The 80s and 90s were the golden age for action movies. We had stars like Arnold, Keanu, Cruise, Harrison, Seagal, Stallone, and so many more! But which ones are the best? It's time to vote!
1 The Matrix v 16 F/X
Unquestionably one of the most influential movies ever made, The Matrix completely reinvented how we think about filmmaking and about reality. The “bullet time” technology created for the movie has become ubiquitous in action films. And can we really be sure that we aren’t living in a simulation now?
In the world before CGI, movie special effects were an art form. So why wouldn’t the FBI hire an F/X master to stage the murder of a gangster entering the Witness Protection Program. And what could go wrong? Yes, it’s dated, but it’s a nostalgic treat.
8 Missing in Action v 9 Air Force One
Go ahead and insert your favorite Chuck Norris joke - this is where the legend began. No, it wasn't his first movie, but it is where we figured out that he was bulletproof. As Colonel James Braddock, Chuck led a mission into the jungles of Vietnam to rescue his men from a POW camp.
Harrison Ford faces off against Gary Oldman in this film about the hijacking of the president’s airplane. After hiding in the cargo hold when Russian hijackers take control of Air Force One, President Marshall must find a way to rescue the hostages, including his family, before a terrorist is released.
5 The Fugitive v 12 Desperado
Harrison Ford stars as Dr. Richard Kimble, the man falsely accused of the murder of his wife. Kimble hunts for the elusive “one-armed man” and is, in turn, hunted by FBI Agent Tommy Lee Jones. One of the few films in this bracket that can be described as “Oscar-winning,” The Fugitive was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture. But it was the star turn for Jones that took home the golden statue. This movie took Jones, a respected actor at that point, and turned him into an icon.
Antonio Banderas and Robert Rodriguez make the perfect pair in this action flick about a hero named El Mariachi who returns to his hometown to take down the local drug lord. And while Antonio is fantastic, this is the movie that put Salma Hayek on the map.
4 The Hunt for Red October v 13 Jurassic Park
When a Soviet submarine captain (Sean Connery) decides to defect to the United States, it is up to Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) to interpret his intentions and rescue the crew before an international incident occurs. The all-star cast also includes Tim Curry, James Earl Jones, Sam Neill, and Stellan Skarsgård.
You can just hear Richard Attenborough: “Welcome to Jurassic Park.” This Oscar-winner is so iconic now that it’s easy to forget how jaw-dropping its pioneering effects were in ’93, and how nail-biting the relentless action was.
6 Predator v 11 Big Trouble in Little China
What starts as a simple action movie about soldiers on a rescue mission takes a sci-fi turn as the soldiers are hunted by.... something. This movie would turn into a franchise with seven movies (including two crossovers with Aliens). And with a cast including Arnold, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura, Predator is a bona fide classic. The director, John McTiernan, would go on the next year to created another important film on this list - Die Hard.
How to describe Big Trouble in Little China… oh boy. Basically, Kurt Russell plays a trucker who finds himself caught up in the underworld of San Francisco’s Chinatown, where a powerful sorcerer rules with cruelty and horror. But Kurt Russell has guns, gumption, and a girl to save. Kim Cattrall stars as the damsel in distress, and James Hong (simply the most prolific actor of all time) stars as the bad guy.
3 The Road Warrior v 14 Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
George Miller’s legendary follow-up to the groundbreaking Mad Max introduced Mel Gibson to the world, along with The Humungus, the Feral Kid, and a bleak dystopian Australia that spawned Fury Road and Furiousa.
The year is 1999, and one of the most popular film franchises of all time is about to release a trilogy to elaborate on possibly the greatest film ever. The pod race and the unforgettable duel with Darth Maul are sure to leave you saying “Yippee!”
7 Mission: Impossible v 10 The Last Boy Scout
Brian DePalma resurrected a title from the 60s and turned it into a mega-franchise that’s still going strong. Tom Cruise dropping from the ceiling in the CIA server room is one of the most iconic images in action movie history.
Damon Wayans and Bruce Willis star in this Tony Scott gem about murder, politics, and football. This movie, written by Shane Black and produced by Joel Silver, is an absolute classic.
2 The Rock v 15 Streets of Fire
Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery team up to infiltrate Alcatraz, which is being held hostage by a disgruntled Ed Harris, who is threatening to deploy poison gas against San Francisco unless the U.S. Government recompenses the families of marines who died on covert missions. Do the characters have names? Yes. But with a cast like that, does it matter?
A young Diane Lane plays a Pat Benatar-type rock star who is kidnapped by a motorcycle gang, led by a young Willem Dafoe. 80s heartthrob Michael Paré (that’s Eddie from Eddie and the Cruisers) is enlisted to save her. This movie has everything - car crashes, explosions, shotguns, Rick Moranis as a slimy talent agent, Willem Dafoe at his most evil, and unbelievably good power 80s rock and roll. Directed by Walter Hill (The Warriors, 48 Hours, Southern Comfort, Red Heat, and a ton more), this movie is absolutely special.
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