# Best Action Movie 1991-2010 - Nominations! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535 "2011-06-15T06:40:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/41 "2011-06-16T22:59:02Z")
Anything with Jason Statham, especially the driver movies. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/42 "2011-06-16T23:00:49Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > _The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_ (2002) > _The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King_ (2003) > _300_ (2007) Wow. Not what I think of as “action” movies. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/43 "2011-06-16T23:01:37Z")
Oh: [The Town](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0840361/) deserves a nomination And there must be some other heist movies we’ve missed… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/44 "2011-06-16T23:58:00Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > … > My own nominations: > _X-Men 2_ > _Iron Man_ Ooo, definitely. Good ones. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/45 "2011-06-17T00:43:43Z")
This thread has a real problem, half the films listed here are not action films ffs. For example, what is the odd one out: a) Commando b) Predator c) Die Hard d) The Last of the Mohicans If you dont subconsciously know the answer, then you shouldnt be trying to pretend Jurassic Park three is one of the best action films of the last twenty years. _ **Taken** _ [Taken (2008) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936501/), now _thats_ a fucking contender, not some of the talky talky shit people are pretending are action films. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/46 "2011-06-17T00:54:44Z")
None of these are action films as we defined the term at Action college. There may be loud actiony bits in them, but they are not action films. If they go into a poll I will laugh at your poll. Polls fucking hate that. Pulp Fiction The Last of the Mohicans Kill Bill Vol. 2 The Departed Gangs of New York Casino The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Incredibles Zombieland Jurassic Park 3 A Knight’s Tale Oldboy The Town ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/47 "2011-06-17T00:55:48Z")
I’ll add one of my personal favourites - [Hard Boiled](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104684/) (1992). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/48 "2011-06-17T01:30:21Z")
Would _Sin City_ be considered an action movie? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/49 "2011-06-17T01:38:11Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > None of these are action films as we defined the term at Action college. There may be loud actiony bits in them, but they are not action films. If they go into a poll I will laugh at your poll. Polls fucking hate that. As the maker of said poll, I agree, none of those movies are action movies. They won’t be included in the poll, no matter how many nominating votes they get. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/50 "2011-06-17T02:24:26Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > If you dont subconsciously know the answer, then you shouldnt be trying to pretend Jurassic Park three is one of the best action films of the last twenty years. Hey, I take offense to that. As far as action goes, JP3 is the best in the series, and is one of the best action films of the last twenty years. But I haven’t seen The Last of the Mohicans, so what do I know? By what grounds is a film action or not? Because I’m scratching my head at some of the choices that are getting eliminated. Especially since the biggest complaint I kept hearing about JP3 was that it was just an action film, without the science-fiction and heart of the first film (or the stupid character development of the second)… ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/51 "2011-06-17T09:11:38Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > Hey, I take offense to that. As far as action goes, JP3 is the best in the series, and is one of the best action films of the last twenty years. But I haven’t seen The Last of the Mohicans, so what do I know? > > By what grounds is a film action or not? Because I’m scratching my head at some of the choices that are getting eliminated. Especially since the biggest complaint I kept hearing about JP3 was that it was just an action film, without the science-fiction and heart of the first film (or the stupid character development of the second)… I suggested further up thread that it must contain an exploding helicopter. I still think that’s a reasonable yardstick, but I’ll suggest three criteria for “action movie”. 1. Bad ass, tough guy, hard man 2. Guns 3. Stuff blowing up. _Especially_ the odd helicopter. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/52 "2011-06-17T12:02:20Z")
> [@Scougs](#): > > 1. Bad ass, tough guy, hard man > 2. Guns > 3. Stuff blowing up. I submit that _Last of the Mohicans_ has all three of these items. Moreover, the entire second half of the movie is an extended chase scene. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/53 "2011-06-17T12:37:19Z")
I think that those of us who grew up in the 1980’s see 80’s action films as the template all such movies must follow. The fact is, however, that the action movie from that decade was an odd duck, with little in common with those made in previous and following decades. Current action flicks either have much more in common with films from the 1970’s (the Bourne films are a famous example) or are a completely new species (in general, inspired either by \*the Matrix \*or _Saving Private Ryan_). Comparing modern action flicks to those brain-dead Stallone or Schwartznegger vehicles of our childhood is doing the former an injustice. Interestingly, the very best action movies of the 1980s - the Indiana Jones films, \*Terminator \*and \*Aliens \*- were actually very unusual for their times, and have a lot more in common with moderm examples of the genre. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/54 "2011-06-17T13:54:43Z")
The main problem with disqualifying Pulp Fiction is that it has Samuel L. Jackson in it; Mr. Jackson’s presence in a (non-Star Wars prequel) work of fiction is worth approximately 2 gun battles, a chase scene and 37.4 explosions. The audio book of “Go the Fuck to Sleep” qualifies as an action movie for similar reasons, but I won’t nominate it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/55 "2011-06-17T14:32:48Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > The main problem with disqualifying Pulp Fiction is that it has Samuel L. Jackson in it; Mr. Jackson’s presence in a (non-Star Wars prequel) work of fiction is worth approximately 2 gun battles, a chase scene and 37.4 explosions. The audio book of “Go the Fuck to Sleep” qualifies as an action movie for similar reasons, but I won’t nominate it. Preach that, my fellow SLJ fan! Another endorsement for that book! (if you don’t plan to buy it [Go the F\*ck to Sleep - read by Samuel L. Jackson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGDm45niITI) check this out) Still, I can avoid including PF in the poll because except for SLJ, it isn’t so much action as great dialog and weird characters. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/56 "2011-06-17T22:31:00Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Preach that, my fellow SLJ fan! Another endorsement for that book! (if you don’t plan to buy it [Go the F\*ck to Sleep - read by Samuel L. Jackson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGDm45niITI) check this out) The strangest thing I have seen today. But AWESOME! ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/57 "2011-06-18T14:56:36Z")
Some more suggestions, for completeness: Cliffhanger (1993) Timecop (1994) The Mummy (1994) Bad Boys (1995) Broken Arrow (1996) Taxi (1998) (the original French version, not the Queen Latifah remake) Sahara (2005) Wanted (2008) Luc Besson’s Nikita (1990) just misses the cut, sadly. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/58 "2011-06-18T15:07:30Z")
My vote is for Heat, but wanted to also throw [The Boondock Saints](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144117/) into the ring. And 300 should fit into any reasonable definition of action movie. What do we think about [Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795363/)? Or “[Leon: The Professional](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110413/)”? If we are allowed to include Foreign movies, then I’d add [La Femme Nikita](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100263/) (1990),[City of God](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317248/) (2002), and [Tropa de Elite](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0861739/) (2007). Edit: Crap, thought 1990 was good. Out goes Nikita. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/59 "2011-06-19T21:37:43Z")
I cannot wait for voting to start on this! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535/60 "2011-06-19T23:28:30Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I cannot wait for voting to start on this! 😃 Do we have any other nominations out there? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-action-movie-1991-2010-nominations/585535.md?page=4)