Fans are looking back on Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s action movie career this week, and there’s a lot to take in. As of this week, his 2010 action thriller Faster was the number 2 movie on Netflix in the U.S. — a stark contrast from the children’s movie that has Johnson in theaters now, Moana 2. If you want to see more of Johnson back in his gritty days, there’s more where that came from.
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Faster stars Johnson as ex-convict Jimmy Cullen, who leaves prison and immediately sets out on a one-man revenge mission. He hunts down the people who killed his brother and put him behind bars. The cast includes Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Tom Berenger, and Mike Epps, among others. The movie wasn’t a hit with critics or a box office smash, but it seems to have found a second life on streaming services this week. If that really is just because of Johnson, fans are in luck — the actor has been very prolific for the last two decades.
Johnson has a lot of credits across a lot of genres, so this list will focus on movies that pair well with Faster — non-franchise action movies played straight, rather than the snarky parts Johnson plays more often today. Here are seven of the best picks and where to watch them.
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Snitch
Snitch is probably the most similar to Faster of any movie on this list. Released in 2013, Johnson plays a father on a mission to save his college student son from being framed for a drug deal. He goes undercover with the DEA, and proves to be incredibly savvy. Unlike later movies, Johnson’s character seems to simply be an incredibly competent civilian, not a former spy with unique training.
Snitch is available to stream now on Peacock. It is also available to rent or purchase on PVOD stores including Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Prime Video.
San Andreas
In 2015, Johnson played a helicopter rescue pilot in the disaster drama San Andreas. When Los Angeles is hit with two devastating earthquakes, he sets out to save his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) and daughter (Alexandra Daddario). The story is a fun adventure but it splits screentime with the spectacle of the disaster, so everything is pretty simple.
Those interested can stream San Andreas now on Max.
Skyscraper
Skyscraper was the butt of a lot of jokes when it first came out, with commenters and critics saying it looked like an amalgamation of every movie Johnson had made for the previous two decades. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for those in the mood for a straightforward action thriller. Johnson plays a former FBI agent trying to rescue his family from the newly built tallest building in the world when it is attacked by terrorists.
At the time of this writing, Skyscraper is streaming on FuboTV, and is also available to rent or purchase.
Walking Tall
Taking it back to the early days of Johnson’s acting career, in 2004 he played a former Special Forces agent returning to his small hometown and hoping for a simple job as sheriff. Instead, he finds the community is steeped in crime and corruption. This was a momentous role for Johnson because it was a remake of a beloved action movie from 1973, giving Johnson a lot to live up to. The result was mixed reviews and middling sales, but you can judge for yourself.
Walking Tall is streaming on Prime Video, Tubi, and Pluto TV.
Hercules
A true Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson movie marathon would not be complete without Hercules (2014). This action-oriented take on Greek mythology is star-studded, featuring Ian McShane, Rebecca Ferguson, Rufus Sewell, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Mullan, and John Hurt. It was a commercial success, though it got mixed reviews — not least of all because of Brett Ratner’s direction.
Hercules is streaming now on Max.
Empire State
Johnson has been adept at playing loose cannons on both sides of the law. In 2013’s Empire State, he managed to bring all his intimidation to bear as an NYPD officer on a single-minded mission. He co-starred opposite Emma Roberts and Liam Hemsworth, who played young bank robbers. The movie was actually based on a true story, and it was relatively cheap to make. It was released straight to home video, and is now available to stream on Prime Video.
Fast Five
Finally, fans of Johnson will want to learn about the Fast & Furious franchise. Johnson’s character — an international agent for the Diplomatic Security Service — is introduced in the fifth movie and that’s where he is played the most straight. Over time, he delivers more punchlines, so fans of Faster might want to start here. However, those that want the very best of the series should skip right to Furious 7.
You can find Fast Five and several other Fast & Furious movies streaming now on Netflix. Furious 7 is available on Peacock.
