Movies like Return to Action (1990)
The best movies like Return to Action (1990) are Game of Death (1978), Vengeance (2009) and Vendetta (2022). If Return to Action hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedPolice Story (1985)7.6/10 from 1,129 votes
- NewestVendetta (2022)Released 2022
Game of Death (1978)
A martial arts movie star must fake his death to find the people who are trying to kill him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisVengeance (2009)
A French chef swears revenge after a violent attack on his daughter's family in Macau, during which her husband and her two children are murdered. To help him find the killers, he hires three local hit-men working for the mafia.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisVendetta (2022)
When his daughter is murdered, William Duncan takes the law into his own hands, setting out on a quest for retribution. After killing the street thug responsible for her death, he finds himself in the middle of a war with the thug's brother, father, and their gang, who are equally hell-bent on getting even. What ensues is a tense back-and-forth game of vengeance. By the end, William comes to find that the quest for revenge never has a winner.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Sniper (2009)
A police sniper teams up with a hot-headed rookie to take down his former friend and teammate, who is exacting revenge on the police force.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLegacy of Rage (1986)
A man is framed for murder by his drug-dealing best friend who covets his girlfriend, leading to eight years in jail and a vow of revenge upon release.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNinja in the Dragon's Den (1982)
A Japanese master of ninjutsu and a Chinese expert in kung fu, put their differences aside after their master is killed by a mortal enemy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNo Retreat, No Surrender 2: Raging Thunder (1987)
In this sequel, Scott Wylde, an American kickboxer, must go to Cambodia to rescue his Vietnamese girlfriend from Russian and Vietnamese troops.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPolice Story (1985)
Officer Chan Ka Kui manages to put a major Hong Kong drug dealer behind the bars practically alone, after a shooting and an impressive chase inside a slum. Now, he must protect the boss' secretary, Selina, who will testify against the gangster in court.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRaging Fire (2021)
Cheung Sung-bong is a highly respected cop with a long history of success in dangerous cases. However, his past soon comes back to haunt him when a former protégé resurfaces, seeking revenge.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBirth of the Dragon (2017)
Set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s Chinatown, this cross-cultural biopic chronicles Bruce Lee’s emergence as a martial-arts superstar after his legendary secret showdown with fellow martial artist Wong Jack Man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisFear Is the Key (1972)
A deep-sea salvage expert enacts an elaborate plan to infiltrate and take revenge on a criminal organization that dealt him a foul misdeed.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisNew Police Story (2004)
Sent into a drunken tailspin when his entire unit is killed by a gang of thrill-seeking punks, disgraced Hong Kong police inspector Wing needs help from his new rookie partner, with a troubled past of his own, to climb out of the bottle and track down the gang and its ruthless leader.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCode of Silence (1985)
A Chicago cop is caught in the middle of a gang war while his own comrades shun him because he wants to take an irresponsible cop down.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBad Ass 2: Bad Asses (2014)
Vietnam vet Frank Vega now runs an East L.A. community center where he trains young boxers to survive in and out of the ring. But when his prize student falls in with the wrong crowd and turns up dead, Frank teams up with his pal Bernie to take matters into their own fists and prove that justice never gets old.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDouble Impact (1991)
Jean Claude Van Damme plays a dual role as Alex and Chad, twins separated at the death of their parents. Chad is raised by a family retainer in Paris, Alex becomes a petty crook in Hong Kong. Seeing a picture of Alex, Chad rejoins him and convinces him that his rival in Hong Kong is also the man who killed their parents. Alex is suspicious of Chad, especially when it comes to his girlfriend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisNo Retreat, No Surrender 3: Blood Brothers (1990)
Two feuding brothers of differing political views, one a policeman, the other a martial artist, join forces to avenge the death of their father, a retired agent who was brutally murdered by the mafia.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like this12 Rounds 3: Lockdown (2015)
Detective Shaw returns to active duty after the death of his partner. When he uncovers evidence linking his fellow officers to a murder, they frame him for a homicide he didn't commit. Trapped in his own precinct, Shaw will do whatever it takes to expose the dirty cops and clear his name. With twelve rounds in the clip and one shot at redemption, nothing will stand in Shaw's way in this action-packed thriller.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOverboard (2018)
A spoiled, wealthy yacht owner is thrown overboard and becomes the target of revenge from his mistreated employee.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisIp Man 4: The Finale (2019)
Following the death of his wife, Ip Man travels to San Francisco to ease tensions between the local kung fu masters and his star student, Bruce Lee, while searching for a better future for his son.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisKnockabout (1979)
After being cheated out of some money, two small time crooks convince a martial arts expert to take them on as students.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Return to Action?
The closest matches to Return to Action are Game of Death (1978), Vengeance (2009) and Vendetta (2022). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Return to Action?
Start with Game of Death (1978), the closest match to Return to Action.
What is the highest-rated movie like Return to Action?
Police Story (1985), rated 7.6/10 by 1,129 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Return to Action?
Vendetta (2022) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to Return to Action chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Return to Action, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.