On episode 5 of the Film Don’t Hurt podcast Kai and Dylan talk about a list devised on The Vulture of the best 25 action movies since die hard. You can see what they came up with HERE. While I don’t disagree with any of there list (except Suppercop that I haven’t seen) I have my own ideas so thought I would come up with my own list. Die Hard is probably my favourite action movie. I have stated many times that it reinvented the genre. While this is largely true, if you look at it from a different point of view, it also killed the genre. Through the 70’s and 80’s action meant big men like Stallone, Schwarzenegger or Lundgren. With Die Hard Bruce Willis made it possible for the everyman to be an action hero. Then through the 90’s things changed with the rise of comic book movies and directors like Michael Bay and Roland Emmerich who just want to blow shit up. I like comic book movies but am a board of blowing shit up movies as reflected in my list. It was surprisingly difficult, there are at least another fifteen movies I would have liked to have included. I couldn’t decide on the order for the list. The best movies or the ones that represent the genre best. I decided to go for a chronological list, firstly for simplicity but I also think it gives an interesting overview of the changes in the genre. I used the same three simple rules:
Not every movie with action in it is an action movie. (it had to be a film that wouldn’t make any sense if you took all the action scenes out)
Only one film per franchise.
No animation.
Nikita (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Point Break (1991)
Hard Boiled (1992)
Speed (1994)
The Crow (1994)
Desperado (1995)
Run Lola Run (1998)
Taxi (1998)
The Matrix (1999)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Gladiator (2000)
Battle Royale (2000)
Blade II (2002)
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
District 13 (2004)
Serenity (2005)
Batman Begins (2005) (I prefer The Dark Knight but Batman Begins is more of an action film)
Casino Royale (2006)
Apocalypto (2006)
300 (2006)
Doomsday (2008)
Avengers Assemble (2012)
Fandango Groovers Movie Blog 
I love that you included Battle Royale. That movie is just beyond messed up.
If you haven’t already you should read the book too.
LOVE Nikita. Yet to see Run, Lola, Run; but I hear it’s based on Kieslowski’s Blind Chance? Great list 🙂
Nikita was the first none English langue movie I ever watched. Run Lola Run is amazing, watch it as soon as you can. I didn’t know it was based on Blind Chance, but it wouldn’t surprise me, Tom Tykwer is a big fan of Krzysztof Kieslowski,.Heavan (also worth seeing) is based on the first of a planned trilogy Kieslowski was going to make.
I think the move away from the “Stallone style” in the 70s and 80s and towards a “Willis style” actually allowed for much more character development in action movies. And this is a much preferable experience for me.
Are there more or less quality action films these days? I’m not sure. I love Die Hard but am not convinced by its many imitators.
I would just add House of Flying Daggers and the list is perfect. And Terminator 2 is one of my all time favourites, action or non-action!
Good choice but Hero would probably pip House of Flying Daggers in may list