No decade defines the action genre better than the 1980s. Packed with big explosions, well-choreographed fight sequences, one-liners galore, and just enough cheesiness to allow its films to age like fine wine, the ’80s had it all.
Sandwiched between the gritty 1970s and the evolving special effects of the 1990s, the decade that gave birth to MTV, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and acid-washed jeans always delivered. Loaded with beefy stars, body oil, synthesizers, and mullets, action films from 1980-1989 were fast-paced, loved an underdog, and flat-out fun. Naturally, this made films from the decade teeming with some of the most stunning and enjoyable action scenes.
Here are our picks for the 20 moments that made some fun films more than three decades old still bingeable today, along with the time stamp to find their best moments. Did your favorite miss the cut or not rank as high as you’d like? Let us know in the comments below.
20. They Live (1988) – All out of bubble gum
Starring: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster
Timestamp: 56 minutes
If someone asks you to put on sunglasses, do it. It might allow you to see all the subliminal messages and aliens around you. A homeless drifter (Roddy Piper) tries to get his friend Frank (Keith David) to do just that, but he refuses, leading to a six-minute punchfest that’s helped make this John Carpenter film a cult classic.
19. The Last Dragon (1986) – The Education of Bruce Leroy
Starring: Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carry, Christopher Murney
Timestamp: 1 hour, 32 minutes
With nothing left to learn from his sensei, young kung fu master Leroy Green (Taimak), nicknamed Bruce Leroy, is left to figure out one last lesson: how to reach the final level of his abilities that gives him a glow all over his body. Tested throughout the film by the evil Sho’nuff (Julius Carry), the Shogun of Harlem, in true ’80s fashion, a final fight leads Leroy to unlock his potential and become The Last Dragon. Then he catches a bullet with his teeth.
18. Commando (1985) – Mall Brawl
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dana Chong, Dan Hedaya, Alyssa Milano
Timestamp: 46 minutes
John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is just a simple, retired special forces soldier who likes to carry around giant logs like toothpicks and feed deer with his young daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). However, he’s quickly forced to work for an ousted dictator, President Arius (Dan Hedaya), who wants him to assassinate his replacement or Matrix’s daughter will be killed. While following a man who can lead him to Arius, Matrix takes on eight mall security guards, flips a phone booth, and swings across the mall like Tarzan before getting into a high-speed chase and throwing a man off a cliff.
17. RoboCop (1987) – Looking for me?
Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith
Timestamp: 1 hour, 27 minutes
Detroit police officer Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is murdered by a gang of criminals led by Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) but is revived and turned into a cyborg cop by OCP, a powerful corporation. After his own police force turns against him, the same gang tries to finish off Robocop at an abandoned factory but this time Murphy has the upper hand. He covers one goon in toxic waste, shoots several others, and stabs Boddicker in the neck with what is essentially a pointy thumb drive embedded in his arm.
16. Bloodsport (1988) – Frank Dux vs Chong Li
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb, Bolo Yeung
Timestamp: 1 hour, 17 minutes
US Army captain Frank Dux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) was already determined to win the Kumite, an underground martial arts contest held in Hong Kong, to honor his adopted father. But when Frank’s friend Jackson (Donald Gibb) is injured by the ruthless Chong Li, his mission takes on even greater importance. Looking for an advantage, Dux is blinded with powder WWE-style, but Frank still manages to defeat Chong Li with an endless barrage of roundhouse kicks accompanied by countless guttural yells.
15. Conan the Barbarian (1982) – What is Best in Life?
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow
Timestamp: 1 hour, 45 minutes
When his family is killed by a band of raiders led by Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) vows vengeance. But after breaking into Doom’s fortress, Conan and his companions fail to kill him and the barbarian loses the woman he loves. Doom sends men to wipe out the group once and for all at a place called The Mounds but they’re prepared. Using booby traps and superior fighting skills, Conan wipes out his foes in a bloody and brutal battle before defeating Doom.
14. Scarface (1983) – Say Hello to My Little Friend!
Starring: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Timestamp: 2 hours, 34 minutes
After failing to follow through on an important errand for a fellow drug dealer, things take a bad turn for crime boss Tony Montana (Al Pacino). With dozens of hitmen infiltrating his compound looking for retribution, Tony jams his face into a Pikes Peak-sized pile of cocaine, busts out a machine gun equipped with a grenade launcher, and takes out multiple hired thugs before dying in a blaze of glory.
13. Lethal Weapon (1987) – Do You Really Wanna Jump?
Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey
Timestamp: 29 minutes
Sometimes the best action scene is one that gives viewers insight into a character. At the 29-minute mark Murtaugh (Danny Glover) and Riggs (Mel Gibson) respond to a call about a jumper on the top of a building. Riggs handcuffs himself to the jumper, forcing the suddenly reluctant man off the building into a giant airbag below. The scene is gripping and shows Riggs isn’t afraid of death and might be a little crazy.
12. Red Dawn (1984) – Wolverines!
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Powers Booth, Lea Thompson
Timestamp: 52 minutes
Lt. Col. Andrew Tanner (Powers Booth), a pilot shot down behind enemy lines, shows up at the 52-minute mark and teaches the teenage Wolverines how to be soldiers. The next 20 minutes are the most action-packed in the film, as the group ambushes a convoy and attacks an enemy base before Tanner dies on the battlefield.
11. First Blood (1982) – Don’t Push It
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy, Richard Crenna, David Caruso
Timestamp: 1 hour, 10 minutes
After being harassed and arrested by Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy), the sheriff of the small town of Hope, Washington, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) escapes into the nearby mountains. After some overly excited National Guardsmen blow up the cave Rambo is hiding in, everyone assumes he’s dead. Oops. Rambo steals an army truck, returns to town and blows up a gas station and a used car lot before destroying the sheriff’s office with an M60 machine gun.
10. Superman II (1980) – Kneel Before Zod!
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder
Timestamp: 1 hour, 18 minutes
After Superman (Christopher Reeve) gives up his powers to live a normal life with Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), escaped Kryptonian criminal General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his two minions wreak havoc on the world in his absence. Once informed of Superman’s existence the three criminals invade the Daily Planet where Superman, with his powers restored, confronts them in an epic fight in downtown Metropolis.
9. The Karate Kid (1984) – Get him a body bag!
Starring: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Pat Morita
Timestamp: 1 hour, 58 minutes
After going through wave after wave of Cobra Kai opponents, former punching bag Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) has more than proven himself in the All Valley Karate Tournament. Yet in the championship round, Daniel must face his primary tormentor and toughest foe, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Although injured from a cheap shot, Daniel manages to score the winning point by pulling off the impossible-to-defend Crane Kick.
8. Rocky III (1982) – Eye of the Tiger
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Mr. T, Burgess Meredith, Talia Shire
Timestamp: 1 hour, 21 minutes
A hero is only as impressive as its villain and few are as badass as Clubber Lang (Mr. T). Early in the film, Clubber tells Adrian (Talia Shire) to come over to his apartment to find out what it’s like to be with a real man, shoves trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) so hard he eventually dies and knocks Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) out in the second round of their first fight. So when the rematch takes place at Madison Square Garden, the bruising battle feels earned.
7. The Terminator (1984) – I’ll Be Back
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn
Timestamp: 59 minutes
While a case could certainly be made for the final showdown at the end, the best action scene in this film takes place midway through the movie when The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) proves that he’s an unstoppable machine. Even though Sarah Connor is in police custody, that doesn’t deter The Terminator as he drives through a police station lobby and coldly guns down everyone in sight while dual-wielding a shotgun and an M-16.
6. Top Gun (1986) – Talk to Me Goose
Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards
Timestamp: 1 hour, 31 minutes
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s (Tom Cruise) world is rocked when his F-14 goes into an unrecoverable spin during a training exercise which leads to his best friend and flying partner Goose (Anthony Edwards) getting killed. Maverick later regains his self-confidence just in time save soon-to-be former rival Iceman (Val Kilmer) from a bevy of enemy MiGs.
5. Road House (1989) – Damn Boy, I Thought You Were Good!
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Sam Elliott, Ben Gazzara, Marshall R. Teague
Timestamp: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Dalton (Patrick Swayze) is the best cooler in the business but he loses his cool when his friend’s home is blown up by Jimmy (Marshall R. Teague), the most dangerous thug working for the unscrupulous Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara). A fight to the death immediately ensues between Jimmy and Dalton, who’ve been circling each other the entire movie. It ends when Jimmy pulls out a gun and Dalton rips his throat out.
4. Predator (1987) – If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Hall
Timestamp: 1 hour, 19 minutes
After Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer’s (Arnold Schwarzenegger) team of commandos is systematically eliminated by an invisible alien, he stumbles upon a way to be unseen himself. Given time to plan around the strengths of the deadly predator, Dutch sets up an intricate series of traps and goes mano-y-mano against his towering opponent in a legendary showdown of man vs. alien.
4. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – Temple Run
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Alfred Molina
Timestamp: 4 minutes
Now this is how you start a movie! At the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his companion Satipo (Alfred Molina) enter a cave and avoid multiple traps to collect a golden idol. But when the idol is removed the cave triggers a new set of dangers, with Indy running for his life in a scene that’s become one of the most iconic moments in cinematic history.
2. Aliens (1986) – Get Away From Her, You Bitch!
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Lance Henriksen
Timestamp: 2 hours, 6 minutes
After bravely traversing a processing station that an alien queen uses as a nest to rescue a girl named Newt (Carrie Henn), Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) returns to the safety of the Sulaco, which is in orbit around planet LV-426. Or so she thinks. After quickly realizing the queen stowed away in her dropship, Ripley dons the exosuit of a cargo-loader and fights the alien, eventually forcing her out of an airlock.
1. Die Hard (1988) – We’re Gonna Need Some More FBI Guys, I Guess
Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia
Timestamp: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Mistaken for a terrorist by FBI agents in a helicopter, New York City cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) is desperate to get off the rooftop of the Nakatomi Building, which is rigged to explode. With nowhere to go, McClane ties himself to a firehose and jumps from the building as the roof ignites, destroying the helicopter. Dangling from the side of the building, McClane shoots his way inside and manages to free himself before almost being dragged down by the falling hose.