Help shape these rankings by voting on this list of The Saddest Action Movies That Make You Cry
Voting Rules
Action movies that contain an inherent sad element.
Action movies are not always the films to watch when you're looking for a good cry but sad scenes in our favorite action movies really get to us, you know; emotionally and stuff. They're normally some of the best films to watch when you just want to be entertained. Action movies have been around for decades and they've evolved over time, but they've always been about one thing: kicking butt. So it comes as that much more of a surprise when they end up being somewhat depressing.
Some of these sad action movies feature death scenes that will make you wallow in sorrow, while others have emotional moments between characters that tug at your heartstrings and make you shed a tear or two (or more). Sad action films feature the death of beloved characters, while others have extremely poignant moments between impressive explosions.
Now it's time to determine which of these sad action movies makes you cry the most. Is it the final scene from Terminator 2? Braveheart? Or when Goose dies in Top Gun? Oops; spoiler alert. The best part about this list is that you can vote for all your favorite action-packed tearjerkers below and see where it ranks!
We could have added the “Snap” from Avengers: Infinity War to this list, specifically the scene where Spider-Man dissolves in Iron Man's arms, but Endgame trumps that. Fewer moments in the MCU are as sad as seeing Tony Stark sacrifice himself, with the “Snap” to end all “Snaps."
Actors: Robert Downey, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson
The loss of Paul Walker echoed throughout the entertainment industry, and many Fast and Furious fans anticipated his character to die in the franchise's next installment. Instead, what we got was even more heart-wrenching, as the James Wan helmed feature decided to give him an incredibly meaningful and beautiful sendoff that sees him driving in tandem with Vin Diesel before they go their separate ways. We dare you not to cry the next time you hear Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth's "See You Again."
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the fearless leader of a dream heist team - he's charming, enigmatic, and recognizes when members of his can do things better than he can himself. That leads dream architect, Ariadne (Elliot Page) to question why she is even recruited since Dom is the best of the best. We later find out, through an emotional set of flashbacks, it's because Dom lost his wife when she could no longer tell what was real and what was a dream.
Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe
Logan gives us a Wolverine that is run-down, and older, and if that wasn't enough we get a decrepit Professor X. So if you aren't already crying - ready yourself for a tearful goodbye to a beloved mutant as he forms a father-daughter-like bond with Laura - a spirited young mutant herself who in-fact happens to have been created using Logan's DNA.
Actors: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Richard E. Grant, Doris Morgado
There are too many sad scenes in this film to count. You might tear up with every character that passes, such as when Wade cries out for his mother, when Caparzo is hit by a German sniper, or when Mellish is slowly killed while another soldier is too frozen by fear to help him. It's an incredible action film that reminds us, all too well, about soldiers who make the ultimate sacrifice.
Actors: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Davies, Vin Diesel
As soon as you saw the title, you probably already guessed that the original Top Gun is on this list because of Goose's death while ejecting out of his F-14. There are fewer, more beloved action movie characters than Maverick's quick-witted and charming radar intercept officer. You might find yourself sobbing as you say RIP to this RIO.
Actors: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Tom Skerritt
