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STREAMING — Over the past few years, there has been a decline of great action comedies. Most were replaced by Marvel movies that have a lot of comedy like “Guardians of the Galaxy,” or they are really raunchy R-rated action comedy films like “Baywatch.”
If you have superhero fatigue and just miss seeing a great action comedy, here are five action comedies that are just as heavy on the action as they are on the comedy. All of which are streaming on Netflix.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
So instead of going out and spending hard earned money on the fifth installment of the Pirates franchise, stay home and enjoy the one that spawned four more really bad sequels.
This movie was brilliant. Great story and even better performances. What was so unexpected for me was how funny this movie was. A lot is due to Johnny Depp and his performance as Jack Sparrow, but I found myself laughing through the whole thing. Throw in some awesome sword fights and that is the recipe for a great action comedy.
Big Trouble in Little China
Just to let you know up front, this film is not for everyone. It is widely revered as a cult classic and has some bizarre aspects to it. With that said, it is hilarious and full of action.
Starring Kurt Russell, who I always forget is a pretty funny actor, it centers around his character that is a truck driver that gets dragged into a battle in Chinatown that has been going on for centuries.
Like I said, it is bizarre and kind of campy, but it is crazy entertaining.
Nacho Libre
“Nacho Libre” might be a bit of a stretch for this list, but not as much as the stretch in Jack Black’s pants in this movie. This movie is more focused on the comedy aspect, but the wrestling scenes are fantastic.
The movie centers around a monk, played by Jack Black, that is a chef at an orphanage but moonlights as a Mexican wrestler. The wrestling scenes are really well choreographed and full of action.
This is an action comedy that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is pretty much the definition of an action comedy. Both the comedy and action are in full swing in this movie. The comedy and action are both over the top but it works beautifully.
The movie stars Simon Pegg that is a by the book London cop that is transferred to a small town in the country that seems almost too perfect. He gets a partner played by Nic Frost, and they start to investigate some strange things that are going on in the town.
“Hot Fuzz” is rated R for violence and language.
True Memoirs of an International Assassin
This is a Netflix original that stars Kevin James. So I know either people love James or can’t stand him. There seems to be no middle ground with him. If you like his style of physical comedy then you will enjoy this film.
James plays a writer that gets his nonfiction novel about an assassin published, but the publisher switched it to a memoir making it look like it was a true story of himself as an assassin. This gets him pulled into a sticky situation with some real life assassins, so he must assume the identity of the fictional character from his book.
James physical comedy also lends well to some pretty well-choreographed action sequences. It is a movie that will definitely keep you entertained from start to finish.
