“Blow ’em up, shoot ’em up and wow ‘em”: Top 30 Greatest Action Films Of The ‘80s and ’90s.

We all love those classic action films from that golden era of the genre in the eighties and nineties. The type of films that you just have to have a big ol’ box of Popcorn and all the snacks and soda in your hands to fully get immersed into the experience. There have been plenty of good action films in those periods and there have been plenty of godawful action films in those periods, but today we’re gonna talk about the all time greats! These are the films that still get my blood pumping as well as my fists. These are the films that action aficionados (including myself) consider the holy grail of the genre as a whole. Now please….

30. The Fugitive. 1993.

Based off of the classic 1960’s tv series, The Fugitive starred Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones as Dr. Richard Kimble and Us Marshal Sam Gerard taking over from David Janssen and Barry Morse in said roles. The film is one big suspense thrill after another and while I prefer the tv series and the actors who portrayed Kimble and Gerard originally, The Fugitive is a pretty solid and enjoyable action thriller with many classic lines and scenes.

29. Scarface. 1983.

Some might not consider Scarface as a quote unquote “action movie” but that big final shootout at the mansion that ends with Tony Montana meeting his maker is as explosive, heart pumping and thrilling as any other quote unquote action movie. The direction was flawless as well as Pacino’s wild theatrics giving the scene more and more power and energy. Of course, nothing tops Tony introducing “his little friend” to the hitmen.

28. Crimson Tide. 1995.

The Denzel and Gene Hackman action submarine film is one of those “guys’ films” that still resonate all these years later. Exciting, compelling and thought provoking, Crimson Tide is filled with dramatic tension that can go from zero to a hundred at any given moment. While not exactly filled with awesome fist fights and gun play, stellar performances and heart pumping action makes Crimson Tide one of the best films in the submarine\military genre. Side note: Crimson Tide is the first film of Denzel’s to make a hundred million dollars at the Box office.

27. Escape From New York. 1981.

Former Disney child star Kurt Russell became an action megastar thanks to Escape From New York. The uber dark, gritty and apocalyptic action thriller is all about Russell’s Snake Plissken, a gruff, hard nosed and somewhat sociopathic solider\mercenary getting his chance for freedom from prison if he manages to rescue the President of the United States from New York, which in this universe is basically one giant prison. The character of Snake Plissken and the film itself became so popular that the famous video game Metal Gear Solid and its characters were heavily inspired from the film.

26. Shoot To Kill. 1988.

Sidney Poitier had taken a long break from working until Shoot to Kill in 1988. He and Tom Berenger fight the elements of nature, a bear, and the bad guy in this enjoyable buddy action movie. The chemistry between Poitier and Berenger makes the film really click as well as the performances from the supporting cast that included Kirstie Alley and a whole group of actors who have played bad guys in many films. A great blend of action and comedy as well as a well done whodunit mystery and stellar action scenes all make Shoot to Kill a thriller well worth the watch.

25. Under Siege. 1992.

Steven Seagal and his ponytail was sorta a big thing back in the 90’s. Starring in many action films at the time, Under Siege is by far the best of the lot. Seagal gives a perfectly competent performance, but it’s the supporting cast that really elevates this film beyond “Die Hard on a Boat” and into a really fun and epic action picture. Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey, Erika Eleniak and a few others do a lot to add fun and quality acting to this enjoyable little flick.

24. In The Line of Fire. 1993.

In The Line of Fire is one of Eastwood’s greatest films, yet isn’t appreciated enough in my opinion. A great thriller with a phenomenal cast that included the always great Rene Russo, John Mahoney, Dylan McDermott, Gary Cole, and Fred Dalton Thompson, led by Eastwood and John Malkovich. Both Eastwood and Malkovich give some of the best performances of their careers in this film and their chemistry, whether in a scene together or over the phone was electrifying. In The Line of Fire is exciting and wonderfully dramatic from start to finish.

23. Passenger 57. 1992.

Wesley Snipes was the man in the 90’s. In this decade he made a name for himself in such notable films as New Jack City, Spike Lee’s Mo Better Blues, White Men Can’t Jump, Demolition Man, and possibly his biggest and most profitable role to date, Blade. 1992’s Passenger 57 is another slam dunk for Snipes as he does his own version of Die Hard… or Die Hard on a Plane, as it’s often referenced. Snipes plays John Cutter, an anti-terrorist specialist who ends up playing the lone hero on a plane being hijacked by notorious killer Charles Rane. The film gave us great martial arts fights as well as classic lines like “Always bet on black.”

22. Cliffhanger. 1993.

One of Stallone’s best films besides five out of the six Rocky movies(I’ll let you guess which one is the sixth one that shall not be named… cough. Rocky 5. Cough) and yet it doesn’t get the attention it deserves as one of the great Stallone films as well as a 90’s action movie classic. The most memorable and devastating scene from the movie is Sarah’s huge fall at the beginning of the film. A heartbreaking and suspenseful moment that starts off the film properly as a action movie with depth and emotional stakes as well as physical stakes.

21. Enemy of The State. 1998.

You put Will Smith and Gene Hackman together and you get one amazing movie. Enemy of The State is a great conspiracy theorist chase thriller with plenty of fun thrown into this insane situation that poor Robert Clayton Dean has been thrown into. Very much another spin on The Fugitive concept, the film manages to be exciting and fresh while also giving us a great dynamic duo in Hackman and Smith.

20. The Negotiator. 1998.

Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey lead a first rate ensemble in 1998’s The Negotiator. A great cop thriller mystery film with memorable dialouge, characters, and action sequences. The stakes are high for Danny Roman and we feel every tense moment of his situation as his so called buddies try to take him out to cover up for their crimes. The action is tight and just as suspenseful as what’s going on in the story.

19. Metro. 1997.

Metro was a hodpodge of genres: Action, comedy, buddy cop, romantic comedy, suspense and thriller. Somehow it all meshed into a enjoyable film with Eddie Murphy at his very best. The action sequences in Metro are some of the most creative and unique that this author has ever seen. With a stellar supporting cast in Michael Rappaport, Carmen Ejongo and Michael Wincott, this film boasted quality that is sadly unrecognized by many.

18. The Matrix. 1999.

The new Millennium got one heck of a trial run with 1999’s The Matrix. The Wachowski Brothers upped the ante to the extreme with their iconic film that gave us red & blue pills, Morpheus, Neo, Trinity, Mr. Smith and slo-mo, bullet time. The film was like a huge, three hour long video game brought to the big screen. Epic and groundbreaking, The Matrix became a revolutionary film in both the action and sci-fi genres and has been imitated ever since.

17. Aliens. 1986.

The Terminator director\writer James Cameron gave Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic Alien an even bigger and better sequel. Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley was beloved in the first film but in Aliens she became a feminist icon as well as a classic screen hero of either gender. The strong mother\daughter bond between Ripley and Newt gives the movie its heart, soul and engine. It’s considered one of the all time greatest sequels along with Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back, The Godfather Part 2, The Dark Knight etc. just to name a few.

16. The Long Kiss Goodnight. 1996.

Shane Black’s obsession with setting his excessively violent and bloody action films during the cheery Christmas season continued in the Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson film, The Long Kiss Goodnight. Before Jason Bourne, Davis’ Samantha Cane\Charley Baltimore was the killer spy with amnesia. Very much in the spirit of Lethal Weapon, the budding friendship and partnership between Davis and Jackson gives the movie its comedy as well as its soul. The film was underappreciated at the time, but its significance is just as notable then as it is now for female leads in the action genre along with the Alien and Terminator films among others. Samuel L. Jackson has declared this film and his character Mitch Hennesey as his favorite of all the films and characters he’s done and I can’t dispute that, the film is a real gem.

15. Midnight Run. 1988.

If you put The Odd Couple with Goodfellas and throw in a smidge of Beverly Hills Cop then you got Midnight Run. A much beloved cult classic action buddy comedy starring Robert DeNiro and Charles Grodin as two mismatched men that ended up being a perfect screen partnership. The film has a lot going for it: A perfect cast of talented and lovable actors, a story that blends great comedy with big heart, a killer soundtrack\score, endlessly quotable lines, and awesome action sequences. Out of all of DeNiro’s comedies, Midnight Run is certainly the finest work he did on the comedy side. The film is just a good time throughout.

14. Goldeneye. 1995.

By 1995, 007 essentially had his licence to kill revoked by waning interests by audiences and lack of money from the box office for the past few films in the late 80’s with Timothy Dalton. But Goldeneye starring Pierce Brosnan came shooting into the scene and revived the name Bond… James Bond. Goldeneye is a stellar Bond film that successfully managed to bring the lovable spy into the 90’s while still keeping that sense of fun and whimsy of the previous eras. It’s as great a Bond film as any of the best of Connery’s era, and is considered an all time action legend. It even gave us a classic nintendo 64 game. Bond proved once again that he can do no wrong.

13. The Rock. 1996.

The Rock was certainly one of Michael Bay’s best films as well as another slam dunk for the legendary Bruckheimer\Simpson production studios. Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage team up as two polar opposites forced to work together to save the world from a deadly chemical virus. The Rock is just a totally crazy, action packed, fun ride of a movie to watch from beginning to end. Genuinely funny jokes and moments, some truly amazing action\stunt sequences, a living breathing heart that beats throughout the film, and an unusual pairing in Connery and Cage that ended up working spectacularly makes this a much more satisfying viewing experience than a lot of other Bay films.

12. Bad Boys. 1995.

Speaking of great Michael Bay films, the legendary Bad Boys tops the charts in that regard. The pairing of sitcom stars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith to head up a big studio action film was a gamble that paid off tremendously. Bad Boys essentially made Smith and Lawrence action stars and helped put Bay’s career as a filmmaker on the map. The winning pairing of Lawrence and Smith, hilarious and memorable dialogue, and wildly entertaining action helps keep Bad Boys up high on the action movie\buddy cop movie pedestal.

11. Rush Hour. 1998.

Who would’ve thought that Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker ever would’ve become an iconic pair? As unlikely as it must’ve seemed at the time, these two legends made magic together in what became a truly classic and legendary film of the action\comedy buddy movie genre. So many iconic lines, moments, and especially kung fu fights keeps Rush Hour from slowing down anytime soon.

10. Eraser. 1996.

The summer of ’96 the catchphrase slipping everyone’s tongue was “You’ve just been erased.” John Krueger’s a super capable US Marshal assigned to protect and erase the existence of Lee Cullen (Vanessa Williams) from government assassins trying to kill her before she can blow the whistle on their evil plot. Eraser is one of my all time favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger movies and it happens to be one of the first ones I’ve seen as a kid. Yes, even before The Terminator movies. The film boasts an impressive supporting cast as well with Vanessa Williams, Robert Pastoerelli, James Cromwell, James Coburn and the late great James Caan. The film is one big fun crazy action fest from nuclear railguns to explosions galore. Just a blast to watch all the way through (no pun intended).

9. True Lies. 1994.

James Cameron and Arnold teamed up once again to produce True Lies, a amazing action\comedy that paired Schwarzenegger with Jamie Lee Curtis. Boring computer salesman Harry Tasker is keeping the ultimate secret from his wife and daughter: he’s actually a spy. The film is both wildly hilarious and amazingly action packed. But at its heart the film is a love story about a man and wife trying to reconnect. They just have to battle terrorists and nuclear bombs at the same time. Arnold and Curtis were each at their very best in this film in the comedy and action hero department. Their chemistry together made the film magical.

8. Die Hard with a Vengeance. 1995.

John McClane really is an impossible man to kill. For this third go around of this epic adventure, John is aided by Harlem born and raised Locksmith Zeus Carver played by Samuel L. Jackson, who is always in every movie ever made, going up against a mad bomber and his gang of thieves. John McTiernan, who directed the first film made his return to the director’s seat in this one and the film certainly benefited from it. Willis, Jackson and Jeremy Irons were all truly compelling and enjoyable to watch in their roles, and the remarkable chemistry between Willis and Jackson made this one of the great buddy films. Die Hard came back with a vengeance and as the saying goes: Revenge is sweet.

7. Speed. 1994.

Like the bus that the bomb was placed in, Speed is a film that kept moving and didn’t slow down until it was safe to do so. Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper and Sandra Bullock star in one of the best Die Hard rip offs ever, “Die Hard on a Bus”. A stellar cast and nail biting action and suspense made Speed an instant classic.

6. The Terminator & The Terminator 2. 1984. 1991.

The Terminator movies are giants among sci-fi and action films. James Cameron and Co influenced both genres pretty heavy with their work in these two films and Schwarzenegger became “Mr. Schwarzenegger.” The movies have an amazing mythology, classic characters and a killer score. A childhood favorite of mine growing up, one can’t imagine what life would be like without T-800.

5. Predator. 1987.

What started out as a typical badass military squad movie turned into a totally amazing sci-fi horror film. The film is a true classic and is as much fun and chaotic as it is genuinely nerve wracking at times. A perfect ensemble that included Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Richard Chavez, Elpidia Carrillo, Sonny Landham, Shane Black and Kevin Michael Hall. Arnie had never been more vulnerable than on Predator, which should prove how frightening the Predator really is.

4. 48 Hrs. 1982.

One’s a cop, the other’s a con, and both are an inch a way from killing each other. 48 Hrs is one of the originators of the action comedy genre and has been imitated, copied, and just plain ripped off since it came out back in 1982. The pairing of Murphy and Nolte is one of pure magic, and the film’s hard edged action and even more hard edged comedy makes it a true classic.

3. Beverly Hills Cop. 1984.

After 48 Hrs, Eddie took over the lead of what was originally supposed to be a Sylvester Stallone picture. Thanks to that casting change, Beverly Hills Cop became one of the greatest action comedies ever made. Detroit cop Axel Foley heads down to Beverly Hills to investigate the murder of his best pal and all hell breaks loose. The film is one of Eddie Murphy’s most successful and greatest films, officially cementing his place in the action hero’s corner.

2. Lethal Weapon 1 & 2. 1987. 1989.

Lethal Weapon may not have created the buddy cop movie, but it certainly perfected and redefined it. One of the most influential action films ever made, Lethal Weapon’s DNA can be found in most films of its genre. The first two films have ingrained themselves into pop culture and will probably stay there for the rest of time because the films’ comedy, action and heart may not ever be matched. Glover and Gibson had a chemistry that was so special and so unique that in this author’s opinion, they’ve seen no peer.

1. Die Hard. 1988.

You may have noticed how many times you’ve read that some of these movies are considered “Die Hard on a this” or “Die Hard in a that”. Well, that’s because when Die Hard came out in 1988, there was nothing else like it. The whole lone hero against impossible odds and outmatched by lethal bad guys was completely of Die Hard’s invention and like everything new and original it has been copied to death. That said, there’s only one original and Die Hard deserves its place as top dog in the action genre as it has influenced and redefined the action genre ever since. The film has a perfect cast, story, pacing and enough heart and intelligence to balance out the more over the top shootings and explosions. At the end of the day we love Die Hard and we love John McClane because he’s the action hero we can all relate to. In over his head and out of his league, yet a smart aleck to the end. With all his charm, it’s no wonder John McClane just can’t stay dead.

Stay tuned for the top 20 greatest action films for the New Millenium and 2010s. ’Til next time, folks!