Today, Bradley Cooper is well-known for his roles in The Wedding Crashers, The Hangover films, and as the voice of Rocket in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers franchises, however, the popular actor’s early career was plagued with uncertainty. Cooper once told The Hollywood Reporter that he became very depressed working as a struggling actor, and when his part on Alias was in decline, he began to drink heavily and even considered quitting acting altogether.

Thankfully for his legions of fans, Cooper persisted and eventually landed his breakthrough role as Phil Wenneck in Todd Phillips’s smash hit The Hangover. Since then, Cooper has starred in a multitude of acclaimed movies, including Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and American Sniper, which earned him consecutive Academy Award nominations from 2012 through 2014. In 2018, Cooper branched out into directing with his remake of the 1937 musical A Star is Born, starring himself and Lady Gaga in the lead roles. Next, Cooper is set to reprise his role as Rocket in the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder (July 2022), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 2023). Here are Bradley Cooper’s best action movies, ranked.

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8 A-Team

     Dune Entertainment

A-Team is based on the 1980’s television series of the same name, starring the one and only Mr. T. A-Team is one of Bradley Cooper’s best action movies because of the non-stop action, twists, and comedy that accompany this remake, which doesn’t stray too far from its original source material. Cooper stars as Templeton Peck or/also “Face” second in command to John “Hannibal” Smith (Liam Neeson). Neeson and Cooper’s chemistry also makes this remake worth a watch as it lends this action-comedy some great buddy movie vibes.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

7 Hit and Run

     Open Road Films

Bradley Cooper stars as Alex Dmitri in this action-packed comedy written and directed by Dax Shepherd, about a man in witness protection (Shepherd) who risks everything for a road trip with his girlfriend (Kristen Bell). High jinx ensues when they encounter Dmitri, who shows up to settle an old score, while simultaneously being hunted by a federal marshall (Tom Arnold). Roger Ebert rated Hit and Run 3.5 stars, stating it is “a lot more fun than the title suggests”.

6 The Place Beyond the Pines

     Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

The Place Beyond the Pines is one of Bradley Cooper’s best action movies because of the delicate balance of action and familial drama. It is a riveting action thriller about a motorcycle stuntman (Ryan Gosling) that turns to robbing banks to provide for his family. Although on the surface it may seem like a bank heist movie, the film also masterfully examines intergenerational father and son relationships. Cooper plays the ambitious rookie police officer who eventually crosses paths with Gosling’s Luke. Both the film and Cooper’s performance were well received by critics.

5 Avengers: Infinity War & Avengers: Endgame

     Marvel Studios

Cooper reprises his role as Rocket for two installments of the MCU Avengers franchise, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. Cooper’s Rocket doesn’t have a lot of screentime in each of the blockbuster films, however, makes good use of his time on-screen with his quippy one-liners. In Infinity Wars, Rocket ends up one of the survivors of Thanos’ Snap, whereas in Endgame he teams up with the Avengers to help go back in time and make things right. Both movies have epic action sequences that earn them the title of Cooper’s best action films.

4 Guardians of the Galaxy

Bradley Cooper shines as the voice of fan-favorite Rocket the Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy. Cooper is perfect for the role because he doesn’t take himself too seriously and because of his affinity for the character. Fans love the wisecracking yet insightful anthropomorphic raccoon and his tender relationship with his bestie Groot. Guardians is packed with high-paced action sequences set in space which earns its place on this list.

3 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Cooper returns as Rocket the Racoon for the sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which, as far as the villain and action scenes go, has the edge over its predecessor. The same could be said for the character relationships and how they evolve. Bonds grow stronger in the second film as the characters establish themselves as a family. The relationship between Rocket and Baby Groot is particularly precious as it reads as paternal with Rocket taking care of Groot, even in the midst of a spectacular action sequence when he prevents him from eating a fly. The long-anticipated threequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set for release in 2023.

2 American Sniper

     Village Roadshow Pictures

American Sniper is one of Bradley Cooper’s best action films because the toothy action scenes are so well designed you can still see everything that is taking place despite the chaos. The film is an adaptation of Chris Kyle’s memoir American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US History. It follows a young man inspired to serve his country by witnessing a terror attack on the television. It then traces Kyle’s journey through Navy SEAL training and climbing the ranks to become one of the best snipers in American history. According to The Washington Post, Cooper had to follow a strict and elaborate diet and exercise regimen to embody Chris Kyle. Furthermore, the movie was a critical and box office success, earning six Academy Award nominations including one for Cooper for Best Actor.

1 Limitless

     Virgin Produced

In his best action movie Limitless, Bradley Cooper stars as Eddie Morra a struggling writer who is offered a performance-enhancing designer drug called NZT which gives him access to 100% of his brainpower and instantly catapults him from zero to hero in the blink of an eye. As his enhanced intelligence helps him conquer the financial world key players start to take notice and begin to covet NZT for themselves. When Eddie realizes he is in danger he must continue to take the drug to give him the best chance of survival. The film was so popular it spawned a short-lived CBS TV series of the same name.