Top 20 Action Movies That Are Actually Masterpieces

George Miller’s post-apocalyptic saga is a classic export of Australian pulp. “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior” won particular renown, but not like the series’ comeback. Tom Hardy replaces Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky, who helps a fellow drifter dismantle a barbaric cult. The budget-straining “Fury Road” was worth the wait just for its insanely over-the-top visuals and violence. What “Mad Max” fans weren't expecting, however, were the moments of perspective with the characters and social allegories. Charlize Theron’s Furiosa so assertively stole the show that she landed a spin-off prequel. And the blockbuster was overall such a phenomenon that it became the dark horse of 2015’s award season. “Mad Max: Fury Road” truly exemplifies maximalist spectacle as a legitimate art form.

The modern police actioner goes back to a pair of NYPD detectives pursuing a drug smuggler. “The French Connection” was a new breed of procedural, where sprawling shootouts and car chases were standard movie cop procedure. Popeye Doyle isn’t above busting heads to get things done. But unlike the likes of Dirty Harry, there's nothing romantic about such rogue antheroics. It was one of the first films to expose the scope and amorality of America's drug epidemic, with a gritty aesthetic that feels more documentary than slick thriller. “The French Connection” swept the Academy Awards and spawned a sequel, never mind countless imitators. Most have much more action, but few are as credible in mixing it with even more brutal commentary.

After the theft of his village’s sacred Buddha statue, Muay Thai master Ting ventures into the underbelly of Bangkok to retrieve it. His journey is full of stunningly acrobatic action, but the clash between traditional and modern Thai cultures runs deeper than that. “Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior” explores solemn Buddhist themes in the context of urban decay. At a time when martial arts movies were overrun with CG and wired stunts, the smash-hit revitalized a market for authentic choreography with violent drama. Needless to say, it also made a superstar out of stuntman-turned-actor Tony Jaa. He would return to star in and co-direct two prequels. The original “Ong-Bak” alone hits home his flexibility as an actor and martial arts icon.

Steve McQueen was one of the original prestige action stars, with “Bullitt” blowing away both the pomp and the fluff. The King of Cool plays San Francisco detective Frank Bullitt, who pursues a Chicago mob after an informant is killed on his watch. It's a jazzily structured caper that finds suspense mostly in the shady politics of fighting organized crime. The action mostly hangs on an 11-minute car chase at the movie's climax. With elaborate staging and Frank P. Keller’s Oscar-winning editing, it's one of the most influential action set pieces ever filmed. While that's enough to make “Bullitt” a staple of its genre, its altogether sophisticated craft shows that McQueen's sleek yet artful taste went beyond hotrods.

“Rocky” established Sylvester Stallone as a dramatic lead in an action star’s form. This dynamic is what really broke him into a new genre with “First Blood”. Stallone plays John Rambo, a wandering ex-Green Beret who goes to war with a small town’s corrupt law enforcement. It's nail-biting guerilla combat in Middle America, underscored by themes of military PTSD and societal apathy. Rambo’s reunion with his old commanding officer is an especially iconic, heartbreaking standoff. Stallone pushed to change the ending of David Morrell’s novel, sparing Rambo as a figure of hope for struggling veterans. He would return for four sequels of consistent popularity and questionable taste. “First Blood” may have made Stallone an action legend, but the emotional impact made it a classic.

India is the cinematic capital of awesome actioners with operatic drama. But few balance those extremes as perfectly as the Tollywood megahit “RRR”. The creator of the “Baahubali” series stages the most extreme set pieces in two revolutionaries’ campaign against British rule in the 1920s. Between these battles and equally spectacular musical numbers, the epic draws on the friendship between historical figures Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju. Their journey is open to complicated themes of revolution and Indian identity, with some criticizing the film for nationalist overtones. Nonetheless, its technical and narrative mastery captivated on an international scale rarely seen in Indian cinema. While there are many great masala blockbusters where that came from, “RRR” is as great as any.

James Bond has been one of the biggest names in action since 1962. While the Daniel Craig years always brought particular humanity to the suave spy, “Skyfall” brought everything fans could want. 007 pursues an MI6 agent-turned-cyberterrorist through the usual exotic locations, humor and acrobatics. Meanwhile, a power struggle at the agency scrutinizes the integrity of espionage this franchise traditionally romanticized. Renowned dramatic director Sam Mendes is willing to dwell on Bond’s tragic past and the bloody business of national security. Of course, his sleek, intelligent craft also amps up the suspense. The James Bond films have a tonal range to satisfy enthusiasts of any genre. In terms of deep thrills and drama, though, “Skyfall” is the most complete entry yet.

Bruce Lee cemented his stardom in Asia with “Fist of Fury”, though the violent reckoning with Japanese colonialism had limited international impact. With “Enter the Dragon”, he changed action filmmaking everywhere. The Hong Kong-American co-production follows a martial artist who enters a tournament to weed out a crime lord for British intelligence. It encompassed the state of a colonized continent since World War II, while bringing Hollywood showmanship to gorgeous fight choreography. This phenomenal mix of styles and cultures had a lasting influence on genre films around the world. “Enter the Dragon”’s impact on pop and martial arts culture through the years is almost immeasurable. It also made Lee an industry unto himself, representing so much more than hard-hitting entertainment.

Ridley Scott achieved his own unlikely masterpiece with a mix of sci-fi and horror. James Cameron's sequel to “Alien” is much louder, but no less inspired. After 57 years in cryogenic sleep, Ellen Ripley brings her experience with a predatory extraterrestrial to a military raid on a whole hive of them. If explosive combat and catchy one-liners epitomize ‘80s action, Cameron characteristically pushed the boundaries of filmmaking to deliver. But he also respected the first film’s emphasis on suspense and characters’ unpredictable dynamics. The epically entertaining “Aliens” proved its brand’s potential for a blockbuster franchise across all media. No other sequel could match the artistry of the original “Alien”. “Aliens” miraculously did just that, while adding its own groundbreaking spectacle.

Jackie Chan went from a martial arts idol to an all-around artist as director and star of “Police Story”. It seems to be a standard example of its namesake, following an honorable cop who must clear his name of murder and take down a drug lord. The film in fact handles its premise with a thrilling sense of humor to match death-defying stunt work. Chan revolutionized character-driven comedy as a vehicle for properly ambitious action. The final battle at a shopping mall is even considered one of the all-time greatest set pieces of its genre. The acclaimed hit launched a massive film franchise, while solidifying Chan’s superstardom. Of course, he himself considers the original “Police Story” to be his action masterpiece.

The “Mission: Impossible” brand has come a long way since CBS’s classic spy show. It's been a remarkable enough evolution from the pulpy movies of the ‘90s to a triumph like “Fallout”. Our sixth adventure with Ethan Hunt’s Impossible Mission Force finds them going a second round with terrorists armed with nuclear weapons. The stakes are higher than ever behind shocking twists, lavish locations and high-tech, action-packed espionage. Aside from these franchise hallmarks being particularly dynamic, what sets this installment apart is how Hunt bears personal matters with his moral code. The layered characterization and political themes are just as suspenseful as the stunt-based action. As much as “Mission: Impossible” exemplifies that increasingly rare Hollywood art, “Fallout” raises standards altogether.

NYPD Detective John McClane visits his estranged wife’s LA office to reconcile for Christmas. They suddenly have bigger concerns when terrorists take over the building. “Die Hard” has the quintessential setup for an intense ‘80s shoot-em-up. However, lean everyman Bruce Willis wasn't the quintessential ‘80s action actor. McClane is vulnerable to injury, and must use his wits to overpower heavily-armed villains. Meanwhile, their interactions with hostages further humanize the tense situation. What seemed to be just another dazzling ‘80s blockbuster gradually gained praise for such gritty, clever writing. “Die Hard” and its sequels made Willis one of the most versatile action stars in Hollywood. It also redefined a whole genre as one of its great staples, plus action fans’ favorite Christmas classic.

During China's Warring States Period, a nameless assassin recounts his kills as he prepares to go after the imperialistic King of Qin. “Hero” is clearly not as dramatically simple as its name might suggest. Revered cinematographer and filmmaker Zhang Yimou’s first foray into action revives wuxia’s traditions of layered storytelling and romantic emotion. The martial arts may feature extensive wire and camera tricks, but to achieve what may be some of the most visually poetic fight scenes of the 2000s. This beautiful balance of epic adventure and rich artistry produced a prestige blockbuster that expanded international interest in both wuxia and leading man Jet Li. “Hero” certainly wasn’t Zhang’s last action movie, but it’s also one of his highest achievements in drama.

Arguably the architects of the modern blockbuster, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg advanced Hollywood action further by going old-school. Swashbuckling archaeologist Indiana Jones is introduced on a quest to prevent Nazis from uncovering the divine Ark of the Covenant in the 1930s. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is a ripping homage to the adventure serials of that era, with modern production values widening its style to the scope of “Star Wars”. Harrison Ford’s rugged yet self-aware charisma surely forged another iconic character across four decades of acclaimed capers. Still, nothing quite compares to Spielberg’s exhilarating craft of the first movie. Jam-packed with beautiful imagery, iconic lines and awesome action-adventure, “Raiders” is a singular achievement in filmmaking as much as pop culture.

John Woo’s “heroic bloodshed” oeuvre has been praised for its elevated style, but criticized for arguably glorifying gangsters. The director responded with the more standard concept of a tough cop trying to avenge his partner through an undercover officer in the Hong Kong Triad. But there’s nothing else standard about “Hard Boiled”. True to the title, it incorporates noir and pulp elements to raise gritty drama in hyper-stylized action. The film represents the intense ideal of its genre, with groundbreaking shootout sequences that have permanently influenced action cinema. Its success also moved Woo and actor Chow Yun-fat into Western movies in high class. Of course, Hollywood shoot-em-ups can only dream of reaching the visceral and creative heights of “Hard Boiled”.

Distinguished genre filmmaker Michael Mann couldn’t just do another cat-and-mouse game between hardened cops and skilled robbers. “Heat” is almost three hours of neo-noir, painstakingly plotted between both sides of the law. Each character’s sympathetic storyline complicates emotional investment in suspensefully thorough procedurals. The heist and shootout sequences are among the most epic out there, though the rivalry between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro is equally gripping. In 1995, it was considered novel for actors of such esteem to star in an action movie. But “Heat” turned out to be as much of a critical hit as a commercial one. Its prestige redefined the heist genre, and continues to influence films all the way to a sequel three decades later.

Betrayed during the raid of a drug lord’s safe house, a SWAT team must fight their way out of a building full of gangsters. “The Raid” is conceptually as straightforward as its title, with the narrative action mostly hanging on physical action. Gareth Edwards nonetheless pushes unpretentious thrills to their highest stakes on plot twists, style and unflinching violence. The Welsh filmmaker-choreographer turned the Indonesian fighting style of pencak silat into a global obsession. The film itself was a huge critical and cult hit, establishing Iko Uwais as an international screen idol. This was affirmed by the also acclaimed “The Raid 2”. Both films furthermore assert that even the most hardcore of today’s action flicks can be a thing of beauty.

1984’s “The Terminator” announced James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger as masters of their genre. With “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”, they brought it into a new age. It’s been a decade since Sarah Connor defeated a time-traveling cyborg assassin and gave birth to the future savior of humanity. Now, John Connor must face a more powerful terminator with a reprogrammed model of the original. It’s an ideal expansion of the lore that creatively enriches the characters. Cameron also utilized groundbreaking CGI technology to enhance some of the most memorable action sequences ever. The blockbuster was a shocking success that bested its classic predecessor. You can’t exactly say that about the following installments. But “T2” made history by perfecting both the sequel and sci-fi action.

What would you do if you discovered that the world is a simulation run by machines that feed on humans? …May as well download gun fu mastery in a rebellion against the robot overlords. “The Matrix” takes full advantage of kitchen sink sci-fi to encode a wide variety of genres into its epic mythos. Underlying the stylish effects and stunts are deep philosophies on technology, reality and free will. The Wachowskis broke all the rules of genre filmmaking. The result was an acclaimed blockbuster that spawned a franchise and devoted cult following. It also inspired a revolution in experimental action films, alongside scholarly analysis of its themes. “The Matrix” is now considered the standard for thrilling popcorn entertainment that also gets you thinking.

Akira Kurosawa’s genius transcended cultures and genres, to say nothing of the definition of an action movie. The title characters in “Seven Samurai” are hired to defend a village from bandits during Japan’s Sengoku period. The extensively choreographed swordplay would have a defining impact on action filmmaking after the 1950s. Across three-and-a-half hours, the epic also altered how dramatic films explore complex characters, worldbuilding and themes. Its renown particularly impacted Hollywood Westerns, including the remake “The Magnificent Seven” and its sequels. Of course, that’s barely a hint of the influence Kurosawa had on world cinema with this picture alone. Though its mark on the action genre is obvious, “Seven Samurai” is truly one of the great cinematic masterpieces of all time.