One of the most remarkable things about action films is that they never get old. Whether massive car chases, extreme hand-to-hand combat, or gunfights with flying bullets, action movies are meant to entertain. The evolution of the genre has proven that films have gotten bigger and more explosive, but we must also honor the films that influenced today’s hits.
The further you extend the timespan, the larger pool of classics has the opportunity to be discussed alongside modern blockbusters. Over the last 80 years, the ten films on this list are among the greatest and most influential. From later-in-the-franchise entries to franchise starters, incredible fight styles to game-changing technology, these movies are exceptional masterpieces.
10
‘Hard-Boiled’ (1992)
Thanks to a film we’ll discuss later on this list, Hong Kong action films continued to gain mainstream traction in Hollywood. One such film was 1992’s Hard-Boiled. Directed by John Woo, the film sees Chow Yun-fat as Tequila, a hard-boiled, clarinet-playing police inspector, whose pursuit of a violent Triad syndicate draws him into a dangerous operation involving an undercover officer working deep within the criminal organization. Together with undercover agent Tony (Tony Leung), they set out to bring down one of the most notorious gangs in Hong Kong’s underworld.
With Woo’s signature “gun fu” choreography, intense practical effects, and unparalleled, balletic shootouts, Hard-Boiled shifted the desire for more brilliant overseas imports. From a directorial perspective, Hard-Boiled is tremendously plotted. The film relied on incredible, large-scale, practical, in-camera explosions and stunts that led to the iconic, unique aesthetic known as “bullet ballet.” Even with nonstop action, every beat is precisely curated, including the 30-minute, intensely choreographed finale in a hospital, with a baby in hand. If you’re eager for unrelenting action, Hard-Boiled goes above and beyond. In both Hong Kong and Hollywood, Woo has had a storied career, but Hard-Boiled may stand atop as his premier action flick.
9
‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
The Mission: Impossible franchise has always been beloved, but it truly reached its peak with the sixth film, Mission: Impossible – Fallout. The Christopher McQuarrie-directed film follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team as they race against time to prevent the Apostles, a terrorist group led by the mysterious “John Lark,” from detonating stolen plutonium cores that would trigger nuclear destruction. As the race intensifies, Hunt’s loyalty is called into question by the CIA after a mission goes awry, forcing him to confront his past and a familiar enemy.
Mission: Impossible — Fallout was an extraordinary evolution, pitting the old guard against the new generation, with Cruise facing off against Henry Cavill. Underneath the action was a story about morality and sacrifice, and what has made Hunt a brilliant character is his mission never to sacrifice lives unnecessarily. As time goes by, the stronger Hunt’s moral compass evolves, making him an even more dynamic hero. If you ask Cruise, he’d likely play Hunt for decades more, but by acknowledging both the actor’s and the character’s aging, the story remained plausible without compromising reality. The franchise had always influenced the action genre, but Mission: Impossible – Fallout raised the bar for modern filmmaking.
8
‘Die Hard’ (1988)
Die Hard is probably your dad’s favorite film. It’s also very likely that they believe it’s 100% a Christmas movie. From experience with my own dad, it was his favorite movie, and he watched it every Christmas…in addition to any time it was on cable. Directed by John McTiernan, based on the novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp, the film follows New York City police detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) as he becomes entangled in a terrorist plot to seize control of a Los Angeles skyscraper during a Christmas Eve party.
Helping to redefine the genre, Die Hard became a beloved film thanks to the everyman character Willis played, especially against one of the most recognizable villains, Alan Rickman‘s Hans Gruber. A franchise-launching debut film, Die Hard is an exciting thriller that strikes a strong balance of humor, suspense, and nonstop action, culminating in a high-stakes situation. The action is primarily contained within the Nakatomi Plaza building, which adds a claustrophobic element of tension — there’s no wide-open field to fight in. Through smart pacing and genre-blending, Die Hard goes beyond the typical action flick, as the addition of romance and comedy provides a fulfilling experience.
7
‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991)
The Terminator said, “I’ll be back,” and he was right. After James Cameron’s The Terminator took the world by storm, a sequel was necessary. In Terminator 2: Judgment Day, a reprogrammed cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent back in time to protect 10-year-old John Connor (Edward Furlong), the future leader of the human resistance, from a superior, liquid-metal T-1000 terminator (Robert Patrick). They fight to prevent “Judgment Day,” the future rise of machines, while escaping the T-1000 and navigating Sarah Connor’s (Linda Hamilton) fight against the AI threat.
Well ahead of its time, Terminator 2: Judgment Day took the allure of the first film and turned it into an action masterpiece. The introduction of John Connor continues to build the mythology of the universe, but the film’s greatest asset was the evolution of Sarah Connor. Once a victim, she became a combat-ready warrior in the sequel, one of the greatest character arcs in any major action franchise. Beyond the bangs and the booms, Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a film about humanity, the value of life, and the moral implications of Artificial Intelligence. But those who are going for those bangs and booms will be thrilled by the upgrade in special effects, with the film ushering in the transition from practical effects to reliance on CGI.
6
‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)
Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on a story by George Lucas, Raiders of the Lost Ark influenced the entire decade of action capers. In 1936, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is hired by the US government to find the biblical Ark of the Covenant before Nazi forces can obtain its immense power. Racing around the world, from South America to Nepal and Egypt, Indy is on a mission to outsmart Nazi agents and his rival, René Belloq (Paul Freeman).
With a charismatic actor in the lead, iconic practical stunts, and a strong mix of thriller, humor, and romance, Raiders of the Lost Ark created a timeless adventure that audiences were eager to join. Lighthearted and action-packed, it brought an old-school charm with a modern filmmaking sensibility. Spielberg’s ability to unite a robust backdrop with iconic stunts and a recognizable theme from John Williams contributed to the success and desire for more. Both vulnerable and tough, Indy wasn’t bulletproof, making him a more accessible character.
5
‘John Wick’ (2014)
It’s safe to say that when you employ Keanu Reeves for an action film, it’s going to be something extraordinary. As one of the greatest action stars in cinema history, Reeves was in need of a 21st-century resurgence. Then came John Wick, and the franchise-starting magic touch began again. Directed by Chad Stahelski, John Wick follows the legendary retired hitman as he’s pulled back into the criminal underworld after sadistic mobster Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) steals his car and kills the puppy his recently deceased wife gave him. John unleashes the remorseless killing machine within and sparks a relentless quest for vengeance that uncovers the secret world of assassins and their strict rules.
At first, John Wick was a little film that could. With Reeves on board, the film garnered more attention and marked a triumphant return to form for the actor. With strong material and a bold vision around him, Reeves helped to amplify the action genre again. As a clean, kinetic picture, John Wick benefited from viral word-of-mouth, helping propel it to the peak of contemporary action films. Though you could argue that the subsequent Wick films might be stronger, those sequels wouldn’t exist without the original.
4
‘Seven Samurai’ (1954)
Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai is one of the most influential action films ever made. To earn the title of a masterpiece that goes beyond the basics of the work itself, it must be evocative enough that its inspiration can point back to the piece. In the world of Japanese action films, all roads lead back to it. The film transports audiences to the Sengoku period of Japanese history, telling the story of a village of desperate farmers who hire a samurai to combat bandits who return after the harvest to steal their crops.
Tackling themes of honor, duty, class, and camaraderie, the action-packed film is rooted in a rich and profound human drama. Unfolding over three parts — the recruitment, the training, and the battle against the bandits — Seven Samurai is filled with deep character development and intense emotional stakes. It doesn’t rely on relentless fight sequences, but rather earns the moments, especially through the epic, rain-soaking showdown. Kurosawa’s directorial techniques and style were profound for the time. Without Seven Samurai, we likely wouldn’t even have epic team-up films like The Avengers. As I said, all roads lead back to it.
3
‘The Matrix’ (1999)
The 20th century ended extraordinarily, thanks to the Wachowskis‘ career-defining film, The Matrix. To kick off the franchise, computer hacker Neo (Keanu Reeves) discovers that the world he knows is a simulated reality created by sentient machines to keep humanity docile while harvesting them for bioelectric power. He joins rebels led by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) to fight the machines, learning to manipulate the simulation’s rules to gain superhuman abilities and uncover the truth.
Utilizing classic Hong Kong-style martial arts and groundbreaking bullet-time visual effects, The Matrix reshaped blockbuster action films forever. It established a unique visual identity that evokes certain images when you think of the film. With heavy influence from Hong Kong cinema, the cyberpunk classic introduced a new sense of imagery and aesthetic to mainstream Hollywood films. The Matrix honored an Eastern art form for a Western film remarkably well, weaving philosophical sci-fi themes into its fabric. Setting the bar astronomically high, this bingeable franchise ignited a desire for fresh blockbusters in the 21st century.
2
‘Enter the Dragon’ (1973)
There has never been a more influential martial arts action star than Bruce Lee, and there has never been a more influential martial arts film than Enter the Dragon. Directed by Robert Clouse, the legend stars as Lee, a Shaolin fighter recruited by intelligence agents to infiltrate a high-stakes, invitation-only tournament on a private island. The goal is to gather evidence against the host, Han (Shih Kien), a renegade monk running a drug trafficking and prostitution ring, while Lee also seeks to avenge his sister’s death.
Remembered as Lee’s final on-screen appearance before his death, Enter the Dragon tackled themes of justice, vengeance, and racial harmony. It proudly showcased Lee’s unprecedented charisma, speed, and “fight without fighting” philosophy in his first Hollywood blockbuster and forged a revolution in the world of fight choreography. Helping the realism of the fight sequences were the practical sound effects. Perhaps a tad on the gruesome side, the visceral reactions set a standard for crafting future scenes. The film was a fusion of intense kung fu action with elements of an espionage spy thriller. An influential action film since its release, Enter the Dragon still shows elements of its influence in media today.
1
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
The original run of the Mad Max films was synonymous with the ’80s. George Miller crafted his iconic franchise by building a post-apocalyptic dystopia meant to be timeless, yet the production was constrained by the decade. So, what would happen if Miller made a Mad Max film with a massive budget in the 21st century? Perfection. Mad Max: Fury Road, the fourth installment in the franchise, had the opportunity to utilize enhanced cinema technology, proving it was exactly what we were missing. In this film, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) joins forces with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) against warlord Immortan (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and his army.
Setting out on a large-spanning road battle in the desert wasteland where petrol and water are scarce commodities, Mad Max: Fury Road is a relentless thrill ride that keeps your heart racing from start to finish. Bringing the same themes and elements from the original run, it maximized the action to levels unfathomable. One of the most visually extraordinary films, Mad Max: Fury Road illustrated how to tell a story in motion. Yes, there is a plot with clear and present objectives, but we come to the film for the explosive action and the visceral, immersive experience. Miller makes you feel as if you’ve stepped into this exuberant environment of dust, sand, and road rage.
