Novocaine is a movie that works on so many levels. It’s action-packed. It’s funny. It makes viewers tense up like they are watching a Final Destination movie. It’s also surprisingly sweet and romantic. It’s hard to make an entertaining romantic action movie, especially one that hits all the right notes. When a movie does manage to blend all of these elements seamlessly, however, it’s pure magic.
Novocaine
3.5
/5
- Release Date
-
March 14, 2025
- Runtime
-
109 minutes
- Director
-
Dan Berk, Robert Olsen
- Writers
-
Lars Jacobson
A romantic action movie can cross over into any genre. It pairs well with comedy, sci-fi, and fantasy. It can have any setting, though often there is an element of adventure and travel associated with the story. If you loved Novocaine and are looking for an entertaining action flick for your next date night, these movies have you covered.
10
‘The Mask of Zorro’ (1998)
The Mask of Zorro is a sweeping action-adventure movie based on the early 1900s character created by pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been adapted numerous times since its inception, but this 1998 movie remains a favorite. It’s directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) and stars Antonio Banderas just a few years after he was in Desperado.
Impressive Sword Fights
Banderas stars as Alejandro Murrieta, a young thief seeking vengeance for the death of his brother by training with the legendary swordsman, Zorro (Anthony Hopkins). His chemistry with Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago) in this movie is fantastic, and the sword fighting is incredible. The lead actors trained with Olympic fencer Bob Anderson in preparation for the film, and that hard work shines through.
9
‘The Mummy’ (1999)
The Mummy
- Release Date
-
April 16, 1999
- Runtime
-
124 minutes
One would be hard-pressed to find a millennial who didn’t have a crush on one or all of the characters in this action-adventure classic written and directed by Stephen Sommers (Odd Thomas). Rachel Weisz (Constantine) and Brendan Fraser (Crash) star with perfect chemistry as aspiring Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan and the swashbuckling treasure hunter Rick O’Connell, whom Evelyn enlists to help find the golden Book of Amun-Ra. Aided by Evelyn’s brother Jonathan (John Hannah), the trio faces off against Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a resurrected mummy prepared to scorch the earth in pursuit of his lost love.
Non-Stop Fun
Based on the 1932 film of the same name, The Mummy is an entertaining thrill-ride with plenty of laughs and historical intrigue. It also features some of the most swoon-worthy action sequences to ever grace the screen. The movie even scored an MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Action Sequence. Since the film’s release, The Mummy has inspired two sequels and a spin-off prequel, plus several video games and a ride at Universal Studios.
Related
The 15 Best Action Movies of the Century So Far
Buckle up and strap in tight, these are the 15 best action movies of the last 25 years.
8
‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ (2005)
Written by Simon Kinberg and directed by Doug Liman, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is an action comedy about two married assassins. Posing as the average upper-middle-class couple, John (Brad Pitt) and Jane Smith (Angelina Jolie) have no idea about their partner’s double life until they are hired to kill each other. Now the couple, whose relationship was already on the rocks, must fight for their lives and their marriage.
A Behind-the-Scenes Romance
Pitt and Jolie had such good chemistry in Mr. & Mrs. Smith that it sparked rumors of an affair, which turned out to be true. The pair were nominated for Best Kiss and won for Best Fight at the MTV Movie Awards. The cast is filled out by the talents of Vince Vaughn (Nonnas), Kerry Washington (Scandal), and the ever-delightful Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This).
7
‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ (2010)
Based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a wild romantic action comedy directed by Edgar Wright (Last Night in Soho). The 17-year-old Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) falls hard for quirky Romona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), but must first defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her. What ensues is an action-packed fever dream that delights fans with its music and video-game aesthetic.
Unique Visual Style
Wright is an acclaimed filmmaker known for his unique visual style. He made Scott Pilgrim vs. the World just a few years after writing/directing Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. The supporting cast is stacked with indie darlings and future icons, including Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Chris Evans (Captain America: The First Avenger), Anna Kendrick (A Simple Favor), Alison Pill (Vice), Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City), Brie Larson (Lessons in Chemistry), Mae Whitman (Good Girls), and Aubrey Plaza (Agatha All Along).
Related
The 30 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, Ranked
The romantic comedy is having a comeback, and with that in mind, here are a few of the best from the genre.
6
‘American Ultra’ (2015)
Viewers who love Jack Quaid’s down-to-earth charm in Novacaine will likely enjoy the talents of Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain) as anxious convenience store clerk Mike Howell in American Ultra. Mike isn’t comfortable traveling, so much so that he fails to board a plane to Hawaii, where he plans to propose to his girlfriend, Phoebe Larson (Kristen Stewart). Then, Mike finds out he is a sleeper agent from the CIA’s Ultra program. Once activated, he suddenly has all these lethal skills that he’s definitely not prepared to handle.
Reuniting Romantic Leads
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh (Project X), American Ultra has a ton of action and effectively utilizes the trope of a seemingly regular guy suddenly engaging in extraordinary action sequences. Eisenberg and Stewart had previously starred in the 2009 comedy-drama Adventureland together and pair well in this action comedy. The supporting cast includes Topher Grace (Interstellar), Connie Britton (Dirty John), Walton Goggins (Fallout), Tony Hale (Veep), John Leguizamo (The Menu), and Bill Pullman (The Sinner).
5
‘Baby Driver’ (2017)
Baby Driver
- Release Date
-
June 28, 2017
- Runtime
-
113 minutes
If Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The World’s End have taught audiences anything, it’s that Edgar Wright really knows how to bring stylized action sequences to any genre. Baby Driver is an action crime movie about a young getaway driver known as “Baby” (Ansel Elgort), who decides to quit his life of crime. He gets a job delivering pizza and starts dating a waitress named Debora (Lily James). Unfortunately for Baby, there are powerful people who remember his talent for getaway driving. Drawn back into the criminal underworld, Baby must stay alive and keep Debora safe.
A Killer Soundtrack
Wright spent over a decade planning out Baby Driver and that attention to detail shows. The action in this movie is incredibly entertaining, and the soundtrack plays an important role since Baby has tinnitus, a constant ringing in his ears, and finds great comfort in listening to music. Baby Driver was nominated for three Academy Awards in the Film Editing, Sound Mixing, and Sound Editing categories. Wright also scored a Grammy nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.
4
‘Free Guy’ (2021)
Free Guy
- Release Date
-
August 13, 2021
- Runtime
-
115 minutes
Free Guy is an action comedy directed by Shawn Levy, who is also an executive producer of Stranger Things. Deadpool‘s Ryan Reynolds stars as Blue Shirt Guy, an NPC (non-player character) in the Free City video game who deviates from his programming after developing feelings for player Millie Rusk’s (Jodie Comer) game character, MolotovGirl. The supporting cast includes Lil Rel Howery (Get Out), Joe Keery (Stranger Things), Utkarsh Ambudkar (My Dead Friend Zoe), Channing Tatum (Magic Mike’s Last Dance), and Taika Waititi (Our Flag Means Death).
Love as an NPC
This is a surprisingly sweet and self-aware action movie, with a great cast. It knows how to be funny without slowing down the action and remains endearing from start to finish. Reynolds won an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance and the film received a nomination for Best Fight. Free Guy scored five People’s Choice Award nominations and an Academy Award nomination for Visual Effects.
3
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
Written and directed by Swiss Army Man‘s Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once stars Michelle Yeoh (Wicked) as Chinese immigrant and laundromat owner Evelyn Quan Wang. Evelyn is struggling to keep her family’s business afloat when a parallel universe version of her husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), comes to tell her that the multiverse is in danger and that she must act now to save them all.
Love Across the Multiverse
Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most romantic action movies on this list. The sheer scale of it is unbeatable. The fight sequences are unreal and the aching love story between Evelyn and Waymond across multiple timelines is one for the ages. The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. It won seven of them, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Original Screenplay, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Actress for Michelle Yeoh and Best Actor for Ke Huy Quan.
2
‘The Fall Guy’ (2024)
The Fall Guy
4
/5
- Release Date
-
May 3, 2024
- Runtime
-
126 Minutes
The Fall Guy is an action comedy written by Drew Pearce (Hotel Artemis) and directed by David Leitch (Bullet Train), loosely based on the 1980s ABC show created by Glen A. Larson (Knight Rider). Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a stuntman at the top of his game whose world comes crashing down after an on-set accident nearly kills him. Living in solitude after having pushed everyone away, he is drawn back into the world of stuntwork to be near Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), his ex-girlfriend and former camerawoman, who is now directing a feature film.
A Romantic Ode to Stuntwork
Then, the feature’s leading man, action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), goes missing. Seavers must find him and save Jody’s movie — all before she finds out what is going on. The chemistry between Gosling and Blunt is delightful, that perfect blend of love-turned-to-frustration-turned-to-love-again. The Fall Guy has a ton of action and really showcases just how incredible stunt performers really are.
1
‘Carry-On’ (2024)
Carry-On
2.5
/5
- Release Date
-
December 13, 2024
- Runtime
-
119 Minutes
Carry-On isn’t just a fun action movie, it’s also a great Christmas movie. Think Die Hard meets Red Eye. Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise) directs this high-octane thrill ride, which takes place mostly within Los Angeles International Airport on Christmas Eve.
A Hero On a Clock
Taron Egerton stars as Ethan Kopek, a TSA officer who is contacted by an unidentified “traveler” (Jason Bateman) who wants a mysterious package to pass through the airport’s security check. If Ethan doesn’t comply, the traveler will have Ethan’s pregnant girlfriend, Nora Parisi (Sofia Carson), killed. Torn between his conscious and his love, Ethan works overtime trying to save everyone all at once. Egerton has plenty of action experience, having previously starred in Kingsman: The Secret Service, and that really works to his benefit in this movie. Carry-On is fast-paced and entertaining with a lot of heart.
Source link
Add Comment