10 Christmas action movies to watch instead of the dire ‘Red One’

The festive period is almost upon us, so it’s time to watch as many Christmas movies as possible. The final couple of months of 2024 will see the release of a few new holiday films — Hot Frosty, Dear Santa, Our Little Secret, and That Christmas, for example — but the biggest is arguably the action-adventure fantasy comedy Red One.

Sadly, not even Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, and J.K. Simmons can prevent Red One from being a yuletide dud, so you should consider watching these Christmas action flicks instead.

10. Rise of the Guardians (2012)

DreamWorks’ animated fantasy action-adventure Rise of the Guardians sees Santa Claus teaming with the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, and Jack Frost to stop the evil bogeyman, Pitch Black, from sinking the planet into darkness. The voices of Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, and Hugh Jackman, added to the crisp animation and breathless pace, make this one entertaining. Think of it as an Avengers movie for younger kids.

9. Jingle All the Way (1996)

The family comedy movie Jingle All the Way may not be a Christmas masterpiece, but it’s a lot of fun and has become a festive staple. It follows Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Howard Langston in his desperate last-minute attempts to acquire an elusive Turbo Man toy for his son in time for the youngster to open on Dec. 25. The ensuing action is cartoonish and silly but perfect for easy watching on a cold Christmas evening, and Arnie is a hoot in it.

8. Violent Night (2022)

Violent Night is far from the typical Christmas movie, and neither does it typically portray Santa Claus. The action comedy stars David Harbour as the big red guy, who goes up against vicious mercenaries who have taken a wealthy family hostage in their Greenwich, Connecticut mansion. John Leguizamo appears as the main bad guy, Scrooge, and he and Harbour bounce off each other brilliantly. The repeated use of Christmas items as deadly weapons sometimes makes this one hilarious.

7. Rocky IV (1985)

The fourth installment in the Rocky franchise, Rocky IV, is a sports drama with bags of action. From the boxing to the epic training montages, this one will motivate even the laziest of couch potatoes into shadow boxing in front of the nearest mirror. It sees Sylvester Stallone’s eponymous boxer going up against Dolph Lundgren’s Russian warrior Ivan Drago in an unsanctioned Christmas Day bout. Seeing Rocky overcome his formidable opponent with a festive backdrop is thoroughly rousing.

6. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)

The action thriller The Long Kiss Goodnight stars a tremendous cast, including Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, and David Morse. It’s about Davis’ school teacher who, suffering from amnesia, attempts to rediscover who she is with the help of a private investigator, played by Jackson. With a prominent Christmas backdrop, including a memorable festive parade scene, The Long Kiss Goodnight brings bags of fun, wittiness, and satisfyingly over-the-top action.

5. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale is a unique movie that boasts fantasy, action, horror, and comedy elements. The Finnish film follows a group of British and American researchers near Korvatunturi, in Lapland, on the border between Finland and Russia, who discover the terrifying true secret behind the legend of Santa Claus. The combination of horror and deadpan humor makes for a superb viewing experience — and you’ll never look at Father Christmas in the same way again.

4. Batman Returns (1992)

Set during the festive season and featuring a memorable scene depicting the lighting of Gotham City’s Christmas tree, Batman Returns was the second appearance of Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight and the final Tim Burton-directed Batman movie. The film sees Keaton’s Batman facing Christopher Walken’s wealthy industrialist Max Shreck, Danny DeVito’s deformed crime boss, the Penguin, and Michelle Pfeiffer’s sultry seductress Catwoman. It’s funny, fast-paced, and memorably performed by its all-star cast.

3. Lethal Weapon (1987)

Many people forget that Lethal Weapon is set at Christmas — primarily because the time of year it takes place doesn’t remotely affect the plot — but it is. It stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in their first outings as Los Angeles Police Department narcotics sergeant Martin Riggs and homicide sergeant Roger Murtaugh, respectively. The mismatched duo must work together to uncover a vast drug-trafficking ring. While occasionally absurd, it’s teeming with great action, energy, and humor.

2. Home Alone (1990)

One of the most iconic Christmas movies of all time, Home Alone is a comedy with more hilarious slapstick action than you could shake a candy cane at. It follows Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy inadvertently left behind as his family heads to Paris for the festive period. Kevin must defend his house from bumbling burglars, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, using innovative booby traps of his creation. Home Alone is brilliant, and its 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, brings an equal amount of fun and heartwarming yuletide joy.

1. Die Hard (1988)

Arguably the greatest action movie ever made, Die Hard is also a festive staple. Set on Christmas Eve, it follows Bruce Willis’ New York City Police Department detective John McClane to Los Angeles, where he hopes to reconcile with his estranged wife but gets embroiled in a German radical’s plot to steal the $640 million in untraceable bearer bonds from a skyscraper’s vaults, taking the building’s staff hostage during their Christmas party. Alan Rickman steals the show as the villainous Hans Gruber. Die Hard is gritty, amusing, teeming with memorable one-liners, and an action fan’s dream.