Comments on: Open Forum Friday: What is the Best Action Movie?

By: bertom

bertom — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 07:04:13 +0000

what about the MOTHER of all action movies: Seven Samurai

By: darkbhudda

darkbhudda — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:27:59 +0000

Starship Troopers

By: Djsly92807

Djsly92807 — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 01:16:32 +0000

I have to agree and go with Die Hard. It set the tone for non-stop action flicks. After watching Live Free or Die Hard, I have to say that the latest was actually up to par as well. It wasn’t at the original Die Hard level…but it was quite close. No need for CGI, capes and super powers. Just a normal average Joe caught up in a bad situation…and of course he can’t die. So that helps.

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By: Djsly92807

Djsly92807 — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 01:16:09 +0000

By: Djsly92807

Djsly92807 — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 01:15:53 +0000

I have to agree and go with Diehard. It set the tone for non-stop action flicks. After watching Live Free or Die Hard, I have to say that the latest was actually up to par as well. It wasn’t at the original Die Hard level…but it was quite close. No need for CGI, capes and super powers. Just a normal average Joe caught up in a bad situation…and of course he can’t die. So that helps.

By: Rian

Rian — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 23:44:45 +0000

I gotta go with Die Hard. I just watched the first three films of this series back to back the other day to prepare for the new one (because I’m a big loser with nothing better to do with my time), and after watching it again, the first Die Hard just stands out as the definition of “action movie”. Terminator 2 is my choice for runner up because that movie is jam-packed with excitement. Aliens is my all time favorite film, but I have trouble considering it an action movie. It does have action, but at the end of the day I still see it as a monster movie. I’d call Indiana an adventure, but that’s a tough road to walk. Really, it just doesn’t have as much balls out action as Die Hard or T2 in my opinion. I wouldn’t necessarily call Commando “good”, though it is entertaining. The Matrix has the most incredible visuals out of anything on the list with the possible exception of Spiderman 2, but watching Die Hard again was kind of an eye opener for me as far as this discussion is concerned. Die Hard, or more to the point, John McClane, simply oozes action star from every pore. That’s why I gotta go Die Hard.

By: Donka

Donka — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 08:42:29 +0000

Commando. With out a doubt. The original foundation for which all AGNULD and action flicks stand upon (or stood upon). None other can complete with this movies vulgar display of power. Preach on Arnold, LORD knows that belt will never end!!

By: Ian

Ian — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 22:24:55 +0000

Though it’s not my favorite in a objective sense I think T2 takes the cake. Sean is correct the Action movie is not a genre but rather a collection of styles and themes. I’d hate to sound all PoMo but the best stuff I’ve encountered is that which through combination and reference creates a new genre itself.

By: davidchili

davidchili — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 15:02:42 +0000

I would choose Die Hard from sean’s list, because I think it pretty much stands for what I believe action flick would be like. And with what Primal and Sean explained, I think I might go with Fight Club.

By: eMMe

eMMe — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:39:25 +0000

Hello,

Primal, Sean, thank you for your answers and explanations!

I agree that Raiders of the Lost Ark is an Action / Adventure and First Blood is an Action Drama.

So you are talking about movies that have “action” elements in them. Ok.

In the past I have written an article about Modern Action Movies (in italian) that could represent for me Modern Action Movie Genre in which I talk about

Rocky, 1976
Mad Max, 1979
Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981
Conan the Barbarian and Rambo, 1982
The Terminator, 1984
Commando, 1985
Top Gun, 1986
Predator and Letal Weapon, 1987
Die Hard, 1988
Terminator 2, 1991
Bad Boys, 1995
The Rock, 1996
Mission Impossible, 1996
The Gladiator, 2000
James Bond Saga
SH Movies

So I think I surely miss Alien and The Matrix from your List. I will update it.

Yes, I agree about Western as first action movies and so I vote for your forum Terminator 2 and Raiders of the Lost Ark (and Conan if it is possible to consider it as an Action Movie).

Thank you,
See you soon,
Best Regards,
eMMe

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:58:14 +0000

I do kind of agree with what eMMe is saying, but for this reason I think it’s hard to call action a genre unto itself… after all, couldn’t Raiders of the Lost Ark be considered action/adventure? And First Blood a war movie? Die Hard a cop movie? In the end, you need a context and a basis for the action. Here’s a question I’ve been pondering… what would be considered the first action movie? I bet it was a western.

By: Primal

Primal — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:36:01 +0000

eMMe,

T2, Matrix, Aliens, Total Recall aren’t just classified as SCI-FI, but as Sci-Fi Action movies. By your definition, Predator is a SCI-FI too, but I would disagree with that 100%

Just because we have some people in spaceships instead of riding in limos or the threat isn’t human or the film is set in the future instead of the present doesn’t change “pure action” element of the movie.

btw, Raiders of the Lost Ark is an Action Adventure and First Blood is an Action Drama.