Action movie is a genre of film which quintessentially belongs to Hollywood tradition of film making and this is the precise reason why greatest action movies of all time mainly belongs to Hollywood more than any other traditions of world cinema. Most importantly Hollywood produced such wide range of action movies across so many genres and traditions that no film industry in the world can even come close to it in comparison. From typical cowboy western to spaghetti western to science fiction action movies to crime thriller action to underworld action movies, Hollywood discovered and shaped every genre of action movies. Naturally in selecting the greatest action movies of all time we primarily have to take large volumes of action movies from close to 100 years of Hollywood film making. Here we go with our list of greatest action movies of all time, starting with the old western genre of films to other genres in the subsequent time.
Once Upon a Time in the West
In many ways with this Sergio Leone masterpiece the cult of spaghetti western movies began in Hollywood. The wild west of theme of robbery, vengeance and self ruled gang lords in the dry, desert lands of Texas has been explored with unforgettable visual splendor and enigmatic acting that perfectly suits the raw and cool aggression of cowboys. It is guns and their strikingly use in the blink of an eyelid that takes lives matters here. This superb saga of action, drama and heroic aggression and adventure simultaneously opened the history of the American west with its turmoil in the wake of the struggle in establishing the civic rule in destitute parts of the country came before audience. "Once Upon a Time in the West" has received a cult following throughout the world that made it an irreplaceable choice in our list of greatest action movies of all time.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
This one is the last of the famous Dollars trilogy of Sergio Leone combining other two, respectively as A Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More. But this last one of the trilogy surpassed the other two in many respects, in virility, boldness, brilliant dramatic presentation of the aggression and finally the cinematography that captured the Wild West in its true perspective of turmoil, bloodshed and political drama in the wide and barren land of west. Clint Eastwood with this movie came to worldwide prominence as a rare gifted artist of western and action movie genres and in the same breath we have to mention the ruthless, pervasively lustful and comically indignant character of Tuco that has been immortalized by a less famous actor named Eli Wallach.
Unforgiven
This 1992 western classic is probably the last of the greatest row of films in the genre called western and in a way it reestablished the genre in the mainstream Hollywood. More than dramatization and romanticizing of the Wild West theme this movie frankly deals with the dark and violent aspects of west. This movie is considered to be an all time great with great many awards and nominations and has been a huge box office success. This film in many way can be considered as a Clint Eastwood show as a great director and also as a great actor. The movie swept away four Oscars for best picture, best director, best supporting actor and best editing and is a film that for its merit of storytelling, brilliant acting and thrilling actions and drama cannot be left out from any selection of greatest action movies of all time.
The Searchers
This 1956 western action movie directed by John Ford is always a forerunner in regard to consideration of action or western genre of films. Though in its time it did not receive any Academy award nomination, in the years that followed the cinematic influence of this film and its significance of the portrayal of west gave it a worldwide reputation and in 2008 it was named as the greatest American western movie of all time by the American Film Institute and AFI also ranked it in no.12 in their list of all time American great movies. The Searchers has many aspects that made it so critically acclaimed all over the world. More than the great acting of John Wayne this movie unfolds the historical backdrop of west and its political turmoil in its most ridiculous detail and the action drama that ensues made it an all time great voyage to the enigmatic west.
The Mask of Zorro
If you want to recollect a movie that along with thrilling action scenes unfolds to you a story that already become a fetishistic legacy, it is one and only The Mask of Zorro. The story unfolds the famous myth of long lost master and deserving disciple in the context of history that like a great fable calls for fighting spirit of these two men for the sake of people and their motherland. In the role of the Zorro, veteran actor of worldwide fame Anthony Hopkins is simply unforgettable with one of the most brilliance performance of his life. Somewhere deep down in its unfolding of fabulous story of heroic actions in the face of political turmoil and conspiracy reminds us of the great western movies of earlier time.
Guns of Navarone
If you want to enjoy thrill of historical war movies which is simultaneously based on a true story of the World War II, this one is the best of the lot. With Gregory Peck in its superb middle of career acting brilliance and Anthony Quinn in one of his cult acting role, Guns of Navarone is a movie that makes the best dramatic exposure of the war action possible. Navarone is an island near Greece that used to serve as a German naval base and a group of army expeditionary would make their journey to capture the base from the Germans and how this basic storyline unfolds the power packed action and drama simply makes this movie an obvious choice in our selection of greatest action movies of all time.
North by Northwest
Alfred Hitchcock is worldwide known as the supreme master director of thriller and psycho thriller genre of movies, but this one with a great stint of action and thrill brilliantly intertwined with each other is an irreplaceable entry in our list of greatest action movies of all time. The protagonist of the movie Thornhill (played by Carry Grant) is suddenly trapped and becomes victimized in a series of falsified charges including the murder of a United Nations diplomat and he in a desperate attempt to escape travels incognito throughout the country. In the end how the story unfolds the criminal involvement of international conspiracy and how it ends in cunning sequences of action makes it a treasure for the lovers of action thrillers.
The Godfather II
The Godfather and its sequels The Godfather II and The Godfather III is a series of movie that long hailed to be the greatest crime thrillers of all time, but this second one in the trilogy is packed with some of the cold blooded actions and chases that hardly have any counterparts in the history of Hollywood and world movies. Al Pacino who was just a happy boy turned to his father's gang with innocent aggression stands here more matured and after taking control of the gang how he faces the conspiracy and tirade of attack on the sovereignty of his father's empire is definitely one of the most enrapturing tale. This 1974 masterpiece by Francis Ford Coppola even surpassed its predecessor in the sequel in many respects and besides becoming a cult film in its genre of gang lord action thriller won 6 Academy awards including best picture, best director, best supporting actor, best adapted screenplay and nominated for total 11 Oscars.
Commando
Definitely no list of greatest action movies of all time can be complete without mentioning a few of the movies where Arnold Schwarzenegger is in the lead role as the larger than life savior and epitome of immortal power. Commando almost literally is one man army show by towering machismo of Schwarzenegger and a rare example in the action movies genre where the former gang lord under the compelling circumstances returns to his former role in the gang war and the virulent war that ensues played a crucial role in saving the country from the spies and terror groups from other parts of the world. This is an enthralling movie to watch the massive power of one man who is crushing almost an entire gang.
The Terminator
Terminator is probably the proper beginning of a science fiction action movie that could rightly mix the power packed action, chase, thrill and scientific imagination in perfect visual shape. Simply the story of the film appealed to the audience with such vigor and vivacity that is rare in the world of movie making and it was a blockbuster material which it proved. An artificially intelligent machine called Cyborg is sent upon the earth to kill a girl who is going to give birth to the future savior of mankind from the self ruling destruction of computer generated mechanism called Skynet in future. Now simultaneously a human resistant fighter is sent from the future to save that girl. Cyborg looks like a human with tissues and human expression just above the power machinery inside his structure. The chase and breathtaking action that ensues between this Cyborg and its fleeing victims tells one of the greatest sagas of power, scientific imagination, thrilling specter of destruction and struggle for life.
The Terminator II: Judgment Day
This 1991 second sequel of The Terminator is another masterpiece of both great director of science fiction and action thrillers James Cameron and great action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger. Here the Schwarzenegger who played his role as the villainous Cyborg in the previous sequel appears as the protective Cyborg from the future against the new destructive avatar of villain Cyborg who is more advanced now with the power of taking shape of anything that he touches and even can melt in extreme condition and can come to normal shape instantly in normal temperature. The future savior child is already born and he is now a school going kid while his mother is in the asylum just because everyone thought of her story of Cyborg insane. Now the massive, destructive and supremely enticing fight and chase that ensues between the Cyborgs accompanying the frightful mother and son in between provides the most unforgettable experience of watching a movie and we just cannot leave this Terminator sequel from our list greatest action movies of all time.
Spider-Man 2
If you want to choose one action film that satisfies your appetite for entertainment from the fantasy superhero genre of movies then this movie is just the right choice. When the villainous Doctor Octopus is going to annihilate the people of the New York City Spiderman will save the city and its people from approaching death and destruction. This superhero comic fantasy theme made itself into a great box office successful film simply on the merit of visual brilliance that insinuates the thrill of breathtaking action sequences. This film won the Academy award for best visual effects in 2004 until now it is considered to be the most successful action movie in superhero fantasy genre.
Die Hard
If in the name of action you think about modern gang war or terror drama that makes people suffer as hostages Die Hard is the movie to watch and for this reason alone we cannot leave this film from our list of greatest action movies of all time. We are living in a time when becoming victim as a political hostage or becoming kidnapped in between a gang war or becoming trapped between terrorist groups is almost a regular incident across the globe. Die Hard tells such a modern tale where a detective after coming to his family for a party sees her whole family to be hostage in the forceful hands of a dissident gang. Though he manages to slip away how daringly he will rescue his family from that condition is what the film is all about. A must watch film for any movie lovers who just want to experience the fast rush of adrenalin in his veins with some thrilling action that can involve him psychologically. This 1988 action film became so successful that it inspired four sequels in the subsequent time and through this film Bruce Willis established himself as one of the greatest action heroes in Hollywood and beyond.
36th Chamber of Shaolin
If you want to consider one movie in the martial art action film genre that besides portraying all the visual brilliance of Karate and Kung-fu also relates to the mystic orientation and development of the discipline of this ancient fighting art then this movie undoubtedly is a rare treasure for you. It reveals the whole tradition of art through the experience of a deserving disciple named San Te in the lead role, played brilliantly by action hero Gordon Liu. The historical significance of the war against the Manchu government has been crucial backdrop in the plot of the movie. The movie enjoyed a huge following throughout the world especially because of its quite distinct storyline and portrayal of one of the ancient art of fighting and self defense in its mystical and esoteric detail and this rarity makes it an infallible candidate in our list of greatest action movies of all time.
Enter the Dragon
This is probably the greatest in the genre of martial arts action film with the greatest star exponent of the genre Bruce Lee. This is the film that portrays the skill and charismatic flamboyance of Bruce Lee and his actions in most authentic style. The film has been considered as culturally significant in America and has been registered by American Film institute as a cultural treasure. Bruce Lee more than just making another spectacular martial art film in his career wanted to make this film to be a portrayal of the beauty and flamboyance of Chinese life style and their intrinsic natural fighting as well self preserving art called martial art in general. The film received a huge fan following throughout the world and is considered one of the most influencing action films all over the world.
Here we are at the end of our list of the greatest action movies of all time, as like yours I also feel somewhat sad of some of the greatest blockbuster action movies that deserve a spot if we could just elongate our list a bit. Action we tried to put here the best ones from every genre of action movies and in following such a rule we had to make some disastrous cuts and just in that way we miss here The Dark Night, The Dark Night Rises, Troy, Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2, Iron Monkey, even the last two sci-fi action blockbusters, Avatar and The Expendables2.
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