The best '80s movies on Hulu right now (October 2022)

The best ’80s movies on Hulu right now (October 2022)

Many classics from the ’80s have departed Hulu in recent months, including The Breakfast Club and Die Hard. While those losses are certainly a bummer, they’ve cleared the way for lesser-known gems to emerge from the shadows as some of the best ’80s movies on Hulu right now. One of those films, Predator, is drawing even more attention after the release of the related Prey on Hulu. The new horror film is drawing plenty of critical praise as one of the better horror movies of the year. What else is available on the streaming service? These are the best ’80s movies on Hulu right now.

We’ve also curated a guide to the best action movies on Amazon Prime and the best action movies on Netflix if you’re looking for additional recommendations.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Genre Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Stars Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun

Directed by John Carpenter

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John Carpenter’s cult classic is still important nearly four decades after its release, getting a shoutout in the second season premiere of Reservation Dogs. Carpenter’s film follows Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) as he helps his friend rescue his fiancé from bandits in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Along the way, the crew encounters an ancient sorcerer who needs to marry a woman to break a curse. Part action, part adventure, part fantasy, and part martial arts, this film really has it all. There’s also plenty of humor to go around as Carpenter looks to subvert the martial arts genre.

Akira (1988)

Genre Animation, Science Fiction, Action

Stars Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama

Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo

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Akira isn’t widely known, but the 1988 Japanese anime film has had a big influence on the science-fiction genre. The film is set in a dystopian 2019 and follows the leader of a biker gang whose friend develops telekinetic abilities. From there, the story expands greatly as a military complex comes under threat and rebellion is fomented. The movie has been cited as an influence on The Matrix, Kill Bill, and even Stranger Things. The “Akira slide” scene, meanwhile, remains one of the most iconic anime scenes of all-time, heavily duplicated but never matched.

Man on Fire (1987)

Genre Drama, Thriller

Stars Scott Glenn, Jade Malle, Brooke Adams

Directed by Élie Chouraqui

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An international film with French and Italian influences, Man on Fire scorches. Ex-CIA agent Christian Creasy takes a job protecting a precocious child whom he doesn’t immediately take a liking to. But Creasy, played by Scott Glenn, eases up and shows a more soft exterior, right in time for the mafia to kidnap his client. The suspenseful movie can keep viewers hooked, even if the script isn’t the finest of the decade. Tony Scott directed a remake of the film in 2004, which starred Denzel Washington as John W. Creasy.

Predator (1987)

Genre Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Thriller

Stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo

Directed by John McTiernan

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Believe it or not, the first Predator film dates back 35 years, to the summer of 1987. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as the leader of a paramilitary rescue team that needs to save a group of hostages in a Central American rainforest. The rescue effort is uprooted by a Predator, an advanced alien who has decided to hunt them down. Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura also star in the action-packed flick, which doesn’t feel the need to dive deeply into character development. Instead, it hones in on sci-fi and even horror aspects. The film launched an entire franchise, which Hulu doesn’t want viewers to forget anytime soon — the fifth installment, a prequel titled Prey, premiered on Hulu in August.

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