98 Best Action Movies of All Time Ranked!

Thrills, spills, chills, and kills! These are the primary motivations for which we seek solace in the enlightening realm of the cinematic experience. To see large, spectacular, incredible, and even impossible stuff happen on the cinema screen is a vital experience, particularly when the picture playing is an action movie. Astonishing feats of stunt work and death defiance are sure to get your heart racing and your eyes pop. And each year, Hollywood and other movie strongholds make tonnes of action movies, striving to capture that charm.

While many are certainly satisfying, just a few feature that elusive combination of a terrific plot, unforgettable characters, and an unequaled technical mastery of stunts ‘n’ squibs necessary to move beyond genre thrills and acquire the stature of a truly great film. This list includes only the best-of-the-best films. Here are Looper’s recommendations for the best action movies ever filmed.

Updated on May 9th, 2022: As long as people want enormous explosions and fantastic battle scenes, directors will carry on crafting epic action pictures. So as new movies hit theatres and streaming services, we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for any new classics that merit a home on our list.

98. The Purge: Election Year

The dubious premise of the “Purge” films has proven to be surprisingly fruitful for the franchise. Shortly, crime will be virtually abolished in the United States thanks to periodic “purges” – designated periods during which violence is permitted, allowing individuals to release all their negative emotions. The third film in the series, “The Purge: Election Year,” imagines the political and electoral repercussions for a country that “purges.” Actress Elizabeth Mitchell portrays Senator Charlie Roan, a man campaigning for president on a platform of ending purges (and the sole survivor of the “Purge Night” atrocity). Of course, she has to survive even more thuggish behavior and concerted attacks by her political opposition in her attempt to reach safety, and then she has to win the election on top of that.

Starring: Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson
Director: James DeMonaco
Year: 2016
Runtime: 109 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%

97. American Made

In the traditionally black-and-white world of action movies, where the pro-American imperialism mindset cemented itself during the genre’s golden period in the Reagan-era 1980s, the “good guys” and “bad guys” are clearly defined and separate. “American Made” is a transgressive action picture in that the protagonist, the person the viewer is lured into rooting for, is an international cocaine trafficker, and the bad guys are the authorities seeking to stop him. Possibly, this is due to Tom Cruise’s seamless charisma in the role of Barry Seal, or perhaps this is because Barry Seal is a real-life person, and emphasizing actual people is much easier. At any rate, “American Made” is a humorous picture packed with action, the far-fetched but entirely genuine account of a small-time pilot who gets pulled into transporting drugs and often very nearly escapes his pursuers.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright
Director: Doug Liman
Year: 2017
Runtime: 115 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

96. Wanted

While it may look like normal action fare with stone-cold killers and shocking secret identities, “Wanted” is a lively and joyous thriller with a highly inventive and ambitious plot featuring many odd turns and even supernatural powers.

Wesley is a weak-willed, going-nowhere office drone … until he learns from a mysterious woman named Fox that the father he hasn’t seen in years was recently slain and was an assassin. And now, his murderer is after Wesley. Fox pulls Wesley into the Fraternity, a hidden society of extremely adept assassins who work for the notion of Fate. As a result, Wesley soon learns to tap into his incredible powers, such as super-strength, the ability to slow down his sense of time, and curving bullets after he shoots them, which all provide for some crackling action sequences.

Starring: Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Year: 2008
Runtime: 110 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

95. The Old Guard

“The Old Guard,” based on the comic book series by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez, is a wholly original take on the superhero tale. There are no capes or bloodless carnage against cartoonish villains here. Instead, Charlize Theron takes on the role of Andromache of Scythia, the head of a band of mercenary soldiers who have been battling for profit for hundreds of years. They can’t be killed by traditional means, and they heal immediately on the battlefield, which is a talent that comes in handy when they find themselves captured by a Big Pharma CEO who wants to torture them and use their DNA to develop a mass-marketed immortality pill.

Starring: Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor, KiKi Layne
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Year: 2020
Runtime: 125 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%

94. Death Wish

The best action movies tend to fall into one of two classes: They involve huge many numbers of individuals, or it’s one person versus a seemingly undefeatable series of adversaries, if not the globe. “Death Wish” is a one-man army kind of movie and is a definitive example of dark and gritty ’70s urban cinema. Cultural background is vital for understanding “Death Wish.” Cities in the United States were seen as rapidly declining, overrun by violent crime and deterioration during the time. Consequently, Charles Bronson was lauded as a hero in 1974 for his ability to remain unflappable and mysterious as Paul Kersey, an unapologetic and ethically clear character. As per the plot, after Paul’s wife is murdered by random crooks, he vows to clean up the streets, himself, going out at night and gunning down all of the many criminals he encounters. Love it or hate it, “Death Wish” left an impact and has earned its gruesome place in action movie history.

Starring: Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia
Director: Michael Winner
Year: 1974
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68%

93. Dredd

The 1995 version of “Judge Dredd” was essentially a vehicle for Sylvester Stallone in the dying years of his stint as an action hero. As such, it was an eternally violent shoot-’em-up that lacked the wit, irony, and sarcasm of John Wagner’s source comics. But Hollywood got it right with the remake (for once) (for once).

Karl Urban plays the most terrifying of the judge-jury-executioners roaming the dystopian, radiation-soaked wasteland known as Mega City, previously the northeastern United States, in this incredibly brutal but humorous action epic. Dredd kills his way through his days as he strives to eradicate Slo-Mo, a medication that, amusingly, makes people experience life in slow-motion. (And that’s about the only thing that’s slow about “Dredd.”) However, when the judge and his rookie colleague find themselves imprisoned in a tower run by the city’s most powerful drug lord, things get very bloody indeed.

Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey
Director: Pete Travis
Year: 2012
Runtime: 96 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

92. Mr. and Mrs. Smith

After Brad Pitt met Angelina Jolie in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” he scandalously dumped Jennifer Anniston for her. The couple’s chemistry is evident as they portray married assassins in a high-wire act of a convoluted, lightly humorous, shoot-’em-up action movie.

In the movie, the oddly generically named John and Jane have good jobs but aren’t happy with them, and they live a bland, comfortable life as a cover for their hidden lives as well-paid assassins working for various governments throughout the world. When they are both hired to kill the same bad guy — and then have to kill each other — their mutual covers are revealed, and their marriage will either be preserved or end horribly.

Starring: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn
Director: Doug Liman
Year: 2005
Runtime: 120 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 60%

91. Point Break

The early sequences of “the Ex-Presidents,” a gang of bank robbers disguised as the likes of Reagan, Nixon, and Carter, can lead a viewer to believe that “Point Break” is a film about bank robbers. Even before Keanu Reeves is introduced as Agent Johnny Utah, tasked to infiltrate a group of surfers suspected to be harboring the Ex-Presidents, “Point Break” evolves into an FBI movie. This time around, “Point Break” transforms into a buddy movie and an exquisitely filmed surfing film when Johnny Utah gets too near to Bodhi, played by an especially seductive Patrick Swayze in the role of a head surfer. Inside the larger “Point Break,” there are a lot of smaller action films.

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Year: 1991
Runtime: 122 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68%

90. Air Force One

Actor Harrison Ford had established himself by 1997 as a seasoned and dependable action star who exuded a strong and authoritative presence. A film by Wolfgang Petersen, “Air Force One,” combines both of these identities, portraying Ford as the charismatic and inspiring president of the United States, who personally foils an attempt to hijack the plane. Having the whole affair happen on the president’s private plane and command center eliminates the implausibility of that occurrence. Gonzo — though distorted — patriotism for the United States is instilled by the idea of Air Force One’s commander-in-chief beating up criminals and hurling them out the window, even though it may sound absurd at first.

Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Year: 1997
Runtime: 124 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%

89. The Nice Guys

As far as ’70s cop movies are concerned, “The Nice Guys” is more of a light-hearted but gritty and action-packed homage to ’70s cop flicks than a real-world depiction of the ’70s.

Holland March, a low-rent, drunken private investigator hired by the aunt of an adult film starlet who died in a vehicle accident in suburban Los Angeles, is hired to investigate the case. When one of his leads employs Jackson Healy, a reluctant enforcer, to get rid of Holland, he becomes the tale and the target. After a sequence of improbable and spectacular events, the two end up working together on a completely unrelated case.

Starring: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Margaret Qualley
Director: Shane Black
Year: 2016
Runtime: 116 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

88. Taken

Neeson’s “special set of capabilities” in action hero roles stunned everyone after decades of showcasing his serious and nuanced dramatic acting abilities, making him one of the best actors of his time. This is the first of many films that will feature Liam Neeson battling violent criminals who misunderstand him. In “Taken,” Neeson plays Bryan Mills, a former government agent whose intentions to meet his estranged adult daughter are derailed when she is kidnapped by a sex trafficking ring in Paris. For Mills, it’s a race against time to get to Paris before his daughter is sold off and to punish the people who kidnapped her.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen
Director: Pierre Morel
Year: 2008
Runtime: 91 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%

87. Romancing the Stone

It’s hard to make a love story in the middle of a high-octane action film, which is why there aren’t many of them. Instead of evoking classic adventure comedies like those starring Katharine Hepburn or Humphrey Bogart, “Romancing the Stone” is a throwback to the 1980s with its action-packed set pieces, jaw-dropping stunts, and screwball humor. Joan Wilder, a lonely romance novelist, travels to Colombia’s darkest jungle in search of a treasure map she may give to the men who kidnapped her sister, in an ironic twist. Jack Colton, a dashing and irascible mercenary who knows the forest better than anybody, helps her in her quest (and her desire to survive it).

Starring: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Year: 1984
Runtime: 105 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

86. Spy

Slapstick is nothing more than a hilarious way to do action. It includes putting one’s body to the test to the exclusion of all else to entertain one’s audience or expedites the plot. “Spy,” Melissa McCarthy’s spy thriller, has McCarthy as its center and she excels at pratfalls and physical humor. There is a feeling that Susan Cooper, a desk-based CIA agent, has been taken over by a high-tech James Bond film. As a result of a distant partner’s run-in with a ruthless arms dealer, Susan is forced to travel into the field on her own, where she encounters a series of surprising heroics.

Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne
Director: Paul Feig
Year: 2015
Runtime: 115 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

85. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior

The sheer power of Tony Jaa, Thailand’s low-budget martial arts hero, more than makes up for the film’s simplistic premise and straightforward presentation. Thugs from Bangkok steal the head of a revered Buddha statue from a small Thai hamlet. On the journey to fetch the head, Jaa portrays Ting, a fearless local who relies on his Muay Thai fighting skills to defend himself. Fortunately, Jaa has proven himself to be one of the world’s most agile and skilled martial artists through some tough underground clashes. As a result of a relentless barrage of highly experienced and very aggressive thugs, Ting prevails.

Starring: Tony Jaa, Pumwaree Yodkamol, Petchtai Wongkamlao
Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Year: 2003
Runtime: 107 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

84. Hanna

Movies about assassins who have been trained in the deadly arts since birth are usually entertaining. In addition, “Hanna” is one of the best because of the assassin’s surroundings, events, and character attributes. Hanna, a teenager, has spent her entire life in the Scandinavian woods being trained to be an ideal killer by her father, a hunter. He assigns her on a dangerous task, and she bravely makes her way across Europe, dodging the attention of operatives after an operator (including an old colleague of Hanna’s father) ordered to hunt down the young assassin. Ultimately, “Hanna” is a race between Hanna and her target, Hanna’s antagonists, and Hanna herself to complete her job before completely questioning (or rejecting) her role as a murderer.

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett
Director: Joe Wright
Year: 2011
Runtime: 111 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

83. X2: X-Men United

Hollywood eventually made an X-Men movie in 2000. The first great X-Men film was released by Hollywood three years later. X-Men comics from the 1960s were an allegory for race relations, with mutants being treated as second-class citizens because of their superhuman abilities. “X2: X-Men United,” tells a familiar story about how powerful people can use politics, the media, and speeches to influence others to share their hateful and narrow viewpoints.

Just a short time after Professor Xavier and his “good” mutants have vanquished the “bad” mutant leader Magneto and imprisoned him in an inaccessible non-metallic jail, another mutant tries to assassinate the US president, resulting in a harsh response from the government towards mutants in general. It’s only a matter of time before the conflict between humans and other mutant groups explodes into a full-blown civil war. Anti-mutant vigilantes face off against a team of formerly opposing X-Men who are forced to unify in the final clash.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry
Director: Bryan Singer
Year: 2003
Runtime: 134 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

82. Sicario

“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049,” and “Dune” director Denis Villeneuve had already crafted one of the most gorgeous and well-constructed police pictures in recent memory. As part of a task group tasked with combating the never-ending war on drugs, FBI agent Kate Macer is assigned to travel between the United States and Mexico, playing off the rival cartel leaders. Contrary to expectations, this gloomy, dirty, unrelenting film is beautifully filmed and has a creepy score. The action scenes, notably a notable one set in underground border tunnels, benefit from all of these characteristics.

Starring: Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Year: 2015
Runtime: 121 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

81. Gladiator

Gladiator, a film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, revived the sword-and-sandal genre after decades of decline. For his role as Roman general turned slave Maximus Decimus Meridius, Crowe earned an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. An authentically Roman setting sets the stage for some of the most exhilarating action sequences ever filmed, as fans cheer on Maximus in his mission to avenge the tyrant Commodus, free himself, and make it out of the terrible gladiator arena. Combat with and without weapons, gladiator snafus, and even a climactic duel between Maximus and Commodus are all part of the show. Stabbings occur. People are savagely beaten. Beheading is a common method of execution. Not a good time to be alive in Ancient Rome.

Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen
Director: Ridley Scott
Year: 2000
Runtime: 154 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%

80. Ready Player One

While “Ready Player One” is based on Ernest Cline’s sci-fi novel, “Ready Player One” tells the story in an entirely different and more cinematic way. In 2045, the United States is overcrowded, plagued by an economic slump, and plagued by a widespread sense of gloom. OASIS, a virtual reality world where people can live out classic movies or drive automobiles from those movies, is a popular place for people to escape. OASIS creator James Halliday will leave his fortune to the first person to find an Easter egg buried deep within the virtual world. Wade Watts (and his warrior avatar), an Oklahoma-based orphan, is on a mission to track it down with the help of a group of teenage outlaws he meets along the road.

Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn
Director: Steven Spielberg
Year: 2018
Runtime: 140 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%

79. Looper

“Looper” envisions a future in which time travel is possible but illegal, and only those with the means to pay for it can take advantage of it. A time-traveling contract killer known as a “looper” has been hired by an organized crime syndicate to carry out a hit on a victim a few decades in the past. Joe is a tough, ethically dubious looper whose life is turned upside down when a future Joe is delivered to him with orders to be assassinated. “Looper,” a frantic, chaotic film about a time-traveling man seeking to murder himself but not getting killed (by himself), is a classic.

Starring: Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt
Director: Rian Johnson
Year: 2012
Runtime: 119 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

78. Logan

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine was always the best part about every X-Men movie, and while he’s had his standalone flicks showcasing everyone’s favorite clawed Canadian, “Logan” destroys them all. It radically changed what a superhero movie can be, as Jackman employed his dramatic abilities to create a nuanced characterization of a hero nearing the end of his life and his mission. Young actress Dafoe Keen, who plays Laura, Wolverine’s sidekick and, spoiler alert, daughter/diminutive clone, steals virtually every scene. Logan and Professor Xavier dodge the baddies and transport Laura to safety in a fast-paced, unpredictable, and casually violent road movie. This is not “Smokey and the Bandit.”

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen
Director: James Mangold
Year: 2017
Runtime: 137 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

77. Hot Fuzz

Shaun of the Dead’s Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost developed “Hot Fuzz,” an action-packed and surprise police thriller in its own right, after making “Shaun of the Dead.” Nicholas Angel, a fierce London super detective, is sent to a small country village just as residents begin to die suddenly. He now has something to do after a long day of heavy-duty, risky work. As it stands, finding the disguised murderer might terminate his life.

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent
Director: Edgar Wright
Year: 2007
Runtime: 121 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

76. The Rock

Action movie monarch Michael Bay found a way to turn Alcatraz’s decommissioned stronghold into the setting of an anarchic, loud, and brilliantly ludicrous film.

If the families of military servicemen who died on top-secret missions aren’t paid $100 million, Francis Hummel will blow up San Francisco to smithereens on Alcatraz Island. For Hummel and his men to be disarmed, mild-mannered weapons expert Stanley Goodspeed must pair up with a former Alcatraz inmate, a British spy named John Patrick Mason (who it is speculated might truly be James Bond, and he is played by 007 actor Sean Connery).

Starring: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris
Director: Michael Bay
Year: 1996
Runtime: 136 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68%

75. Miss Bala

A decent action film with Gina Rodriguez as the lead, “Miss Bala,” was released in 2019 in Spanish-language and Mexico-produced versions. The original “Miss Bala” is a narrative of one woman’s unexpected and sad journey into the criminal underworld. During the Miss Baja competition, Laura observes drug cartel agents killing law enforcement officers in a nightclub. Since she’s in danger of getting caught up in the cartel’s web of intrigue, Laura is forced to serve as a pawn in a variety of nefarious activities, such as assassinating rival cartel members and smuggling cash into the United States.

Starring: Stephanie Sigman, Irene Azuela, Miguel Couturier
Director: Gerardo Naranjo
Year: 2011
Runtime: 113 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

74. The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three

The Odd Couple” and “Grumpy Old Men” star Walter Matthau is also an action star, right? Even Matthau was capable of firing a gun, beating up vicious thugs, and escaping without a scratch in the 1970s.

A New York City subway car is hijacked by Mr. Blue and his hoodlum henchmen in this well-paced, tremendously frightening hostage thriller. if they don’t obtain their million dollars in an hour, they will start killing passengers at the rate of one per minute. Lt. Garber, Matthau’s overworked transit cop, is charged with delivering the ransom to the gang as swiftly as possible and with little assistance from his untrustworthy friends.

Starring: Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam
Director: Joseph Sargent
Year: 1974
Runtime: 104 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

73. Kingsman: The Secret Service

“Kingsman: The Secret Service,” like “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” belongs to a subgenre of movies we’ll term “introduction to a previously unknown universe” movies. The dapper and in-charge Harry Hart meets a young English tough named Eggsy after he calls an emergency number given to him years before. They are the Kingsman, an underground spy and defensive squad that keeps the United Kingdom running. He introduces Eggsy to them. The Kingsman must stop V, a tech mogul, and supervillain who aims to eradicate global warming… and most of Earth’s population, assuming Eggsy manages to make it through the organization’s arduous and punishing training program James Bond-style action flick “Kingsman” is like “Kingsman,” but with more of an edge.

Starring: Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Year: 2015
Runtime: 129 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%

72. Blade

As one of the earliest R-rated comic book movies and the first Marvel property to be adapted for the big screen, “Blade” is a veritable feast for the senses. “Blade” has chugging techno music and Wesley Snipes sporting a leather duster and sunglasses, but the story and energy are more than makeup for it. An antihero with a quest to cleanse the world of bloodsuckers known as “Blade,” a half-vampire/half-human hybrid, is Blade. His blood will be used to bring about La Magra’s coming, the blood deity, and thus he must flee from those who would use it for their ends. In other words, “Blade” has a lot going on, but it’s all fun.

Starring: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson
Director: Stephen Norrington
Year: 1998
Runtime: 120 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 56%

71. The Raid

Gareth Evans’ tense police drama “The Raid” begins quickly and never lets up. An armed-to-the-teeth SWAT unit is bringing down a decrepit Jakarta apartment complex today, and a young police officer called Rama is going to join them. What’s the end goal? ITostop criminals from using the neighborhood as a haven, we need to get rid of a crime lord and his senior lieutenants. Elite police officers clear the lower floors and handle a variety of thugs as they make their way toward the crime masters… For as long as it takes them to discover they’ve been caught and are being pursued by an angry mob. Rama and his team’s objective swiftly shifts to one of escape.

Starring: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Donny Alamsyah
Director: Gareth Evans
Year: 2011
Runtime: 101 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

70. The Incredibles

An animated superhero movie that’s ideal for all members of the family to enjoy is “The Incredibles,” one of the best superhero movies ever made. CGI helped filmmaker Brad Bird craft a superhero movie that would have been conceptually and practically impossible in live-action had it not been for Pixar.

“The Incredibles,”, tells the story of a superhero family whose parents have retired to a mundane suburban life with their three young children, who are only now beginning to explore their superhuman skills. Due to an evil monster dubbed Syndrome who plans to wipe out every single hero, the heroes are forced back into action once more.

Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee
Director: Brad Bird
Year: 2004
Runtime: 115 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

69. Deadpool

In this version of Marvel’s “Deadpool,” Ryan Reynolds perfectly combines action heroics with filthy, self-aware humor The character he portrays is Wade Wilson, a mercenary with cancer who lives and works in an exceptionally rough and brutal sector of a huge metropolis. His injuries are irreversible, yet he escapes with the capacity to heal from anything amazingly swiftly, despite being permanently deformed.

That being said, Wade is always making fun of himself in “Deadpool,” even though it is an action film about a guy who is impenetrable. There are two lengthy action sequences towards the end of “Deadpool.” On an accident-strewn urban roadway, Deadpool narrates and moves the action along as he counts down the few shots he has left and uses them to dispose of his foes. An uneven, abandoned ship is the setting for the final scene of the film.

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein
Director: Tim Miller
Year: 2016
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

68. Dirty Harry

When Harry Callahan initially appeared in Clint Eastwood’s debut film as a grizzled, crime-hating police inspector in San Francisco, it was widely regarded as his best action film. When Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” is based on the Zodiac murders of the San Francisco Bay Area, the hand cannon-wielding cop takes on a rooftop killer to save the kidnapped girl before she dies. And then the murderer is released—and commits an even more heinous act, driving Harry into a “kill or be murdered,” “wipe the criminal from the street” predicament.

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino, Andrew Robinson
Director: Don Siegel
Year: 1971
Runtime: 103 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

67. Mission Impossible: Fallout

A lot has changed in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise. The first entry, starring action star Tom Cruise, was released in theatres in 1996 and was a recreation of the beloved Cold War spy television series from the 1960s and 1970s. Mission: Impossible” had effectively erased all memories of its ’90s predecessor by the sixth film in the series, with grittier plotlines and jaw-dropping stunts that pushed the franchise into new terrain.

For the second time, fearless super-agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) joins forces with a CIA assassin to foil a plot by terrorists to use stolen nuclear weapons to launch simultaneous strikes on Mecca, Jerusalem, and the Vatican — three religiously significant, if not holy, landmarks. “Fallout” never lets up on the gas and offers several death-defying stunts and a truly wild fistfight as a reflection of the high stakes.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Year: 2018
Runtime: 147 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

66. Captain Marvel

“Captain Marvel,” the first MCU film to use the word “Marvel” in the title, is a contender for the crown of best MCU film. Part high-flying space and alien movie, part superhero origin story, part superhero team-up but ultimately, a thrilling action thriller. It’s a hodgepodge of its series brethren. Carol Danvers, an American Air Force pilot, is also an extraterrestrial mega-warrior entrusted by Avengers recruiter Nick Fury to assist prevent Earth from being a major casualty in a cataclysmic alien conflict. Everything is set in 1995, which justifies and leads to a climactic and violent battle scored to “Just a Girl” by No Doubt.

Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn
Director: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
Year: 2019
Runtime: 124 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

65. District 13

While parkour, which combines sport and art, was popular in the US in the early 2000s, it has since faded from public consciousness. This was a way of life throughout Europe. In addition to “District 13,” or “Banlieue 13” (or “B13”), there was at least one great parkour-themed film: “B13.” For the film, it’s the name of the overcrowded and impoverished Paris neighborhood When B13 is set in the far-off future of the year 2010, the government uses razor-wire-topped fences to keep it under control. The chaotic prison colony is managed by gangs who make a fortune by trafficking drugs. This is the story of Leto (David Belle, a parkour creator), who seeks to take down the gangs using his wits and gravity-defying parkour talents, all of which is done without the use of wires or CGI.

Starring: Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, Tony D’Amario
Director: Pierre Morel
Year: 2004
Runtime: 85 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

64. The Towering Inferno

In the 1970s, audiences flocked to films with large ensemble casts comprised of well-known actors from different generations who were forced to face unimaginable tragedies before emerging unscathed, if not quite alive. Another classic from the ’70s, “The Towering Inferno,” shows what it’s like to be trapped within a gigantic skyscraper as a fire tears through the structure. It is claustrophobic, tense (in a good way), and nonstop action-packed Members of San Francisco’s community are stranded in the skyscraper. It is up to the chief of fire and the architect of the skyscraper to save the lives of everyone inside and minimize damage while also making sure that the tower’s corrupt contractor gets what he deserves as a result of the fire breaking out at the official opening ceremony. It also features a cast that includes OJ Simpson, Fred Astaire, and many others.

Starring: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Faye Dunaway
Director: John Guillermin and Irwin Allen
Year: 1974
Runtime: 165 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 70%

63. Shazam!

Just saying “Shazam!” is exhilarating and deliriously enjoyable. A common childhood fantasy is to picture oneself as a superhero, and “Shazam!” takes that fantasy to its logical conclusion, resulting in a comic book film that feels like “Spider-Man” meets “Big.”

When Billy Batson, a teenage foster boy from an orphanage in Philadelphia, is given the powers of Shazam by a weird and unexpected chain of circumstances, he is thrust into the limelight as a modern-day superhero. Zachary Levi plays the adult superhero with all the joy, surprise, and enthusiasm of a child as he learns to navigate (poorly, at first and most of the time) his tremendously strong and very destructive powers by simply saying his new hero’s name.

Starring: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer
Director: David F. Sandberg
Year: 2019
Runtime: 132 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

62. The Avengers

Films featuring superheroes with capes went from B-movie obscurity to mainstream status over several decades. It wasn’t until Marvel Studios began setting the foundation for its cinematic universe with standalone films to both set the stage and whet the audience’s desire for the single greatest superhero team-up possible that the genre got rolling. After years of anticipation, Marvel Studios finally brought the Avengers to the big screen with the help of director Joss Whedon and a roster of well-known actors, including Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk, as well as Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. A comic book come to life, the movie was made with no budget spared, with an endless supply of superpowers, earth-shattering battles, and extraterrestrial objects. Now, “The Avengers” and its numerous follow-ups constitute the benchmark for other large, exciting superhero movies.

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson
Director: Joss Whedon
Year: 2012
Runtime: 143 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

61. The Hunger Games

All four films in the “Hunger Games” series don’t feel like they’re based on a trilogy of children’s books. It is a harsh, frightening, dystopian nightmare of an action film in which children are constantly in danger but are clever and savvy enough to fight off whatever comes at them in the first film. District 12 “tribute” Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is assigned to face off against children from the other 11 districts of Panem in a deathmatch. The arena is a punishment for a long-ago rebel insurrection and pits the competitors against one other with lethal traps and terrifying animals. As a hunter, Katniss knows how to survive and defend herself, but she can only hold out for so long before breaking under the pressure.

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson
Director: Gary Ross
Year: 2012
Runtime: 142 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

60. Bullitt

Actor and director Steve McQueen was a pioneer of the action film genre. Aside from acting, he also performed his stunts to the extent that the studios allowed him to. It’s worth noting that, for one famous automobile chase sequence in “Bullitt,” he was behind the wheel. “Bullitt” is best recognized for the pursuit sequence, and even if the movie were only that scene, it would still be on this list. Honestly, it’s really good.

Bullitt chases the bad guys in a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T through San Francisco’s mountainous streets in a narrative that involves a politician, hitmen, and organized crime; it all culminates with McQueen as Lt Frank Bullitt. Bullitt has a 1968 Ford Mustang GT instead of a conventional police vehicle. Long and methodical, a high-speed chase ends in a gas station explosion, the only and best way it could be ended.

Starring: Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset
Director: Peter Yates
Year: 1968
Runtime: 113 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

59. Drive

Ryan Gosling’s transformation from a young heartthrob to a serious actor began with the film “Drive” (by presenting him as the most serious-to-the-point-of-inscrutable character in film history). Millions of people wanted a satin jacket with a scorpion on the back because of it. In “Drive,” Ryan Gosling plays both a cinematic stuntman and a professional getaway driver, both of which need him to do a lot of silent brooding (only ever identified as “Driver”). A married neighbor’s recently released husband begs The river to help him pull off an elaborate heist, but the plan goes bad, leaving the driver to use his driving, survival, and tough guy skills to protect himself and Irene.

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Year: 2011
Runtime: 100 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

58. Duel

It’s hard to look away from “Duel,” one of the scariest films ever filmed. The reason for this is that it depicts a terrifying event that could perhaps happen to anyone. “Duel,” Steven Spielberg’s first feature-length film, premiered on ABC in 1971 and tells the story of a normal, average working man driving to a meeting with a client in his Plymouth. An angry big-rig trucker (or perhaps an intelligent truck) chases after David, attempting to run him off the road and murder him in a variety of ways despite his seeming lack of provocation. Because of David’s anxiety, they will need more than just defensive driving to keep him safe.

Starring: Dennis Weaver, Tim Herbert, Charles Seel
Director: Steven Spielberg
Year: 1971
Runtime: 95 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

57. Furious 7

With long-running film franchises, diminishing returns are the norm. Although “Furious 7” is the most highly regarded film in the whole “Fast & Furious” franchise, according to critics, When it came to the series’ first few installments critics were largely unimpressed because filmmakers were no longer taking themselves or their work so seriously. To save a kidnapped and powerful hacker, the drag racers/international criminal masterminds must reunite to cope with a British mercenary who is on a revenge mission. When it comes to automobile chases and stunts and accidents, of course, there is always a lot of physics-defying action.

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson
Director: James Wan
Year: 2015
Runtime: 137 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%

56. Atomic Blonde

For all of the film’s focus on double spies and hidden identities, it’s hard to tell exactly what story is being presented in Atomic Blonde. However, “Atomic Blonde” is still one of the best action films of the past two decades.

Charlie Theron plays Lorraine Broughton in “Atomic Blonde,” an action thriller set in Cold War-era East Berlin right before the Berlin Wall fell. Her goal was to compile a list of all the world’s known secret operatives. There are a lot of people Lorraine needs to shoot, numerous traps she must escape, and even a speeding car she has to escape from as she goes on her mission to murder

Starring: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Sofia Boutella
Director: David Leitch
Year: 2017
Runtime: 115 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

55. Edge of Tomorrow

“Edge of Tomorrow,” directed by Doug Liman, is one of the most innovative action-adventure films in recent memory. It’s hard to imagine a better blend of “Groundhog Day” and “Independence Day.” Alien Mimics harass Earth until they face off against Maj. William Craig in this witty and wild sci-fi/military caper. For some reason, they don’t kill him because he continues returning to the exact instant before his death, fighting and dying—and becoming a stronger fighter—each time. A video game-inspired action film, “Edge of Tomorrow” has a moral: If you fail at first, keep trying (to kill those aliens).

Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Doug Liman
Year: 2014
Runtime: 113 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

54. RoboCop

Does “RoboCop” have the same level of violence as its predecessors, or does “RoboCop” have the same level of violence as its predecessors? It’s satirical on both levels, like any good piece of writing. In New Detroit’s crime-ridden future, “RoboCop” has a lot to say about the value of human life. The film is about a police officer who is killed in the line of duty, only to be revived and resurrected to kill as many criminals as possible. A lot of violence and nasty gunplay are present, but there is also a lot of robot action. Why else should it matter?

Starring: Peter Weller, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Year: 1987
Runtime: 102 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

53. Superman

When “Superman” launched the era of the big-budget superhero movie, it had to be fantastic, and “Superman” spectacularly does that. As a result, producers went to great lengths to explore the familiar “Superman” mythos without squandering a penny. Introducing Christopher Reeve as Superman and Clark Kent, he portrays them as two very distinct characters (and he does it off). Gene Hackman, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Lex Luthor in The Dark Knight, plays the Man of Steel with charm, complexity, and disarming humor. Lastly, there are the action sequences, one of which has Superman rotating the Earth to turn back time. Let’s get this party started.

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder
Director: Richard Donner
Year: 1978
Runtime: 143 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

52. Rumble in the Bronx

An English-speaking public was finally introduced to the singular cinema of Jackie Chan with “Rumble in the Bronx,” and it was pretty emblematic of Chan’s talents, following a flood of comedy-laced action pictures that made him a big international success. Good vs evil, illegal diamond dealings, and Jackie Chan’s self-deprecating humor are all part of the story, as are several seemingly impossible acts (such as some motorbike acrobatics), none of which Jackie Chan ever fakes.

Starring: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Bill Tung
Director: Stanley Tong
Year: 1995
Runtime: 90 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

51. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Because of this, video games routinely outdo Hollywood blockbusters when it comes to the sheer volume of exciting, exhilarating moments. While watching a film is a passive experience, playing games is an active one. While “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” by Edgar Wright is an excellent film adaptation of a video game, it lacks some of the game’s most memorable elements.

to capture the heart of the fascinating and mysterious Ramona Flowers, Michael Cera portrays a mild-mannered guitarist in a garage band who must go off against her “seven terrible exes.” He accomplishes this in spectacular video game fashion, wreaking havoc on his adversaries with colossal, cartoonish punches that leave a trail of gold coins in their wake. A stellar group of actors, including comics like Aubrey Plaza and Marvel stars like Brie Larson, round out the impressive roster.

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans
Director: Edgar Wright
Year: 2010
Runtime: 112 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%

50. Ip Man

The majority of action films are ridiculous, over-the-top entertainment, but every once in a while, a true story is woven into the plot. “Ip Man,” tells the story of Ip Man, a Wing Chun grandmaster who notably trained Bruce Lee in martial art. When it comes to karate, Ip Man is Foshan’s top martial artist and trainer. After the Japanese invasion in 1937, his low-key lifestyle and admiration of martial arts for their own sake are put to the test. Competitions for rice bags against Japanese troops and revenge after his comrade Lin goes missing after the war are his main interests. Amidst all of the tension, the action takes place in a series of high-stakes shootouts between Chinese and Japanese pilots.

Starring: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Siu-wong Fan
Director: Wilson Yip
Year: 2008
Runtime: 106 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

49. Dunkirk

Action movie stars’ near-superhuman levels of punching, kicking, and shooting are frequently referred to as “heroes.” In contrast, there are the heroes of action films based on real-life incidents. Look no further than “Dunkirk,” which depicts one of World War II’s most difficult battles as an example of true valor. The German invasion of France in May of 1940 stranded Allied forces in the Dunkirk area of the French coast. Under the direction of director Christopher Nolan, the film dramatizes the novel, brave, and truly heroic efforts made by British and French forces to evacuate 330,000 men in realistic, unflinching detail. The cast includes both up-and-coming and long-established British actors.

Starring: Tom Hardy, Harry Styles, Kenneth Branagh
Director: Christopher Nolan
Year: 2017
Runtime: 107 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

48. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One is not the best Star Wars movie, and it would be sacrilegious and wrong to claim otherwise. When the Death Star plans are stolen by a group of misfit bounty hunters, it doesn’t even make sense to include it in the main storyline. Rogue One is neither a space opera nor sci-fi movie like its “Star Wars” predecessors, but rather a heist movie set in the “Star Wars” universe. This is why it made this list. Action is relentless and jaw-dropping as the squad comes together, prepares for the crime, and pulls it off (though not without serious consequences).

Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen
Director: Gareth Edwards
Year: 2016
Runtime: 134 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

47. First Blood

The idea that Sylvester Stallone could direct such a moving film about the ravages of war and the human toll it takes on men is astounding. It’s no secret that the “Rambo” sequels that came after the original “First Blood” completely missed the point of that film, which is a psychologically and physically realistic action film about a man a decade removed from the Vietnam War who is still fighting against it, both internally and externally. It’s up to Rambo’s former commanding officer to save the fugitive ex-soldier from himself and the law following his mental breakdown in Washington state.

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Year: 1982
Runtime: 95 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

46. Wonder Woman

“Wonder Woman” isn’t simply a superb action film; it’s also a blockbuster. Considering this is Patty Jenkins’ first action film, it’s incredible how well she manages to strike such an impeccable balance between all of the film’s challenging parts. As an origin narrative, a World War II movie, and even a romance, “Wonder Woman” has it all. That’s not even mentioning Gal Gadot’s stunning portrayal as Wonder Woman, Diana Prince. You’re left wondering whether to cry, cheer, or exhale when it’s all over.

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, David Thewlis
Director: Patty Jenkins
Year: 2017
Runtime: 141 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

45. Inception

Rather than taking place in the actual world, the majority of Christopher Nolan’s psychedelic masterpiece is set in the realm of dreams. During the filming of Inception, Master Chief Dom Cobb is hired to put an idea in the head of a target as part of an artistic criminal endeavor. Dreams provide the film’s foundation, so we’re treated to unexpected interactions between characters and the physical plane that wouldn’t be possible if the story were founded in reality. “Inception,” with its physics-defying battle sequences and fluidity of time, is visually astounding. You can’t help but be puzzled by it. The audience is never quite sure if the action is taking place in the real world, a dream, or a dream within a dream.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy
Director: Christopher Nolan
Year: 2010
Runtime: 148 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

44. Lady Snowblood

Based on an iconic manga series, “Lady Snowblood” is as visually stunning as it is vicious and explosive, the first of two back-to-back releases in Japan in the mid-1970s. It’s apparent that Quentin Tarantino’s two-part assassin revenge story “Kill Bill” was influenced by this film.

“Lady Snowblood,” which takes place in the late 1800s, is about Yuki, a girl born in a women’s prison during a snowstorm to a dying mother who was imprisoned for the murder of one of the men who assaulted her and killed her husband and son. To punish the atrocities done against her family, Yuki has been schooled from an early age to be a merciless murderer trained in a variety of professions. When she reaches the age of twenty, she begins to carry out her plan, one target at a time.

Starring: Meiko Kaji, Toshio Kurosawa, Masaaki Daimon
Director: Fujita Toshiya
Year: 1973
Runtime: 97 minutes
Rating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

43. Aliens

Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror film “Alien” was given a fresh twist by James Cameron in 1979 when he expanded on the Xenomorph mythology to create a horrific conflict between humans and aliens with no clear winner. A thriller, but also a science fiction film, because the amount of space and, well, alien action, makes it claustrophobic. Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver in an Academy Award-nominated performance in Cameron’s “Aliens,” is the most butt-kicking action-movie character of all time. Everything about the action genre had changed.

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn
Director: James Cameron
Year: 1986
Runtime: 137 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

42. Crank

Above all things, action movies should be entertaining, presenting an imaginative fantasy in which fists and guns fly with little recourse – the object of the game is to amuse and excite viewers. When Jason Statham’s character is thrust into a position that can best be described as “Speed,” but with a human instead of an automobile, it’s hilarious and provocatively debauched. A professional murderer, Chev plans to become legit after his final heinous mission. Despite his best efforts, he is poisoned and given one hour to live via phone. Because “Crank” takes place almost entirely in real-time, Chev has only 60 minutes to find the antidote. If he lets his adrenaline levels drop, he’ll perish much sooner. It’s going to be a very busy hour, I can tell you that.

Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Efren Ramirez
Director: Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor
Year: 2006
Runtime: 83 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%

41. Predator

Action film director John McTiernan blended horror and science fiction elements into a rollercoaster ride that is one of the most exhilarating action films ever created. Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer leads an elite military unit that is tasked with locating the kidnapped hostage. They must contend with terrorists and natural perils while also dealing with an even more ferocious adversary: a massive and clever alien that’s following them for sport.

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura
Director: John McTiernan
Year: 1987
Runtime: 107 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%

40. Everything Everywhere All At Once

As the title suggests, “Everything Everywhere All At Once” is an original story that combines elements of science fiction, action, and journey-of-the-soul movies. Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn Wang, a middle-aged Chinese immigrant residing in the United States who is tired of her mundane existence until she discovers the power of daydreaming in this poignant and inspirational drama. If anything, Evelyn’s fantasies serve as portals into a multiverse where she can experience the lives of every other Evelyn she can envision. Trying to identify the one (or ones) to which she’s best suited while also fighting to rescue the multiverse, she jumps back and forth between her various lives and pathways, many of which are chaotic and unpredictable.

Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan
Director: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Year: 2022
Runtime: 132 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

39. The Killer

Chow Yun-Fat and action movie legend John Woo drew the world’s attention when they teamed up for “The Killer.” Chow stars as Jeffrey, a notorious assassin in the Hong Kong Triad’s criminal underworld. He enjoys what he does, but he quits after an innocent nightclub performer becomes a victim of one of his popular songs. To pay for the blinded singer’s eye surgery, he decides to take one more job, but he’s double-crossed and has to partner up with a filthy cop to settle the score—which means a bunch of gun battles shot if they were sequences from a gorgeous art film.

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Kenneth Tsang
Director: John Woo
Year: 1989
Runtime: 110 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

38. La Femme Nikita

It’s common for action films to end with the criminal being arrested and sentenced to a long prison term. “La Femme Nikita” begins there. After killing a police officer in a pharmacy heist and firefight, Parisian girl Nikita is arrested and sentenced to spend the rest of her life in jail. After some time, Nikita wakes up in a strange chamber where she discovers that her death has been faked, and she is now employed by the Center, a federal entity that wants her to be a contract killer. To become the most lethal assassin in Europe, Nikita had to undergo extensive training in guns as well as in hand-to-hand combat and hacking.

Starring: Anne Parillaud, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Jean Reno
Director: Luc Besson
Year: 1990
Runtime: 117 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

37. V for Vendetta

The Wachowskis (“The Matrix”) wrote the screenplay for “V for Vendetta,” which is based on the legendary (and depressing) graphic novel of the same name. In 2028 fascist England, a vigilante is known only as V battles the harsh police and police state in the streets with quick hand-to-hand fighting, donning a cape and a frightening Guy Fawkes mask (perpetrator of a royal assassination attempt in 1605). While on the run from corrupt, violent cops, the two men link up to conduct an all-out revolt against the oppression of the state.

Starring: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, John Hurt
Director: James McTeigue
Year: 2006
Runtime: 132 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%

36. Casino Royale

In “Die Another Day,” the final Bond film starring Pierce Brosnan, the James Bond franchise had devolved into a checklist of the familiar: tuxedos, gadgets, shaken-not-stirred martinis, and a lovely woman in the thankless role of “Completely Interchangeable Bond Girl.”……………………. The time had come for a new take on the classic, and “Casino Royale” delivered. Taking ideas from previous forward-thinking action films of the new millennium, Daniel Craig stepped in to play a younger James Bond. Since Sean Connery started establishing action movie cliches back in the 1960s, this is the best James Bond movie since he was making them himself.

Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen
Director: Martin Campbell
Year: 2006
Runtime: 144 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

35. Baby Driver

When it comes to Edgar Wright’s work, he’s most known for the comedic dramas “Hot Fuzz” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” as well as the action comedies “Shaun of the Dead.” Baby Driver” is his first foray into full-blown action filmmaking, and the outcome is as fast-paced and assured as Baby’s driving.

Elgort portrays the title character, a youthful but very skilled getaway driver who is assigned to drive the getaway car for an undercover crime group. ‘Baby DrivDriver’sreal antics add to the film’s exuberant enjoyment, and the filmmaker’s in-depth knowledge of the film industry informs his confident directing with an eclectic mix of homages and methods borrowed from earlier works. Finally, spectators get all they could poss from both an action and a car movie in the end.

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jamie Foxx
Director: Edgar Wright
Year: 2017
Runtime: 113 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

34. Face/Off

If it hadn’t been directed by John Woo, the famed Hong Kong filmmaker behind such classics as “Hard-Boiled” and “The Killer,” this picture would have been a laughable flop. However, “Face/Off” may be his best effort to date. For Nicolas Cage, it’s the perfect role: Castor Troy, an insane terrorist who tries to kill FBI agent Sean Archer, who is played by John Travolta. Archer then has his face surgically replaced with Castor’s… and then Castor has his replaced with Archer’s. This is done to determine where Castor buried a big bomb. Unlike “Freaky Friday,” this picture is filled with riots, boat chases, and some of the most dramatic shootouts ever seen on film.

Starring: Nicolas Cage, John Travolta, Joan Allen
Director: John Woo
Year: 1997
Runtime: 138 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

33. Guardians of the Galaxy

Because they’re supposed to be wildly entertaining… and sometimes a little ludicrous, comic book movies themselves too seriously, ignoring the point of their source material. To put it simply, “Guardians of the Galaxy” was a comic book movie like no other ever made. A comedy-action adventure in outer space, starring Chris Pratt as the lovable but courageous Peter Quill (or “Star-Lord,” as no one will call him). It’s a hilarious, self-aware blast when you throw in a space prison, telepathic arrow, ’70s rock classics, a foul-mouthed raccoon, a talking tree, space battles, and hand-to-hand bouts.

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista
Director: James Gunn
Year: 2014
Runtime: 121 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

32. True Lies

After an era marked by stone-faced bodybuilders and 80s-style bombast, action movies had come to an end by 1994. For one final ambitious and outrageous hurrah, James Cameron hooked up with the genre’s poster boy, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The result was the most costly film ever shot at the time. As a tribute to crowd-pleasing blockbusters, it’s also an enjoyable blockbuster in its own right.

Harry Tasker, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, appears to be a typical travtravelingesperson, but he’s actuated as a spy. When he learns that his bored wife is considering an affair with another salesman who claims to be a spy (but isn’t), he loses focus on his next task, defeating a nuclear-armed terrorist. Ultimately, Helen is tasked with rescuing Harry, and Schwarzenegger gets to fly a Harrier jet to do it.

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold
Director: James Cameron
Year: 1994
Runtime: 141 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

31. Jurassic Park

A new sub-genre called “no-thriller” was popularised by the first “Jurassic Park” in 1993. Michael Crichton, author of “Jurassic Park,” pioneered these stories, in which technology goes haywire to the terror of the humans who built it. It’s all exciting to see, of course, especially when the technology is cloning dinosaurs and bringing them back to life again. And now, in tamidorrential downpour, these dinosaurs are attempting to kill people by spewing venom at evil guys, chasing children, and tearing apart other dinosaurs. John Williams and Steven Spielberg’s exuberant directing make this a modern gem of popcorn filmmaking.

Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum
Director: Steven Spielberg
Year: 1993
Runtime: 126 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

30. The Professional

Natalie Portman would go on to win an Academy Award for her performance in “The Professional” at the age of 13, which elevated a rote action thriller about hitmen and vengeance into something more memorable. Mathilda, a little girl whose family is murdered by a shady DEA agent, is played by Natalie Portman. With no other options left to him, he seeks solace at the apartment of Leon, the quiet professional assassin who lives in the same building as her. As Mathilda seeks Leon’s assistance in avenging the killings of her family, he not only hides her but also draws her deeper into the criminal underworld.

Starring: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman
Director: Luc Besson
Year: 1994
Runtime: 106 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%

29. King Kong

One of the earliest action pictures and one of the first truly “huge” films, 1933’s “King Kong” had a significant impact on the subsequent slew of blockbuster hits that would follow. This ambitious initial rendition of the story of a giant ape being removed from his island home to be exploited as a curiosity still has remarkable spectacular effects, despite their simplicity. Once enraged, Kong flees up the Empire State Building, swatting at the small jets trying to knock him off his perch. A story about man’s desire to conquer nature but his lack of ability to do so has never been so visually and emotionally taxing.

Starring: Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong
Director: Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
Year: 1933
Runtime: 100 minutes
Rating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

28. The Fugitive

“The Fugitive” is a far more impressive film than it should be. Even though it was based on an outdated TV show, it was made into a spectacular chase movie thanks to its star Harrison Ford and director Andrew Davis. “The Fugitive,” which was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, features two of the most memorable scenes in film history. Kimble (Ford) is canape the prisoner train crash first. In Rhode US Marshal Sam Gerard, Kimble performs a daring jump from a dam, which concludes the film. For his performance as Gerard, Tommy Lee Jones was awarded an Oscar, which is a remarkable achievement in an action film.

Starring: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward
Director: Andrew Davis
Year: 1993
Runtime: 127 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

27. Top Gun

As far as 80s movies go, “Top Gun” is the best of the best. It’s the perfect blend of muscly American patriotism and cocksure males flying military jets, with a self-congratulatory shout at the end of every scene. As Maverick, a flight school student who feels he’s better than his supervisors and classmates, all of whom are just as brazen and brash as he is, Tom Cruise irrevocably elevated himself to the A-list (and with names like Ice, Goose, Merlin, and Viper). After being thrust into an active and sensitive military conflict, Maverick displays his mettle by succeeding in some difficult fly work What makes “Top Gun” one of the greatest action films ever made is that its fast-cutting, stunt plane footage provides the most exhilarating, almost impossible to capture scenes ever placed on the film.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer
Director: Tony Scott
Year: 1986
Runtime: 109 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 58%

26. Black Panther

It was a watershed moment for mainstream American film, an industry that rarely celebrates Africa or makes films with predominantly Black casts, for “Black Panther” to represent a completely different kind of comic book movie, one that was revelatory for its stars and a watershed moment for the Marvel Cinematic Universe / Avengers saga. Stunning Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the awe-inspiring ruler of Wakanda, who returns to the utopian African country against the will of Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). T’Challa must assume the mantle of Black Panther in to end his homeland and his people.

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o
Director: Ryan Coogler
Year: 2018
Runtime: 134 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

25. Mad Max: Fury Road

Reboots rarely work, and even when they do, they fall short of the original’s brilliance. While “Mad Max: Fury Road” expands on the world of “Mad Max” with a nonstop ride across family liar, scary wasteland on cost customized/tank/war machines piloted by deranged, survival-driven nomad warriors, it doesn’t quite live up to the hype. After directing “Mad Max: Fury Road,” George Miller returned to direct “Fury Road,” bringing with him his extensive filmmaking skills and an action film that is both thrilling and moving. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, combined with “Doof Warrior,” a person who stands on a moving car and plays a fire-spouting electric guitar, make this dystopian film’s most unforgettable figure.

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult
Director: George Miller
Year: 2015
Runtime: 120 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

24. Spider-Man

Batman and Superman had many big-budget films made, but the third member of the “most famous superhero club” wasn’t made until 2002. Sam Raimi may have been waiting for CGI technology to advance so that he could make an exciting, delightful, and visceral “Spider-Man,” one with sequences of Tobey Maguire as the friendly neigh neighborhood slinger speeding around New York City’s skyscrapers in such realistic, POV fashion that the audience is dizzy, if not nauseated afteafterwardter Parker’s mild-mannered, geeky teenage photographer persona is fully embraced and presented in “Spider-Man,” making his transformation into Spider-Man—he of the dive-bombs, upside-down kisses in the rain, and knock-knock-down-drag-outs with the villainous Green Goblin—all that more impressive and satisfying.

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst
Director: Sam Raimi
Year: 2002
Runtime: 116 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

23. Hard Boiled

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Philip Chan
Director: John Woo
Year: 1992
Runtime: 126 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

22. The French Connection

Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle is a running machine who never stops. Driving, too. In the name of justice, he could be seen punching, kicking, or knocking a thug to the ground. William Friedkin’s unconventional approach to filmmaking is reflected in his unconventional methods (which may or may not be ethical or legal). Even though “The French Connection” was fast-paced, hard-hitting, fresh, and bloodthirsty, it was named Best Picture at the Academy Awards. No other crim crime-action has ever achieved this feat.

Starring: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider
Director: William Friedkin
Year: 1971
Runtime: 104 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

21. Seven Samurai

During a time when English-speaking audiences paid little attention to foreign cinema, Japanese director Akira Kurosawa won universal acclaim for his stunning, melancholic, poetic, and tautly shot works. It’s also one of his best works, “Seven Samurai.”

In the year 1586, a band of vicious bandits planplansraid a rural Japanese village and snatch the entire harvest from the hands of the farmers. Elder Gisaku suggests hiring seven samurai for protection and defedefenseause their way of life, if not their lives, are in jeopardy. GisaEisakuommends recruiting the most hungry samurai because they are the most likely to put up a fight for the sake of the village. GisaEisakucorrect and Kurosawa’s battle sequences prove it.

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Yoshio Inaba
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Year: 1954
Runtime: 208 minutes
Rating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

20. Goldfinger

There are ski chases, tower fights, and daring gun battles in almost every James Bond film. “007’s” international adventures were first depicted in a major film in the ’60s, with the release of “The Spy Who Loved Me.” Sean Connery’s portrayal of the dapper super spy in “Goldfinger” established many of the best and most familiar tropes of the James Bond franchise. For example, there’s Goldfinger, who’s out to steal all of Fort Knox’s gold so he can use it to further his social gain by upending the global economy. To stop him, James Bond, ever the professional, will use every exciting and explosive tactic in his arsenal.

Starring: Sean Connery, Gert Frobe, Honor Blackman
Director: Guy Hamilton
Year: 1964
Runtime: 112 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

19. The Wild Bunch

Westerns used to be viewed as childish entertainment. The songs of Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and other white-hatted lawmen who thwarted train robberies and horse thieves were beloved by children in the 1930s and 1940s. Sam Peckinpah’s Texas-Mexico border-fight epic “The Wild Bunch” depicts a lawless nightmare world more accurately than the real Old West.

Wild Bunch’s embrace of blood, violence and moral uncertainty was a major influence on later filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino. Men were shot and then they fell to the ground in most of the films released in 1969. Through a series of seemingly never-ending shootouts, “The Wild Bunch” depicted the true costs of violence (and even seemed to celebrate it). (A machine-gun belonging to a warship is in the possession of one man.) As a result, the good guys turned into the bad guys, and the bad guys turned into the good guys.

Starring: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Year: 1969
Runtime: 142 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

18. Enter the Dragon

Bruce Lee’s on-screen martial arts prowess was unparalleled in the late 1960s and early 1970s when he appeared in a handful of films. It was with “Enter the Dragon” in 1973 that he showed us how he could’ve lit up the theatres in new and exciting ways with his martial arts and spy movies. It is also Lee’s final film, which he completed at the age of 32.

To infiltrate Han’s inner circle, the late actor, who was charismatic and endearing, plays the kung fu master Lee. Han is a master criminal and martial artist who also trained at the same monastery. In a martial arts tournament, both Lee and Han will meet, but Lee takes a dark turn when he learns that Han’s foot soldiers killed his sister.

Starring: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly
Director: Robert Clouse
Year: 1973
Runtime: 99 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

17. Train to Busan

A zombie movie, “Train to Busan” isn’t entirely a horror movie. Instead of the usual bad guys trying to take down the good guys, the bad guys in this film are flesh-eating zombies, as seen in so many classic action films. Because “Train to Busan” depicts the early stages of a zombie outbreak and takes place on a train, Seok Woo (Gong Yoo) and his daughter, as well as the many other characters, have little to no chance of escaping. That’s a recipe for a tense, exhilarating action movie, right there.

Starring: Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Choi Woo-sik
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Year: 2016
Runtime: 118 minutes
Rating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

http://dartechmedia.com/

16. John Wick

The plot of “John Wick” isn’t typical of ultra-violent revenge films, but that’s part of what makes it so daringly different. When his wife died, assassin John Wick adopted a cute dog named Daisy and drove around in his classic Ford Mustang to fill the void in his life. When it comes to action movies, there’s almost always a sick car. As soon as Wick rejects a Russian mobster’s offer to buy his car, the gangster’s henchmen follow him home, knock him out, steal the vehicle, and murder Daisy. The pursuit of vengeance leads Wick back into the seedy underbelly of orgaorganizedme and into a series of tense gunfights and brawls that take place in a variety of locations, including bars, church services, and safe houses, docks, and more.

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe
Director: Chad Stahelski
Year: 2014
Runtime: 101 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

15. The Bourne Identity

At a time when the James Bond series was stumbling through a period of stale and lazy clichés, a refreshingly modern and entirely American spy film appeared in 2002, reflecting the more current geopolitical environment. In other words, it’s “The Bourne Identity.”

What’s next for the world as the Cold War era faded into the past? That question was answered by Matt Damon’s ultra-trained super warrior who doesn’t know his but knows he’s a formidable fighter. The audience rarely knows more than Jason Bourne does because of the paranoid, shaky camerawork and urgent pace established by director Doug Liman, and as a result, they never quite get a breath either.

Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper
Director: Doug Liman
Year: 2002
Runtime: 113 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

14. Run Lola Run

“Run Lola Run” is a well-known name for a film, so viewers know what they’re in for when they watch it. There are a lot of Lolas running around in this inventive film that is told in real-real-time something that the protagonist does not have nearly enough of this inventive film that is told in real-real-time, Lola’s criminal boyfriend, left 100,000 Deutschmarks on the subway platform in a moment of panic when delivering the money. If he doesn’t replace the money within 20 minutes, his boss will kill him. In oTo the money to Manni, Lola is off and running, trying every scheme she can think of. Some of Lola’s plans fail, and the action is reset to the beginning, where Lola has another chance, just like in a video game.

Starring: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup
Director: Tom Tykwer
Year: 1998
Runtime: 81 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

13. Kill Bill

Tarantino’s two-part revenge epic “Kill Bill” revolves around an almost superhumanly talented and relentlessly focused heroine, but with just enough flaws and human motivation to make the audience root for her. For years, the Bride has been searching for the members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, who left her for dead the  (and unconscious) in a lake of blood. To find the gang’s leader, her ex-lover Bill, the Bride must first defeat each of her foes in a series of intricately choreographed fight scenes that could easily fill an entire action movie. However, “Kill Bill” is jam-packed with them, from Vernita Green’s suburban home battle to O-Ren Ishii’s acrobatic melee in Japan to Bill’s final down.

Starring: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Lucy Liu
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Year: 2003, 2004
Runtime: 247 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85% and 84%

12. Lethal Weapon

Roger Murtaugh is “getting too old for this crap,” while Martin Riggs is “look se cannon who doesn’t play by any set of rules,” a mismatched pair of detectives. Every other cop movie and TV show before and after “Lethal Weapon” used this formula, but Gibson’s chemistry with Danny Glover, a reactive audience surrogate, makes it work. That, and the film’s plot, which is largely based on dark humohumorver goes where the audience expects. Just because Riggs is in the middle of a drug bust doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about getting caught in the crossfire or getting injured by jumping off a ledge with a guy instead of talking him down. This kind of s*** is never boring.

Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey
Director: Richard Donner
Year: 1987
Runtime: 109 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

11. The Warriors

It’s rare for an urban gang war action film to conjure up memories of Greek epics studied in high school literature classes, but “The Warriors” does so with ease. One terrifying night is chronicled in “The Warriors” as members of the titular Coney Island gang make their way to an enormous, late-night criminal summit… which devolves into chaos when a messianic leader is assassinated. Mistaken for the culprits, Warriors must navigate hostile territory that is aggressively defended by New York’s many other hoodlum groups, many of them unique in appearance, such as the leather-clad Rogues, the purple-vest and fedora-wearing Boppers, and the clown makeup and pinstripe-sporting Baseball Furies, all of whom are armed and dangerous.

Starring: Michael Beck, James Remar, Lynne Thigpen
Director: Walter Hill
Year: 1979
Runtime: 90 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

10. Kung Fu Hustle

Who would have thought they could make an entertaining live-action cartoon that also had nonstop kicking and punching and intricately choreographed fight scenes? Well, then, “Kung Fu Hustle” would be an irresistible movie.

This dazzling and dizzying action epic, set in 1940s China, is directed, co-written by, and stars Chinese superstar Stephen Chow. Chow’s character, Sing, is desperate to join the Axe Gang and is willing to engage in criminal activities such as fighting and killing in too. When he tries to rob an apartment building where many of the residents are skilled in aerial kung fu, things get interesting. However, Sing’s group is equally adept at ax-based fighting and other martial arts, leading to some spectacular showdowns for the audience. Fortunately,

Starring: Stephen Chow, Yuen Qiu, Siu-Lung Leung
Director: Stephen Chow
Year: 2004
Runtime: 99 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

9. Terminator 2: Judgment Day

As a sequel, “Terminator 2” cost more than any other film ever made. It’s all up there on the screen, and that glimmer fits the story’s plot and mood, which involves time-traveling robots killing and rescuing John Connor, the human race’s hoped-for savior in the future. The high-speed motorcycle chase with a semi-truck and shotguns is particularly well-executed. How do you feel every time that evil Terminator is born from a puddle of liquid metal? Even after 30 years, it’s still hip and impressive. People who don’t like action movies can appreciate this film because of the brilliant pacing of director James Cameron—action, pause, escalation, pause, climax. It’s all of that, plus the high stakes (that kid had to save humanity), and the fact that by the end of the film, we’re all in tears over the friendship between a boy and robot with sunglasses, that makes for an epic blockbuster.

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong
Director: James Cameron
Year: 1991
Runtime: 136 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

8. The Terminator

James Cameron’s breakout film, the original “Terminator,” is a gritty ’80s action film with a time-travel/alternative futures plot, but the second “Terminator” is a groundbreaking science fiction film with cutting-edge special effects and a brain-disturbing time travel/alternative futures plot. There are many Arnold Schwarzenegger films to come, but few can compare to this sci-fi actioner starring the actor. Schwarzenegger debuts as a cyborg masquerading as a human for the first time in a series of appearances. To kill Sarah Connor before her son, John — the future leader of the human resistance to an A.I. uprising — can even be born, he’s sent back in time from 2029 to 1984. A seemingly unstoppable killing machine has Sarah and her human protector, Kyle Reese, on the run in the blisteringly fast-paced “Terminator.”

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn
Director: James Cameron
Year: 1984
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

7. Jaws

Steven Spielberg became a household name thanks to “Jaws,” the first film in the popular, thrill-packed, summer blockbuster genre. When Jaws first came out, it was the highlight-grossing of all time. DespEven though it” is filled with almost overwhelming dread when the titular shark isn’t attacking beachgoers or grizzled boat-borne shark hunters, the attack sequences are expertly shot, utterly terrifying, and completely surprising. (It’sJohn Williams’ iconic, two-note musical motif may barge part of this). Viewers are riveted throughout “Jaws,” whether there is blood in the water, an animal devouring ships, or a mayor telling beachgoers that they don’t need to be concerned.

Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw
Director: Steven Spielberg
Year: 1975
Runtime: 124 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

6. The Matrix

Never before had a philosophy class in college been so enlightening. In “The Matrix,” the central conceit of the film was that there is no purpose to human life other than to be exploited as energy. Neo is free to decide whether or not he is comfortable with that or if he wishes to pursue a higher existence of his own accord. As far as multiplex fare, “The Matrix” has a lot of gimmicks, like the subway kung fu battle between Neo and the villainous Agent Smith, as well as that innovative “bullet time” sequence, which seemed to bend the very nature of time. The movie’s edgy themes were accentuated by the awe-inspiring sight of someone contorting their body around or even stopping bullets.

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
Director: Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski
Year: 1999
Runtime: 136 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

5. The Dark Knight

There are three films in Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy, but “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight Rises” represent the culmination of Bruce Wayne’s rise and training in “Batman Begins.” Indeed, “The Dark Knight” is one of the greatest superhero films ever made, with a tone that perfectly reflects the character and faithfulness to the comics on which it is based. Christian Bale’s performance as Harvey Dent, who goes off the rails in the Batmobile, and Heath Ledger’s chilling and unforgettable performance as the not-at-all-funny Joker makes this more of a psychological drama than a superhero movie (while also blowing stuff up real good).

Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart
Director: Christopher Nolan
Year: 2008
Runtime: 152 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

4. Raiders of the Lost Ark

Director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas grew up watching action and adventure serials like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in the 1950s. But the truth is, many of those films weren’t all that great. “Raiders,” on the other hand, completely eclipses its predecessors as a near-perfect film. The action sequences, such as the infamous boulder chase, the whip-vs.-gunfight, and the airplane fight sequence, feel like they were meticulously staged for maximum impact. Plus, the face of a man melts away.) Even after a hundred viewings, “Raiders” is still pure fun from start to finish.

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
Director: Steven Spielberg
Year: 1981
Runtime: 115 minutes
Rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

3. Speed

With huge budgets, action movies of the mid-’90s were dying of their weight because of their lack of depth or character. “Speed,” Jan de Bont’s fat-trimmed, all-killer-no-filler thrill ride, was then released. A bomb on board a Los Angeles city bus will detonate if it slows down to less than 50 mph. The plot of “Speed” necessitates nonstop action and breaks with convention to provide plenty of surprises (one of the lead actors dies early on). However, “Speed” also has a lot of humanity to it. People from all walks of life are thrown together on a city bus on a daily they form a cohesive team to overcome the obstacles they face. However, there are also a lot of explosions, buses leaping over chasms, and death-defying leaps, along with a star-making performance by Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves as a newly minted action hero.

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper
Director: Jan de Bont
Year: 1994
Runtime: 115 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

It’s like “Gone With the Wind” but everyone has supernatural martial arts fighting abilities, and the way they fight is more technically perfect, and beautiful than the greatest ballet performance ever. Ang Lee, who directed the film, and its star cast, which included Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen, made it one of the most visually stunning and emotionally stirring films ever made.

The action, however, is missing. For example, the fight between a gang of fighters and one young woman in an eatery, as well as the near-wordless battle on a treetop, are both fantastic martial arts sequences. However, in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” special effects are only used to enhance or enhance the preternatural abilities already captured on film.

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi
Director: Ang Lee
Year: 2000
Runtime: 120 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

1. Die Hard

Die Hard’s success is partly due to the film’s cinematic context. Stiflingly macho men with boulder-sized hands and machine guns were the norm in action films of that era, never flinching at the sheer power of their masculinity. Bruce Willis is a relatively average-sized, normal guy in “Die Hard,” which has Bruce Willis almost single-handedly thwarting a terrorist plot to save Christmas in the movie. Even though Willis, then known for the TV detective dramedy “Moonlighting,” was charismatic, let’s not forget that “Die Hard” gave us Alan Rickman’s breakout performance as Hans Gruber, one of the all-time great movie villains. Yippie-kay-yay.

Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia
Director: John McTiernan
Year: 1988
Runtime: 131 minutes
Rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

Read Also:-

• Horror fans will love movies like Gerald’s Game!
• Lane Kiffin: Tells Deion Sanders to Stop Bothering Nick Saban After Alabama Football Coach’s Jackson State Comment!