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Shovel's avatar
Shovel

Phone Booth

This is an oldie but a goodie. Picked from the year of 2002, that would make this film about 22 years old??? Yikes right.

Phone booth is one of those films that managed to keep you hooked with minimal settings and maximum tension. It starts Colin Farrell as a New York City publicist who Finds himself trapped in a phone booth by a snipers crosshairs, the movie is a masterclass in suspense.

The plot is simple but the execution is brilliant- it’s all about the pressure of being stuck in an impossible situation. What’s really fascinating is how the film manages to keep the stakes high with just one main location. Farrells performance is incredibly intense and you can really feel his character’s desperation as the story unfolds.

I watched Phone Booth a few years ago and it’s still one of those movies that sticks with me. The tension, the moral Dilemmas and the twists kept me thinking long after the credits rolled. It’s a film that makes you question what you’d do in a similar situation- and it’s defo worth a watch if your in to your action thrillers that keep You on your toes.

If you haven’t seen it yet, find a quiet evening, grab some popcorn and get ready for a proper classic. With the film being over 20 years old - I don’t find that it’s aged that much apart from the fact that no one uses pay phones anymore but hey - don’t say that to Doctor Who ???

https://www.youtube.com/embed/JDGY8GoEbQ0?feature=oembed
Rixx Javix's avatar
Rixx Javix

Raiders of the Lost Ark

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rh_BJXG1-44?feature=oembed

(Someone beat me to The Raid)

There are few perfect films. Films that capture the spirit of those that came before, encapsulate the moment in time they were released, and also set the standard for everything that comes after them. Raiders is one of those rare films. The Summer this film was released I saw it at least nine times in the theater, as more and more of my friends wanted to go see it. It was, and remains, legendary.

When people consider legacy they tend to only consider films that directly try to copy a particular style. But the impact of Raiders doesn't come from those lesser films that tried to copy the swashbuckling '30s retro style that Raiders was based on. It's impact is much greater than that. Raiders impact is inspirational. It has inspired entire multi-generational filmmakers that have gone on to create masterpieces in all genres and it continues to inspire new generations even today. Its true impact is immeasurable. John Wick. The Raid. Pulp Fiction. Scott Pilgrim. Terminator 2. None of these films would exist if Raiders hadn't existed first.

Raiders (and other films) inspired me to change my entire life and set out on an adventure of my own. To steer away from what was expected and take on the challenge of finding my own path, of choosing my own adventure. For, while I didn't choose filmmaking, Raiders inspired my creativity and my decision to let my own inner voice guide me into a life-time of taking chances and relying on my own innate abilities.

There are times when I make bold life decisions when I can still hear the theme music in my heart.

Alex Sinclair's avatar
Alex SinclairMod
Rixx Javix

I can't overstate the impact the Indie films had on my life too. They inspired a lifelong love of adventure

Sturmer's avatar
Sturmer

Greatest Action Film: Terminator 2

I'm glad the bounty suggested focusing on personal experience because otherwise, this task would be quite daunting. My pick is... Terminator 2: Judgment Day! Yes, this classic action movie has inspired several generations and generated many memes and idioms. It left a heavy (in a good way) impression on me as a kid, and I still remember using a metallic screw constructor to recreate the robotic arm from the T-800. Beyond its impact on my youth, this movie contains numerous elements that make it epic.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/CRRlbK5w8AE?feature=oembed

Storyline and Characters

Despite action movies often using plots as flavor or minor decoration, Terminator 2 offers a well-developed story. Each character, even the secondary ones, is well-developed. For instance, Miles Bennett Dyson, who has less than 10 minutes of screen time, manages to unfold and evolve - a rarity in action films!

Scenes

The movie, just over two hours long, is packed with diverse scenes and verious settings. Each is filled with intense action, yet there are also moments of calm dialogues, thoughts, and reflections. These pauses allow viewers to process the information, making the movie memorable. Unlike modern movies where the non-stop intensity leaves you breathless and 15 minutes later as you leave the theater, you hardly remember the plot or characters.

Emotional Impact

There are several dramatic moments that tug at the heartstrings. Even the strongest viewers struggle to hide their emotions during the ending. The emotional depth adds another layer to the film, making it more than just an action movie.

Music and Visual Effects

The music and visual effects are great, enhancing the 'hollywood' realism and immersion. Even today, in 2024, the film stands as a solid choice for an evening watch, proving its timeless appeal.

Alex Sinclair's avatar
Alex SinclairMod
Sturmer

Great review. First place is yours!

Kings Court's avatar
Kings Court

If we are talking action movies, its very easy to go to the big ones, John Wick, any Marvel movie or Die Hard, hell even Home Alone ! Haha.

But I dont like being part of the "Normy" crowd so my mind went a little further afield, to a movie, whos action sequences blew me away and were brutal and gritty !

The action movie I am talking about is The Raid, now although this has gained some more popularity with more western audiences once it hit streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon, its still somewhat of a niche title.

The Raid takes you on a rollercoaster of a ride, huge highs of tension, massive drops from stunt men, brutal hits in stunts that look like they hurt even if they know its coming. The stunts and choreography really do take it to the next level and show the dedication they have to their craft, literally taking full blows and delivering realistic reactions to being hit.

The story is interesting but definitely overshadowed by the action scenes.

The cast are superb and for the most part the language is in the native indonesian tongue, so if you dont like subtitles, you might just have to watch the fight scenes and deal with it.

I would Whole heartedly recommend watching the raid and then heading over to watch number 2, which has even more action and stunts, although the story is definitely lacking in number 2.

Ive always had a fondness for well executed stunts, I remember watching Jackie Chan movies and being amazed by his agility, his manouverability and then waiting till the credits to watch the outtakes and see Jackies tenacity and perseverance !

So to see the "new age" of stunt actors and what they can do and what they have to show, makes me happy and excited !

I always end up moving and dodging when watching intense scenes or martial art segments that I get really in to, as my muscles remember what it is like to fight and move on their own. Much to my wifes amusement !

Check out the trailer here !

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GDYwcjhvD-Y?feature=oembed
Horror and Cats's avatar
Horror and Cats
Kings Court

Yes! Iko Uwais is my second favorite martial artist. Tony Jaa takes first mainly because he’s been in more, but Iko is spectacular when it comes to modernizing it for defense against bladed, blunt and firearm defense.

Kings Court's avatar
Kings Court
Horror and Cats

If I read rightly Tony Jaa wasnt event a fully fledged martial artist before taking on Ong Bak, but he DEFO made up for it !!

Yeh this movie just hit different, it felt more brutal, more gritty, more REAL !

It was Martial arts but in a more realistic scenario, with make shift weapons and real weapons !

ScreamingRaven's avatar
ScreamingRaven
Kings Court

The Best Action Movie ever.

Kings Court's avatar
Kings Court
ScreamingRaven

Its SOOOOOO good isnt it !!

ScreamingRaven's avatar
ScreamingRaven
Kings Court

Yeah, only the Second one is a bit better.

Kings Court's avatar
Kings Court
ScreamingRaven

the karumbit knife fight scene does kinda take it to the next level ! action is defo better, story I would say isnt better than the first.

mar1gold 's avatar
mar1gold

Scott Pilgrim vs the world

https://www.youtube.com/embed/7wd5KEaOtm4?feature=oembed

For this bounty I have the say Scott Pilgrim vs The World (I guess genre can be somewhat debated with a lot of films but google classed this one as a romantic action comedy so I'm counting it!)

Since this is a question about action films I'm gonna mainly focus on the aspects of this film that aligns with the action genre element :)

The driving conflict of the film is basically that Scott Pilgrim has to defeat Ramona Flower's 7 evil exes (not ex boyfriends!). This conflict works really well as, even though the premise is a little silly, it's a very relatable experience of feeling like you are in competition with your partner's exes (even though I hope not having to kill them!). I like how this film deviates from the usual 'epic' conflicts that action films have (CIA man fights against spies, smoking hot Brit must save the world!) and instead places incredibly high stakes on a kind of petty, overdramatic situation. It's fun! I think it also serves to make the audience feel closer to these characters, as their hopes/wants/dreams are closer is scale to theirs!

Regarding actual moments of conflicts... the fight scenes in this film are so fun! You can tell the actors' had fun with these moments whilst on set (you always can with Edgar Wright... this youtube video does a really good job of explaining how so here!) The effects and graphics used only adds to this. I like how meta it all gets with very direct references to past action games/comics... this is a film that is very aware of the genres it is in. Also hats off to the team who worked on these graphics because they seem completely real in the context of the film... **i've always considered scott pilgrim vs the world as a bit of a magical realism film to be honest!!**

Some aspects of this film have already aged a little badly (it's only been 14 years?) and will continue to do so. I think these characters were always written to edge the line between likeable and not so likeable but, over time with rewatches, I find most of them really unlikeable. However, it is still an enjoyable film, despite some moments making me wince xoxo But I still flip flop between thinking this is a purposeful decision by Edgar Wright, or not? I think that just shows that this film is a very well-made, complex story ^-^

Makster's avatar
Makster
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-SQDjmsO_W

If you haven't seen Die Hard then you're either too young or seen enough of the cultural impact it has on pop culture to have seen it

M
Marcus

It’s hard to pick just one action film. But for this bounty, I’d like to nominate the movie Mission Impossible: Rouge Nation (the 5th movie in the franchise) as one of the greatest action films I have seen.

There are several different elements that make this film great. From the action, with epic fight and chase scenes that will have you on the edge of your seats. To the gadgets and planning of heists. The plot twists and engaging villains. To the amazing music, the Rouge Nation’s version of the Mission Impossible theme is one of my favourites of the series, along with Mission Impossible Fallout. The film’s composer Joe Kraemer put his all into this soundtrack. But What made this one of my favourite action movies, was despite it not being a comedy, the film is capable of balancing action and comedy, as seen within the opening scene of the film, with so many hijinks for trying to get a package of a plane.

If you haven’t seen this movie, I highly recommend that you go in blind, as there are a lot of events within the film that help set up the sequels perfectly.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/gOW_azQbOjw?feature=oembed
okayameji's avatar
okayameji
https://www.youtube.com/embed/WXLXNs6XMKE?feature=oembed

The action film that still holds the highest throne of action films on my list is High & Low The Worst this film is very good because in this film teaches us how important friendship is. Because this film really appreciates the meaning of the word friendship. Moreover, it is wrapped in some action fights that I think are very good. And the acting of each actor's role in my opinion is very impressive, because I can feel the emotions experienced by the characters in this film, and also the conflict brought in this film in my opinion is quite realistic in the real world, and I can open a new perspective on the world from this film.

Translator by Google translate

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