10) Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
Director: James Cameron
Writers: James Cameron, William Wisher
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong
Action Sub-genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller, Cyborg
Synopsis: “A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from a more advanced and powerful cyborg.”
7 Scenes That Prove Terminator 2 is Arnold’s Ultimate Action Movie
9) Death Wish (1974)
Director: Michael Winner
Writers: Brian Garfield, Wendell Mayes
Stars: Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia
Action Sub-genre: Vigilante
Synopsis: “A New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife is murdered by street punks in which he randomly goes out and kills would-be muggers on the mean streets after dark.”
8) Rocky IV (1985)
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Writer: Sylvester Stallone
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young
Action Sub-genre: Drama, Sports
Synopsis: “Rocky Balboa proudly holds the world heavyweight boxing championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago, a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union.”
Sylvester Stallone Reveals his one Major Regret From Rocky IV
7) Die Hard (1988)
Director: John McTiernan
Writers: Roderick Thorp, Jeb Stuart, Steven E. de Souza
Stars: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia
Action Sub-genre: Cop, Die Hard
Synopsis: “An NYPD officer tries to save his wife and several others taken hostage by German terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.”
5 Reasons ‘Die Hard’ is Absolutely a Christmas Movie (Plus 50 Catalogued Examples!)
6) Commando (1985)
Director: Mark L. Lester
Writers: Steven E. de Souza, Jeph Loeb, Matthew Weisman
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Dan Hedaya
Action Sub-genre: Special Forces, Rescue
Synopsis: “A retired Special Forces colonel tries to save his daughter, who was abducted by his former subordinate.”
How Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Commando Was Nearly A Very Different Action Movie
5) Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Director: George P. Cosmatos
Writers: David Morrell, Kevin Jarre, James Cameron, Sylvester Stallone
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Charles Napier
Action Sub-genre: POW, Special Forces, War
Synopsis: “John Rambo is released from prison by the government for a top-secret covert mission to the last place on Earth he’d want to return – the jungles of Vietnam.”
Rambo First Blood Part II is the Ultimate Action Movie. Period!
4) Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
Director: Steve Carver
Writers: B.J. Nelson, H. Kaye Dyal
Stars: Chuck Norris, David Carradine, Barbara Carrera
Action Sub-genre: Cop, Western, Martial Arts
Synopsis: “After helping the local police with some horse thieves, a Texas Ranger aims at a drug lord with arms trade as well. They’re interested in the same woman and they’re both into martial arts.”
3) Predator (1987)
Director: John McTiernan
Writers: Jim Thomas, John Thomas
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Hall
Action Sub-genre: Sci-Fi, Man is the Deadliest Prey, Thriller, Special Forces
Synopsis: “A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.”
UAMC Investigates: The Story of Jean-Claude Van Damme as the Original Predator
2) Bloodsport (1988)
Director: Newt Arnold
Writers: Sheldon Lettich (story), Sheldon Lettich (screenplay), Christopher Cosby (screenplay), Mel Friedman (screenplay)
Stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb, Leah Ayres
Action Sub-genre: Martial Arts, Tournament
Synopsis: “Follows Frank Dux, an American martial artist serving in the military, who decides to leave the army to compete in a martial arts tournament in Hong Kong where fights to the death can occur.”
The Top 10 Reasons Why Bloodsport is Van Damme’s Magnum Opus
1) Cobra (1986)
Director: George P. Cosmatos
Writers: Paula Gosling (novel), Sylvester Stallone (screenplay)
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen, Reni Santoni
Action Sub-genre: Cop, Thriller
Synopsis: “A tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far reaching plans.”
7 Reasons Stallone’s Cobra is his True Cinematic Masterpiece
That’s our list of THE TOP 100 MOST ULTIMATE ACTION MOVIES OF ALL TIME… Feel free to share yours in the comments below!
wow this is one screwed up list, cobra #1 really? this movie never even got a sequel because it was one of stallones worst ever, picking it over terminator and die hard, again WOW