5 unusual action movies you can watch on Disney+

The year 2023 has been prolific for action movies. Among which we can count the premiere of the fourth installment of John Wick and the second part of Tyler Rake in Netflix. This genre has reached a new level of quality and has shown obvious evolution. Great technical advances, more developed characters and even more interesting scenarios. It’s clear that heroes capable of becoming a one-man army have better stories to tell.

Something that goes beyond mere sequences of violence and blood. Contemporary action films have a repertoire that encompasses scientific knowledge, the exploration of great myths and family stories. All narrated in great sequences with a very careful visual section. A transformation that demonstrates that action is an ideal medium—often of considerable interest—to explore a more adult perspective of cinema.

Disney+ It is clear, which is why its catalog has a selection of unusual action films. The journey of a renowned director through the bottom of the sea, an animated classic turned cult work and an unusual superhero adventure. These are some of the options you can find right now in the action genre. We tell you which are the five best—not counting sagas and franchises—that you can watch right now to enjoy a unique dimension of adventure.

Creatures of the abyss

James Cameron He is an action man. So it is not surprising that, in parallel to his renowned career as a filmmaker, he is also dedicated to scientific exploration. Proof of this is the documentary Creatures of the abyssreleased in 2005. A work that still surprises for being a pioneer in combining Cameron’s curiosity about his discovery with his skill behind the camera.

In this action film, the director dives into the depths of the ocean to explore underwater ecosystems. The research focuses mainly on the marine creatures that populate hydrothermal vents. In fact, a good part of the route shows in enormous detail these openings in the seabed, from which gases and hot water rich in minerals emerge.

The film uses cutting-edge technology, including special underwater cameras and submersible vehicles. Which allows you to capture impressive images of the ocean floor. Which combines with scientific explanations and interviews with experts in marine biology. The documentary seeks to raise awareness about the importance of the oceans and the need for their conservation. But don’t forget that it is a cinematographic product, so it also includes great action scenes. From the tour through rarely seen marine landscapes, to underwater piloting maneuvers. A delight for lovers of the genre.

Atlantisan animated action film

The animated action movie Atlantis: the lost empire combines fantasy and adventure recover an ancient myth for a new generation. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, it follows the adventures of a group of explorers in search of the legendary city of Atlantis. But, unlike similar films, it emphasizes the importance of the history surrounding the mythical territory and its legacy.

The plot focuses on Milo Thatch (voiced by Michael J. Fox), a young cartographer and linguist who dreams of discovering the remains of the lost civilization. The hero joins an expedition financed by an eccentric millionaire Preston B. Whitmore (John Mahoney), obsessed with the legend. Together they travel in the submarine Ulysses into the depths of the ocean and discover an advanced society. The film analyzes the morals and ethics of its characters, who manage to discover the secret of the longevity of the region’s inhabitants.

This action story stands out for its aesthetics, which combines symbols from Atlantean mythology popularized by various stories with the steampunk. At the same time, it also mixes animation with unique concepts such as love and loyalty. Something that, over the years, has made it a favorite within the genre.

The black abyss

This 1979 classic is one of the great finds in the catalog of Disney+. Directed by Gary Nelson, the action film explores space, although its predominant element is dystopian fiction.

The script tells the story of the spaceship USS Palominowho discovers another abandoned call cygnus in orbit around a black hole. As the crew investigates the seemingly deserted vehicle, they come across Hans Reinhardt (Maximilian Schell). It is then that they discover that all the supposed victims of a special incident have become part of a perverse scientific experiment.

As the story develops, the nature of what happened in cygnus ends up showing all his cruelty. Reinhardt not only turned it into a way to discover gravitational effects on living organisms. He also created humanoid slaves that he uses as weapons. Gradually, the film takes a darker tone between action and moral debate, until it reaches its painful end.

Condor Cruxan Argentine action story

This Argentine action film, signed by Juan PabloBuscaini, Swan Glecer and Pablo Holcer, is a look at science fiction based on political rebellion. The script tells the life of a young hero and uses animation to produce an increasingly complex futuristic setting. Which allows the story to encompass a more adult social conflict than its visuals may suggest and reflect on themes such as power, family and destiny.

In the year 2068, the Southern Cone of Latin America is controlled by a dictatorial government that threatens to crush any dissent. Faced with this situation, Dr. Crux and his son Juan will make the decision to confront him through a hero, who must return lost hope to the citizens.

With a certain feel to the movie v for Vendetta, the action tells how individual rebellion is transformed into a collective purpose. And, in the end, in a total triumph that allows the most vulnerable to free themselves from the yoke that oppressed them. A historical lesson in the key of adventure that is more moving than one might expect.

Epic: the secret world (The secret kingdom)

Fantasy and action can be an ideal combination in cinema, as demonstrated by the film released in 2013 and directed by Chris Wedge. Being one of the best-known works of the deceased Blue Sky Studiosadapts the book The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs, by William Joyce. This is one of the most peculiar animated action films in Disney’s catalog, beyond those produced under his signature.

The plot tells the story of Mary Katherine (Amanda Seyfried), a teenager who is taken to an invisible world inhabited by fantastic creatures. Once there, she joins a group of tiny beings, called Leavesas they fight against the forces of evil and destruction that threaten to destroy the secret kingdom.

Throughout this action film, the young heroine finds a territory to save, but also a journey of self-discovery. The feature film combines action, humor and emotional moments based on the idea of ​​the union between two realities. In addition, it addresses topics such as the importance of nature, courage and the connection between living beings.