important discussion. As an action film and a story about journalists, Civil War is a harrowing escapade backed by terrific performances from its cast. Jesse Plemons gives the horror performance of the year in a sick-to-your-stomach scene. Also, Civil War, like many of Garlands films, sounds incredible.Stream Civil War on Max.NetflixTheres locked-in, and then theres Aaron Pierre explaining what PACE means to Don Johnson in Rebel Ridge.Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridgestars Pierre as Terry Richmond, a former Marine veteran heading to a small Louisiana town to bail his cousin out of jail. Terry is stunned when the two police officers detain him and invoke a civil forfeiture clause to seize his $36,000 in bail money. When Terry tries to get his money back from the cops, the police chief (Johnson) refuses to listen.With the help of courthouse employee Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), Terry learns about the towns corruption and realizes he must take matters into his own hands to get what he wants. Rebel Ridgehooks you in from the opening scene and keeps your attention throughout the 131-minute run time. Pierre is a revelation in a star-making performance that will catapult him to higher-profile projects, includingLanterns.Stream Rebel Ridge on Netflix.Warner Bros. PicturesDont overthink it. Dune: Part TwoPaul and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), are now with the Fremen tribe, with many members believing the heir to House Atreides is their messiah, the Lisan al-Gaib. For Paul to free the people of Arrakis from the Harkonnens, he must embrace his destiny and fulfill the Fremens prophecy, no matter how many times he tries to resist. Dune: Part Twois Villeneuves version ofThe Two Towers an epic adventure from a director who truly understands the material.Stream Dune: Part Two on Max.Editors Recommendations