From "Deadpool" To "Shrek" – 17 Movies That Prove Action Movies Have The Best Romances

Shrek and Fiona's love story outshines any standard rom-com and no, you can't change my mind.

Sometimes we need a bit of action to go alongside a love story, and tbh, there are a fair share of more action-filled movies that have touching romances.

CBC Television

So, here are 17 action romances that stand up to any rom-com:

1. Deadpool and Deadpool 2

20th Century Fox

In the midst of the sweary, fourth-wall-breaking, kill fest lies love, lust, and loss. Despite the action-comedy roots, Wade and Vanessa's relationship is the true undercurrent of both movies, and their on-screen chemistry manages to create some serious emotion amongst the crude chaos. 

Starring: Ryan Reynold's, Morena Baccarin

Where to watch:  Disney+

Here's Wade and Vanessa falling in love:

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2. The Mummy

Universal Pictures

These two battling reanimated relics of a bygone era? Yes, please. If you want a classic action movie with a sprinkling of romance, look no further. 

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz

Where to watch: Amazon / Apple TV 

Here's the two of them in action:

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3. Spider-Man: Far From Home

Sony Pictures Releasing

What's more relatable than teenage love troubles? Far From Home manages to give us all the action and jeopardy that any Spider-Man movie should, while making us all recall the awkwardness of navigating a high-school crush. 

Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya

Where to watch: Disney+, Sky Cinema, NOW Cinema

Here they are in Far From Home:

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4. The Mask of Zorro

Sony Pictures Releasing

I can't have been the only one to tie a bit of cloth around my head as a kid and pretend to be Zorro. It's a classic swashbuckling revenge movie, tied together with the blossoming romance between Zorro and Elena.

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Where to watch: Amazon / Apple TV 

Watch the two of them in action here:

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5. The Adjustment Bureau

Universal Pictures

What's more romantic than a fate-altering bureau that's attempting to keep two lovers apart for the sake of the future? It's a politician and ballet dancer against destiny – well, at least against the controllers of destiny. What's not to like? 

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt

Where to watch: Amazon / Apple TV 

Check them out here:

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6. Knight and Day

20th Century Fox

What starts with a classic in-flight meet cute, veers off towards a more action-based plot. It's we follow the classic car restorer as she partners up with an international secret agent.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz

Where to watch: Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime

Have a look at the action:

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7. Date Night

20th Century Fox

With two of the best comedy actors of their time, this movie was destined to be a funny one, but there's also far more action and thrills than your average rom-com. With the couple living a fairly dull, uninspiring life, they attempt to spice things up with a more glamorous, exciting date night. 

Things get fairly out of hand when they inadvertently get caught up in a dangerous situation, and their date nights turns out to be the wildest night of their lives. 

Starring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey

Where to watch: Disney+, Amazon Prime

Watch the hilarious car scene here:

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8. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Universal Pictures

Scott Pilgrim is perhaps the pinnacle of action-cum-romance. We follow Scott's attempts to win a competition that will get him a record deal as he is constantly having to battle the seven evil exes of his current girlfriend. The visually impressive action scenes earned Scott Pilgrim vs. The World a cult following. 

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Where to watch: Amazon / Apple TV 

Take a look here:

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9. Drive

FilmDistrict

This action drama revolves around the life of a Hollywood stunt driver, who moonlights as a getaway driver. The romance comes in when he meets his neighbour, Irene, and her young son, a relationship that gets interrupted by her husband's release from prison. To protect Irene, the driver must get involved with the criminal activity of her husband, and things do not go as planned. 

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan

Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime, ITVX

Here's the two of them meeting:

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10. Allied

Paramount Pictures

This action drama is centred around two World War II operatives, Max and Marriane, who fall in love when posing as a married couple on a mission. The two eventually get married, but their relationship becomes rocky and uncertain when Max received the information that his wife is working for the enemy. 

Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard

Where to watch: Amazon / Apple TV (buy/rent)

Take a look at them here:

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11. King Kong

Universal Pictures

The classic story of King Kong is obviously jam-packed with action, but it's also a story of love. There is of course the developing relationship between writer, Jack and actress, Ann, but also the love that Kong has for Ann. It's obviously not a conventional romance story, but the themes of love and emotional connection run throughout. 

Starring: Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Jack Black

Where to watch: Sky Cinema, NOW Cinema 

Here's Jack and Ann getting loved-up:

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12. George of the Jungle

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

This comedy action film stands up to any rom-com and yes, I will die on that hill. It's a tree-swinging, horse-riding, animal-whispering hunk battling poachers along with a menacing new surrounding (a city). It follows the classic rich prince vs hunky stableboy narrative, but in a wild and wonderful way.

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann

Where to watch: Disney+

Check out one of the best scenes:

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13. A Knight's Tale

Sony Pictures Releasing

Speaking of stableboys, A Knights Tale is certainly a rags-to-riches story. A peasant squire, posing as a knight, lances his way through tournaments to a position in society he could only dream of. Along the way, he wins the heart of Jocelyn, a noblewoman whose love is in high demand. 

Starring: Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon

Where to watch: Sky Cinema, NOW Cinema

Watch the love letter scene:

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14. True Romance

Warner Bros.

This action-packed love story revolves around the blossoming relationship of the comic book-loving Elvis fanatic Clarence and a prostitute named Alabama. When Clarence confronts Alabama's pimp, things go awry, and the couple ends up with a suitcase of cocaine on the run from the mob – romantic, right?

Starring: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette

Where to watch: Amazon/Apple TV 

Watch the two of them here:

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15. The Town

Warner Bros. Pictures

The whole plot of this crime thriller hinges on the relationship between Douglas "Doug" MacRay and Claire Keesey. When Doug's bank robber crew hold-up a bank, they keep the assistant hostage. Of course, the crew are masked up, so when Claire and Doug start seeing each other, she has no idea he was part of the crew that held up the bank. 

With an ongoing FBI investigation, the couple's relationship isn't the only thing that becomes tense.  

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, John Hamm

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

Watch the two of them here:

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16. Shrek

DreamWorks Pictures

Romance? Comedy? Action? Look no further than Shrek. Fiona and Shrek's love story outweighs any standard rom-com and no, you can't change my mind. 

Starring: Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy 

Where to watch: Amazon/Apple TV 

Witness their love blossoming:

youtube.com

17. Django Unchained

Sony Pictures Releasing

Perhaps the most memorable relationship in Django is the unlikely friendship between Django and Dr King Schultz. Their journey together is all in the name of love, with the search for Django's wife Broomhilda. We see harrowing flashbacks of the suffering they shared and the journey towards their reuniting is fraught with danger and action.  

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington, Leonardo Di Caprio

Where to watch: Netflix, Sky Cinema, NOW Cinema

Watch them two here:

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What's an action-packed film with a strong romance that you love? Let us know in the comments below!