The holiday season is synonymous with Christmas-themed action flicks on Hulu. This year is no different, with the streaming platform featuring Die Hard. However, since Die Hard is often discussed as a Christmas movie, we’ve chosen its sequel, Die Hard 2 — another Christmas-set film — as one of the must-watch action films on Hulu for December.

Other recommended films include the one that catapulted Keanu Reeves to action star status, half a decade before The Matrix, and the film that earned Russell Crowe his first — and so far, only — Best Actor Oscar.

Looking for more suggestions? We also have guides to the top movies on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Max, and Disney+.

Die Hard 2 (1990)

A couple of years after the release of the original Die Hard, Fox found a way to bring back most of the cast for Die Hard 2. In the plot, John McClane (Bruce Willis) and his wife, Holly McClane (Bonnie Bedelia), are once again entangled in a Christmas Eve hostage crisis. The plot thickens when terrorists take over an airport in Washington, D.C., with an intention to free dictator and drug lord General Ramon Esperanza (Franco Nero).

John’s personal involvement in this conflict is due to Holly being among the passengers unable to land at the airport whilst the terrorists are in control. With a communication blackout in effect, there’s no way to warn the pilots that landing could prove to be fatal. John is also hindered by the fact that those around him don’t take his warnings seriously until the terrorists’ plans are already in motion.

Watch Die Hard 2 on Hulu.

Speed (1994)

Speed was a major hit with audiences, thanks to its bold premise. Officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) is warned that a bus has been rigged with a bomb by a lunatic, Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper). If the bus’s speed drops below 50 miles per hour, it will detonate, killing everyone on board. Director Jan de Bont did a commendable job of turning this concept into a thrilling story that remains captivating even after three decades.

Once Jack manages to catch up to the bus, it becomes passenger Annie Porter’s (Sandra Bullock) responsibility to keep the vehicle above the bomb’s speed limit. This film served as a breakthrough for Bullock and marked Reeves’ first significant action role. While they were trapped on the bus, Jack’s partner, Detective Harry Temple (Jeff Daniels), tries to decipher the clues that Payne left behind to prevent him from setting off the bus prematurely.

Watch Speed on Hulu.

Gladiator (2000)

Gladiator II has been successful at the box office this year, but it’s unlikely to match the prestige of the original, which clinched Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe at the Oscars. As an action movie, it’s flawless. Crowe plays Maximus, a Roman general who was set to be the next leader of the republic, courtesy of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), who held him in high esteem.

Marcus’ actual son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), kills his father before this transition can take place. He also sentences Maximus to death, but only succeeds in having his family killed. Maximus survives and becomes both a slave and a gladiator in the arena. However, Maximus’ warrior skills make him popular with the Roman people, providing him with an opportunity to exact revenge on the new emperor who took everything from him.

Watch Gladiator on Hulu.