These 5 Iconic Action Thrillers Have Just Arrived on Netflix

There is nothing quite like revisiting an old movie you have loved. When it comes to action thrillers, you will also inevitably spot some things you missed the first time around, which only adds to the fun. Some films have always stood out above the rest and these 5 are some of the most iconic action thrillers ever made.

And you can now stream them on Netflix whenever you want.

1. Taken

IMDB rating 7.8/10

Starring the incomparable Liam Neeson and directed by Pierre Morel, 2008's Taken set the standard for action thrillers. Based on a story created by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, you can expect action, twists, turns and shocks. Neeson plays a retired CIA agent who needs every trick he has learned when his daughter is kidnapped. If ever there was a movie to prove that you don't want to mess with someone's family, this is it. Neeson's character, Bryan Mills, becomes a one-man killing machine as he slaughters his way across Europe in search of his daughter.

2. Spy Game

IMDB rating 7.1/10

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt star in this Tony Scott film based on a story by Michael Frost Beckner. A veteran CIA agent has his world turned upside down when his young protégé goes on an unauthorized mission in China and gets himself arrested. Based on the true story of former U.S. Army intelligence operative Tom Golden, who used the code name Nathan Muir, this film provides a unique insight into some of the more factual aspects of espionage and training.

3. Public Enemies

IMDB rating 7/10

Another breathtaking thriller based on a true story, Public Enemies, directed by Michael Mann, features an all-star cast of legendary actors. Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard and more unite to tell the gripping tales of John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd, who terrorized the Depression-era Midwest. Committing a series of bank robberies and being involved in countless shootings, Dillinger's gang was ruthless and the police and federal agents were eager to bring them down. This movie tells the story of how that happened.

4. Blackhat

IMDB rating 5.5/10

Critics weren't kind to this one, but considering it was released in 2015 and had a strong cyber focus, its only crime was probably being too far ahead of its time. Starring Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, and directed by Michael Mann, it focuses on a convicted hacker who is granted conditional release from prison in the hopes that he can help track down the culprit of a terrorist attack caused by another hacker. It holds up better with today's audiences than it did when it was released, so it is definitely worth a watch.

5. L.A. Confidential

IMDB rating 8.2/10

We saved the best for last. L.A. Confidential set the standard for intelligent thrillers when it was released in 1997. With an ensemble cast of brilliant actors playing dynamic and amazing characters, the pace is brisk without feeling rushed, and the story is gripping. Directed by Curtis Hanson, the film stars Russell Crowe, Guy Pierce, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, James Cromwell, Danny DeVito and more. Set in 1950s Los Angeles, three very different cops investigate a series of murders and meet some very interesting people along the way.