The '80s belonged to action. Pectorals rippling with heavy recoil. Entire neighborhoods disintegrating in pyrotechnic displays. No end too grisly for a one-line eulogy. The decade produced some of the greatest action films ever seen, but the following 16 represent the very best of their iconic era.
The 16 Best '80s Action Movies Ranked
The '80s belonged to action. Pectorals rippling with heavy recoil. Entire neighborhoods disintegrating in pyrotechnic displays. No end too grisly for a one-line eulogy. The decade produced some of the greatest action films ever seen, but the following 16 represent the very best of their iconic era.
Before we cover the 20 best action films of 2021, let's begin with two qualifiers. One, this list is being written and published before "The Matrix …
From futuristic post-apocalyptic dystopias to galaxies far, far away, from the crime-riddled streets of Gotham City to sleepy Sandford, Gloucestershire, we've got all the high-octane action, screeching tires, gunfire (both traditional and alien) and fisticuffs you can shake a lightsaber at. In these films, bullet holes heal just as quickly as bruises, and the bad guys can only be stopped in the very final act.
Either due to poor reviews, underwhelming box office, development hell, or lack of interest from the original creative teams, these awesome action movies never got the sequels they deserve.
The '80s action pantheon is so ingrained, the players so much larger than life, that it's easy to overlook the rest of what the Reagan era had to offer. The following 17 films rarely appear among lists of the decade's finest, but they're no less essential to the kiss-kiss-bang-bang business.