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15 Great (Non-Comic Book) Action Movies With Interesting Plots That You Shouldn't Miss

Action movies spawn lots of sequels and franchises. And it is no wonder. They are fun. They are engaging.

The loudness of it, the non-stop trill of a ride, the blasting guns, the ass kicking, everything makes for one heck of a enjoyable journey.

I absolutely love a good action movie. What makes some of these films more unforgettable than others is a great accompanying plot / premise.

Oh yes, those loud blasts are only as good as the story it furthers. Here is my take of 15 great action films with amazing story to go with all the loud bangs.

1. The Matrix (1999)


How can any Great Action Movie list begin without The Matrix on it.

It is smart... With a very intriguing plot - the world as we know it is a lie. **Mind blown**.

It is chic and stylized... The Matrix revolutionized the slow motion effect in movies. And bam, nothing is the same anymore.

It is action-packed. Oh yes, bring on the guns and bullets!

And it has got one Keanu Reeves. The man who knows how to do good action flicks.

The lesser said about this the better. Go watch it for yourself. I bet you will want more.

2. Aliens (1986)


To be honest, I was a little too disturbed to watch this sequel to 1979's Alien. I remember watching Alien vs Predator when I was much younger and the aliens' reproductive method really frightened the bejesus out of me. They still do. Plus they are one hell of an ugly breed.

But unable to resist because I love a good action film, I dived into this one and boy, was it one of the best action films I have ever watched. I was blown away.

The action took some time to happen, mind you. But waiting for it sure was worth it.

Sigourney Weaver was great as the leading hero. She is accompanied by a team of highly trained colonial marines to search a space colony that might be infested with the alien creatures.

Lance Henriksen and Michael Biehn lend great support and I thought Lance Henriksen was fantastic as Bishop, the "Artificial Person".

My favourite character though was Private Vasquez, played admirably by Jenette Goldstein. Real tough and macho. Yeah I do get that it was weird casting her in the role of a Latino woman. But here and now is not the place to discuss 'whitewashing'.

Plus Jenette Goldstein really did a heck of a job as that character and for that let's just chill and enjoy the movie with all its interesting characters.

3. Die Hard (1988)


This movie should actually go to my top 10 Christmas movie list but since I don't have that list yet, here it sits, proudly as one of the best action movies I have ever watched.

It's Christmas time and what do we have. An office party. That gets hijacked by a bunch of hardened... hmm, what shall we call them? Oh yes, terrorists they called themselves.

The leader? One Hans Gruber, played by the amazing Alan Rickman. Boy, can he do any role justice.

Luckily we just happen to have one John McClane in the building. Now who is going to save the day? A shoeless John McClane, I say.

Die Hard is so good I can watch it over and over again. Mainly because it has a heart. You actually begin to care for the characters. The danger to them is very real. The bad guy real smart. But you want them to get out safe and sound.

4. The Terminator (1984)


A lot of people feel that Terminator 2 is the greater action film and it might be true. But for me The Terminator will always be special precisely because it kick-started the whole series of terminator films. And there are a lot of them though none as great as these first two.

Humans versus machines. A common theme in action films. This movie just did it much better than most others.

A cyborg assassin, The Terminator, arrived to present day from the future and its mission: To terminate a certain Sarah Connor. She has only one ally. And together they must find a way to eliminate this danger.

That whole setting in 1984 Los Angeles looked so good. And Arnold Schwarzenegger was tough and scary as The Terminator. You begin to question if Sarah Connor and her ally would actually be able to win against him.

Watch to find out how they fare. It will be a thrilling watch for sure.

5. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)


A really great sequel to The Terminator. This one carried forward the whole series commendably. This time we are introduced to a teenage John Connor, future savior of mankind. And this time it is he who needs protection.

Arnold is back as The Terminator, this time in a more positive role, battling a more advanced cyborg T-1000. The stakes are higher because the enemy more advanced.

Sarah Connor, played once again by Linda Hamilton but in less of a damsel-in-distress role. Not that she was much of a damsel in the first movie but in here she is tough as hell. And you start to believe that she did indeed raise the savior of mankind.

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)


The first of the movies in the whole Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and the best of them all. Though the second and third movies are also pretty good.

To be honest, I didn't know if I should include this movie here or if it fits into an adventure list more. But since I don't have an adventure list yet and this movie is too good not to include... Well, here you have it.

And honestly, who doesn't think pirates makes for a great action movie. And not just any pirates, an iconic one. Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow defies words. That character has become an icon!

And Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa. Another gem of a character.

Plus the fun doesn't stop there. Loads of interesting characters, loads of witty comedy, loads of action. All makes for a hell of a movie. I can't recommend it enough.

Oh and that theme song. Absolutely fricking amazing! I get goosebumps every time I hear it. Really elevates the movie to a whole new level I feel.

7. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)


This one was hard. I know it is rated much higher than Pirates of the Caribbean by audiences. It's only my love for a good old pirates adventure that placed this below Pirates of the Caribbean.

Raiders of the Lost Ark introduced another iconic character to the world. Indiana Jones. The archaeologist, professor and adventurer. Harrison Ford sure did an awesome job in this role.

This movie led the way to another fantastic franchise with at least 3 great movies. And no, I am not talking about 2008's Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

The first few minutes in and you are thrilled. You don't know what is happening but you can't quite take your eyes off the screen.

Oh and another iconic theme song!

8. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)


This one started the action from the get-go. 5 minutes in and I was hooked. Wanting more of it.

You immediately understand the circumstances of the characters. They are prisoners in a world ruled by a tyrant. So a bunch of them decided to escape in their bid to seek freedom.

Of course, this doesn't sit too well with the tyrant and he gives chase. With an army of his psycho underlings. The gritty feel of the movie further adds to the stakes of the characters.

I watch this without watching the previous Mad Max films and it was absolutely fine. I didn't feel like I was lost or confused at all.

If you want an action movie that doesn't let up, this one is for you.

9. Speed (1994)


This has got to be one of my favorite movies of all time! I really really wanted to place this much much higher on the list.

Not saying it is the greatest movie of all time but there is just something unforgettable about it. Maybe the fact that it has got the whole package.

Action and romance.

A very young and dashing Keanu Reeves as the police officer who has to save a bus full of passengers that is planted with a bomb. A bomb that will go if the bus speed reduces 50 miles per hour.

So we have a bus that can't stop with a cute Sandra Bullock aboard it. Gosh, what a premise man. Get the popcorn ready 'cause I am definitely boarding this ride.

10. Taken (2008)


Here is the premise of the story. You have the daughter of an retired Secret Service agent captured by human traffickers in Paris.

Tell me, do you seriously think this retired Secret Service agent is going to let it go? Of course not.

Liam Neeson goes blasting in with his guns and a very particular set of skills. Skills that you will see are very effective at doing away with the enemies.

Don't mess with the dad I say.

11. The Rock (1996)


OK. I have to confess that I have watched this movie countless of times. My guilty pleasure...

It has the usual hostage situation premise. A bunch of rogue military men takes over Alcatraz and threatens to attack the city of San Francisco with dangerous nerve gas.

We get to watch Nicolas Cage in a slightly different role. He is not the usual macho, ass-kicking character. Here he is a brainy chemist who has been sent to disable the rockets containing the nerve gas. Quite incompetent with a gun.

But don't worry because he has one Sean 'Bond' Connery to kick asses for him. This one is as thrilling as it's action-packed. Who knows it might become your guilty pleasure too.

12. Predator (1987)


Another movie involving extraterrestrial beings. This one has an elite team of military men on a rescue mission to save hostages in Central America from guerrillas. 

And they are real good at taking down the enemies. We see that when they launched an attack on the guerrillas.

But what happens when the enemy isn't human? 'Because there is something out there waiting for them and it ain't no man.'

When the mask is removed and all is revealed, all you can do is say, "You are one ugly M*****F*****". 

13. John Wick (2014)


They killed his dog. Now he is going to hunt them down.

And trust me, nobody wants John Wick on their trail.

Another Keanu Reeves fare. Here he is John Wick, retired hitman forced out of retirement to avenge his dead dog.

The film is gritty. Lots of punches and blood and gunshots and blood. And blood and blood.

Within the first 30 minutes, you realize John Wick is a big name among the underground. Much feared. Over the next hour of runtime, he shows you just why.

14. First Blood (1982)


This is the movie that kick-started the whole Rambo series.

Sylvester Stallon is John Rambo. Former US soldier still haunted by his experience during the Vietnam War. He gets taken in by the police and their treatment of him triggers his dark, violent side.

Underneath all the action, you feel really sad for him. This movie brings out the issue of PTSD among ex soldiers. An all too real condition.

Sure, you start to question yourself after awhile if Rambo is doing the right thing. But then again you might not. Because you get too engrossed following all the action.

15. The Mummy (1999)


The mummy is not on enough action movie list I feel. But you can't deny it is a hell of an action movie.

There is gun blasting... Really bad guys... Good guys trying to save the day or the world in this case. Yup definitely action movie material.

Plus it is set in 1920s Cairo. And nothing beats ancient Egyptian tales. The pharaohs and the pyramids. The curses and the mummies. Oh the intrigue!

And here we have a very charming Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Their chemistry made the whole watch much more interesting

Overall, another popcorn flick to add to your watch list. A warning though, some might find the creatures and the visuals a little disturbing at times.

16. Con Air (1997)


I am cheating a little. Going for 16 rather than 15. But I had already put The Mummy on another list and I feel like I am shorting you guys of a movie. So here is the last one for this list.

And alright yes. I agree. There are lots of action movies greater than this one. But I have watched it so many times that I just have to include it here. This together with Speed are the definition of popcorn movies.

Con Air has got it all. A love story. Smart lines. A macho lead. Another lead, this one charismatic. A beautiful lady. Scary villains, a whole bunch of them in fact. An interesting premise.

Think a whole bunch of ruthless prisoners hijacking the very plane you're in. And you just wanting a ride home. The way the characters were first introduced is quite possibly my favourite part of the whole movie!

Sure it does get a little ridiculous and over the top towards the end. And I believe that's the reason Con Air loses its spot on many a Top Action Movie lists. But it still remains one of the most exciting action flicks I have ever watched.


**Well, that's my list of the best action films out there. I am sure there are many more great ones that I have missed. Do share them with me. Gladiator seems to be coming up quite often. So I will probably be off watching that now.

In the meantime, if you are in need of some uplifting of your spirits, do read my Top 10 Feel Good Movies.

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