Action movies are great, aren’t they? Life is full of so many things that try to be something more than what they really are, but action movies are all about one thing – action. Truth be told, there is plenty done in terms of developing characters, crafting a solid story, and creating a narrative that feels lively and exciting throughout the film’s runtime. In the end, though, when you stop at the box office and buy a ticket for an action movie, you’re looking to be wowed by a true spectacle. You want CGI, explosions, choreographed fight scenes, one-liners, and unique ways for the bad guy to go bye-bye.
It’s for these reasons that action movies tend to be a bit maligned in society, and those that are fans of this genre are looked at as being a bit rough around the edges. Well, it’s their loss! You go to the movies to have a blast, and watching a solid action movie is all about having a great time at the movie theater. It may not be high art, but it’s fun.
When you factor in your spouse and kids, though, these films tend to be little off the mark. Even if you think they’re great, they may not be the best thing to share with the family. Reconciling between your love of shoot ’em-ups and “boomtacular” cinema & what’s appropriate for your family means you might miss out.
Or does it? If you look hard enough, you’ll find that action movies can be all about tension and suspense. You might also find that action will be packed into the oddest of movies, but they are the right kind of movies for a family movie night.
Here are five action movies that the whole family can enjoy:
The Incredibles – Not only are the sequences in this movie move at a million miles a minute. Plus, if you’re looking for family togetherness, this is a movie about a family of superheroes. Mic dropped.
The Harry Potter movies – It is impressive that kids were lining up to buy books that were hundreds of pages long. It’s even more impressive that this book series also spawned some of the most action-packed scenes in recent cinematic history. This would be a really cool movie marathon.
Finding Nemo – Yes, it’s a story about a lost fish, but it’s also a story about loss, the perils of parenting, and the lengths one might go to in order to get their family back together again. It’s a masterpiece.
Jumanji – Though the newest re-imagining of this movie has taken center stage, this classic from the mid-90s is a very underrated film. It’s heartbreaking with regard to lost time with family, funny, heartwarming, and beautiful all at once.
Flight of the Navigator – In the same vein of lost time with family, this gem from the mid-80s take viewers on a strange journey through time & space and reveals that no matter how grand the scale is for technology to take us places we’ve never been, nothing rivals a human connection.
