The Mother (2023) is a well-made action thriller with strong performances from Jennifer Lopez and Lucy Paez. The film is directed with energy and style by Niki Caro, and the action sequences are well-choreographed and exciting.
The film stars Jennifer Lopez as a former assassin who comes out of hiding to protect her 12-year-old daughter (Lucy Paez) from a group of dangerous men. The film also stars Omari Hardwick, Gael García Bernal, and Joseph Fiennes. The film is emotionally resonant, and the relationship between Maria and Lucy is touching and believable. It has a strong female lead, plenty of action, and a touch of humor. If you are looking for movies similar to The Mother (2023), here are the best action movies we recommend you watch after The Mother (2023).
1. Sweet Girl (2021)
“SWEET GIRL” is a gripping and emotional film that explores themes of revenge, justice, and family. With intense action sequences and strong performances from the cast, it offers a thrilling and thought-provokingexperience for viewers.
Action-thriller film “SWEET GIRL” is directed by Brian Andrew Mendoza and starring Jason Momoa and Isabela Merced. The story follows Ray Cooper (Momoa), a loving husband and father who seeks revenge against a powerful pharmaceutical company after they deny his cancer-stricken wife (Adria Arjona) a life-saving drug. The film begins with Ray’s wife undergoing treatment for her illness, with their daughter, Rachel (Merced), by their side. However, a new drug treatment becomes available that could potentially save her life, but it is denied to her due to the high cost. The family’s hope for a cure is shattered, and Ray’s wife passes away.
Angry and desperate, Ray starts to investigate the pharmaceutical company responsible for withholding the drug and discovers a web of corruption and deceit. Together with Rachel, he sets out on a mission to expose the truth and seek justice for his wife.
2. Kate (2021)
“KATE” is a fast-paced and action-packed film that combines intense fight scenes with emotional moments and a compelling story. With its stylish visuals and thrilling action sequences, “KATE” is a must-watch for fans of the action-thriller genre.
Directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the titular character. The story follows Kate, a highly skilled assassin who is poisoned and has 24 hours to track down and kill her enemies before she dies. The movie begins with Kate on a mission to take out a Yakuza boss in Tokyo. After completing her task, she discovers she has been poisoned with a rare and lethal substance. With only 24 hours to live, Kate sets out to find the person responsible for her poisoning, a man named Kijima (Jun Kunimura), and take revenge.
Along the way, Kate meets a teenage girl named Ani (Miku Martineau), who becomes her unlikely ally. Together, they navigate the dangerous underworld of Tokyo, facing off against Yakuza members and other dangerous criminals. Kate also seeks the help of a former lover and fellow assassin, Varrick (Woody Harrelson), who offers his assistance in her mission. As the clock ticks down, Kate and Ani form a bond, with Kate taking on a motherly role in the younger girl’s life. Meanwhile, Kate’s health deteriorates, and she becomes increasingly desperate to complete her mission before it’s too late.
3. Taken (2008)
The 2008 film “Taken” is an action-packed thriller about the lengths a father would go to save his daughter. The story follows former CIA operative Bryan Mills, who retired to be closer to his teenage daughter Kim. When Kim takes a trip to Paris with her friend Amanda, they are kidnapped by a group of Albanian sex traffickers.
Bryan receives a frantic call from Kim and uses his skills and connections to track down the kidnappers. He travels to France and begins hunting down the traffickers one by one, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Along the way, he uncovers a vast criminal network involved in the trafficking of young women.
Bryan’s relentless pursuit leads him to the leader of the trafficking ring, and he engages in a final showdown to save his daughter and bring the criminals to justice. The film is a heart-pounding tale of a father’s love and determination to protect his family, no matter the cost.
4. Leon: The Professional (1994)
The 1994 film “Leon: The Professional” is a classic thriller about a hitman and a young girl who form an unlikely bond. Leon (played by Jean Reno) is a professional killer living in New York City who takes in 12-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman) after her family is killed by corrupt DEA agents.
At first, Leon reluctantly agrees to take care of Mathilda as she seeks revenge on those who killed her family. Despite their age difference, the two develop a close relationship as Leon teaches Mathilda how to defend herself and carry out her plan for revenge.
As the story unfolds, Mathilda’s targets become increasingly dangerous, and Leon is forced to weigh his loyalty to Mathilda against his own survival. The film builds towards an explosive finale as Leon and Mathilda face off against their enemies.
5. Extraction (2020)
Extraction’s stunning visuals and impressive fight sequences kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, and Chris Hemsworth’s performance as Tyler Rake was nothing short of impressive. Directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo. The film stars Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake, a black-market mercenary hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an international crime lord.
The movie takes place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where Ovi Mahajan Jr., the son of a drug lord, is kidnapped by another rival drug lord, Amir Asif. Tyler Rake is hired by Ovi’s father to rescue his son. As Tyler attempts to extract Ovi from his captors, he must navigate a dangerous and complex web of corrupt police officials, rival gangs, and hired assassins. It’s filled with intense action scenes, including a breathtaking 12-minute single-shot sequence, which showcases Tyler’s incredible fighting skills and his unwavering determination to rescue Ovi. The film also explores the relationship between Tyler and Ovi, as the two develop a bond throughout the course of their perilous journey.
6. Extinction (2018)
The 2018 film “Extinction” is about a man named Peter who begins having recurring dreams of an alien invasion. As his nightmares become increasingly real, Peter struggles to convince his family and his colleagues that the aliens are actually coming.
The story takes place in a near-future world where advanced technology has made life easier, but also created new problems. Peter works at a robotics company, where he is developing a humanoid robot designed to help with household chores. As the alien invasion unfolds, Peter must use his skills and ingenuity to protect his family and fight back against the extraterrestrial threat. Along the way, he discovers the truth about his own past and his connection to the aliens.
While the film may not break new ground in terms of its plot or visual effects, it does offer a fresh take on the familiar alien invasion trope, and raises interesting questions about the intersection of man and machine. “Extinction” is a worthy addition to the sci-fi genre and is sure to entertain fans of the genre.
7. Colombiana (2011)
In the 2011 film “Colombiana”, a young girl named Cataleya witnesses the murder of her parents by a drug lord in Colombia. She manages to escape and flee to the United States, where she is taken in by her uncle Emilio. Determined to avenge her parents’ deaths, Cataleya trains to become a professional killer, using her skills to target those responsible for her family’s tragedy. Along the way, she becomes entangled with the FBI, as an agent named Ross tries to track her down and bring her to justice. Despite the dangerous game she is playing, Cataleya never loses sight of her goal, and ultimately achieves the revenge she has been seeking for so long.
8. Hanna (2011)
“Hanna” tells the story of a young girl who has been raised in the wilderness by her father, Erik Heller, to become a skilled assassin. Hanna longs to experience the world beyond the forest and when she is finally ready, Erik sends her on a mission to kill Marissa Wiegler, a CIA agent who has been hunting them for years. As she embarks on her journey, Hanna discovers more about her past, including the truth about her mother who was killed when she was young. Along the way, Hanna befriends a family on holiday and experiences life outside of her training for the first time. However, as she gets closer to Marissa, Hanna faces the harsh reality that not everything is what it seems, and must confront the secrets of her own identity. In the end, Hanna learns the truth about her past and is able to take control of her own destiny.
9. Atomic Blonde (2017)
“Atomic Blonde” is a 2017 action-thriller film directed by David Leitch and starring Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton, a top-level MI6 spy sent to Berlin during the Cold War to retrieve a valuable dossier.
Set in 1989 Berlin, the movie follows Lorraine Broughton as she teams up with David Percival, a fellow spy played by James McAvoy, to recover a list of undercover agents that has fallen into the hands of the KGB. Along the way, she encounters a number of dangerous characters, including a French spy named Delphine Lasalle and a ruthless KGB agent named Yuri Bakhtin.
The film is notable for its stylish visuals, intense action sequences, and its portrayal of a strong, independent female lead. Charlize Theron delivers a standout performance as Lorraine Broughton, showcasing her incredible physicality and acting skills in equal measure. The movie’s themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the high stakes of espionage make it a compelling watch from start to finish.
10. Prisoners (2013)
In the 2013 film “Prisoners”, the disappearance of two young girls sets off a chain of events that spiral out of control, replete with twists and turns that keep the audience on edge until the very end. The film is a tense exploration of the limits of human morality, as well as a meditation on the consequences of our actions in extreme situations.
Hugh Jackman’s performance as Keller Dover, the desperate father who will stop at nothing to find his daughter, is nothing short of remarkable. He imbues the character with a raw intensity that is both compelling and terrifying, particularly as he descends into darker and more violent tactics in his quest for answers. Jake Gyllenhaal’s Detective Loki, on the other hand, exudes a quiet determination as he investigates the case, adding depth to his character and making him an intriguing counterpoint to Dover’s explosive energy.
One of the strengths of “Prisoners” lies in its ability to keep the viewer guessing until the very end. Every time we think we’ve figured out what’s going on, the plot twists and turns in a new direction, keeping us invested and engaged throughout. The film is also unafraid to tackle difficult themes, such as justice, grief, and the morality of vigilante justice, which adds an extra layer of complexity to the story.