Ranking The Best Action Movies Of All Time
4. Hardboiled (1992)
“Hard Boiled” is a 1992 action thriller directed by John Woo. The movie stars Chow Yun-fat as Tequila, a Hong Kong police inspector who becomes embroiled in a dangerous undercover operation to bring down a powerful triad organization.
The movie begins with Tequila and his partner, Benny (Tony Leung), raiding a teahouse in search of arms dealers. During the raid, Tequila encounters an undercover cop named Alan (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), who is posing as a member of the triad. The two men reluctantly team up to take down the organization, but their mission becomes more complicated when they discover that the triad has a mole within the police force.
As the triad’s influence spreads, Tequila and Alan are forced to resort to increasingly violent tactics to stop them. Along the way, they also encounter a mysterious assassin named Mad Dog (Philip Kwok), who is hired by the triad to take out anyone who gets in their way.
The movie is known for its stylish action sequences, including an iconic shootout in a hospital that lasts over 30 minutes and features a single take. It also features themes of honor, loyalty, and betrayal, as well as Woo’s signature use of slow-motion and kinetic camera work. “Hard Boiled” has since become a cult classic and is widely regarded as one of the best action movies of all time.
3. The Matrix (1999)
“The Matrix” is a science fiction action film directed by the Wachowskis and released in 1999. The movie stars Keanu Reeves as Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer who leads a double life as a hacker named Neo. He is contacted by a group of rebels who reveal to him that the world as he knows it is actually a simulated reality called the Matrix, created by sentient machines to keep humans docile and enslaved while they feed off their energy.
Neo is recruited by the rebels, led by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), to help overthrow the machines and awaken humanity. Along the way, Neo learns how to use his newfound abilities within the Matrix, such as bending the laws of physics and fighting with superhuman strength and agility.
However, the group soon discovers that they are being pursued by an Agent (Hugo Weaving), a program within the Matrix whose sole purpose is to eliminate any threats to the system. The movie culminates in an epic showdown between Neo and the Agent, which has become an iconic moment in action movie history.
The Matrix is known for its groundbreaking visual effects, including the use of “bullet time” slow-motion sequences, and its themes of reality, perception, and the nature of existence. It was a critical and commercial success and spawned two sequels, “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions”.
