The most influential action films in each decade

by

Action movies are a cornerstone of cinema, particularly when it comes to big summer releases. While they’ve been popular for many years, we decided to highlight the most impactful action films from each decade, beginning with…

 

Bullitt (1968)

Steve McQueen, known for his tough-guy image, was a true car enthusiast, and his love for vehicles is central to the film Bullitt. The movie features McQueen as a rebellious police detective pursuing a crime boss who has eliminated a witness under McQueen’s protection. While based on a novel, the film is especially remembered for its groundbreaking car chase—a sequence that wasn’t even in the original book or script until McQueen became involved after Spencer Tracy’s passing. McQueen himself did much of the driving, sharing duties with stunt driver Bud Ekins, as they pursued the villain through the challenging hills of San Francisco. The chase was so intense that cameras were damaged, and even mistakes—like McQueen accidentally reversing at high speed and spinning the tires—were left in the final cut. The city of San Francisco allowed the production to close streets for weeks, hoping to attract more filmmakers. Two Mustangs and two Dodge Chargers were heavily modified and largely destroyed during filming, with only one Mustang surviving. The nearly 11-minute chase became a standard for action films, later surpassed by the car chase in The French Connection.

 

Gone in 60 seconds (1974)

If you’re looking for a thrilling car chase movie, skip the recent remake and check out the original Gone in 60 Seconds from 1974. Written and directed by H.B. Haliki, it features an incredibly long, nearly continuous car chase that makes up most of its 97-minute runtime. Haliki, a stuntman himself, used the film as a chance to showcase his love of cars and spectacular stunts, weaving a simple story about an insurance investigator who moonlights as a car thief. The film boasts an impressive collection of vehicles – Ferraris, Rolls Royces, Cadillacs, and more – and many were wrecked during the filming process, as Haliki pushed the limits of both the cars and the stunt team. The production was notoriously unsafe, with real accidents captured on film and unsuspecting bystanders often believing they were witnessing a genuine high-speed pursuit. True to form, Haliki suffered a spinal injury after a dangerous jump at the film’s climax. His reckless approach unfortunately caught up with him during the filming of an unofficial sequel in 1989. Directed by his wife, Denice, the sequel was even more ambitious. Tragically, Haliki was killed in a freak accident on set when a supporting cable snapped, causing a lighting pole to fall on his car. He was only 48 years old. Filming was immediately halted, and the unfinished footage wasn’t released until 2003 as a short film. While The French Connection is often cited as the most influential action film of the 70s, Gone in 60 Seconds is relentlessly exciting. Haliki’s work paved the way for stunt performers becoming directors, most notably Chad Stahelski, who co-directed John Wick in 2014.

 

Die Hard (1988)

By the 1980s, action blockbusters were hugely popular. While Arnold Schwarzenegger was a major star, the 1988 film Die Hard, directed by John McTiernan, truly launched Bruce Willis as an action hero and is still considered one of the greatest action movies ever made. McTiernan famously used the 20th Century Fox headquarters building itself as a setting, staging spectacular crashes, explosions, and daring stunts involving Willis. The film led to four sequels and gave Alan Rickman his first Hollywood role, instantly establishing him as a star. However, Die Hard’s lasting impact is a testament to McTiernan’s directing skills, as it continues to influence action films today, including recent releases like the Daisy Ridley film, ‘Cleaner’.

Director John McTiernan talks about the making of Die Hard….

Hard Boiled (1992)

John Woo, a Hong Kong director, had already gained a reputation for thrilling action films, with 1989’s The Killer being his most recent success. He followed that up with Hard Boiled, often considered his masterpiece. The film stars Chow Yun-Fat as a tough police officer who partners with an undercover agent to take down a dangerous mob boss and his crew. While the story isn’t groundbreaking, the film’s execution is spectacular, filled with over-the-top action sequences and a high number of casualties – it definitely earned its mature rating. Memorable scenes include a chaotic hospital shootout and the iconic image of Chow Yun-Fat holding a baby. Hard Boiled is a hugely influential action film that solidified Woo’s status as a master of the genre and attracted attention from Hollywood. His signature style – slow-motion, white doves, and dramatic Mexican standoffs – became famous, especially after Quentin Tarantino borrowed elements for Reservoir Dogs. However, despite a Hollywood highlight with Face/Off (1997), Woo’s career in America didn’t fully flourish. He directed Mission Impossible 2, which is often considered the weakest film in that series, and eventually returned to Hong Kong.

 

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

While The Bourne Identity (2002) was a strong spy thriller, it was the 2004 sequel that truly raised the bar. Director Paul Greengrass, taking over from Doug Liman, brought a dynamic energy to Matt Damon’s character and delivered incredible action sequences. Eschewing CGI, Greengrass focused on practical stunts, filming them in real time – drawing inspiration from iconic car chases in films like The French Connection and Ronin. The film stood out for its inventive use of everyday objects as weapons, famously turning a rolled-up newspaper into a deadly tool. The Bourne Supremacy had a significant impact, revitalizing the James Bond franchise, which had been inactive since 1999 and was at risk of becoming outdated. Bourne gave Bond the jolt it needed, leading to the excellent Casino Royale in 2006, directed by Martin Campbell.

 

The Raid (2011)

Few predicted the impact of this groundbreaking action film from the 2010s. Welsh director Gareth Evans discovered the martial art of Pencak Silat and the incredible talent of Iko Uwais in Indonesia, and built a story around him. The film traps Uwais’s character inside a tower block overrun with a relentless gang, and targeted by a SWAT team. While the premise is simple, the fight choreography is truly exceptional – unlike anything Western audiences had seen before. The action is breathtaking, brutally realistic, and left viewers wondering how the performers survived. Hollywood took notice, but a remake has never materialized, likely because replicating the film’s intensity and practical stunts seems impossible. It set a new standard for action cinema, and even its excellent sequel hasn’t surpassed it.

Why The Raid 2 is actually the Raid 1! – Director Gareth Evans explains why…..

John Wick 4 (2023)

The John Wick franchise started in 2014, led by director Chad Stahelski, a former stuntman. Remarkably, each sequel has surpassed the last in both quality and box office revenue – a rare achievement in filmmaking. The series reached its height with John Wick: Chapter 4, a nearly three-hour-long action epic featuring incredibly creative and ambitious set pieces, like a stunning overhead shot of Wick battling through multiple rooms. No other action film has quite matched its impact since, and the ending strongly suggests a satisfying conclusion to the story… assuming the studio doesn’t decide to continue it!

…….and those are the most influential action films in each decade!

Read More

2026-03-16 03:24