The 1980s produced a ton of great action movies, many of which were unparalleled in terms of pure entertainment. There’s something unique about the big-budget blockbusters of the 1980s. Years before over-the-top CGI, long-running mega-franchises, and endless reboots took away the luster of multiplex popcorn movies, the 1980s was a great decade for crowd-pleasing, action-packed original stories.
It’s no coincidence that some of the biggest action franchises of all time, including Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, and Indiana Jones, trace their roots back to the 1980s. All of these types of movies combine fun ideas with charismatic movie stars. Most importantly, they also delivered gruesome action that still manages to evoke visceral reactions in audiences decades later.
Related 10 Best Action Comedies of the 1980s
The 1980s were a great time for action comedies. Major movie stars played now-iconic roles in buddy cop stories and series starters.
10. Lethal Weapon (1987)
The charming duo of Danny Glover and Mel Gibson
Release date: March 6, 1987
Starring Tom Atkins, Mitchell Ryan, Danny Glover, Mel Gibson, Gary Busey
Lethal Weapon may be the quintessential buddy cop movie, and nearly 40 years later, it’s still one of the best. Most of the film’s dramatic thrust comes from the pairing of its two heroes. Murtaugh is a reliable veteran police officer who has seen it all and done it all, counting down every day until he retires. Riggs, by contrast, is violent and irresponsible. Murtagh and Riggs, each in their own way, give the other exactly what they need, and the chemistry between Danny Glover and Mel Gibson seems genuine.
The main purpose of the crime plot is of little importance, as the show’s most fascinating human element comes from the relationship between the two heroes. Coincidentally, they’re chasing a gang of drug dealers, but these bad guys could just as easily be replaced by murderers, terrorists, or jaywalkers. The plot takes a backseat compared to the full-throttle action scenes of Lethal Weapon. There’s nothing particularly innovative about the car chases, hostage situations, and shootouts, but director Richard Donner brings them to life. Lethal Weapon 5 is the sequel to the legend that no one expected.
9. Running Man (1987)
Running Man Enjoys Stylized Violence
Director Paul Michael Glazer
Release date: November 13, 1987
Before video game adaptations became a big trend in Hollywood, Running Man offered a similarly fun arcade experience. Arnold Schwarzenegger takes on the role of Player 1, fighting his way through a steady procession of bizarre enemies. These bosses also have names that could have been lifted from a 1980s arcade console, such as Subzero, Dynamo, and Fireball.
Besides arcade games, professional wrestling may have been a big influence on Running Man. Jesse Ventura stars as one of Arnie’s enemies, but he’s not the only one to suggest that The Running Man is all about macho glamour. Although it’s a terrible adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, it’s still a great action romp. Edgar Wright’s remake of The Running Man stars Glen Powell and promises to be more faithful to King’s dystopia.
8 Bloodsport (1988)
JCVD’s cheap martial arts classic shows what he’s capable of
Director Newt Arnold
Release date: February 26, 1988
Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Leah Ayers, Forest Whitaker, Donald Gibb, Roy Chao
Bloodsport is an interesting movie. Despite all the legitimate criticisms, such as the poor acting, the ridiculous plot, and the fact that the characters keep splitting up every five minutes, Bloodsport is still a cult classic. Even the film’s most ardent supporters have to accept that it’s a cheap, nonsensical fantasy. This does little to dampen their enthusiasm. “Bloodsport” knows what martial arts movie fans want to see, and it definitely delivers.
Jean-Claude Van Damme plays an American military man who falls off the map to compete in the world’s most dangerous martial arts tournament. That’s all you need to prepare for an onslaught of flying kicks and lightning punches. Bolo Yong does a great job playing the big bad. He and Van Dam both have enough real martial arts skills to make up for Bloodsport’s many shortcomings. It’s a movie with more muscle than flair, but luckily that muscle is impeccable.
7 Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard is simple but effective
Release date: July 15, 1988
Die Hard is one of the best pure action movies of all time, and it only gets better with each passing year. Die Hard is about an off-duty police officer who is taken hostage when terrorists take over a high-rise building. This simple premise is so effective that the first Die Hard sequel almost completely copied it, and it’s also a great action movie. But the first Die Hard remains the best, thanks to its originality and strong direction.
What sets Die Hard apart from many other action films of the time is Bruce Willis’ performance as John McClane. McClane is responsible for many of Die Hard’s memorable quotes, which help distinguish him from the immortal action hero archetype of the 1980s. He suffers more than many characters played by the likes of Stallone and Schwarzenegger. Also, Alan Rickman’s performance in Die Hard gives him an equally iconic villain.
6 Roadhouse (1989)
Patrick Swayze’s bare-knuckle thrill ride is a guilty pleasure for many
Director Rowdy Herrington
Release date: May 19, 1989
Starring Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch, Sam Elliott, Ben Gazzara, Marshall R. Teague, Julie Michaels, Red West, Sunshine Parker
Road House proudly markets cheap thrills, and as a result has amassed a large cult following over the years. Patrick Swayze plays a stoic bouncer given a tough assignment at a mean roadside bar. There, a band plays behind a wire fence, and the rock’n’roll is interrupted by the sound of breaking glass. Road House seems to take place in a macho fantasy world. That’s the only way to explain how bouncers are such national celebrities that they can rip someone’s throat out with their bare hands.
The 2024 Road House remake has its charms, including a quirky performance from UFC star Conor McGregor, but it can’t match the visceral thrills of the original. Practical stunts bring a level of athletic danger to a bar brawl. With a dash of sex appeal and a few sarcastic one-liners, Roadhouse ticks all the boxes for a drab 1980s actioner. Although it lacks emotion and complexity, Road House is definitely fun to watch.
5 48 hours (1982)
A fun cocktail of action and comedy
48 hours
Director Walter Hill
Release date: December 2, 1982
48 Hours remains one of Eddie Murphy’s best films, even though it marked the comedian’s film debut. The film is often credited as one of the films that helped shape the buddy cop genre, and the dynamic between Murphy and Nick Nolte set the scenario for countless imitators. Nolte plays a hardened detective, while Murphy plays a fast-talking criminal who is given a chance to go free if he cooperates with the investigation.
48 Hours sets the standard for the buddy cop genre’s love of mismatched comedic dynamics. Nolte and Murphy are a consistently entertaining duo, but they don’t shirk their action duties for 48 hours either. Buddy cop movies can sometimes have a hard time getting the right balance between action and humor, but 48 Hours is full of car chases and fight scenes that convey a real sense of danger.
4 Top Gun (1986)
Top Gun takes the audience on a desperate drive
Director Tony Scott
Release date: May 16, 1986
Top Gun’s political motives have been dissected and debated since 1986, and its vague stance on military power is just one way to understand it. A more light-hearted approach might be to simply appreciate Top Gun’s spectacular flight scenes and brawny flyboy charm. Top Gun’s greatest achievement may be the way director Tony Scott puts the audience in Maverick’s cockpit.
Positive reviews of Top Gun often highlight stylistic elements such as the iconic soundtrack and the bromance between the male protagonists. These compliments highlight what kind of movie Top Gun is. It’s a heady, fun time that attempts, and often succeeds, to pull the audience along. ‘Top Gun’ may have been surpassed in many ways by its 2022 sequel, but it epitomizes the big-budget blockbusters of the 1980s, full of style, originality and pure movie star magic. As such, it continues to stand the test of time.
3 RoboCop (1987)
Paul Verhoeven’s subversive satire still produces frenetic action
Director Paul Verhoeven
Release date: July 17, 1987
Starring Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O’Hurley, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Robert Docuy, Ray Wise
RoboCop is a great sci-fi thriller, but it also works as a darkly hilarious satire of corporate America. One-liners and exaggerated characters are one of the ways RoboCop avoids many of the gruesome cliches of dystopian science fiction. The world of RoboCop is equally frightening, but Paul Verhoeven approaches it with enough wit to keep the film light and fun. This sets the stage for some beautiful, chaotic violence.
Another benefit of the film’s satirical humor is that it positions RoboCop as a fun character to spend time with, rather than a ruthless embodiment of corporate tyranny or unjust law enforcement. RoboCop seems to take inspiration from another ’80s action classic, The Terminator, but it’s just as preoccupied with mechanized carnage, while also being more destructive and far more entertaining. is.
2 Predator (1987)
Predator has many ways to entertain the audience.
Release date: June 12, 1987
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Shane Black, Sonny Random, Richard Chaves
Predator follows an elite tactical squad as they confront an unknown threat in the jungle. This is often seen as an allegory for the Vietnam War, but this demographic has nothing to do with pure entertainment value. A lot happens in Predator even before the iconic alien hunter makes his first appearance. From Predator‘s endless and tasteless references to its explosive gunfights, this film celebrates the action genre’s most self-indulgent tropes.
Near the beginning, Predator starts things off in a fairly traditional manner, with Dutch’s team infiltrating a guerrilla base in the dense jungle. After this thrilling battle, the Predator turns terrifying and begins targeting soldiers one by one. The mix of genres emphasizes the fact that Predator will do whatever it takes to entertain its audience. Sequels in this series have struggled to replicate the success of the original. Part of that is because nothing can replace the shock of seeing Predator for the first time.
1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Indy’s third outing is a lighthearted romp
Release date: May 24, 1989
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom can get pretty dark at times, but The Last Crusade takes the series back into lighter territory. Indy finds himself embroiled in a new battle against the Nazis, but The Last Crusade is relentlessly entertaining without going too deep. There will forever be debate as to whether this is the best Indiana Jones movie, with Raiders of the Lost Ark also claiming that title, but there’s no denying that it’s the funniest.
The addition of former James Bond star Sean Connery as Indy’s father brings a fresh comedic dynamic to The Last Crusade. This simple change suddenly puts the usually quiet Indy at a disadvantage, regressing him to the stage of a moody teenager. The Last Crusade combines this comedy with some of the series’ best action sequences. The motorcycle chase is a highlight, as is the opening scene that shows how young Indy gets his first taste of adventure.
