My Top 10 Action Movies For Now

It wasn't easy choosing only ten action movies. I even tried to make things easier for myself by sticking only to one genre. The ones I have chosen here set new standards for action movies when they were first released and are still entertaining today. While I like to think I am special, I'm really just an average Joe that likes his action movies clinical and unemotional (unless it's for revenge. Revenge is a perfectly acceptable emotion in any action movie). These movies may not be everyone's idea of awesomeness, but if you are a true action fan you wont deny that when it comes to entertainment, the movies on my list won't disappoint. I have broken the mould a bit by starting with my number one contender. This isn't a countdown type of a list, maybe more a choose-one-that-suits-your-mood list. Sit back, relax and check out my top ten action movies guys (and gals who like action movies) can enjoy at any time.

Right now this one is my favourite. It didn't really set any standards, but it was an ode to all the action heroes from the 80's and 90's. Not big on plot, but definitely big on action. A movie with Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger is good enough reason for me to want to go see it. Throw in Jason Statham, Randy Couture, Jet Li and Micky Rourke and I'm like a little girl seeing Justin Bieber for the first time. Two scenes stood out for me. In the first one, Jason Statham's character physically explains to some guy and his friends why it isn't cool to hit a woman. Pretty satisfying to watch, I can promise you. The second one is a scene where Terry Crews' character uses his AA-12 Auto Shotgun to maximum effect. Its just one of those scenes that you have to watch to appreciate. The action sequences generally are fast and furious and gory. For those who are serious about their hardware, this movie delivers and then some. Even Stallone's six shooter was a nice touch. Nostalgia and pure unadulterated entertainment made this one my number one. I am looking forward to Expendables 2, which is in production at the moment and set for release somewhere in 2012.

I didn't know what to expect when it was reported that Daniel Craig would be the new James Bond. Honestly, I wasn't too pleased with the idea, but I went to see it anyway, being loyal to the James Bond franchise, and I was blown away. Daniel Craig's performance was brilliant as a less than sleek James Bond. He is the type of James Bond that, if you tell him not to do something, he will do it just to piss you off.

Since then I have seen Casino Royale probably five times and I am still not tired of it. The action is good and gritty and feels real. This is a get-down-and-dirty James Bond and that is fine with me. Don't get me wrong, James Bond must be a womaniser too as it is closer to the character Ian Flemming had envisaged, and you can see a little bit of that in Quantum of Solace, but in Casino Royale he was more like a bloodhound chasing down its prey.

Casino Royale completely redefined my view of James Bond and in a good way. You can definitely watch this one again for the sheer awesomeness of it.

The script was intelligently written I thought, and I loved the mystery behind Bourne's identity, which after all, was the idea.

Although I liked the other movies in the franchise as well, Iv'e decided on this one because it was the beginning of the journey and the fighting scenes alone set a new standard for me. Damon's economic efficiency in disposing of people standing in his way was impressive and stayed with me for a while after the movie ended. The fighting scene with a fellow "professional" in Paris alone was enough to write an article about. It was fast paced and brutal, and dare I say looked seriously painful. Clive Owen also stars in this one and the silently violent nature of his character was memorable.

The Bourne Identity, actually the whole franchise for that matter, can be watched over and over again and as such, are worthy of inclusion in any collection. So get a box set this Christmas. It will last longer.

Talk about being pleasantly surprised. I had no idea what was in store for me when I watched this one, starring Liam Neeson. This movie has got all the areas covered. Excellent and believable action sequences, emotional motivation - His character's daughter is kidnapped by Eastern European bad guys and he has only a small window of opportunity to rescue her before it is too late. The emotion here is part frantic, part revenge, and boy do I like his style of revenge.

Personally, I would not have chosen Maggie Grace to play the daughter. She looks a little bit old for the part, but that is just my opinion. Otherwise, there is nothing bad that I can say about this movie.

If you are looking for an example of what an unstoppable force would look like, Liam Neeson in Taken would be a prime example. Check it out, you will not be disappointed.

Die Hard (1988); Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990); Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995); Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

What can I say about this franchise? It is hard to beat. When the first one came out it set a new standard for action movies and it had a message: It is okay for a hero to fight evil without any shoes on and still look cool.

I watched the first one again the other day and although a bit dated, I was still drawn in and enjoyed it. My least favourite one would probably be Die Hard 4, but then, only just. The premise of the first one, for the very few who do not know, centres around a cop, played by Bruce Willis, who flies in from New York to visit his wife in LA. Because the wife had to attend the company's annual Christmas party, they arrange to meet at her office which is situated in a skyscraper of a building. His visit happens to coincide with the plans of a group of European terrorists who take everyone in the building hostage, with the exception of Bruce Willis' character of course. Lovely chaos ensues and a twist in the plot makes this an adrenaline worthy action flick.

I liked the first one a lot back when it came out. It was good. A bit dated now, but still quite entertaining. The combination of comedy and action was fresh (at the time) and the dynamic of Glover and Gibson's partnership was heartwarming.

Did I just use the word heartwarming to describe an action movie?

Anyway, Glover's character can best be described as continuously on the verge of retirement and is the cautious one of the duo while Gibson's character had this berserker edge thing going for him, which I liked.

The action was adrenaline-pumpingly-crazy and highly entertaining. Again, like the Die Hard franchise, owning only one isn't good enough. You have to have the whole collection. If you don't, it will feel like going to a bar only to drink half a beer.

James Ellroy's novel, LA Confidential, was stunningly adapted by Curtis Hansen, and centres around police corruption in the 1950's focussing on three cops, played by Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey and Guy Pierce.

This is a first class action noir and Russell Crowe kicked ass as a juggernaut cop with an inflated sense of justice. Ken Spacey's character was more interested in mingling with the stars than getting his hands dirty while Guy Pierce's character was a new cop walking a straight line unwilling to budge on rules and procedures. The story arcs of all three were interesting and was the complete opposite of watching paint dry. The story overall was brilliant with a few twists and the action was as brutal as it gets.

I have seen it more than once and I will see it again. It is just one of those movies.

According to my humble self, this is a Robert De Niro/Al Pacino action master piece. De Niro and Pacino's characters are on different sides of the law. Once you've pressed play and started watching, you're immediately drawn into a tightly woven drama that pulls you in further and further at breakneck speed as it races to a certain conclusion.

I couldn't decide on whose side I wanted to be on, although I found myself at one stage rooting for De Niro. Oh, and the action? Plenty and realistic.

An interesting footnote is that shortly after its release in South Africa, gangs started copying the modus operandi of the hi-jacking crew in the movie by attacking armoured trucks using AK47s' and various other assault rifles. It became a hugely popular and deadly activity and continues even today, but that is a story for another time.

I might have been out of the loop or preoccupied when it came to this one. When the trailer first came out, it was also the first time that I even heard about "Killer Elite".

With Clive Owen, Robert De Niro and Jason Statham in it, I just had to see it. It takes place in the early 80's and is supposed to be based on real events. It only received a 24% rating on RottenTomatoes.com, which is disappointing.

I, on the other hand, as a mere peasant and every day unpretentious consumer, enjoyed this movie quite a bit. I didn't elevate it above what it was supposed to be, and as a result, I got my money's worth.

The action is bloody and fast paced and I particularly enjoyed Statham's and Owen's fighting scene. Judge for yourself.

A story of a down on his luck private eye with nothing left to lose, least of which is his pride. So, armed with only a sharp tongue and the residue of a few principles, he makes a living working as a PI for peanuts. Throw in some family issues with his wife and daughter and you have a regular mess going.

However, he is the hero, and somewhere during the movie he finds a renewed sense of purpose and then the fireworks really starts. I liked the witty banter between Bruce Willis and Damon Waynes and the action scenes were uncompromising and brutal.

I don't recall seeing any other movie that created quite the same ambience this one did for me, and you can be certain of a twist or two in the plot. It's a gem for any collection.

There are a lot of kick-ass action movies worthy of being included on my list, but unfortunately my list only went up to 10.

I wanted to add "Last Man Standing", "Harley Davidson & The Marlborough Man", "The Transporter", "The Mechanic", "Road House" and "Spartan" to mention but a few. So this cannot be the definitive list, but it is my list of quality sensational action pieces. I am interested to hear your thoughts and whether you disagree with any of my choices. Please feel free to leave a comment.