Monday Movies: Top 15 Action Movies

Today we are counting down the 15 best action movies of all time as according to Joshua J.

Now let’s be clear on what qualifies as an action movie: Explosions, fight-scenes, car chases, blood, gore, and general mayhem. Notice what is not there: Good acting and good writing. While many of the movies mentioned below will have both of those within them some may be…lacking in one or the other.**

1) Die Hard – He’s just a normal guy, that’s what makes John McClane so amazing and enjoyable to watch; he doesn’t have huge rippling muscles, he’s not a member of some elite military unit, he’s just a guy (who isn’t wearing shoes) who has to take on a sect of international money-grubbing terrorists to save his wife. (It is simultaneously the best Christmas film of all time, go Bruce Willis!)

2) Predator – In stark contrast to the number one choice, this movie is all about huge muscles and even larger guns. The quintessential movie of alien arrivals and blowing things up, this movie also spawned two govenators.

3) Rambo: First Blood – Now this movie does tend to break my own rules, not too many explosions, not a LOT of gunfire even, it could arguably be called a psychological thriller more than an action movie, but I think it should be called both, it is quite simply one of the most interesting action movies out there.

4) Saving Private Ryan – This WWII movie starts off with one of the most brutal and graphic scenes in the history of film (for those who do not know WWII veterans watched it and said it was EXACTLY how they remember it) and from that scene the movie goes into a stirring story interlaced with action sequences; not just one of the best action movies, but one of the best movies out there period.

5) Gladiator – From the incredible war scene in the beginning to the oh-so-satisfying slow shoving of the dagger into the emperor’s neck, Gladiator does not leave you wanting and unlike other movies about ancient Greece/Rome, Gladiator focuses less on scantily clad muscular men and more on a story that has you cheering for the ending.

6) Robocop – This movie was nearly rated X for violence, need I say more? I will anyway, but seriously. It’s a movie about a cyborg that goes all kinds of crazy and kills bad guys, in a word: Awesome.

7) Terminator 2 – Alright, I’ll admit that 99.999999% of the time sequels suck, but every GREAT once in a while there comes a sequel that outshines the original; T2 is one of these rare movies.

8) Zombieland – Gore, hilarity, and a hot girl. This movie is the best zombie-action movie I’ve ever seen, and it’s entertaining from start to finish. Rule 1: Cardio.

9) Braveheart – Arguably this is actually a romance movie, but with all the arms getting lobbed off, eyes getting shot with arrows and Scottish accents I doubt you’ll notice.

10) The Matrix – There is no spoon, but there ARE lots of bullets and explosions. Whoa.

11) Transformers – Huge transforming robots fighting a centuries-long-war here on Earth. Oh and Megan Fox looking smokin’ hot. Yes please.

12) Incredibles – Yep, it’s a kids movie, and it’s awesome. One of the few animated action films to bridge the age gap, “Incredibles” has a perfect mix of childish humor, adult plotlines, and exploding stuff; it also has the best soundtrack since Junglebook.

13) Taken – Any girl who is considering going overseas MUST see this movie. But the reason it’s an epic action movie is because everything the guy does is believable; he does not do insane martial arts or use crazy gadgets, and by the end of the movie he’s been shot, beaten, bruised and broken all in the pursuit of saving his daughter.

14) Raiders of the Lost Ark – Timeless period-piece and classic movie. Just go see it.

15) Star Wars Saga – While it would be possible to talk about how any single one of the SW movies was an action movie (okay except maybe episode II), it’s really one story and the action of the whole thing deserves to be examined. (Plus this way I avoid some nerd-boy sending me an e-mail of why Episode V was the best and not Episode VI or whatever.)