Movie Club: Idris Elba's Top 5 Action Movies


Many know Idris Elba as the actor who portrayed Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom or Luther in the TV series of the same name, but did you know that he has also appeared in some of Hollywood’s most action-packed movies? The latest and greatest of these was his appearance in Star Trek Beyond, which is sure to be an action hit when it hits theaters this July 22nd. With Idris Elba’s filmography filled with so many great movies, it can be tough to decide which of them are worth watching — which one should you watch on your next movie night?




1) The Transporter

Idris Elba is set to star in a reboot of the hit movie The Transporter. In preparation for his new role, he shared his favorite action movies with Yahoo! Movies. I love every single one, he said. From Die Hard to Taken, we break down the top five action movies starring Mr. Elba himself.

1) Die Hard (1988) *Alan Rickman plays Hans Gruber* This is a must-watch action movie because it has everything you want in a film: suspenseful music, good dialogue, and great acting from both Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman as well as an unforgettable villain played by Rickman who will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire film.






2) The Losers

Idris Elba is known for his memorable roles in action movies. Here are his top five.

1. The Losers In this movie, set in Bolivia, a team of American Special Forces gets betrayed by the CIA and left to die. They are forced to return and discover the truth about their mission and who betrayed them. This film has a great cast including Jason Patric, Chris Evans, and Zoe Saldana. It is full of action-packed sequences, humor, drama, and suspense all rolled into one blockbuster film that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end!






3) Thor

Idris Elba is an English actor, film producer and DJ. He has been nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. His most famous role was playing Stringer Bell on the HBO series The Wire. 

Idris Elba is also known for starring in the films King Arthur (2004), RocknRolla (2008), Thor (2011) as Heimdall, The Losers (2010) as Roque, and Pacific Rim (2013) as Stacker Pentecost. 

His top five action movies are Thor, King Arthur, RocknRolla, The Losers and Pacific Rim.






4) Pacific Rim

Idris Elba is one of those actors who can do it all. He’s the kind of guy who can play a dapper dresser, a ruthless drug lord, and an undercover detective with ease. He’s also a fantastic action star – especially when he gets to unleash his inner beast. Here are five of his best action movies (so far)






5) Beasts of No Nation

Many people may not know, but Idris Elba has a top five list of action movies that he himself loves. In an interview with Esquire Magazine in 2015, he revealed his most recent favorites. They were all action movies and ranged from classics to newer releases. The five films are shown below: 

1) Mad Max (1979) 

2) Die Hard (1988) 2) Heat (1995) 

4) Black Hawk Down (2001) 

5) The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).






Action Movie

Idris Elba is a big fan of action movies. He told us his top five favorite action movies are: Goldfinger, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dredd, Alien and Blade Runner. As if we needed any more evidence that he's a total badass!