Yash Singh
Directed by Pierre Morel, ‘Peppermint‘ is a vigilante action thriller film that follows a mother who goes on a quest for revenge against a drug cartel that murdered her husband and daughter. The film stars Jennifer Garner, John Ortiz, John Gallagher Jr., and Juan Pablo Raba, among others, and is high on action sequences and shootouts. The film met with mixed reviews, but critics praised Garner’s performance and her action avatar. It proved to be a moderate box-office success. If you are into vigilante action films, gunfights and showdowns, we have a list for you. You can watch most of these movies like ‘Peppermint’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
6. Taken (2008)
From the man behind ‘Peppermint,’ this 2008 action thriller film proved to be a turning point in the career of its lead actor, Liam Neeson. It follows an ex-CIA operative set out to find his daughter, who gets kidnapped by human traffickers during a vacation in France. It has Morel’s signature quick cuts and impressive action sequences with an incredible performance by Neeson as a father desperate to save his daughter.
5. The Equalizer (2014)
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film features Denzel Washington as a former US Marine who tries to protect an underage prostitute from the Russian Mafia. With several stylized action sequences, visuals, and impressive performances by the actors, including Chloe Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, and Melissa Leo, the film is a must-watch for genre fans. Based on the 1985 crime drama series of the same name, ‘The Equalizer’ was a major commercial success, grossing over $192 million at the worldwide box-office.
4. Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
The vigilante action thriller film stars Gerard Butler as a man on a mission to avenge his family’s death and cleanse the corrupt justice system. Directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Kurt Wimmer, the film also features Jamie Foxx as the prosecuting attorney. ‘Law Abiding Citizen’ is laced with great action scenes and dialogues but also forces us to think about law and order and its impact on ordinary people. It was also nominated for Saturn Award and NAACP Image Award.
3. Unknown (2011)
Another one in the list starring Liam Neeson, the Jaume Collet-Serra directorial, has everything an action movie buff wants. It is based on a 2003 French novel by Didier Van Cauwelaert published in English as ‘Out of My Head’. The story follows a professor and his quest to prove his identity to everyone after waking up from a coma. ‘Unknown’ also stars Diane Kruger, January Jones, and Aidan Quinn, among others.
2. Shooter (2007)
The second film in the list to be directed by Antoine Fuqua, ‘Shooter’ centers upon a Marine Corps veteran who is set up for murder and subsequently attempts to take revenge from the corrupt people behind it. The film is based on the 1993 Stephen Hunter novel ‘Point of Impact.’ Mark Wahlberg, who stars in the lead, had to undergo various sniper tactics training for the role. ‘Shooter’ also stars Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Danny Glover, and Elias Koteas.
1. Man on Fire (2004)
Directed by Tony Scott, the film follows a former CIA operative and Force Recon Marine officer who goes on a mission to save a nine-year-old girl he was assigned to guard, after she is abducted. Denzel Washington delivers an applause-worthy performance as an alcoholic and ruthless tough guy. It also stars Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, and Dakota Fanning. The film was another successful collaboration between Scott and Washington, who have worked together on several films.
Read More: Peppermint Ending, Explained
