#140 Running Scared (1986) 61% #140 Adjusted Score: 62629% Critics Consensus: Running Scared struggles to strike a consistent balance between violent action and humor, but the chemistry between its well-matched leads keeps things entertaining. Synopsis: Ray and Danny (Gregory Hines, Billy Crystal) are two Chicago police detectives hot on the trail of drug kingpin Julio... [More] Starring: Gregory Hines, Billy Crystal, Jimmy Smits, Steven Bauer Directed By: Peter Hyams
#139 Equilibrium (2002) 40% #139 Adjusted Score: 42468% Critics Consensus: Equilibrium is a reheated mishmash of other sci-fi movies. Synopsis: In a futuristic world, a regime has eliminated war by suppressing emotions: books, art and music are strictly forbidden and... [More] Starring: Christian Bale, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs, Angus Macfadyen Directed By: Kurt Wimmer
#138 Hero (2002) 94% #138 Adjusted Score: 101091% Critics Consensus: With death-defying action sequences and epic historic sweep, Hero offers everything a martial arts fan could ask for. Synopsis: In this visually arresting martial arts epic set in ancient China, an unnamed fighter (Jet Li) is being honored for... [More] Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Donnie Yen Directed By: Yimou Zhang
#137 Road House (1989) 41% #137 Adjusted Score: 44740% Critics Consensus: Whether Road House is simply bad or so bad it's good depends largely on the audience's fondness for Swayze -- and tolerance for violently cheesy action. Synopsis: The Double Deuce is the meanest, loudest and rowdiest bar south of the Mason-Dixon Line, and Dalton (Patrick Swayze) has... [More] Starring: Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch, Sam Elliott, Ben Gazzara Directed By: Rowdy Herrington
#136 Unstoppable (2010) 87% #136 Adjusted Score: 94805% Critics Consensus: As fast, loud, and relentless as the train at the center of the story, Unstoppable is perfect popcorn entertainment -- and director Tony Scott's best movie in years. Synopsis: When a massive, unmanned locomotive roars out of control, the threat is more ominous than just a derailment. The train... [More] Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Kevin Dunn Directed By: Tony Scott
#135 Shaft (1971) 88% #135 Adjusted Score: 93359% Critics Consensus: This is the man that would risk his neck for his brother, man. Can you dig it? Synopsis: John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is the ultimate in suave black detectives. He first finds himself up against Bumpy (Moses Gunn),... [More] Starring: Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Christopher St. John, Charles Cioffi Directed By: Gordon Parks
#134 The Villainess (2017) 85% #134 Adjusted Score: 89045% Critics Consensus: The Villainess offers enough pure kinetic thrills to satisfy genre enthusiasts -- and carve out a bloody niche for itself in modern Korean action cinema. Synopsis: Honed from childhood to be an elite assassin, Sook-hee embarks on a rampage of violence and revenge to finally earn... [More] Starring: Kim Ok-bin, Shin Ha-kyun, Sung-joon, Kim Seo-hyung Directed By: Jeong Byeong-gil
#133 Highlander (1986) 71% #133 Adjusted Score: 74345% Critics Consensus: People hate Highlander because it's cheesy, bombastic, and absurd. And people love it for the same reasons. Synopsis: When the mystical Russell Nash (Christopher Lambert) kills a man in a sword fight in a New York City parking... [More] Starring: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown Directed By: Russell Mulcahy
#132 Die Hard 2 (1990) 70% #132 Adjusted Score: 75260% Critics Consensus: It lacks the fresh thrills of its predecessor, but Die Hard 2 still works as an over-the-top -- and reasonably taut -- big-budget sequel, with plenty of set pieces to paper over the plot deficiencies. Synopsis: A year after his heroics in L.A, detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) is mixed up in another terrorist plot, this... [More] Starring: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, William Atherton, Reginald VelJohnson Directed By: Renny Harlin
#131 National Treasure (2004) 46% #131 Adjusted Score: 51703% Critics Consensus: National Treasure is no treasure, but it's a fun ride for those who can forgive its highly improbable plot. Synopsis: Historian and code-breaker Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) has been searching his whole life for a rumored treasure dating back to... [More] Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean Directed By: Jon Turteltaub
#130 The Protector (2005) 53% #130 Adjusted Score: 55785% Critics Consensus: Despite some impressive fight scenes, this trimmed-down version of the Thai action pic is an off-putting mix of scant plot, choppy editing, and confusing subtitles and dubbing. Synopsis: A young fighter (Tony Jaa) travels to Australia to retrieve stolen elephants that were promised originally to the king of... [More] Starring: Tachakorn Yeerum, Johnny Nguyen, Nathan Jones, Phetthai Vongkumlao Directed By: Prachya Pinkaew
#129 Revenge (2017) 93% #129 Adjusted Score: 99830% Critics Consensus: Revenge slices and dices genre tropes, working within an exploitation framework while adding a timely -- yet never less than viscerally thrilling -- feminist spin. Synopsis: Jen is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend -- until his two sleazy friends arrive for an unannounced... [More] Starring: Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Bouchède Directed By: Coralie Fargeat
#128 El Mariachi (1992) 91% #128 Adjusted Score: 97664% Critics Consensus: Made on a shoestring budget, El Mariachi's story is not new. However, the movie has so much energy that it's thoroughly enjoyable. Synopsis: El Mariachi (Carlos Gallardo) is a traveling guitar player with the modest desire to play music for a living. Looking... [More] Starring: Carlos Gallardo, Consuelo Gómez, Reinol Martinez, Peter Marquardt Directed By: Robert Rodriguez
#127 A Touch of Zen (1971) 97% #127 Adjusted Score: 100931% Critics Consensus: A brilliantly directed feast for the eyes with an epic story to match, A Touch of Zen marks a groundbreaking achievement in the wuxia genre. Synopsis: Ku Shen Chai (Chun Shih), an unmotivated artist in his early 30s, still lives with his mother, but he is... [More] Starring: Feng Hsu, Chun Shih, Pai Ying, Roy Chiao Directed By: King Hu
#126 Top Gun (1986) 57% #126 Adjusted Score: 64802% Critics Consensus: Though it features some of the most memorable and electrifying aereial footage shot with an expert eye for action, Top Gun offers too little for non-adolescent viewers to chew on when its characters aren't in the air. Synopsis: The Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School is where the best of the best train to refine their elite flying... [More] Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer Directed By: Tony Scott
#125 Con Air (1997) 58% #125 Adjusted Score: 62465% Critics Consensus: Con Air won't win any awards for believability - and all involved seem cheerfully aware of it, making some of this blockbuster action outing's biggest flaws fairly easy to forgive. Synopsis: Just-paroled army ranger Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) is headed back to his wife (Monica Potter), but must fly home aboard... [More] Starring: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi Directed By: Simon West
#124 The Expendables 2 (2012) 67% #124 Adjusted Score: 72913% Critics Consensus: Taut, violent, and suitably self-deprecating, The Expendables 2 gives classic action fans everything they can reasonably expect from a star-studded shoot-'em-up -- for better and for worse. Synopsis: Mercenary leader Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) and the rest of the Expendables team reunite when Mr.... [More] Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren Directed By: Simon West
#123 The Mummy (1999) 60% #123 Adjusted Score: 64704% Critics Consensus: It's difficult to make a persuasive argument for The Mummy as any kind of meaningful cinematic achievement, but it's undeniably fun to watch. Synopsis: The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying epic about an expedition of treasure-seeking explorers in the Sahara Desert in... [More] Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo Directed By: Stephen Sommers
#122 Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) 60% #122 Adjusted Score: 67819% Critics Consensus: Although this action-romance suffers from weak writing and one too many explosions, the chemistry generated by onscreen couple Pitt and Jolie is palpable enough to make this a thoroughly enjoyable summer action flick. Synopsis: John (Brad Pitt) and Jane Smith (Angelina Jolie), a couple in a stagnating marriage, live a deceptively mundane existence. However,... [More] Starring: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam Brody Directed By: Doug Liman
#121 Rush Hour (1998) 62% #121 Adjusted Score: 66310% Critics Consensus: While it won't win any awards for originality, the combustible chemistry between its stars means Rush Hour hits just as hard on either side of the action-comedy divide. Synopsis: When a Chinese diplomat's daughter is kidnapped in Los Angeles, he calls in Hong Kong Detective Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan)... [More] Starring: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Tom Wilkinson, Elizabeth Peña Directed By: Brett Ratner
#120 The Equalizer (2014) 61% #120 Adjusted Score: 70598% Critics Consensus: The Equalizer is more stylishly violent than meaningful, but with Antoine Fuqua behind the cameras and Denzel Washington dispensing justice, it delivers. Synopsis: Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), a man of mysterious origin who believes he has put the past behind him, dedicates himself... [More] Starring: Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour Directed By: Antoine Fuqua
#119 Captain America: Civil War (2016) 91% #119 Adjusted Score: 111896% Critics Consensus: Captain America: Civil War begins the next wave of Marvel movies with an action-packed superhero blockbuster boasting a decidedly non-cartoonish plot and the courage to explore thought-provoking themes. Synopsis: Political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability when the actions of the Avengers lead to collateral damage. The... [More] Starring: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
#118 Air Force One (1997) 78% #118 Adjusted Score: 82003% Critics Consensus: This late-period Harrison Ford actioner is full of palpable, if not entirely seamless, thrills. Synopsis: After making a speech in Moscow vowing to never negotiate with terrorists, President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) boards Air Force... [More] Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson Directed By: Wolfgang Petersen
#117 Bloodsport (1988) 46% #117 Adjusted Score: 47819% Critics Consensus: This is where it all began for the Muscles from Brussels, but beyond Van Damme's athleticism, Bloodsport is a cliched, virtually plotless exercise in action movie recycling. Synopsis: U.S. soldier Frank Dux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) has come to Hong Kong to be accepted into the Kumite, a highly... [More] Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb, Leah Ayres, Norman Burton Directed By: Newt Arnold
#116 Blade (1998) 58% #116 Adjusted Score: 64516% Critics Consensus: Though some may find the plot a bit lacking, Blade's action is fierce, plentiful, and appropriately stylish for a comic book adaptation. Synopsis: A half-mortal, half-immortal is out to avenge his mother's death and rid the world of vampires. The modern-day technologically advanced... [More] Starring: Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright Directed By: Stephen Norrington
#115 Bad Boys (1995) 43% #115 Adjusted Score: 47670% Critics Consensus: Bad Boys stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have enjoyable chemistry; unfortunately, director Michael Bay too often drowns it out with set pieces and explosions in place of an actual story. Synopsis: Miami-Dade detectives Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) blow a fuse when $100 million worth of heroin... [More] Starring: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Téa Leoni, Tchéky Karyo Directed By: Michael Bay
#114 Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995) 58% #114 Adjusted Score: 63516% Critics Consensus: Die Hard with a Vengeance benefits from Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson's barbed interplay, but clatters to a bombastic finish in a vain effort to cover for an overall lack of fresh ideas. Synopsis: Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) is now divorced, alcoholic and jobless after getting fired for his reckless behavior and bad... [More] Starring: Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, Graham Greene Directed By: John McTiernan
#113 The Running Man (1987) 66% #113 Adjusted Score: 69932% Critics Consensus: The Running Man is winking sci-fi satire with ridiculous clothes and workmanlike direction. Synopsis: In the year 2019, America is a totalitarian state where the favorite television program is "The Running Man" -- a... [More] Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson, Yaphet Kotto Directed By: Paul Michael Glaser
#112 Code of Silence (1985) 68% #112 Adjusted Score: 69021% Critics Consensus: No consensus yet. Synopsis: In Chicago, honor-driven Sgt. Eddie Cusack (Chuck Norris) and his team stake out a drug exchange involving notorious drug czar... [More] Starring: Chuck Norris, Henry Silva, Bert Remsen, Mike Genovese Directed By: Andrew Davis
#111 Shoot 'Em Up (2007) 67% #111 Adjusted Score: 73077% Critics Consensus: As preposterous and over-the-top as Shoot 'Em Up may be, its humor and non-stop action make for a very enjoyable film. Synopsis: After saving a newborn infant from assassins, carrot-crunching gunman Mr. Smith (Clive Owen) teams up with a prostitute named DQ... [More] Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci, Daniel Pilon Directed By: Michael Davis
#110 Crank (2006) 62% #110 Adjusted Score: 65624% Critics Consensus: Crank's assaultive style and gleeful depravity may turn off casual action fans, but audiences seeking a strong dose of adrenaline will be thrilled by Jason Statham's raucous race against mortality. Synopsis: Chev Chelios (Jason Statham), a hit man wanting to go straight, lets his latest target slip away, then he awakes... [More] Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Efren Ramirez Directed By: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
#109 Machete (2010) 70% #109 Adjusted Score: 77672% Critics Consensus: Machete is messy, violent, shallow, and tasteless -- and that's precisely the point of one of the summer's most cartoonishly enjoyable films. Synopsis: After nearly being killed during a violent fight with a powerful drug lord, a former Mexican Federale known as Machete... [More] Starring: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal Directed By: Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis
#108 Drive (2011) 93% #108 Adjusted Score: 104192% Critics Consensus: With its hyper-stylized blend of violence, music, and striking imagery, Drive represents a fully realized vision of arthouse action. Synopsis: Driver is a skilled Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. Though he projects an icy exterior,... [More] Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn
#107 Batman (1989) 76% #107 Adjusted Score: 89219% Critics Consensus: An eerie, haunting spectacle, Batman succeeds as dark entertainment, even if Jack Nicholson's Joker too often overshadows the title character. Synopsis: Having witnessed his parents' brutal murder as a child, millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) fights crime in Gotham City... [More] Starring: Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl Directed By: Tim Burton
#106 Under Siege (1992) 79% #106 Adjusted Score: 80924% Critics Consensus: A well-directed action thriller that makes the most of its confined setting, Under Siege marks a high point for early '90s action -- and its star's spotty filmography. Synopsis: A heroic loner takes on a group of nuclear terrorists in this seagoing tale. Posing as a rock band, the... [More] Starring: Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey, Erika Eleniak Directed By: Andrew Davis
#105 Independence Day (1996) 68% #105 Adjusted Score: 73408% Critics Consensus: The plot is thin and so is character development, but as a thrilling, spectacle-filled summer movie, Independence Day delivers. Synopsis: In the epic adventure film "Independence Day," strange phenomena surface around the globe. The skies ignite. Terror races through the... [More] Starring: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell Directed By: Roland Emmerich
#104 Bullitt (1968) 98% #104 Adjusted Score: 103558% Critics Consensus: Steve McQueen is cool as ice in this thrilling police procedural that also happens to contain arguably the greatest movie car chase ever. Synopsis: Senator Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) is aiming to take down mob boss Pete Ross (Vic Tayback) with the help of... [More] Starring: Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon Directed By: Peter Yates
#103 Wanted (2008) 71% #103 Adjusted Score: 79278% Critics Consensus: Wanted is stylish, energetic popcorn fare with witty performances from Angelina Jolie (playing an expert assassin), James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman that help to distract from its absurdly over-the-top plot. Synopsis: Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is an office worker whose life is going nowhere. After his estranged father is murdered, he... [More] Starring: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Terence Stamp Directed By: Timur Bekmambetov
#102 Superman: The Movie (1978) 94% #102 Adjusted Score: 102759% Critics Consensus: Superman deftly blends humor and gravitas, taking advantage of the perfectly cast Christopher Reeve to craft a loving, nostalgic tribute to an American pop culture icon. Synopsis: Just before the destruction of the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) sends his infant son Kal-El on a spaceship... [More] Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder Directed By: Richard Donner
#101 Ronin (1998) 70% #101 Adjusted Score: 74034% Critics Consensus: Ronin earns comparisons to The French Connection with strong action, dynamic road chase scenes, and solid performances. Synopsis: Deirdre (Natascha McElhone) puts together a team of experts that she tasks with stealing a valuable briefcase, the contents of... [More] Starring: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgård Directed By: John Frankenheimer
#100 They Live (1988) 86% #100 Adjusted Score: 92349% Critics Consensus: A politically subversive blend of horror and sci fi, They Live is an underrated genre film from John Carpenter. Synopsis: Nada (Roddy Piper), a wanderer without meaning in his life, discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world... [More] Starring: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, George "Buck" Flower Directed By: John Carpenter
#99 Cliffhanger (1993) 68% #99 Adjusted Score: 72991% Critics Consensus: While it can't escape comparisons to the movies it borrows from, Cliffhanger is a tense, action-packed thriller and a showcase for the talents that made Sylvester Stallone a star. Synopsis: Outdoor thriller in which a former mountain rescuer is pitted against a group of criminals who have lost their $100... [More] Starring: Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Micha