10 action movies that are also considered high art

Action movies tend to be excluded from discussions of great art movies, but there are some exceptions to this rule. Some people look down on the action genre due to the perception that action offers little more than cheap thrills. While action movies are consistently big box-office juggernauts, their general appeal shouldn’t preclude them from being appreciated for their filmmaking prowess and their aesthetic design.

Many action movies are happy to be dismissed by critics, as long as they find their audience. However, there are some action movies that should also be considered works of great artistry. By questioning the tropes of the genre and crafting their stories with as much care as a prestige drama, filmmakers can create action movies that appeal to audiences and critics beyond the usual adrenaline-fueled thrills of the genre.

10

Drive (2011)

Nicolas Winding Refn’s atmospheric crime drama brings out the best of Ryan Gosling

Nicolas Winding Refns shot compositions fill every frame of Drive With layers upon layers of meaningAnd it looks beautiful too. Drive Star Ryan Gosling as a Hollywood stunt driver who gets some extra cash moonlighting as a getaway driver for bank robbers. Drive does not conform to the tropes of the heist genre. It may be gloriously modern, however Drive is also grounded in a strange way.

Drives action scenes are remarkably naturalistic, and this makes them feel heartbreakingly real. While other movies that focus on getaway drivers – viz Baby Driver And The Italian work – Using choreography to make their chase scenes seem fanciful and almost balletic, Drive Cut the music and listen instead to the anxious breathing of the thieves. DriveHis portrait of a dark Los Angeles underworld is captivating from start to finish.

9

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

19 years before the release of parasite, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Nearly became the first non-English language movie to win Best Picture. This is especially impressive when considering that the martial arts genre has historically been passed over by critics and awards shows. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon won four Oscars, including Best Foreign Language Film, and became the first non-English language film to gross over $100 million in the United States.

Ang Lee presents a picture of China that does not quite fit any particular era. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon seems to take place in a fantasy realm in time, with lush green forests and wide open deserts that resemble Lawrence of Arabia. This sets the stage for a gripping melodrama that is easy to get wrapped up in. Lee paints in broad brush strokes, and the finished portrait is a gorgeous ahistorical epic.

8

Cool Bill (2003 and 2004)

Quentin Tarantino’s tribute to the action genre

In the same way that Pulp fiction deconstructs the crime genre and Inglorious bastards is a fantasy take on war movies, Kill Bill Can be viewed as a love letter to the action genre. Quentin Tarantino counts Kill Bill Like one movie is divided into two parts. Watching them back to back reveals the many ways Tarantino piled up and remixed his esoteric concoction of influences. Kill Bill is inspired by many action classics, but it never feels derivative.

In some ways, Kill Bill is a revenge west, as a precursor to Django UnchainedHowever The influence of martial arts movies is even stronger. As the bride embarks on her blood-soaked rampage, she gets into several fights that mirror the highly stylized violence of old Hong Kong martial arts classics. Kill Bill is gorgeously shot throughout, and the set design, costumes and music choices each make it a unique treat for action fans.

7

Akira (1988)

Akira is a masterpiece of Japanese animation

Akira is one of the best animated action movies of all time, but its influence reaches into live-action. At a time when American animation was severely lagging behind Japan in terms of creativity and visual flair, Akira Still manages to stand out as one of the finest animated exports of the 1980s. Animation doesn’t often provide the kinds of kinetic thrills that can be achieved in live-action. Akira Bucks the trend.

Akira is based on an equally influential manga series. The filmmakers already had years of manga to work with, and the vision of Neo-Tokyo comes to the screen feeling alive and complete. Akira‘s legacy has grown since its release, And it is now considered one of the key movies that convinced people of the merits of adult-oriented animation. Decades later, it still holds up as a beautifully rendered action thriller.

6

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

George Miller revives the Mad Max franchise in style

In an era when action and sci-fi movies have been taken over by CGI, Mad Max: Fury Road Represents a breath of fresh air. George Miller’s commitment to practical effects creates some of the most viscerally effective big screen thrills of the 21st century, a throwback to the franchise’s origins in the 1970s and 1980s. however, Mad Max: Fury Road Is worth much more than its explosive stunts and chase scenes.

One thing that stands out Mad Max: Fury Road is Miller’s inspired approach to world-building. Oddly styled figures litter the ground, Immortan Joe’s petrolhead cult bursts into the world fully formed, and Furiosa feels like a character that’s been around for years. This means that fury road Can be enjoyed by people who have never seen a Mad Max movie, but it hides a lot of intriguing details for the most dedicated fans of the franchise.

5

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Bruce Lee reinvented the martial arts genre

Enter the dragon was released just a few days after Bruce Lee’s early death, and his final masterpiece still ranks as one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time. It perfectly captures Lee’s talents, not only as a fighter but as a movie star. Enter the dragon Is the kind of martial arts movie that could only be made in America, viz It mixes its Asian filmmaking influences with tropes from spy movies and even Westerns. in particular, Enter the dragon Feels like it could be a James Bond Movie.

Enter the dragons action scenes are some of the most exciting ever filmed, especially since the stunts are all practical. There are some moves that Lee pulls off that seem to stretch the laws of physics, but they are filmed in a way that shows that there are no strings attached, no generous cuts and no other movie tricks. Enter the dragonThe iconic mirror scene creates a visually dazzling finale To catch a very influential action movie.

4

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

The Daniels blend action with sci-fi and comedy

It’s incredibly rare for an action movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture, but this is just the feat Everything everywhere all at once managed to pull away. It’s not an out-and-out action movie, though The action scenes are an essential element in Everything everywhere all at onces multifaceted appeal. It also incorporates some dizzying sci-fi concepts and plenty of fast-paced humor.

Everything everywhere all at once is most of the time a philosophical sci-fi movie, using the concept of the multiverse to ruminate on determinism and the endless possibilities of life. However, casting Michelle Yeoh as the star allows for some inventive action scenes. Ke Huy Quan also gets a chance to wade into the action with a weaponized fanny pack. The absurdity of the fights reinforce the movie’s themes.

3

Run Lola Run (1998)

Run Lola Run uses a groundbreaking narrative

Run Lola Run is a German action thriller that uses a branching narrative. When Lola is given only 20 minutes to collect a large amount of money to save her boyfriend’s life, she envisions the different paths she can take. Each of the scenarios play out in real-time, ending with Lola back at the beginning. Run Lola RunThe unconventional plot structure gradually becomes even weirder as the movie progressesHow the different timelines get tangled together.

There are moments in Run Lola Run When characters seem to possess knowledge of the other timelines, and the overall structure of the movie. By drawing attention to his central passion rather than playing it in a more natural way, Run Lola Run Adds another layer to his discussion of determinism. The fourth-wall breaking also means that Run Lola Run Depicts the fracturing of Lola’s mind as her muddled thoughts begin to run into each other.

2

The Matrix (1999)

The Wachowskis use action to explore the nature of reality

The Wachowski sisters created one of the most original action movies of all time with The matrixUse a unique sci-fi concept to invent an entirely new style of fighting. The matrixThe Dro-fu is obviously influenced by martial arts movies and the wuxia genre, but the sci-fi twist generates even more possibilities, as Neo is trained to bend the reality around him to his will. The matrix Constantly tries to one-up its own inventive action scenes.

The impressive thing about The matrix Is that it delivers a lot of incredible action sequences, but it would still be fascinating without them. It’s definitely a version of The matrix Which works just like a philosophical sci-fi movie about the nature of existence and the tension between personal experience and objective truth without Neo facing off against an army of clones. The matrix Franchise reached its peak in the beginning.

1

Seven Samurai (1954)

Akira Kurosawa helped shape the action genre

Seven Samurai is not only one of Akira Kurosawa’s best movies; It is also One of the greatest films ever made. The samurai classic has helped shape the action genre in many ways for decades. One vital component of Seven Samurai Is the perfectly scripted character building. With some superb performances, Kurosawa is able to create layered characters that are easy to relate to, and this lends extra weight to the action scenes.

Seven Samurai Constantly performs a balancing act between thrilling action and moments of fascinating character development. Often, these two elements combine to create meaningful action scenes, such as the epic finale. Seven Samurai Rewards audiences who can stick with it through its mammoth runtime. It’s the kind of movie that lives long in the memory, as evidenced by the Countless filmmakers who have been inspired to reference it in their own works.