There are some action movies which should be considered as sacred must-watch essentials, and fans of the genre couldn’t imagine doing without them. The action genre includes many subgenres, such as martial arts movies, action comedies and spy thrillers, but a classic is a classic no matter what form it takes.

The best action movies need to have compelling stories and relatable characters, or else they will fall flat regardless of how powerful their chases, fights and stunts are. If an action movie can tick these boxes while maintaining an original streak, it often means that it has a lot of rewatch value, and fans will cherish it for generations.

10

The Raid (2011)

The Raid quickly gained an international audience, as did its sequel, released three years later. There’s no denying the adrenaline high that Gareth Evans’ martial arts movie can deliver, a lot of which comes from the jaw-dropping skills of stars like Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian and Joe Taslim.

Fans have been calling for a third Raid movie for years, but it seems now that the time has pᴀssed. Fortunately, the first two are exciting enough to deliver the goods on every rewatch. The fight choreography – and the way that the direction enhances these fight scenes – is nothing short of breathtaking.

9

H๏τ Fuzz (2007)

Real action fans embrace the genre’s absurd tropes and overblown fights, and H๏τ Fuzz sees the funny side of things like few other action-comedies. However, even though Edgar Wright’s comedy pokes fun at movies like Point Break and Bad Boys, it also professes a deep love for them.

H๏τ Fuzz is every bit as exciting as the action movies that it aims to satirize, and every bit as dedicated to entertaining its audience too. With some eye-popping fight scenes, uproarious humor and a surprisingly effective mystery narrative, H๏τ Fuzz offers something for everyone, making it one of the most rewatchable action movies ever made.

8

Enter The Dragon (1973)

In many ways, it makes sense that Enter the Dragon was the movie that really kicked off the Bruce Lee craze in the west. Of course, the actor’s untimely death gave the movie added weight before it even came out, but it’s also worth noting that Enter the Dragon is the perfect synthesis of Eastern and Western action.

Enter the Dragon looks more like a James Bond movie than most other martial arts movies, as Lee infiltrates a heavily-guarded island fortress run by an eccentric villain. The Bond comparisons fall down when it comes to Enter the Dragon‘s incredible fight scenes however, which are second to none.

7

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

George Miller wanted to return to his Mad Max franchise much sooner, but Fury Road was stuck in development hell for decades. Ultimately, this unintended break might have been the best thing for the sequel, because Fury Road reintroduced audiences to the world of Mad Max with unparalleled scale and spectacle.

In an era ruled by CGI-heavy blockbusters, the practical effects in Mad Max: Fury Road are a refreshing jolt of energy. With several of the best car stunts ever filmed all piled up on top of one another, Fury Road is a relentlessly entertaining post-apocalyptic thriller, and the worldbuilding provides something else for audiences to chew on.

6

John Wick (2014)

The John Wick franchise has changed a lot since its first entry, delving deeper into the world of ᴀssᴀssins and using its increasing budgets to explore splashier action scenes. Still, the original provides the framework for these changes, as well as the framework for the dozens of imitators that have cropped up ever since.

John Wick marches to the beat of its own drum, with an immediately recognizable and distinct style of fighting that makes the most out of Keanu Reeves’ abilities. Although the narrative is a relatively straightforward revenge story, John Wick does a lot to make itself stand out.

5

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

No movie series has delivered outstanding action as consistently as Mission: Impossible in the 21st century, and Fallout is arguably the pinnacle of the spy franchise’s achievements. Fallout raises the stakes once again, with bigger stunts, more jaw-dropping fights and enough emotion to make them all feel worthwhile.

Tom Cruise has been locked in a battle with himself to one-up his death-defying stunts in the Mission: Impossible franchise, but Fallout also builds the right narrative framework around these set pieces. The helicopter chase at the end or the rooftop sprint through London feel even more urgent because of a smart script and some underrated performances.

4

Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

Not many directors have a flair for cinematic spectacle like Steven Spielberg, and his signature trilogy shows this off perfectly. All three Indiana Jones movies from the ’80s are packed with unforgettable action scenes, like the mine cart chase in Temple of Doom or the tank fight in The Last Crusade. Still, Raiders of the Lost Ark deserves credit for standing on its own two feet.

From the moment that Indy flees a large boulder after nabbing a golden idol, Raiders of the Lost Ark expertly uses action to convey character and tell its story. Many of these action scenes are now iconic, partly because they’re buoyed by a fast-paced adventure that doesn’t hold up for a single second.

3

Hard Boiled (1992)

In terms of sheer gun-toting mayhem, not many movies can compete with John Woo’s Hard Boiled, which demonstrates the director’s so-called “bullet ballet” style of action. It’s a detective story, but one that cares more about pulse-raising action than cunning mysteries.

Hard Boiled‘s action sequences are among the most entertaining and original ever made, which is an important point since they make up such a large chunk of the movie’s runtime. With Chow Yun-fat’s performance adding enough emotional resonance, Hard Boiled has a hook for the audience.

2

The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan’s movies are famous for their kinetic visuals, and The Dark Knight might be his most viscerally powerful of all. The second movie in his Dark Knight trilogy continues the good work from the first movie, weaving elements of gritty crime thrillers into a larger-than-life superhero tale.

The Dark Knight is still recognized as one of the best superhero movies of all time, but what makes it so special is that its action doesn’t rely on fanciful powers. Scenes like the Batpod chase could be cut and pasted into more grounded action movies and still be just as exciting, because the real beating heart of the narrative is the struggle between Batman and the Joker.

1

Die Hard (1988)

Die Hard is the quintessential ’80s action movie, but its appeal has lasted generations. There’s an elegant simplicity to the story of John McClane’s story, which has inspired countless other action movies about heroes being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The limited setting of Die Hard creates a pressure-cooker atmosphere, as John McClane has nothing to aid him in his mission except for his own ingenuity. He’s an easy character to root for, thanks in part to Bruce Willis’ performance, which makes the hero cop seem real and vulnerable enough. All in all, Die Hard elevates a familiar story with considerable style.