Cinema has been a constant form of entertainment that continues to evolve every year, and with each passing year, new magnificent movies grace fans. However, among the modern masterpieces are important movies that define their genre, including 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Lord of the Rings. Each genre has a slew of defining films that revolutionized the way it is handled and viewed, and out of all the genres, action is by far the most popular.
Action-packed drama and daring stunts combine to create a riveting experience of fights and thrills that is the action genre. With its popularity and history, this list will highlight eight of the most important action movies that define the genre based on popularity, critical acclaim, influence, originality, directing, acting, action, and overall quality. There are many great action movies, but these eight defined the genre, making it what it is today.
‘The Raid: Redemption’ (2011)
Some of the best action movies are foreign productions, and The Raid: Redemption is an Indonesian martial arts masterpiece. When an elite team of commandos is sent on a mission, a rookie member is ordered to stay behind. However, when the mission goes wrong, they all take refuge in the rookie’s apartment, and now he must take charge and lead the fight against those who are invading the complex.
The Raid: Redemption strips down the story and anything that gets in the way of pure, unfiltered action. With a small budget, this movie proved that action doesn’t need to be a blockbuster to be perfect. The Raid: Redemption is the peak of martial arts choreography, focusing on a brutal and fast-paced slug fest. It simplifies the genre to what everyone wants, and in the meantime, becomes a sensation that defines what action should be.
‘Hard Boiled’ (1992)
John Woo is a prolific filmmaker with some of the best and weirdest action movies of all time, and his magnum opus is Hard Boiled. After a cop loses his partner during a shootout, he goes undercover to find him. It won’t be easy, but the cop will use any means necessary to find his partner and safely retrieve him.
Shootouts are a defining aspect of action movies, and Hard Boiled redefined how they are treated with gun fu, making it seem like a ballet of guns and action. It is somehow elegant and gritty at the same time, from dual-wielding pistol brawls to sliding on tables and magnificent finishing moves. Hard Boiled‘s style and combat influenced many films in the genre, some of which are even on this list.
‘The General’ (1926)
Most of the best action movies are modern marvels that can use all the technology and talent at their disposal, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some action-packed classics. The General is the oldest film featured on this list, following Johnny (Buster Keaton), a railroad worker who finds himself fighting against Union members during the American Civil War. When the Northern Forces kidnap Johnny’s fiancée and stow her on a train, he will find any means of transport to save her.
Being the oldest movie on this list, The General has had time to establish itself, but it is also one of the most unique on this list. Real stunts make the experience more immersive, realistic, and thrilling, and this movie pioneered the daring real-life stunts that make action so epic. The high-stakes train chase remains a highlight of the genre, making The General a must-watch classic.
‘The Bourne Identity’ (2002)
This list features a handful of franchises, and one of them is Bourne, with its greatest masterpiece easily being The Bourne Identity. Near death, the titular character awakens on a beach with no memories, only wielding his talents in combat, linguistic skills, and self-defense. He must now go on an adventure to remember his lost memories, all while battling assassins sent after him.
The 2000s were a great decade for action movies, but most of them had a distinct gritty style that can be traced back to The Bourne Identity. Bringing the genre back down to Earth, it popularized the shaky camera and fast-cut editing style that created a claustrophobic and chaotic style. These fights felt more realistic, dire, and present, and became so popular that they even forced James Bond to take this approach.
‘John Wick’ (2014)
The General may be the oldest movie on this list, but John Wick is the newest, establishing itself as the greatest modern action franchise. The titular character is a retired assassin who lives a solemn life, with his only comfort being his dog. However, when some punks kill his dog, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) reenters the life of an assassin to get revenge, but he brings along past grudges.
Some of the later movies may be better, but the first John Wick movie brought the genre back to its fast-paced nature and tactile fights. It may be a simple revenge story, but its modern approach was perfect for this era, and its fights remain some of the best ever. The long stakes and wide shots give more time for the action to breathe, plus the worldbuilding made John Wick even more gripping.
‘The Matrix’ (1999)
Following one Keanu Reeves movie is another one, this time turning the clock back to 1999 with The Matrix, an all-time sci-fi and action classic. Neo (Reeves) is a computer programmer who finds himself in the middle of a revolution after learning that his life is a lie. Society is now under the control of robots, forcing them into fake realities. Neo now must choose whether to live in an ideal fantasy or a grim reality.
The Matrix takes a lot from other action movies, including Hard Boiled, but it also became something new entirely. It created many new filmmaking techniques, including bullet time, creating a 360-degree visual trick that made action way more engaging. The Matrix has legendary choreography and unforgettable moments that blend perfectly with its philosophical storytelling to create one of the most daring and memorable action movies ever.
‘Seven Samurai’ (1954)
As mentioned, foreign films contain some of the greatest action movies, and the Seven Samurai proves this, made by the legendary Akira Kurosawa. A village has fallen on hard times, struggling to protect itself from bandits. In response, they hire a group of samurai to train them in the art of the sword, now fighting against a group of 40 bandits to save their village.
Before Seven Samurai, action movies were just a series of events, but this film changed how they were handled going forward, specifically the team on a mission trope. Films such as Star Wars happened because of Seven Samurai, and fans can clearly see the influence. Also creating the slow-motion death scene, team-building montage, and final battle in the rain, Seven Samurai is a masterpiece that defines action.
‘Die Hard’ (1988)
There are many age-old debates that no one can agree on, and one of them is whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not. Whether or not fans agree, they can all acknowledge that it is genre-defining. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is a police officer who is estranged from his wife and daughter, but he gets his chance for redemption after their Christmas party is taken over by terrorists, leading him to take them all on single-handedly.
Before Die Hard, action movies always featured buff men with chiseled physiques that could only be described as perfect. However, it proved that an everyman can also be badass, with a flawed character taking on villains all by himself. Everything seems to go wrong for John, but he persists regardless, not needing to be invincible to deliver a compelling action movie, meaning there aren’t many films better than Die Hard.
