LoC: Top 51 Action Movies Countdown! Part 83!

[Johnny Unusual]

#29 – Shoot ‘Em Up

36 Points, 2 Lists, #2 George Harrison

  My God. Do we really suck, or is this guy really that good?

   
   
When a drifter name Smith eyes a hitman trying to kill a pregnant woman, he kills him.  With a carrot.  He then delivers the child and the mother dies, leaving Smith with the newborn baby.  Soon Smith realizes that whoever wanted the woman dead want the kid dead too.  Now teamed with a lactating prostitute, Smith must kill his way through an army of criminals looking to kill a baby.  But why would anyone spend this many resources to kill a baby?

Shit Just Got Real! – This goes all the way to the top!
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage – 90%  Never saw this one, but I feel confident that this over-the-top killfest sits comfortably in the 90’s

AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/hrwh7t2enlI" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/hrwh7t2enlI</a>

[MightyJack]

Shoot 'Em Up is insane.  It's completely unrealistic but that's what makes it a blast. Any crazy shit can that happen, does. Yeah it's worthy of a 90%, hell I say it goes all the way to 100.

#32 – Goldfinger

Am I the only one that was never really impressed with Goldfinger? I'm not a huge Bond fan, but I do enjoy some of them. But this one just didn't do it for me. I don't see why everyone thinks it's so great. And I absolutely HATE the theme song.

I'd call this one more Iconic than Great, frankly, whether when compared to the overall Bond canon or for action movies in general. It's more a matter of many folks forgetting how incredible From Russia With Love is and the general sense that so much of what we really love about Bond (more or less) seems to come out of this movie, at least in a form recognizable to us now. The crazy henchman, the larger-than-life supervillain, the Bond car, the initial female sacrifice, etc. Plus it's still a good movie. Just not great, I think.

Personally it just barely cracks my Bond Top 10.

Yes it's great. Not only great Bond, but a great movie on its own.... period. Still the best 007 movie ever filmed, IMHO.

[Johnny Unusual]

#28 – The Terminator

37 Points, 2 Lists, #4 CJones

  I’ll be back.

   
   
Los Angeles, 1984.  Someone is killing women named Sarah Conner.  One such woman survives the murderer thanks to the aid of a gun-toting stranger who reveals himself to be from the future.  It seems that in a few decades, the Earth will be conquered by an artificial intelligence and that it has sent a machine to assassinate Sarah Conner to prevent her from giving birth to the greatest enemy of the machines.  Kyle Reese was sent back to protect her, but the machine, a Terminator, is seemingly unkillable.  Do the two have a chance at destroying it and saving the future?

Shit Just Got Real! – The police station attack reveals just how friggin’ relentless the Terminator is.  Ain’t no sanctuary from this guy.
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage – 60%  It isn’t wall to wall action, but the action in there is pretty impressive that it’s not surprising that James Cameron became a star.

AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/zFxaCa-hr8o" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/zFxaCa-hr8o</a>

[ScottotD]

Not sure I voted for Terminator but resigning myself to the fact T2 is probably going to be near the top of next 27 ...I've just never been into James Cameron I suppose, which is a little weird since he's way more in my wheelhouse than he's out of it.



Only seen Ronin and Shoot 'em Up in cinema but I'll give them a second watch.

[Johnny Unusual]

 

#27 – The Killer

37 Points, 2 Lists, #1 Stethacantus

  I always leave one bullet, either for myself or for my enemy.

   
   
When assassin Ah Jong accidentally blinds a nightclub singer during a shoot-out, he is plagued with guilt.  He begins visiting her nightclub and eventually starts escorting her home after she is attacked by thugs.  The two eventually fall in love and when Ah Jong learns about one last job that could afford his true love the surgery that would allow her to see again, he takes it.  However, after the hit, he is double crossed and is beset by a number of assassins.  Meanwhile, Ah Jong is followed by Detective Yi Ling, who is intrigued by Ah Jong’s morality.  The two end up meeting up in a dire situation and become allies against a common enemy.
   
Shit Just Got Real! – I haven’t seen this one, but I’ll just guess the betrayal/ambush.
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage – 70-85%  I haven’t seen it, but I remember John Woo saying that his follow up film, Hard Boiled increased the action considerably, so I’m basing it on that.

AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Qk5v2Hd3nqA" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Qk5v2Hd3nqA</a>

[ScottotD]

LIKE

[Johnny Unusual]

#26 – Desperado

37 Points, 3 Lists, #12 Cole Stratton

  It's strange how pulling a trigger is easier than playing the guitar. Easier to destroy, than to create.

   
   
A vigilante known only as El Mariachi is traveling around Mexico killing criminals with a guitar case full of weapons (and a guitar) and has a mad on for a criminal named Bucho.  It seems some time before El Mariachi was simply a humble Mariachi player before crossing a criminal who kills his girlfriend.  However, El Mariachi has gotten his revenge already.  Now he has a bloodlust for killing criminals and Bucho is number one on his list.  But what makes Bucho so special to El Mariachi and can he dodge Bucho’s men and a hitman who uses throwing knives to take him down.

Shit Just Got Real! –You know when Danny Trejo shows up dressed in knives that your hero finally has a match.
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage –85%  Robert Rodriguez sure knows how to bring on the action.  I think that the current complaint is that he’s a little too silly these days, but this one is more of a traditional action movie with a cheeky sense of humour that doesn’t bash you over the head with goofiness.  Also, I love the soundtrack to this movie.

AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/rF-o1asRrxI" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/rF-o1asRrxI</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

#25 – The Dark Knight

37 Points, 5 Lists, #8 Johnny Unusual

  Some men just want to watch the world burn.

   
   
Batman has recently saved Gotham City but already he is hoping to retire.  Why?  He has faith in a new District Attorney whom he hopes will create a Gotham City where Batman is unnecessary.  However, a new criminal named the Joker has arrived and has made a deal with Gotham’s top criminals to finally take care of Batman once and for all.  But it soon becomes apparent that Joker’s plan is less about killing Batman or making money than making the city suffer and perverting and destroying the beliefs of the people of Gotham.  Will the Joker’s nihilistic world view break the new world that Batman hopes to create with Harvey Dent?

Shit Just Got Real! – Oh, that Joker.  Just when you think you’ve got him pinned down, he’s just kidnapped two of your friends, placed them at the opposite end of town and asks you to save one.  That scamp.
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage –70%  The action is definitely a step up from the last film which wasn’t bad, but the camera work was a bit to erratic to keep a focus on anything that’s going on.  It also has some more sensational  set pieces, including the raid in China.

AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/HB3qdnHeIJQ" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/HB3qdnHeIJQ</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

#24 – Seven Samurai

40 Points, 2 Lists, #4 Hebs

  You embarrass me. You're overestimating me. Listen, I'm not a man with any special skill, but I've had plenty of experience in battles; losing battles, all of them. In short, that's all I am. Drop such an idea for your own good.

   
   
In feudal Japan, a small poor village that is being targeted by bandits decide that rather than submit to them, they need to hire samurai to protect them.  The village only has rice to offer, so they find desperate, hungry samurai to protect them from 40 ruthless bandits for the price of three square meals a day.  Lead by a samurai who has survived many battles (all of them losing ones), the odds look grim, but they are the towns only line of defense against being decimated by bandits.  Are they lives worth a full stomach?
   
Shit Just Got Real! – When the big battle between 7 and 40 begins, that’s when.
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage –25-50%  I haven’t seen it, so I’m just going to have to make a guess.

AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/203403/Seven-Samurai-The-Movie-Clip-Rain-Fight.html

[Johnny Unusual]

#23 – Kung Fu Hustle

40 Points, 4 Lists, #4 Pak Man

  In the world of kung fu, speed defines the winner.

   
   
Sing is a low level criminal in the Axe Gang, a criminal organization who wield axes.  After a childhood experiences that causes him to believe there is no justice, he works hard to climb the ladder and his first goal is victimizing a rundown tenement called Pig Sty.  However, Sing is shocked to learn that Pig Sty is filled with powerful martial artists and accidentally gets the Axe Gang involved in a war with working class kung fu masters.  Things escalate beyond Sing’s expectations, especially when he’s asked to unleash the Beast.  Which is to say, to release the world’s deadliest assassin from a mental asylum.  Will Pig Sty fall to the Beast?  Or will a bizarre miracle of fate intervene.

BTW, Stephen Chow has been promising a sequel for years.  MAKE THIS HAPPEN!
   
Shit Just Got Real! – Well, I don’t want to say too much about the last act, but when the Beast enters the picture, things get even crazier.
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage –80%  If it’s martial arts you are looking for, you will get them here.  There’s also a lot of wacky slapstick, too.

AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/PDQPIJSO0XA" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/PDQPIJSO0XA</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

#22 – X2: X-Men United

41 Points, 4 Lists, #6 Pak Man

  You know all those dangerous mutants you hear about on the news? I'm the worst one.

   
   
After the President of the United States is attacked by a mutant, the X-Men make it their mission to stop him.  But soon they find themselves targets of General William Stryker, who is going to extreme methods to rid the world of mutants.  He raids the mutant-filled school of Professor Charles Xavier and orchestrates the kidnapping of several mutants.  Now, only a ragtag group remains and find themselves teaming up with their greatest enemy, Magneto, to take on an even bigger threat that could lead to genocide.
   
Shit Just Got Real! – Turns out that Stryker is going to kill every mutant on Earth… using Charles Xavier!
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage –75%  Wolverine going berserk in the school raid is a highlight.

AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/uLOMdddg11A" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/uLOMdddg11A</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

#21 – Léon: The Professional

42 Points, 4 lists, #10 Johnny Unusual

  Death is... whimsical today.

   
   
Léon, a professional assassin is successful by being silent, efficient and not getting involved.  With anything.  But soon his world opens up after a young girl named Mathilda’s parents are murdered by a corrupt DEA agent named Norman Stansfield and she goes to his apartment looking for sanctuary.  He becomes her new guardian and teaches her how to become an assassin so she might avenge her brother (the only family member she cared for).  The two develop a close bond but when Mathilda goes to kill Norman on her own, Léon is forced to save her and he and Mathilda quickly become targets for Norman, who will use every resource he has as a DEA agent to take them out.  Can Léon save Mathilda and if so, at what cost?

Shit Just Got Real! – When Norman has Mathilda cornered, it film really kicks into high gear.
   
Pure Adrenaline Percentage –70%  You can always count on Luc Besson for making a really fun action movie.  Look at all of Michael Bay movies.  Replacing him with Luc Besson would have made them ALL much better.
   
AAAAAAAAND ACTION!
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/1YXCUodkSmM" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/1YXCUodkSmM</a>
How was that not part of the original soundtrack?

[MightyJack]

^Agree 100% with you on Besson.

* Seven Samurai is (with On The Waterfront) my favorite movie of all time but I didn't put it in my list because while it has action I don't
really think of it as a pure action flick.

* Kung Fu Hustle did make my list, though oddly it's not a movie I really love (not to the degree others do). It's decent,  but I picked it because the action was OTT nuts.

[CJones]

I almost included Kung-Fu Hustle, but later changed my mind. I found it to be far too cartoonish considering for how violent it could get, and too violent to look past all the silliness. It was like Bugs Bunny trying to do serious drama.

[Soguru]

I completely forgot about Shoot 'em up(Which is unforgivable) and Kung fu hustle...(which is probably also arguably unforgivable).
I think next time I participate in a list I need to do a refresher in the form of some light research.