Get to the masterful choppa! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at action films that not only exemplify the thrills of their genre, but can be considered important artistic achievements.
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00:00I do what I do best. I take scores. You do what you do best, trying to stop guys like me.
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at action films that not only
00:10exemplify the thrills of their genre, but can be considered important artistic achievements.
00:1620. Mad Max Fury Road
00:29George Miller's post-apocalyptic saga is a classic export of Australian pulp.
00:35Mad Max 2 The Road Warrior won particular renown, but not like the series' comeback.
00:42What a day! What a lovely day!
00:44Tom Hardy replaces Mel Gibson as Max Rokitansky,
00:47who helps a fellow drifter dismantle a barbaric cult. The budget-straining Fury
00:52Road was worth the wait just for its insanely over-the-top visuals and violence.
00:57What Mad Max fans weren't expecting, however,
01:01were the moments of perspective with the characters and social allegories.
01:05At least that way, you know, we might be able to, together, come across some kind of redemption.
01:14Charlize Theron's Furiosa so assertively stole the show
01:19that she landed a spinoff prequel. And the blockbuster was overall such a phenomenon
01:24that it became the dark horse of 2015's awards season.
01:28Mad Max Fury Road truly exemplifies maximalist spectacle as a legitimate art form.
01:35Number 19. The French Connection
01:38The modern police actioner goes back to a pair of NYPD detectives pursuing a drug smuggler.
01:45The French Connection was a new breed of procedural, where sprawling shootouts and
01:51car chases were standard movie cop procedure. Popeye Doyle isn't above busting heads to get
01:57things done. But unlike the likes of Dirty Harry,
02:04there's nothing romantic about such rogue anti-heroics. It was one of the first films
02:10to expose the scope and amorality of America's drug epidemic, with a gritty aesthetic that
02:16feels more documentary than slick thriller. The French Connection swept the Academy Awards
02:22and spawned a sequel, never mind countless imitators. Most have much more action,
02:27but few are as credible in mixing it with even more brutal commentary.
02:32Number 18. Ong Bak – Muay Thai Warrior
02:43After the theft of his village's sacred Buddhist statue, Muay Thai master Ting ventures into the
02:48underbelly of Bangkok to retrieve it. His journey is full of stunningly acrobatic action. But the
02:54clash between traditional and modern Thai cultures runs deeper than that. Ong Bak,
03:00Muay Thai Warrior, explores solemn Buddhist themes in the context of urban decay.
03:16At a time when martial arts movies were overrun with CGI and wired stunts,
03:21the smash hit revitalized the market for authentic choreography with violent trauma.
03:26Needless to say, it also made a superstar out of stuntman-turned-actor Tony Jaa.
03:31He would return to star in and co-direct two prequels. The original Ong Bak alone
03:37hits home his flexibility as an actor and martial arts icon.
03:42Number 17. Bullet – Steve McQueen
03:44Steve McQueen was one of the original prestige action stars,
03:49with Bullet blowing away the pop and the fluff.
03:57The King of Cool plays San Francisco detective Frank Bullet,
04:03who pursues a Chicago mob after an informant is killed on his watch. It's a jazzily structured
04:10caper that finds suspense, mostly in the shady politics of fighting organized crime.
04:15A man like Chalmers could be a great help to the department.
04:20He could speak for us where it counts. He could fight for us in the legislature.
04:24The action mostly hangs on an 11-minute car chase at the movie's climax.
04:29With elaborate staging and Frank P. Keller's Oscar-winning editing,
04:33it's one of the most influential action set pieces ever filmed.
04:38While that's enough to make Bullet a staple of its genre,
04:41its altogether sophisticated craft shows that McQueen's sleek yet artful taste went beyond Hot
04:48Rods. Number 16. First Blood
05:00Rocky established Sylvester Stallone as a dramatic lead in an action star's form.
05:05This dynamic is what really broke him into a new genre with First Blood.
05:10Stallone plays John Rambo, a wandering ex-Green Beret who goes to war with the
05:16small town's corrupt law enforcement. It's nail-biting guerrilla combat in middle America,
05:21underscored by themes of military PTSD and societal apathy. Rambo's reunion with his
05:28old commanding officer is an especially iconic, heartbreaking standoff.
05:33Stallone pushed to change the ending of David Morrell's novel,
05:42sparing Rambo as a figure of hope for struggling veterans. He would return for four sequels of
05:49consistent popularity and questionable taste. First Blood may have made Stallone an action
05:54legend, but the emotional impact made it a classic. Number 15. Triple R
06:01India is the cinematic capital of awesome actioners with operatic drama,
06:07but few balance those extremes as perfectly as the Tollywood mega-hit Triple R.
06:18The creator of the Baahubali series stages the most extreme set-pieces
06:23in two revolutionaries' campaign against British rule in the 1920s. Between these battles and
06:29equally spectacular musical numbers, the epic draws on the friendship between two
06:34historical figures, Komaram Bheem and Ilori Sitarama Raju. Their journey is open to complicated
06:47themes of revolution and Indian identity, with some criticizing the film for nationalist overtones.
06:54Nonetheless, its technical and narrative mastery captivated on an international scale rarely seen
07:01in Indian cinema. While there are many great masala blockbusters where that came from,
07:06Triple R is as great as any. Number 14. Skyfall
07:12James Bond has been one of the biggest names in action since 1962. While the Daniel Craig years
07:25always brought particular humanity to the suave spy, Skyfall brought everything fans could want.
07:32007 pursues an MI6 agent-turned-cyber-terrorist through the usual exotic locations, humour,
07:39and acrobatics. Meanwhile, a power struggle at the agency scrutinizes the integrity of espionage
07:47this franchise traditionally romanticized. Renowned dramatic director Sam Mendes is
08:01willing to dwell on Bond's tragic past and the bloody business of national security. Of course,
08:07his sleek, intelligent craft also amps up the suspense. The James Bond films have a tonal range
08:14to satisfy enthusiasts of any genre. In terms of deep thrills and drama, though, Skyfall is the
08:21most complete entry yet. Number 13. Enter the Dragon
08:26Bruce Lee cemented his stardom in Asia with Fist of Fury, though the violent reckoning with Japanese
08:40colonialism had limited international impacts. With Enter the Dragon, he changed action filmmaking
08:47everywhere. The Hong Kong-American co-production follows a martial artist who enters a tournament
08:52to weed out a crime lord for British intelligence. It encompassed the state of a colonized continent
08:58since World War II, while bringing Hollywood showmanship to gorgeous fight choreography.
09:04This phenomenal mix of styles and cultures had a lasting influence on genre films around the world.
09:10Enter the Dragon's impact on pop and martial arts culture through the years is almost
09:15immeasurable. It also made Lee an industry unto himself, representing so much more than
09:21hard-hitting entertainment. Number 12. Aliens
09:34Ridley Scott achieved his own unlikely masterpiece with a mix of sci-fi and horror. James Cameron's
09:41sequel to Alien is much louder, but no less inspired. After 57 years in cryogenic sleep,
09:48Ellen Ripley brings her experience with a predatory extraterrestrial to a military raid
09:54on a whole hive of them. If explosive combat and catchy one-liners epitomize 80s action,
10:00Cameron characteristically pushed the boundaries of filmmaking to the liver.
10:05But he also respected the first film's emphasis on suspense and characters' unpredictable dynamics.
10:19The epically entertaining Aliens proved its brand potential for a blockbuster franchise
10:26across all media. No other sequel could match the artistry of the original Alien. Aliens
10:32miraculously did just that, while adding its own groundbreaking spectacle. Number 11. Police Story
10:39Jackie Chan went from a martial arts idol to an all-around artist as director and star of Police
10:46Story. It seems to be a standard example of its namesake, following an honorable cop who must
10:56clear his name of murder and take down a drug lord. The film, in fact, handles its premise
11:02with a thrilling sense of humor to match death-defying stunt work. Chan revolutionized
11:07character-driven comedy as a vehicle for properly ambitious action. The final battle at a shopping
11:12mall is even considered one of the all-time greatest set pieces of its genre.
11:22The acclaimed hit launched a massive film franchise, while solidifying Chan's superstardom.
11:27Of course, he himself considers the original Police Story to be his action masterpiece.
11:34Number 10. Mission Impossible – Fallout
11:47The Mission Impossible brand has come a long way since CBS's classic spy show.
11:52It's been a remarkable enough evolution from the pulpy movies of the 90s to a triumph like Fallout.
11:58Our sixth adventure with Ethan Hunt's impossible mission force finds them going a second round with
12:04terrorists armed with nuclear weapons. The stakes are higher than ever behind shocking twists,
12:10lavish locations, and high-tech, action-packed espionage. Aside from these franchise hallmarks
12:16being particularly dynamic, what sets this installment apart is how Hunt bears personal
12:22matters with his moral code. The layered characterization and political themes are
12:36just as suspenseful as the stunt-based action. As much as Mission Impossible exemplifies that
12:42increasingly rare Hollywood art, Fallout raises standards altogether.
12:47Number 9. Die Hard
12:58NYPD detective John McClane visits his estranged wife's LA office to reconcile for Christmas.
13:05They suddenly have bigger concerns when terrorists take over the building.
13:09Die Hard has the quintessential setup for an intense 80s shoot-em-up. However,
13:14lean everyman Bruce Willis wasn't the quintessential 80s action actor.
13:19McClane is vulnerable to injury and must use his wits to overpower heavily armed villains.
13:25Meanwhile, their interactions with hostages further humanize the tense situation.
13:30But seemed to be just another dazzling 80s blockbuster
13:42gradually gained praise for such gritty, clever writing. Die Hard and its sequels made Willis
13:48one of the most versatile action stars in Hollywood. It also redefined a whole genre
13:54as one of its great staples. Plus, action fan's favorite Christmas classic.
13:59Number 8. Hero
14:01During China's Warring States period, a nameless assassin recounts his kills as he prepares to go
14:07after the imperialistic King of Qin. Hero is clearly not as dramatically simple as its name
14:14might suggest. Revered cinematographer and filmmaker Cheng Yimou's first foray into
14:28action revives Wuxia traditions of layered storytelling and romantic emotion. The martial
14:34arts may feature extensive wire and camera tricks, but to achieve what may be some of the most
14:41visually poetic fight scenes of the 2000s. This beautiful balance of epic adventure and rich
14:47artistry produced a prestige blockbuster that expanded international interest in both Wuxia
14:53and leading man Jet Li. Hero certainly wasn't Cheng's last action movie,
14:58but it's also one of his highest achievements in drama.
15:11Number 7. Raiders of the Lost Ark
15:14Arguably the architects of the modern blockbuster, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg advanced
15:20Hollywood action further by going old school. Swashbuckling archaeologist Indiana Jones is
15:28introduced on a quest to prevent Nazis from uncovering the divine Ark of the Covenant in
15:33the 1930s. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a ripping homage to the adventure serials of that era,
15:40with modern production values widening its style to the scope of Star Wars.
15:44Harrison Ford's rugged yet self-aware charisma surely forged another iconic character
15:54across four decades of acclaimed capers. Still, nothing quite compares to Spielberg's exhilarating
16:01craft of the first movie. Jam-packed with beautiful imagery, iconic lines and awesome
16:07action adventure, Raiders is a singular achievement in filmmaking as much as pop culture.
16:14Number 6. Hard Boiled
16:16John Woo's heroic bloodshed work has been praised for its elevated style,
16:21but criticized for arguably glorifying gangsters.
16:31The director responded with the more standard concept of a tough cop trying to avenge his
16:36partner through an undercover officer in the Hong Kong Triad. But there's nothing else
16:41standard about Hard Boiled. True to the title, it incorporates noir and pulp elements to raise
16:47gritty drama and hyper-stylized action. The film represents the intense ideal of its genre,
17:03with groundbreaking shootout sequences that have permanently influenced action cinema.
17:08Its success also moved Woo and actor Chow Yun-fat into western movies in high class. Of course,
17:15Hollywood shoot-em-ups can only dream of reaching the visceral and creative heights of Hard Boiled.
17:23Number 5. Heat
17:24Distinguished genre filmmaker Michael Mann couldn't just do another cat-and-mouse game
17:29between hardened cops and skilled robbers. Heat is almost three hours of neo-noir
17:35painstakingly plotted between both sides of the law. Each character's sympathetic storyline
17:51complicates emotional investment in suspensefully thorough procedurals. The heist and shootout
17:57sequences are among the most epic out there, though the rivalry between Al Pacino and Robert
18:02De Niro is equally gripping. In 1995, it was considered novel for actors of such esteem to
18:19star in an action movie. But Heat turned out to be as much of a critical hit as a commercial one.
18:25Its prestige redefined the heist genre and continues to influence films all the way to a
18:32sequel three decades later. Number 4. The Raid
18:36Betrayed during the raid of a drug lord's safehouse, a SWAT team must fight their way
18:41out of a building full of gangsters. The Raid is conceptually as straightforward as its title,
18:50with the narrative action mostly hanging on physical action. Gareth Edwards nonetheless
18:55pushes unpretentious thrills to their highest stakes on plot twists, style, and unflinching
19:02violence. The Welsh filmmaker-choreographer turned the Indonesian fighting style of Pencak Silat
19:08into a global obsession. The film itself was a huge critical and cult hit, establishing Ika Uwais
19:19as an international screen idol. This was affirmed by the also acclaimed The Raid 2.
19:24Both films furthermore assert that even the most hardcore of today's action flicks can be a thing
19:30of beauty. Number 3. Terminator 2 – Judgment Day
19:351984's The Terminator announced James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger as masters of their
19:42genre. With Terminator 2 – Judgment Day, they brought it into a new age. It's been a decade
19:48since Sarah Connor defeated a time-travelling cyborg assassin and gave birth to the future
19:54saviour of humanity. Now, John Connor must face a more powerful Terminator with a reprogrammed
20:00model of the original. It's an ideal expansion of the lore that creatively enriches the characters.
20:06Cameron also utilised groundbreaking CGI technology to enhance some of the most memorable action
20:12sequences ever. The blockbuster was a shocking success that bested its classic predecessor.
20:19You can't exactly say that about the following installments, but T2 made history by perfecting
20:24both the sequel and sci-fi action. Number 2. The Matrix
20:31What would you do if you discovered that the world is a simulation run by machines that
20:46feed on humans? May as well download Gun Fu Mastery in a rebellion against the robot overlords.
20:52The Matrix takes full advantage of kitchen sink sci-fi to encode a wide variety of genres
20:58into its epic mythos. Underlying the stylish effects and stunts are deep philosophies on
21:04technology, reality and free will. The Wachowskis broke all the rules of genre filmmaking. The
21:21result was an acclaimed blockbuster that spawned a franchise and devoted cult following. It also
21:27inspired a revolution in experimental action films, alongside scholarly analysis of its themes.
21:33The Matrix is now considered the standard for thrilling popcorn entertainment that also gets
21:39you thinking. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to
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21:551. Seven Samurai Akira Kurosawa's genius transcended cultures
22:03and genres to say nothing of the definition of an action movie.
22:18The title characters in Seven Samurai are hired to defend a village from bandits during Japan's
22:25Sengoku period. The extensively choreographed swordplay would have a defining impact on action
22:30filmmaking after the 1950s. Across three and a half hours, the epic also altered how dramatic
22:36films explore complex characters, world building and themes. Its renown particularly impacted
22:50Hollywood westerns, including the remake The Magnificent Seven and its sequels. Of course,
22:56that's barely a hint of the influence Kurosawa had on world cinema with this picture alone.
23:01Though its mark on the action genre is obvious, Seven Samurai is truly one of the great cinematic
23:07masterpieces of all time. What are some other action movies that had a profound impact on you?
23:13Give us your hits in the comments.
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