I have a fondness for action and adventure movies, and this article was written so that I could share a few of my favorites. While you’ve probably seen one of two on the list, I’m guessing that a few have escaped your notice. Watch then when you get a chance, thrilling to everything from outer space combat to tense showdowns with mythical monsters. And if you’ve seen them all? Pat yourself on the back; you’re a true cinephile.
Star Trek (2009) – Producer/director J.J. Abrams jettisons the senior citizen cast and reboots the greatest sci-fi franchise in the history of television. The big-budget actioner follows the early adventures of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) as he becomes a member of Starfleet, gets on the nerves of Spock (Zachary Quinto), and eventually assumes command of the USS Enterprise to battle a time-traveling Romulan (Eric Bana). Karl Urban is Dr. McCoy, Zoe Saldana is Uhura, John Cho is Sulu, Simon Pegg is Scotty, and Anton Yelchin is Chekov. The film was a massive success, opening the franchise up to a whole new generation. Expect a number of sequels over the coming years.
The Fugitive (1993) – Adapted from the popular television series, The Fugitive stars Harrison Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, a Chicago surgeon who’s unjustly convicted of his wife’s murder. On the way to death row, his bus collides with a train, and Kimble escapes to pursue the one-armed man he knows to be responsible for his predicament. His task is made more difficult by the appearance of Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), a tenacious U.S. Marshal who’s used to getting his man. A massive hit at the box office, The Fugitive would land Gerard his own spin-off, U.S. Marshals.
Red Cliff: International Version (2008/2009) – Released as two films during its theatrical run, this Chinese war epic sees director John Woo trade in his trademark gunfights for brutal combat in 3rd century China. Based on the legendary Battle of Red Cliffs, the film details the efforts of a coalition of warlords to resist the advances of the ambitious Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi). The full international version is almost five hours long, but it’s far superior to the abbreviated version that crams both movies into 2 hours. Starring Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Chang Chen, and Zhao Wei.
District B13 (2004) – In this French film, the not-so-distant future has become a pretty ugly place, especially in Paris. One particularly crime-riddled section of the city is cut off from the others as a response to unprecedented crime rates, and those inside form a number of gangs to rule like kings. When crime lord Taha (Bibi Naceri) gets crossways with the anti-drug hero named Leito (David Belle), the end result is Leito behind bars and his sister a prisoner of the ruthless criminal. But when Taha steals a neutron bomb and intends on launching it, Leito will get his chance for revenge by teaming up with a cop who’s a master of disguise (Cyril Raffaelli). Filled with elaborate fights, colorful characters, and plenty of parkour, District B13 is a must-see for fans of action and adventure.
The Scorpion King (2002) – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reprises the character seen briefly in The Mummy Returns, but this time he’s the hero of the story. After failing to kill a sorceress (Kelly Hu) and being left for dead, Mathayus (The Rock) embarks on an epic journey to topple an evil emperor and end his reign of terror. Co-starring Michael Clarke Duncan.
Clash of the Titans (1981) – Young Perseus (Harry Hamlin) heads off on a quest to save the woman he intends to marry, and along the way he’ll face the stony stare of Medusa, giant scorpions, a two-headed dog, and all manner of other monstrosities. But they all pale next to the Kraken, a massive beast unleashed from the depths of the ocean to either devour a virgin sacrifice or destroy the city of Joppa. It lacks all the CGI effects of the remake, and that’s honestly a very good thing.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my selection of favorite action adventure movies. There are plenty more out there, of course, ranging from the Indiana Jones series to the original Star Wars trilogy. The action/adventure genre can actually include a wide spectrum of films, so devotees have a greater-than-normal pool to choose from.
