Artificial Cheese

A good action scene can make an entire movie worth watching.  But these scenes are hard to find, and even the best action movies don’t have one memorable scene that defines the movie.  Lots of action can be found in movies that just serve to stimulate the viewer for a short while, but don’t really serve a purpose.  The good action scenes move the story…you know the epic scenes that I’m talking about, the ones that start in one place in the plot and end in a completely different place.

So here’s a list of my favorite action scenes…

1) Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark - The Airfield to the Trucks

The first and third installment of the Indiana Jones series were a rare mix of so many different genres of film.  They had comedy, drama, thrills and most relevently, action.  Although The Raiders of the Lost Ark isn’t known as an action movie, the movie contained an action sequence so great that it deserves to be on this list.

If you ask anyone about the most memorable action sequence in this movie, nine times out of ten they’ll mention the opening sequence invoving Indy stealing the idol from that cavern and the giant rock rolling behind him.  In my opinion, this sequence pales in comparison to the amazing scenes involving Indiana Jones escaping the underground crypt to an airfield where he battles a bavarian muscleman then seamlessly falls in pursuit of a convoy of trucks with the prize, finally overtaking the trucks one by one!  Amazing!

2) The Matrix - Rescuing Morpheus

Now for a movie that is known for its action.  The Matrix really took people off of their feet when it was released.  There was a mesmorizing storyline that was padded with very unique action sequences.

The Matrix had its share of action sequences that can be singled out, but the one that sticks in my mind as the best is the sequences of the final scenes of the movie.  When Morpheus is kidnapped, Neo must go against what he believes and rely on faith to retrieve his big black friend.  In the scenes following, Neo manages to infiltrate a building with hundreds of guards, grab Morpheus, catch a woman in a falling helicopter, beat up a violent piece of software, defy death, enter another digital man’s bloodstream through the chest and explode him from the inside.  Unfortunately, the reward was two mediocre sequels.

3) Ronin - Car Chase

Ronin was an oddly paced dialogue-driven action thriller that is often overlooked on any list of movies.  I’m not about to make the same mistake.  Ronin will have a special place with me for many reasons, and one is that the movie is based around a man who can’t dodge bullets and relies on brains before brawn.

But brains don’t make good action scenes.  Ronin’s action is anchored by two heart pounding car chases, one of which qualifies as the second best car chase ever to be filmed, and don’t worry, the white Bronco doesn’t even qualify. 

4) The French Connection - Catch the Train

Ronin’s car chase took second place behind the renowned car chase in The French Connection.  Apparently this movie took place before Lex Luther became an evil gazillionaire.  You can watch that car chase right here:

5) Terminator 2 - Attack on Cyberdyne to the Steel Mill

If any movie needed a sequel, it was Terminator.  Terminator 2 was a high-budget, high-tech success; darker and more menacing than the first.  The catch of the movie is that one of the most feared antagonists ever scripted in the original Terminator became a fun-loving protagonist robo-father to John Connor and a platonic robo-husband to Sarah Connor.

In order to prevent the robots from taking over the world, the robot-led Connor squad must infiltrate Cyberdyne Industries and destroy the early devices that will be used to create these robots.  The fun really starts when the cops show up and the T1000 Terminator joins the show.  The exfiltration leads to a steel mill where both terminators meet their demise.