The action genre is arguably the most popular of all. It has a universal appeal because of its gripping sequences that effectively get everybody’s hearts pumping. That’s why the majority of summer blockbusters tend to be action-packed features. Looking at the highest-grossing movies of all time, this pattern holds up. So, to celebrate this ground-breaking genre in all its glory, we are going to be discussing the best action movies of all time. Keep reading to find out if your favourites made our list.
1.) The Matrix
The Matrix is a mind-boggling blend of science fiction and action sequences. It posed existential questions to audiences across the world that fundamentally changed the way we view our reality. Perhaps the most brilliant thing about The Matrix is the way its premise elevated the action sequences within the film, though. Case and point: the iconic scene where Neo dodged a hundred different bullets in slow-mo. Admittedly, the franchise is pretty corny in parts, and it does feature quite a few movie tropes. However, this is partly why fans love The Matrix so much – because it’s an earnest love letter to the sci-fi and action genres.
2.) Casino Royale
When you google the best action films of all time, the majority of movies you find listed are from the James Bond franchise. As one of the most iconic figures in cinematic history, this would make sense. However, if we had to choose just one James Bond film, then it would always have to be Casino Royale. This movie was actor Daniel Craig’s debut as the iconic character, and he killed it. His penchant for iciness and ultraviolence made Bond feel more dangerous and darkly alluring than ever before. In fact, Casino Royale has now become so iconic that the gambling industry was completely revolutionised by it, giving rise to establishments like this casino UK.
3.) Avengers: Endgame
Obviously, we had to include the highest-grossing film of all time on this list. Avengers: Endgame generated $2.79 billion from the box office upon its release and received a 94% approval rating on the review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. The film had a humongous budget of 356 million USD, meaning the filmmakers had all the resources they could possibly need to create some of the most spectacular action-sequences in cinema. The intergalactic battles were a sensory overload of superpowered violence and stunning visuals. However, the key to the success of Avengers: Endgame was its epic storyline. The franchise had been slowly building the Thanos plotline since its inception and the stakes of this movie were higher than audiences had previously experienced in cinema. As a result, the action sequences were almost painfully tense because fans could never anticipate who was going to die or who was going to live.
These are our top picks for the best action movies of all time. We selected these films predominately because of their cultural influence and how ground-breaking they were at the time of their release.
