Amazon Prime Video's selection of action films is so vast that it seems endless Action is one of those genres where low-budget indie films thrive, but there is so much junk out there that you may not even notice the best of the best Prime Video has plenty of action films of all budgets and sizes

The best action films of any type provide rousing, well-crafted set pieces and feature characters worth caring about Whether that character is escaping a massive explosion or fighting off a lone assailant in a darkened room, a good action film lets the audience know what is at stake Here are five of the best action films the genre has to offer on Prime Video

Audiences were understandably skeptical of the sequel to the beloved military action film “Top Gun,” released almost 40 years later, but Joseph Kosinski's film rivals and even surpasses the original Tom Cruise reprises his role as Navy pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell He returns to Top Gun Flight School, which trains young elite pilots for dangerous, top-secret missions

The sequel is full of homages and callbacks, but it also acknowledges the passage of time and is most affecting when it gives Maverick a chance to rethink his life The intense aerial action, filmed by actors in real jets, is phenomenal and has enough emotional resonance to make it even more meaningful

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The best James Bond film starring Daniel Craig may also be the best Bond film overall A thrilling globe-trotting adventure, it also explores the connection between Bond and his boss and mentor, M (Judi Dench) Javier Bardem plays one of the most menacing villains in Bond history, a former MI6 agent who seeks revenge on his colleagues, especially M, whom he accuses of betraying him By the time the final battle takes place in the ruins of Bond's childhood home, which is also the title of the film, Mendes has deepened the core relationships, and in addition to the typical shootouts and explosions, there are true personal stakes

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Jean-Claude Van Damme is known more for his kicks and punches than his acting, but in this gritty thriller from French action writer Julien Leclerc, he delves deep into the pain and regret of the title character The film It helps that Van Damme speaks in his native tongue as a Belgian army veteran who works in a shady club that serves as a front for organized crime

Blackmailed as a police spy, Van Damme's Lucas reluctantly reports his boss's illegal activities, but what he really wants is to provide for his young daughter Bodyguard focuses not on the flashy action of Van Damme's films, but on the brutal and messy close quarters combat, emphasizing the damage the violence does to Lucas's body and mind It is a late career highlight for Lucas, one of cinema's greatest action heroes

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Kate Beckinsale somehow combines the snooty Lady Susan from Jane Austen's film adaptation of Love & Friendship and Jason Statham's Chef Chelios from the film Crank He plays the character Lindy Lewis, played by Beckinsale, has a rare condition that seems to exist only in movies She is like the Hulk, unnaturally strong and driven mad when angry She wears a custom-made device that gives her electric shocks when she feels crushed by her emotions

When her boyfriend is killed by a member of a big-time crime syndicate, Lindy goes on a rampage while a pair of cops try to restrain her Jolt is over-the-top and absurd, with fun action in motion and an endearingly nonsensical plot Beckinsale pulls it all together with a cheeky sense of humor and just the right amount of pathos

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Director Antoine Fuqua pays homage to the classic western The Magnificent Seven, but effectively updates it with bigger and bolder action The story remains the same: a team of bounty hunters team up to save a small town from an evil robber baron (Peter Sarsgaard) who terrorizes the local population Denzel Washington, who often co-stars with Fuqua, stars as a marshal who gathers disparate drifters and outlaws to protect the town

Fuqua brings the strengths of his talented cast, including Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, and Vincent D'Onofrio, to bear on Sarsgaard as the cartoonish villain The film builds to a climax of massive action, making use of every nook, cranny, and hiding place in town, making this a big-budget version of the tense showdown of the original film

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