When you think of action movies, some of the greats come to mind: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Die Hard, and Terminator 2. More recently, films like John Wick, Fast and Furious, and any offering from the MCU often dominate the conversation. It's a genre steeped in history dating as far back as 1903, and propelled into the modern era by advances in CGI, editing, and stunt work.
Like any genre, though, action has seen its ups and downs, especially during the decade of the 1980s, when hundreds upon hundreds of action films were released across the world. While some are remembered fondly today and regarded as classics, here's a look back at some films that over time have fallen by the wayside in a genre that continues to mesmerize viewers to this day.
10 The Exterminator (1980)
Directed by James Glickenhaus in only his second feature, The Exterminator premiered on September 10th, 1980, and starred Robert Ginty as a Vietnam vet who goes on a vigilante rampage after his best friend is paralyzed by a gang of street thugs.
While critics lambasted the film at the time for its graphic depiction of violence and themes of vigilante justice, The Exterminator has gone on to be somewhat of a cult favorite among fans, even if it is a Death Wish ripoff. Such were the times though, when one movie hit there would be several in a similar vein to follow, and The Exterminator was just one in a long line of vigilante films that hit screens in the 1980s.
9 Nighthawks (1981)
Marking the American film debut of the late Rutger Hauer, Nighthawks hit movie theaters on April 10th, 1981. It featured Sylvester Stallone in his first starring role in an action film alongside Bill Dee Williams, who was fresh off of playing Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back.
The movie traces a pair of New York City police detectives tasked with stopping international terrorists in a gripping cat-and-mouse game that results in high tension, and a high body count. The film's original director, Gary Nelson, who had previously directed a couple of Disney movies, was tossed off the project after only a week, being replaced by newbie director Bruce Malmuth. Remembered primarily for Hauer's intense performance, a reboot of the film as a television series is apparently in the works for Peacock.
8 Firefox (1982)
No stranger to directing movies at the time, Firefox was helmed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred in the picture as Mitchell Gant, a former United States Air Force Major who infiltrates the Soviet Union in order to steal an advanced aircraft known as the MiG-31.
Combining science fiction and espionage, Firefox was based off of a 1977 novel written by Craig Thomas, and while the film did receive mixed reviews at the time of its release, it was popular enough to warrant an Atari arcade game in 1983. For its part, the fictional MiG-31 was pretty cool, featuring weapons controlled by thought, being highlighted in an excellent dog fight during the film's climax.
7 Revenge of the Ninja (1983)
Made for just $700,000 dollars, Revenge of the Ninja is the second film in a trilogy of ninja anthology movies produced by Cannon Films. It falls between Enter the Ninja (1981), and Ninja III: The Domination (1984).
With elaborately choreographed martial arts scenes, Revenge of the Ninja follows Cho Osaki who, after ninjas have killed most of his family, moves to America to start a new life with his son. What follows is a story of corruption and betrayal that forces Cho to his breaking point, and escalates in a superb fight sequence that took two weeks to shoot. Though largely overshadowed these days in favor of Ninja III: The Domination, Revenge of the Ninja is an excellent martial arts action flick that fans of the genre should definitely put on their must-watch lists.
6 Runaway (1984)
Scurrying into movie theaters at the tail end of 1984, Runaway was written and directed by Michael Crichton and starred Tom Selleck, Gene Simmons, and the late Kirstie Alley. Set in a future where most families have robots to perform everyday tasks, Selleck must track down who is behind programming said robots to kill.
This sci-fi action thriller is a blast to watch from start to finish. Simmons, in his first feature role after Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, plays an excellent villain. Crichton liked him so much that he didn't even have to audition for the role. There were also some pretty cool robot spider effects that made the film seem like more of a cautionary tale when it comes to technology, though Crichton himself has denied this. While Tom Selleck of Magnum P.I. fame would go on to star in Three Men and a Baby later in the decade, Alley would become most noted for her time on the hit television series Cheers, though she was nominated for a 1984 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film.
5 Invasion U.S.A. (1985)
In 1985 three action films starring Chuck Norris were released to theaters, with Invasion U.S.A. being just one of them. Directed by Joseph Zito (The Prowler, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter), the film is about Matt Hunter, a retired CIA agent that's thrust back into the thick of things to stop a gang of Communist guerrillas from causing destruction.
Debuting at number one in late September, Invasion U.S.A. was also co-written by Norris, and was absolutely brutalized by critics. Perhaps that's why it has gone on to become a largely forgotten action flick, though fans of the genre have been a little kinder to the film over the years. Despite its shortcomings, that didn't stop Norris from going on to have a successful career in Hollywood, portraying a Texas Ranger in the wildly popular television series aptly titled Walker: Texas Ranger.
4 No Retreat, No Surrender (1986)
Released in America on May 2nd, 1986, No Retreat, No Surrender is the first in a series of martial arts action movies and starred Jean-Claude Van Damme in his first major film role as antagonist Ivan "The Russian" Krachinsky.
The story follows American teenager Jason Stillwell (portrayed by Kurt McKinney who was 22 at the time), trained in martial arts by the ghost of Bruce Lee, as he defends his dojo against evildoers. Like most action films at the time, this one wasn't well received by critics and has been largely forgotten in the list of Van Damme's plethora of rolls, but you can still find it on DVD and Blu-ray should the urge to watch a cheesy action movie strike you.
3 Wanted: Dead or Alive (1987)
Premiering nationwide on January 16th, 1987, Wanted: Dead or Alive stars Rutger Hauer as a CIA agent-turned-bounty hunter looking to track down notorious terrorist Malak Al-Rahim, played by Gene Simmons.
Serving as somewhat of a spin-off from the 1958 television series that starred Steve McQueen, Wanted: Dead or Alive is a derivative offering of those that came before it, though it does serve as a vehicle to expose Hauer's chops as a character actor. Filled with gratuitous violence, the movie has been released on DVD and Blu-ray, and can be seen for free on Tubi should you find yourself with nothing else to watch.
2 Action Jackson (1988)
Starring Carl Weathers of Rocky and Predator fame, Action Jackson was directed by Craig R. Baxley in his feature debut, and also starred Craig T. Nelson, Sharon Stone, and Vanity, a popular Canadian singer/actress at the time.
When disgraced Detective Lt. Jericho Jackson is framed for a murder he didn't commit, he looks to clear his name with the help of a singer addicted to heroin. Seems simple enough, and it was, but that didn't stop moviegoers from helping the film rake in $65 million dollars at the box office against a budget of just $7 million. These days, it has largely gone forgotten about in the pool of action films from the '80s, but it's well worth a streaming rental if you're looking for something fun to watch.
1 Best of the Best (1989)
Don't let the title fool you. Best of the Best is not, in fact, the best, but this martial arts action film from 1989 is okay. Eric Roberts, brother to Julia Roberts, and father of Emma Roberts, stars as Alex Grady in a plot that sees a group of American martial artists go toe-to-toe with a group of South Korean martial artists in, you guessed it, a martial arts tournament.
Kicks and chops abound in this one, which somehow went on to spawn three sequels despite bombing at the box office. Panned as a Rocky clone for its themes of overcoming adversary, Best of the Best is somewhat remembered for its martial arts, and star Eric Roberts, who has made over 700 appearances in his Hollywood career.
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