The summer movie season got off to a rocky start, with films like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Garfield and IF not performing as expected. However, the successes of Inside Out 2 and Bad Boys: Ride or Die showed that audiences are ready to return to theaters in droves.
The latter was full of exciting action, larger-than-life explosions, and signature quips from Mike Lowrey and Marcus Barnett. Basically, it’s everything you could want from a summer movie. If you’re in the mood for more action and comedy and have a Netflix subscription, you’re in luck. We here at Tom’s Guide have scoured the streamer’s nearly endless offerings and found some of the best action comedies currently on Netflix.
The cop from Beverly Hills
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In the early 1980s, Eddie Murphy was best known for his innovative stand-up comedy and his appearance on Saturday Night Live, a film that (along with 48 Hrs. and Trading Places) made him an international superstar.
The story follows Detroit detective Axel Foley, who travels to Beverly Hills to solve the murder of his best friend, against the wishes of his home station and the LAPD. Sergeant John Taggart (John Ashton) and Detective Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) are assigned to keep an eye on Foley. However, after some harrowing and hilarious near misses, the trio eventually come together and bring the criminals to justice.
Adjusted for inflation, Beverly Hills Cop is the highest-grossing R-rated film in America since 1977. It is widely hailed as one of the best comedies, action comedies and movies of all time. And after spawning two more theatrical sequels, a fourth sequel, titled Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, has just been released exclusively on Netflix.
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‘Ride along’
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Although Lawrence and Murphy are still active today, it can be argued that Kevin Hart is their successor in Hollywood. At the very least, the Philadelphia native followed a very similar path to the two legendary comedians, as he also found success in the standup scene before taking his talents to the big screen. And he’s probably best known for his frequent collaborations with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. However, before joining that cinematic tag team with the former WWE Champion, he had great chemistry with Ice Cube in 2014’s “Ride Along.”
In this film, Hart plays a security guard on a mission. He’s desperately trying to prove to his girlfriend’s cop brother that he’s worthy of being adopted into her family through marriage. But things get a little hectic when he gets caught up in the manhunt for a nefarious arms dealer (Laurence Fishburne). Though they’re initially odd bedfellows, Cube and Hart’s characters eventually become friends, as do audiences around the world.
Despite mixed to negative reviews, “Ride Along” topped the box office charts in January 2014. The stars even teamed up for a sequel, which audiences enjoyed just as much, especially because of the chemistry between the two leads. Another sequel is also in the works.
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“Mr and Mrs Smith”
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The final choice on our list comes from writer Simon Kinberg and director Doug Liman. Both men are well versed in action and comedy. Liman’s resume includes the acclaimed films “Swingers,” “The Bourne Identity” and “Edge of Tomorrow.” Kinberg, meanwhile, is responsible for writing the screenplays for “Sherlock Holmes,” “XXX” and a number of X-Men films. But when they came together for 2005’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” it was a match made in heaven.
In this film, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play John and Jane Smith, a couple whose marriage is in crisis and who need counseling. After meeting under exciting circumstances in Colombia, their life together slowly became more mundane over the years and they settled in the upper middle class suburbs of New York. Or at least that’s how they wanted to portray it. In reality, unbeknownst to their partner, each of them was a brutal assassin hiding his true identity. But when a job goes wrong, the Smiths’ paths finally cross. Their rival companies then hire the couple to eliminate each other.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a brilliant mix of action-shooter, charming comedy and an unconventional romance. It’s all very clever and incredibly entertaining. Basically, it’s exactly the kind of film you want to see during the summer movie season.
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