Best Action Movie Star Run of the 80s/90s?

[HeismaNole]

The top four seem to be a lock in terms of most represented during this time- Arnold, Stallone, JCVD, and fourth is a toss up with Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell, Jackie Chan, Segal or Keanu.



Arnold Schwarzenegger

• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
• Predator (1987)
• The Terminator (1984)
• Total Recall (1990) .
• True Lies (1994)
• Commando (1985)
• Running Man (1987)
• Eraser (1996)
• Last Action Hero (1993)
• Red Heat (1988)
• Conan The Barbarian (1982)

Sylvester Stallone

• First Blood (1982)
• Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
• Rocky IV (1985)
• Tango & Cash (1989)
• Demolition Man (1993)
• Cliffhanger (1993)
• Rambo III (1988)
• The Specialist (1994)
• Cobra (1986)
• Over the Top (1987)
• Assasins (1995)
• Rocky III (1982)

Jean Claude Van Damme

• Bloodsport (1988)
• Kickboxer (1989)
• Universal Soldier (1992)
• Timecop (1994)
• Hard Target (1993)
• Double Impact (1991)
• Lionheart (1990)
• Cyborg (1989)
• Sudden Death (1995)
• Death Warrent (1990)

​

Bruce Willis

• Die Hard (1988)
• Die Hard 2 (1990)
• Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
• The Last Boy Scout (1991)
• Armageddon (1998)
• The Fifth Element (1997)
• Striking Distance (1993)
• Mercury Rising (1998) –
• Twelve Monkeys (1995)

Mel Gibson- Lethal Weapon franchise, Mad Max Sequels, Braveheart (drama or action?),

Kurt Russell- Escape from New York, Big Trouble in Little China, Tango and Cash, The Thing, Backdraft, is Tombstone action?

 

[WildcatFan1982]

There’s a lot of garbage on that list. One of those actors had a really good run until Michael Bay got involved

 

[GeraldV]

Arnold is the easy answer here but my personal favorite was Chow Yun Fat in all those John Woo flicks. I still think Hard Boiled is the best action flick ever made.

 

[HeismaNole]

There’s a lot of garbage on that list. One of those actors had a really good run until Michael Bay got involved

Yeah, I'm not saying these are all good movies. I'm just listing the most notable. Well, ChatGPT is, I'm not typing this all out,

Although he doesn't have a lot of depth for this time period, Keanu Reeves' definitely set the tone for his career with Point Break, Speed and The Matrix. If we combined the 2000s, he's on the Mount Rushmore of action movie stars, imo.

 

[HeismaNole]

Arnold is the easy answer here but my personal favorite was Chow Yun Fat in all those John Woo flicks. I still think Hard Boiled is the best action flick ever made.

I think Arnold had the biggest juggernauts. Hard to compete with Predator and Terminator. I still like Sly more.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

As far as straight action movies id put Arnold over Sly.

The die hard trilogy (there are ONLY 3) is rare that IMO the 2nd was the worst. Personally I prefer the 3rd is the best but I won’t argue with anyone that prefers the original

JCVD had Timecop. The rest is crap

 

[PickSixKing]

Bruce wins the entire thing for this movie alone and it ain't even on your list.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

JCVD had Timecop. The rest is crap

Hey now, Bloodsport slander will not be tolerated.

 

[DSmith21]

Harrison Ford should make the list. Star Wars series, Indiana Jones series, Blade Runner, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Fugitive, Air Force One, etc. Of course, he didn't just do action movies there were comedies and straight dramas like Presumed Innocent.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Hey now, Bloodsport slander will not be tolerated.

I’ll leave it up for posterity’s sake. But I will admit it’s been a solid 30 years since I’ve seen it. Which means I’d have been 10 or younger. So I strike blood sport from the crap list
Time Cop on the other hand, will remain in the upper pantheon of time traveling police officer movies

 

[HeismaNole]

As far as straight action movies id put Arnold over Sly.

The die hard trilogy (there are ONLY 3) is rare that IMO the 2nd was the worst. Personally I prefer the 3rd is the best but I won’t argue with anyone that prefers the original

JCVD had Timecop. The rest is crap

No way. I loved Double Impact where he played twins.

And I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like Kickboxer or Bloodsport. I thought that’s as unanimous among us guys?

Sudden Death was also a guilty pleasure😂

 

[HeismaNole]

Harrison Ford should make the list. Star Wars series, Indiana Jones series, Blade Runner, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Fugitive, Air Force One, etc. Of course, he didn't just do action movies there were comedies and straight dramas like Presumed Innocent.

You know what, that never even crossed my mind but definitely deserves a spot.

 

[HeismaNole]

Bruce wins the entire thing for this movie alone and it ain't even on your list.

View embedded media

See, I just struggle with if something is a drama or an action movie on some of these.

I also didn’t really know how to handle the ensemble cast films. Pulp Fiction is amazing but I wouldn’t call it a Bruce Willis movie.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

No way. I loved Double Impact where he played twins.

And I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like Kickboxer or Bloodsport. I thought that’s as unanimous among us guys?

Sudden Death was also a guilty pleasure😂

View embedded media

I just prefer gunfights and cars and planes and space travel over martial arts I guess.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I’ll leave it up for posterity’s sake. But I will admit it’s been a solid 30 years since I’ve seen it. Which means I’d have been 10 or younger. So I strike blood sport from the crap list
Time Cop on the other hand, will remain in the upper pantheon of time traveling police officer movies

No way. I loved Double Impact where he played twins.

And I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like Kickboxer or Bloodsport. I thought that’s as unanimous among us guys?

Sudden Death was also a guilty pleasure😂

View embedded media

Totally forgot kickboxer. Might be the best film. I loved lionheart too, which was just another Bloodsport which isnt a bad thing.

 

[BC_Wader]

I picked Arnie. He was THE action star of that era IMO.
I hated JCVD movies besides Timecop. The beginning of that movie set in the Civil War era was a fantastic opening. The rest of the movie was prettt good as well. I just hated all the cuts of Van Damms punches/ kicks. Kept showing the same thing like 3 times in a row.

Segal made some awesome flicks and I'd put him #2. I remember seeing all his movies in the theater but Out for Justice was my favorite with Under Seige a close 2nd. Out for Justice was brutal, man. " Anybody seen Ritchie?" LOVE that scene.

 

[BC_Wader]

Harrison Ford should make the list. Star Wars series, Indiana Jones series, Blade Runner, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Fugitive, Air Force One, etc. Of course, he didn't just do action movies there were comedies and straight dramas like Presumed Innocent.

Good call there.

 

[HeismaNole]

I just prefer gunfights and cars and planes and space travel over martial arts I guess.

If forced to choose, yeah, me too but it’s like pizza to me. Always enjoyable.

Plus, it seemed like most action movies in the 80s/90s had someone who knew martial arts in the film.

Even Roadhouse had a guy doing roundhouse kicks and shit.

But Double Impact had a mixture of guns and martial arts and had a pretty dope sex scene😂

 

[WildcatFan1982]

I still want to know what ‘I’ll be home in time for corn flakes’ means. I’ve wanted to know for 35 years now

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Also CGI ruined action movies

 

[BC_Wader]

Also CGI ruined action movies

CGI ruined a lot of movies. It took the creativity out of it. Rob Bottin and Stan Winston are probably saying to themselves that they can do better than someone behind a keyboard. I'll take the practical effects over CGI anyday of the week.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Car chases are a lot better when actual cars are involved.

 

[UK82]

Arnold for me.

As far as car chases before CGI, 70s had them in spades.

 

[PhDcat2018]

Harrison Ford should make the list. Star Wars series, Indiana Jones series, Blade Runner, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Fugitive, Air Force One, etc. Of course, he didn't just do action movies there were comedies and straight dramas like Presumed Innocent.

Oohh good call. I forgot the Jack Ryan movies.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Arnold gets an extra nod for pulling off Last Action Hero. A criminally underrated movie, where I think the general public just wasn't ready for the meta humor.

 

[HeismaNole]

I saw Stallone’s character in Over the Top, win an arm wrestling tournament to help get custody of his kid and along the way, he faced a guy who ate a cigar and drank motor oil.

That gives him the edge to me in this debate😂

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Arnold for me.

As far as car chases before CGI, 70s had them in spades.

One of things that always stands out about Commando was the car chase when the car slams up against the rock/wall.. and they had a continuity error when the car turns around, there's no damage to it.

That and that 4-shot rocket launcher is all I really remember lol.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Arnold gets an extra nod for pulling off Last Action Hero. A criminally underrated movie, where I think the general public just wasn't ready for the meta humor.

If God were a villain, he’d be me.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

If God were a villain, he’d be me.

Charles Dance was so good in it. He and Tom Noonan as dual villains could give any of these action movie villains a run for their money.

I really think if I made a list of top movies from 1993.. Last Action Hero is gonna be near the top.

 

[BC_Wader]

Charles Dance was so good in it. He and Tom Noonan as dual villains could give any of these action movie villains a run for their money.

I really think if I made a list of top movies from 1993.. Last Action Hero is gonna be near the top.

Underrated action movie. Absolutely KILLER soundtrack which was better than the movie.

 

[warrior-cat]

Harrison Ford should make the list. Star Wars series, Indiana Jones series, Blade Runner, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Fugitive, Air Force One, etc. Of course, he didn't just do action movies there were comedies and straight dramas like Presumed Innocent.

That was my pick as well.