Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?
There are far more Christmas romances, comedies, and dramas than Christmas action movies. But it’s a subgenre that’s only gotten more popular since Die Hard lit the way back in 1988. This year, if you and your family are tired of watching A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life for the thousandth time, then we’ve got a few recommendations for some appropriately Christmassy action films.
It would be too easy to pick Die Hard, or even the original Lethal Weapon, for this list. So instead, we’re going with a superhero flick, a graphic novel adaptation, and a film that may be one of the most violent Christmas movies ever made. These are the three great action movies to watch on Christmas Day.
Need more holiday viewing suggestions? Then please check out the best Christmas movies to stream right now, the best Christmas movies on Netflix, the best Christmas movies on Hulu, the best Christmas movies on Max, the best Christmas movies on Disney+, the best Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel, 7 great Christmas movies you can watch for free, and the 7 best funny Christmas movies you should watch this season.
Iron Man 3 (2013)
Marvel Studios
We said we wouldn’t pick Lethal Weapon, but we never said we wouldn’t pick a Shane Black film! And Iron Man 3 just wouldn’t be a Shane Black film if it wasn’t set during Christmastime. This is unique among the Marvel movies because Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) actually has PTSD after his ordeal in space during The Avengers. That means Tony is prone to anxiety and panic attacks at inopportune times.
When Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) is nearly killed in a terrorist attack, Tony calls out the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) on TV and challenges him. This backfires on Tony when the Mandarin’s forces destroy his home and leave him on the run with a suit of armor that’s no longer working. You may also notice that a very young Jenna Ortega has a small role in this film as the vice president’s daughter. Somehow, we suspect that it won’t be her last Marvel movie.
Watch Iron Man 3 on Disney+.
Snowpiercer (2013)
CJ Entertainment
There’s a lot of snow in Snowpiercer, but this is no holiday flick. Parasite director Bong Joon-ho helmed this adaptation of the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige. In the near future, an attempt to fix global warming went horribly wrong. Now, the planet is stuck in a new ice age, and the last survivors of humanity are trapped together on a perpetually moving train known as Snowpiercer.
Even at the end of the world, the rich people devour resourses and live in luxury while the poor people starve in the back cars of the train. Curtis Everett (Chris Evans) has had enough of that, which is why he leads a revolution alongside Namgoong Minsoo (Song Kang-ho), and Minsoo’s daughter, Namgoong Yona (Ko Asung). However, Minister Mason (Asteroid City‘s Tilda Swinton) and the others in charge of the train won’t give up their power without a vicious fight.
Watch Snowpiercer on Netflix.
Violent Night (2022)
Universal Pictures
Trust us, you don’t want to be on this Santa’s naughty list in Violent Night. Stranger Things‘ David Harbour stars as a very jaded Santa Claus who was once a Viking warrior. In the present, Santa is over Christmas and ready to leave it behind for good after making one last holiday trip. But before Santa can truly contemplate retirement, he finds himself trapped at the Lightstone mansion when Scrooge (John Leguizamo) and his mercenaries take the family hostage.
Santa is initially just as afraid as the Lightstones are, but he also feels the faith that young Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady) has in both Christmas and himself. That’s why Santa finds it within himself to transform his Christmas presents into weapons of warin an attempt to save the Lightstones. By the time that Santa is finished with these crooks, you may never look at candy canes the same way again.
Watch Violent Night on Prime Video.
Editors’ Recommendations
3 great movies to watch on Christmas Eve and where to watch them
Where to watch It’s a Wonderful Life
20 best Christmas shows to stream right now
3 movies like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom that you should watch right now
3 movies like Migration you should watch
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
3 movies like Netflix’s Maestro you should watch right now
Bradley Cooper traded in his guitar for a baton in Netflix’s Maestro, a musical biopic about world-renowned composer Leonard Bernstein. While the film touches on Bernstein’s musical accomplishments, Maestro focuses on the relationship between Bernstein (Cooper) and his wife, Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). Maestro is co-produced and directed by Cooper from a script he co-wrote with Josh Singer.
As one of the most anticipated Netflix movies of 2023, Maestro is finally available on the popular streaming service. In honor of Maestro’s release, you should check out these three films similar to Cooper’s newest movie. Our selections include a love affair between two musicians, a groundbreaking musical film, and a biopic about a French composer from the 18th century.
A Star Is Born (2018)
Read more
5 sci-fi and action movies like Rebel Moon you should watch
Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon has hit Netflix this week, and people are already making comparisons between it and other works of cinema. Like many other iconic films, this epic space opera draws a lot from director Akira Kurosawa’s groundbreaking film, Seven Samurai. This tale follows a village of farmers who seek the help of the titular warriors to stop a swarm of bandits from stealing their crops. Snyder’s movie takes this plot and places it within a cosmic setting, depicting a young woman who assembles fighters from across the galaxy to defend her home from the invading Motherworld.
Since Seven Samurai has inspired many of cinema’s greatest filmmakers, it’s easy to find similarities between Rebel Moon and many other classic pictures in both the action and sci-fi genres. For better or worse, Rebel Moon has left audiences wanting more, and they can remedy this by watching these five movies.
Star Wars (1977)
Read more
5 best animated movies of 2023, ranked
Animation is a genre that seems to get better with each passing year, as technologies used to create these films improve and catch up with filmmakers’ ambitious visions. This year saw no shortage of incredible groundbreaking animated movies that continue to highlight that the genre has something to offer viewers of all ages.
The best animated movies of the year pushed the envelope in numerous ways through their complex plots, compelling characters, and, of course, innovative visuals. These top animated films are a fantastic mix of family-friendly picks and more provocative movies made for adults. From a long-awaited Studio Ghibli film to a surprisingly gorgeous superhero flick, there’s no denying that 2023 has produced some animated hits that will be remembered as genre classics.
5. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Read more
>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Digital Trends – https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/three-great-action-movies-to-watch-on-christmas-day-2023/
