The Best Intelligent Action Movies
Action movies are always entertaining to say the least, but an intelligent action movie combines the best of both worlds: keeping the audience excited, as well as making them think. Even if you're just there to see some dudes fight and some cars crash, a thought-provoking action flick or smart adventure movie only makes the experience better. Think of it this way: you like these non-stop action films because they're so stimulating. Well, adding clever storylines or thought-provoking elements adds to that stimulation, and you leave the theater both entertained and a little smarter... maybe.
Whether a movie packs in good social commentary alongside explosions, features the top action stars, or simply creates the perfect setting for the film, plenty of aspects constitute an intelligent action movie. Take Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for example. Aside from the incredible display of martial arts, the film is renown for its cinematography and story—putting it at the top of its class. The same could be said about many of these popular action films to follow.
Check out the intelligent and action-packed films below and vote up the ones you think are best. You can also vote down any that may have missed the mark, or at least deserve to be lower on the list.
- Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn
- Matt Damon, Brian Cox, Jeremy Renner
- Released: 2002 - Present
- Directed by: Doug Liman, Paul Greengrass
The Bourne films are a series of action/thriller spy films based on the character Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin suffering from extreme memory loss who must figure out who he is, created by author ...more - Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
- Released: 1999
- Directed by: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Neo (Keanu Reeves) believes that Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), an elusive figure considered to be the most dangerous man alive, can answer his question -- What is the Matrix? Neo is contacted by ...more - Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
- Released: 1981
- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the ark of the covenant, which is believed to still hold the Ten Commandments. ...moreAvailable On:
- Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher