7 action movies to watch if you liked American Assassin

Still from American Assassin (Image via Amazon Prime Video)
Still from American Assassin (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Starring Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, and others, American Assassin is an action thriller directed by Michael Cuesta. Based on a novel by Vince Flynn, the fast-paced movie revolves around Mitch Rapp (Dylan), whose girlfriend dies in a terrorist attack.

Overpowered by grief and anger, he decides to undergo intense physical training to kill the terrorist who murdered his beloved. He meets a Navy SEAL and Cold War veteran, Stan Hurley (Keaton), who trains him to be a part of the CIA’s black ops.

Rapp soon finds himself amidst a larger conspiracy that exposes him to the dangerous world of terrorism. The movie features dramatic action sequences while having an emotional crux. For viewers who enjoy such action movies, here’s a list of seven other films with a similar theme.


Safe, Without Remorse, and other action movies like American Assassin

1) Peppermint - Amazon Prime Video

Still from Peppermint (Image via Amazon Prime Video)
Still from Peppermint (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Starring Jennifer Garner and directed by Pierre Morel, Peppermint is a vigilante action movie. It revolves around Riley North (Garner), who decides to get revenge when a drug cartel kills her daughter and husband, and the legal system fails to support her.

Just like American Assassin, the movie is about an ordinary person transforming to avenge their loved ones, even if it means slipping into a world of crime and deception. Both movies are driven by an emotional crux that gives poignancy to the action.


2) The Man from Nowhere - Amazon Prime Video

Still from The Man from Nowhere (Image via Amazon Prime Video)
Still from The Man from Nowhere (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by Lee Jeong-beom, The Man from Nowhere is a South Korean neo-noir action thriller starring Won Bin. The movie revolves around Cha Tae-sik (Bin), a pawnshop owner with a past. When a young girl, with whom he shares a special relationship, is kidnapped, Tae-sik plans to rescue her at all costs.

Like American Assassin, the movie focuses on the quest of a single man to bring down a larger conspiracy, motivated by emotional reasons. Both movies offer intense action sequences and a gripping storyline.


3) Without Remorse - Amazon Prime Video

Still from Without Remorse (Image via Amazon Prime Video)
Still from Without Remorse (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by Stefano Sollima and based on a novel by Tom Clancy, Without Remorse is a fast-paced action thriller starring Michael B. Jordan. The movie is about US Navy SEAL John Kelly (Jordan), whose pregnant wife and colleagues are killed by Russian hitmen.

On his quest for revenge, Kelly is drawn into a conspiracy that is bigger than his personal motives. The movie features thrilling action sequences, and like American Assassin, it offers a mix of revenge and personal motives.


4) The Foreigner - Amazon Prime Video

Still from The Foreigner (Image via Amazon Prime Video)
Still from The Foreigner (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Based on a novel by Stephen Leather, and starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, The Foreigner is an action film directed by Martin Campbell. The movie revolves around an ex-army veteran, Ngoc Quan (Chan), who runs a restaurant in London and loses his daughter to a terrorist bombing.

Grief-stricken, he decides to get revenge for his daughter’s death, but intertwined with this is the personal vendetta of an Irish deputy minister (Brosnan). Like American Assassin, the movie is about revenge and terrorism.


5) Death Wish - Amazon Prime Video

Still from Death Wish (Image via Amazon Prime Video)
Still from Death Wish (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by Eli Roth and starring Bruce Willis, Death Wish is a vigilante action film, which is a remake of a 1974 film. Willis plays Dr. Paul Kersey, a surgeon whose family is attacked by armed miscreants. Despaired by the police’s slow progress, Paul decides to take justice into his own hands.

Like American Assassin, the protagonist is driven to despair by personal tragedy, which transforms his character completely. Both films are filled with high-octane action and suspenseful narratives.


6) Safe - Amazon Prime Video

Still from Safe (Image via Amazon Prime Video)
Still from Safe (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Starring Jason Statham and written and directed by Boaz Yakin, Safe is an action thriller. The movie follows an ex-police officer and cage fighter, Luke Wright (Statham), who has to protect a gifted young girl from the Russian mafia, corrupt policemen, and Chinese gangs.

The movie is full of action and revolves around the dangerous world of unlawful men, like American Assassin. In Safe, Luke’s beloved wife is also attacked, similar to American Assassin. However, in Safe, the focus is on saving a young girl before she is harmed.


7) Acts of Vengeance - Amazon Prime Video

Still from Acts of Vengeance (Image via Amazon Prime Video)
Still from Acts of Vengeance (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by Isaac Florentine and starring Antonio Banderas, Acts of Vengeance is an action thriller movie. The story revolves around a lawyer, Frank Valera (Banderas), whose wife and daughter are allegedly killed by the Russian mafia. Hell-bent on taking vengeance, he learns combat skills and enters a dangerous world.

Like American Assassin, the protagonist is motivated to avenge the deaths of his loved ones and undergoes intense physical training. Both movies offer action, thrill, and adventure.


Viewers who love action movies with a plot revolving around vengeance can check the list for some interesting options.

Edited by Sezal Srivastava
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