20 Old-School Action Movies That Are Underrated Classics
These action-packed thrillers prove that newer isn't always better.
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There's nothing like watching a good action movie. Even if it came out 10, 20 or even 30 years ago, some of those wild action scenes and thrilling fights truly stand the test of time. While we all have our favorite old-school classics — maybe you love Die Hard for John McClain's one-liners, or the ingenious special effects of Terminator 2 — we're willing to bet you haven't seen the underrated action movies on this list, given how many incredible films have come out of various countries over the years.
Check out our top picks ahead, then browse more of our favorite movies in our roundups of the best psychological thrillers, the best survival movies and the best sci-fi films.
The Heroic Trio (1997)
If you're looking for some bizarrely incredible fight choreography and beautifully unrealistic wire-hanging stunts, look no further than The Heroic Trio. This Hong Kong action film stars Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui and Maggie Cheung as three women who team up to defeat a mysterious villain who lives underground and kidnaps babies.
Black Rain (1989)
One of legendary director Ridley Scott's earliest efforts, this gem stars Michael Douglas as Andy Garcia as two NYPD detectives who have to escort a yakuza member, played by Yusaku Matsuda, back to Osaka under orders from the Japanese embassy. But when their ward escapes, the detectives are quickly pulled into an unfamiliar criminal underworld.
Tank Girl (1995)
Eat your heart out, Mad Max! This post-apocalyptic sci-fi action film, adapted from a comic series, puts a more comedic spin on the desert-wasteland setting. Lori Petty plays Tank Girl, who teams up with Jet Girl (Naomi Watts) and a team of kangaroo-human hybrid super soldiers to take down an evil corporation that's hoarding the water supply. Malcolm McDowell even shows up as Water & Power Corporation's ruthless CEO.
Drunken Master (1978)
This early Jackie Chan martial arts comedy was one of the actor's first hits, and totally deserves a watch if you've only seen his big-budget Hollywood films. It's known to be hugely influential in the kung fu genre, and features an unbeatable master-and-pupil dynamic between Chan's Wong Fei-hung (a.k.a. Freddie Wong) and his co-star, Yuen Siu-Tin, as his uncle, Beggar So.
Shoot to Kill (1988)
This action film, which was titled Deadly Pursuit outside of North America, is a mean thriller with plenty of cool fights. Marking the late, great Sidney Poitier's return to acting after a years-long hiatus, it's a solid buddy cop movie (even though it came out after the genre's peak in the 1970s).
Barb Wire (1996)
Do you want a compelling storyline with narrative twists and memorable character arcs? This isn't that. But if you want to see Pamela Anderson shoot dual pistols, kick butt and pop wheelies on a motorcycle, then this is the perfect movie night pick for you.
Darkman (1990)
Many years before he became an action superstar thanks to the Taken franchise, Liam Neeson was Darkman, a disfigured scientist on a violent quest for vengeance. The antihero of this '90s flick was, surprisingly, not plucked from a comic book but created by the film's director Sam Raimi, who was inspired by the Phantom of the Opera and Elephant Man.
Moonraker (1979)
As far as Bond movies go, this story is on the silly side, but there is some absolutely wild gadgetry at play here — the laser fights and rocket shuttle shenanigans make this a super-fun watch. Metal-mouthed assassin Jaws is also a top-tier Bond movie henchman, based on his pure bizarreness alone.
Trois Hommes à Abattre (1984)
Trois Hommes à Abattre, or Three Men To Kill, is a gritty French film starring Alain Delon as a professional card player who becomes the target of high-level arms traders after he witnesses a whistleblower's killing.
Timecop (1994)
In the '90s, Jean-Claude Van Damme's star power could elevate almost any movie. While Timecop was criticized by some for being derivative, Van Damme's performance paired with director Peter Hyams' vision of a high-tech future in the year 2004 (really!), make this a fun watch.
Hard Rain (1998)
Hard Rain is a wild ride from start to finish, following two armored truck drivers (Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater) evacuating money from banks in a flooding town. They get caught in clash between a gang that wants the money and National Guard deputies who suspect them of looting. If you can't handle the secondhand anxiety of watching floodwater slowly fill a room, skip this one.
Cannonball (1976)
Like the similarly-named Cannonball Run, this car chase thriller is also based on the real-life "Cannonball Run challenges," a series of unsanctioned cross-country road races in the U.S. that peaked in popularity during the 1970s.
Streets of Fire (1984)
Directed by Walter Hill, an excellent filmmaker known for works like The Warriors and 48 Hrs., this neo-noir crime thrilleris billed as a "rock and roll fable" and takes its cues from 1950s greaser culture. The blend of huge motorcycles and 1980s punk fashion creates a unique setting that feels like its own messed-up action timeline.
Ronin (1998)
Another showcase of excellent car chases that harkens back to greats of the genre like The French Connection and Bulitt, this De Niro-fronted heist thriller set in France is jam-packed with shootouts, double-crosses, ambushes and vehicular craziness.
Cyborg (1989)
Van Damme stars in this relentless cyberpunk slugfest made by one of the masters of low-budget cinema: Albert Pyun. Van Damme plays a mercenary in a post-apocalyptic future who clashes with a violent gang while trying to protect a cyborg who holds data vital to curing a plague that crippled human civilization.
Juggernaut (1974)
With a star-studded cast that includes Richard Harris, Omar Sharif and Anthony Hopkins, the crime thriller Juggernaut is a classic bomb-defusing nail-biter. It's set aboard a luxury ocean liner that's been rigged with a bomb, with a mysterious caller demanding a ransom in exchange for instructions on disarming it.
Short Time (1990)
This raucous police action-comedy stars Dabney Coleman as a detective misdiagnosed with a fatal blood condition who is trying to get killed in the line of duty so he can get a bigger life insurance payout for his wife and son. It's straightforward but surprisingly fun, with cinematography that still holds up 20 years later.
Destroy All Monsters (1968)
This classic Toho Kaiju film stars a grab bag of classic Japanese monsters, including the inimitable Godzilla. They're all being studied by the United Nations Science Committee on "Monster Island," but when they find themselves under the control of aliens known as Kilaaks, they begin wreaking havoc on cities around the world once again. There's tons of sci-fi eye candy here, with cool miniature sets, vibrant studio staging and wild costume design for the humans.
Drop Zone (1994)
If you want some midair thrills, and have already crossed movies like Con Air and Air Force One off your list, this fast-paced skydiving movie is right up your alley. Wesley Snipes plays U.S. Marshal Pete Nessip, who has to learn to skydive after his brother is killed in a midair attack by renegade skydivers who plan to leak undercover DEA agent names to drug cartels worldwide.
Knightriders (1981)
An under-appreciated entry from the excellent filmography of George A. Romero, Knightriders is a tonal shift from the director's masterful horror fare. It stars Ed Harris as Billy, the leader of a group of medieval re-enactors who joust... on motorcycles. It's a loving sendup of Renaissance Fair culture and characters, and just a ton of fun to watch.
Jacob is a Temporary Partnerships Editor at Hearst based in Queens, New York with his partner and cat Tiger. He loves learning and writing about Film and TV, Video Games, and the weird histories of unexpected subjects.
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