Greetings, reader!
Well, it's about time that I listed the all-time best movies from cinema's best-known genres. First up in this multi-week series is action. Ranking the best movies of a certain genre is a challenge, as you have to balance overall cinematic value with within-the-genre value. For example, I could've made this list 100% based on how good the actual action in the film is, but that would feel wrong - 2022's The Gray Man has better-directed action than many Hollywood action classics, but it falls short as movie otherwise, so it's hard to consider it one of the greats. On the other end of the spectrum, I could just rank these purely as movies, but that also has its problem - action is arguably one of the many genres of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which is one of the best movies ever made, but it would feel wrong to rank that at #1 (as well-directed as its action sequences are, that isn't what the movie is inherently about).
So, I went for a middle-of-the-road balance, with overall cinematic value and the action element both playing a part in how the films are ranked, but emphasizing the action enough to make the final product look like a proper ranking of how good these films are as action movies. I hope you enjoy!
Here are my honorable mentions: Fast Five (2011), First Blood (1982), Predator (1987), The Bourne Identity (2002), The Terminator (1984).
15. Heat (1995)
Here's how good Michael Mann's Heat is - the action isn't even the best thing about it, and it still makes my all-time top 15 action flicks. Indeed, while the film's strongest element is merely the gravitas of bringing Robert De Niro and Al Pacino together (they hadn't starred together in a film before this), and casting them as the most ultimate cops-and-robbers narrative, one must remember that no matter how much the dialogue-heavy diner sequence is the film's best moment, the various action sequences don't follow far behind it.
Throughout the film, Mann treats us to some suspenseful heist sequences, a classy final showdown, and a shootout sequence so intense that well-made shootout sequences in post-1995 cinema have often been referred to as "reminiscient of that scene from Heat".
14. Casino Royale (2006)
I initially considered a one-movie-per-franchise cap for today's list, as to make the list more diverse, but the James Bond franchise was the biggest argument not to do so, as multiple of its films deserve to be in the top 15 for slightly differing reasons. The 007 franchise is to action cinema what Miles Davis is to jazz music, as in staying relevant for such a long period of time that it helped define multiple eras and cultural shifts within the genre. Hey, the comparison works - the Connery era is Davis' hard bop phase, the Moore era is his cool jazz phase, the Dalton/Brosnan years are his modal jazz phase - and the Craig era is the fusion phase.
Daniel Craig's 007 movies are the franchise's answer to modern action cinema, and one that especially delivers the goods is his debut, Casino Royale. From the classy and intense construction site opening set-piece, it becomes clear that Martin Campbell has a clear and determined vision on what kind of action he's going for, and the rest of the film rides that high with brilliant pacing. The film isn't as action-heavy as some Bond flicks, but it utilizes the genre in just the right way, as most of the action sequences feel like big payoffs after a while of dialogue and build-up.
13. The Fugitive (1993)
Andrew Davis' The Fugitive is one of those films that there are many like it, but this one is simply better than its counterparts. The relatively simple premise of 'man wrongly accused of a crime goes rogue to prove who really did it' finds its full potential in a way that many action thriller pitches can only dream of, with every escape sequence, close call and confrontation just being so good. The pacing is just right, Harrison Ford is a badass, and it all just rolls very smoothly making for one of the more exciting films in modern cinema.
12. Aliens (1986)
Oh, hell yeah. These days, it is almost trendy to make sequels that switch up the genre from the original, but back in the 80's, this was a revolutionary move. I don't know who had the idea to follow up on Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), one of the greatest horror movies of all time and a pure blend of science fiction and horror, with a James Cameron -directed flick that ditches the horror in lieu of blockbuster action, but whoever it was took a huge risk that completely paid off.
Aliens is widely considered one of the best sequels in Hollywood history, and a movie every bit as important for the trajectory of the action genre as its predecessor was for the horror genre. Cameron takes the plot concepts that were used for creepy, eerily built suspense in the first film, and torches them on fire with his action cinema touch, making for an entertaining and badass film that does not leave you cold.
11. Inception (2010)
This one is hard to rank merely as an action flick, as it is first and foremost a masterpiece of science fiction (and a masterclass in clever, suspenseful storytelling). However, the action element of Christopher Nolan's arguably best film cannot be understated - in the very best cases of the sci-fi and action genres working together, you get creative action sequences that differ from everything else due to how they utilize the film's sci-fi premise, and that is what you get with Inception.
A large part of the film takes place within peoples' dreams, and with the heist flick antics required by the plot, this leads to multiple action set pieces where the laws of physics are completely out of whack, making for some truly imaginative and visually striking chase scenes, hand-to-hand combat and other action shenanigans like you've never seen them before. Another Nolan flick where the sci-fi premise is utilized for an unforeseen type of creative action is Tenet, which barely missed today's list but is definitely worth checking out as well.
10. Live and Let Die (1973)
And back to the Bond flicks! Live and Let Die is the debut 007 adventure of the late great Roger Moore, and it is a brilliant testament to the spy action conventions of its time. The fast-paced plot keeps the viewer entertained and excited with ease, the corny feel makes the viewing experience light (while I do appreciate darker and grittier action cinema, I have at least an equal amount of respect for the more fun-oriented wing of the genre), and the action itself is a blast - we get chase sequences on land, in the air and in the water, giving us the full 70's James Bond bingo.
9. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Quentin Tarantino divides opinion on many fronts, but one thing we can all agree on is his knack for entertaining, carefully choreographed and shockingly graphic action sequences. While even the less action-oriented films of his are likely to have one or two scenes where the director shows off his skill with large-scale action set pieces, there's no getting past that the first Kill Bill movie is the best example.
It's actually one of my least favorite Tarantino films as a whole, but with the action itself being as legendary as it is, I can't help but praise it on a list like this. That final sequence of mayhem is one of the peak achievements in the history of violence in cinema.
8. The Matrix (1999)
So, basically what I said about Inception, but to an even more epic degree. In The Matrix, the Wachowski sisters do a spectacular job utilizing the wild sci-fi premise and their martial arts knowledge for some of the most creative, groundbreaking and memorable action seen in the genre. The vibrant settings, the bent laws of physics, the kung fu and the slo-mo (among other iconic style choices) make for a unique mixture that will forever make this movie stand out of the crowd. Classic, classic stuff.
7. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Action isn't even this one's primary genre - I'll probably do a "Top 15 adventure films of all time" in the near weeks, and I reckon the first Indiana Jones flick will rank even higher on that one. But, even though it's an adventure flick first and foremost, let's be real - sequences like Indy escaping the booby-trapped temple, the desert truck chase and the fight with the mechanic are more than enough to land the film in here as well. The genres of action and adventure often go hand in hand, and Raiders is a prime example, giving us one thrilling set piece after another.
6. Speed (1994)
Here we have a case where the film's cinematic merit alone wouldn't land it on too many all-time lists, but purely as an action movie, it's one of the greats. My exact thoughts are hard to describe, because it's not even a case of the action scenes being particularly well-done (they do the job for sure, but Jan de Bont is no James Cameron), but rather a case of every element of the film serving the requirements of the genre to the utmost degree - Speed is clearly more concerned with being a great action movie than with being a great movie, and therefore is one of the all-time best options to choose if you're specifically in the mood for a good action flick.
The plot is paced with perfection, the premise is sure to keep viewers in suspense, and Dennis Hopper's villain is a great counterpart to Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock as the heroes. Speed is entertaining, badass, and one of the most pure action flicks out there.
5. Seven Samurai (1954)
Action cinema, in some form, has existed since the 1920's (or arguably the 1910's, depending on who you ask and what they think about The Vagabond). It took a long time to improve, however, as earlier audiences were naturally easy to impress so just a shot of a man running at a fairly high speed was bound to be seen as the Mad Max: Fury Road of its time. There are many movies that could be argued to be 'the first truly great action film', but I reckon that if you asked that question from a hundred cinephiles, no one title would come up as much as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.
The influence this film had on the genre, both within Japanese cinema and internationally, cannot be understated. It is not only its influence that lands it in my top five, however: it is also just a really solid viewing experience, and astonishing in relation to the time of its release. It's probably the first-ever action flick that doesn't feel too dated and boring to modern sensibilities - the plot is exciting and engaging enough to keep the viewer's attention, and while the action scenes obviously aren't working with the same resources you see in today's cinema, Kurosawa was miraculously effective with what he had at his disposal, so much so that the fight sequences still hold up.
4. GoldenEye (1995)
For me, Pierce Brosnan's debut James Bond film is the sweet spot not only for the franchise as a whole, but also for the twenty-five individual 007 flicks as representatives of the action genre. The action itself, envisioned and put to fruition by director Martin Campbell, is less campy than in previous instalments, but still not as bound by realities (such as the laws of physics) as the action would go on to be in the Daniel Craig era.
This makes for chases and fights that are outlandish enough, while still having a fresh feel of excitement and actual danger when contrasted to what came earlier. The plot also serves the genre's conventions well, as does Brosnan's charming yet badass lead performance. This may not be the most influential Bond film for the action genre, but in my subjective opinion, it fulfills and even perfects the franchise's spy-action potential more than any other.
3. Top Gun (1986)
"I feel the need - the need for speed!"
Yeah, this is the stuff. With its banging soundtrack, badass characters and performances, hammy dialogue and cool-as-fuck action sequences, this aviation flick is one for the ages. I have a nostalgic fondness for Top Gun, having watched it for the first few times at such a young age that my dad would skillfully skip a certain sad death scene on the DVD as not to traumatize us. It's among the very first action films I remember seeing and liking, so my relationship to the entire genre is very linked to this movie.
Additionally, I find it impressive how a film about fighter pilots and the U.S. Navy can make even a stone-cold pacifist like myself go "HELL YEAH" and pump my fist. That's the power of cinema right there.
2. Die Hard (1988)
I'm guessing that if you asked a hundred different people to say the first film to come to mind from 'action movie', no individual film would be mentioned as many times as Die Hard. And there's a good reason for that - John McTiernan's late 80's masterpiece is pretty synonymous with the genre. The premise is relatively simple, but everything that a conventional action flick can do is done to maximum effect - the hero (Bruce Willis as John McClane) is a total badass, the villain (Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber) is one of Hollywood's finest, the pacing leaves absolutely no room for improvement, the suspense is off the charts, the action sequences are directed with aplomb, and the final act is pure adrenaline. This right here is the gold standard.
But it's still not at #1, and that's because of...
1. Terminator II: Judgment Day (1991)
Here we have it: the perfect action film. And the best of its kind. While the original Terminator is enough of a stone-cold action classic in its own right, the probably most-agreed-upon case of "sequel better than the original" in cinematic history kicks everything up a notch. James Cameron already had one of the best-ever films in the genre with the first Terminator, and then he somehow managed to make everything in it work even better for the sequel.
Oh, you think the theme song and score to the first film were suspenseful and intense? Well, the arrangement here is an earth-scorching expansion of that. Oh, you think Schwazenegger was awesome as the villain? Well, he's even more badass when revamped as a hero, while Robert Patrick's T-1000 shatters your expectations of villainhood. Oh, you think Linda Hamilton kicked ass as Sarah Connor in the first one? Well, this time, the character has spent years preparing, gives less fucks, and has a son to protect, so it's all up to eleven. As for the action scenes? Great just on their own as showcases of Cameron's directing talent, and absolute perfection when put into the context of the film's high-stakes plot and riveting pace. The crown jewel of the action genre.
Thank you for reading! My rankings of the best films from various genres continues next week with the top 15 adventure films of all time.
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