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One of the most impactful aspects that the medium of filmmaking holds over various other forms of entertainment is its ability to excite and amp up audiences in a rush of adrenaline more than any other art form. While obviously not every film is going to go for this style of exciting, high-octane approach, the films that do focus on sheer excitement above all else can turn out to be wildly effective if the excitement lands with audiences. The films that truly capture the exciting possibilities of the medium stand as some of the best masterpieces of filmmaking.
What’s especially interesting is that what inherently excites audiences will continue to change and shift with each different generation and the always-increasing technological advancements of what is possible in filmmaking. Certain films, in their inherent excitement, have left a massive influence upon the genres they’re a part of, directly impacting various other films hoping to recapture their excitement. Several of these highly acclaimed masterclasses have been celebrated as among the greatest filmmaking achievements of their respective eras.
10
‘RRR’ (2022)
Indian cinema has been on an absolutely explosive run of wild, high-energy blockbuster masterclasses in the modern day, with easily the most prominent and widely acclaimed of these films being RRR. This explosive buddy action film twist on the story of two real-life Indian revolutionaries took the world by storm with its exceptional action and spectacle that never gets boring during its 3-hour runtime. Through its use of stylish slow motion and mesmerising set pieces, RRR captivates and leaves audiences in a constant state of shock and awe.
The film has become an icon of Indian action films and helped show the world just what the region was capable of in terms of creating exciting, well-crafted blockbusters that could easily compete with the best action films of the modern era. Even as the Indian action industry has continued to grow and evolve in the years since its overwhelming success, RRR still stands as a defining pillar and one of the best action films of the 2020s.
9
‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)
The Mission: Impossible franchise has continued to stand as one of the premiere examples of consistent action filmmaking greatness and exceptional spectacle at its absolute best, with no singular entry quite exemplifying this like Mission: Impossible – Fallout. From an intricate long-shot skydiving sequence to an amazing climax involving a helicopter and disarming a bomb, Fallout exemplifies the greatest, most exciting aspects of the franchise and amplifies them to their absolute limits.
At this point in the franchise’s history, the filmmakers have a fundamental understanding of not only what makes the franchise so effective, but also what makes it continuously compelling and exciting to audiences who have loved it since the very first entry. It sees Tom Cruise doing what he does best as an action protagonist, being a part of mesmerizing stunts that keep audiences engaged and excited from beginning to end.
8
‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)
An icon of 80s adventure films that brought together the legendary talents of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas to create a masterclass love letter to adventure films of old, Raiders of the Lost Ark is pure cinematic magic in an adventure blockbuster package. It weaves together a sprawling, globe-trotting adventure that continuously finds strength thanks to the electrifying screen presence of Harrison Ford in the lead role and Spielberg’s masterful vision for directing.
This flawless action movie makes the absolute most out of the medium with exciting and engaging sequences one after another, each one managing to make the film feel more timeless and iconic than the last. Through its exciting and highly engaging sense of action and characters, the film quickly cemented itself as one of the defining blockbuster achievements of the 80s and has persisted in pop culture ever since its release.
7
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
The Best Picture-winning sci-fi action fan favorite that exudes sheer creativity and limitless possibilities with its premise and execution, Everything Everywhere All at Once immediately won over critics and audiences alike with its distinct charm and electrifying execution. It makes the absolute most out of its multiversal story in terms of action, comedy, and everything in between to create an experience that is as hilarious as it is captivating and mesmerizing to watch unfold.
However, action and comedy alone are only two of the pieces that make up the sustained genius and staying power of this modern-day classic, as its distinct emotional core and gripping themes struck a nerve with audiences in a way very few action films have ever been able to do. This, in turn, manages to make its wild antics and explosive action all the more memorable and impactful, as it adds additional weight and layers of depth to this chaotic, explosive cinematic experience.
6
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Superhero movies continue to be at the forefront of blockbuster conversations as some of the most popular and successful films of the modern era, yet no superhero film has come close to the sustained mastery and explosive filmmaking prowess of Christopher Nolan‘s Batman masterpiece, The Dark Knight. This universally beloved action film stands for everything that makes Batman such a compelling character, with a great reflection on the sacrifices of unsung heroism and featuring some of the best, most layered villains in blockbuster history.
Nolan’s distinct style of blockbuster filmmaking leads the way to not only some exceptional, high-spectacle sequences that make the most out of the then-latest technologies, but also layering this action with depth and symbolism that makes it all the more effective and stylish in execution. In terms of a true crowd-pleasing experience of sheer excitement, The Dark Knight stands as Nolan’s most approachable and captivating experience to date, with Batman as a character being as exciting as he’s ever been on the big screen.
5
‘The Matrix’ (1999)
Forever changing the sci-fi and action genres with its sleek style, captivating worldbuilding, and revolutionary action sequences, The Matrix is continuously celebrated as a monolithic achievement of spectacle filmmaking mixed with thought-provoking narrative. The Wachowski sisters go all out in terms of their groundbreaking approach to stylish action, making each action sequence feel like a massive leap forward for what was possible with action filmmaking in the digital era.
The film utilized its overwhelming sense of style and personality to amplify each sequence of the film, using slow-motion to transform its heroes into icons of action and telling a layered story of free will and breaking free of the confines of society. It has continued to stand as a classic of the genre and one of the most influential action films leading into the 21st century, with its exciting execution playing a major part in the film’s continued staying power and success.
4
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)
Peter Jackson‘s Lord of the Rings trilogy is often considered to be the absolute apex of fantasy epics, and while each film manages to be exciting and breathtaking in its own way, the finale of the trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, features the trilogy’s most exhilarating moments. Concluding all the build-up of the trilogy, The Return of the King is a sheer fantasy spectacle at its very best, utilizing the most compelling aspects of the groundbreaking visuals and production to create one of the best epic fantasies ever made.
All the inherent strengths that make the entire trilogy so timeless and exceptional in their craft and execution are at their very best in The Return of the King, featuring the best performances, best visuals, and especially the best spectacle of the entire trilogy. The entire trilogy wouldn’t be nearly as celebrated if this finale didn’t stick the landing, with The Return of the King often being considered one of the greatest finale films of all time thanks to its raw, unfiltered craft and spectacle.
3
‘Jaws’ (1975)
While many modern horror films don’t come to mind when considering widely exciting films in their execution, Steven Spielberg’s original blockbuster masterpiece, Jaws, stands tall as the absolute height of what is possible with a horror film in terms of spectacle and excitement. While it initially draws in audiences with its fear and tension caused by the ruthless death and destruction of the shark, it fully transforms into a pure display of adrenaline and excitement during its climactic showdown between the shark and those looking to hunt it down.
The previous horror elements only further amplify the excitement of its later moments, as the audience is fully aware of the death and destruction that the shark is capable of, making their honorable mission all the more impactful and exciting. Even at one of the earliest stages in his career, Jaws exemplifies just how much fundamental knowledge that Spielberg had over how to draw up excitement and flair from a cinematic experience, giving large moments the bombastic execution they deserve to succeed.
2
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
Often considered to be the absolute height of what is possible in terms of contemporary action filmmaking, Mad Max: Fury Road seamlessly combines practical sets and action with stylish digital flourishes to create one of the most striking and jaw-dropping action films ever made. The film simply exudes shock and awe with each passing moment, managing to consistently one-up itself in terms of mesmerizing action sequences that manage to get the audience that much more excited and enthralled in the film.
It’s a perfectly directed blockbuster that builds upon the concepts that George Miller established with his original trilogy and amplifies their greatest attributes, utilizing a budget and technology that simply weren’t possible in the past. Between all the explosions, death, and madness of the wasteland, there is a brilliance to the execution of Fury Road that has made it the definitive action classic of the modern era. Few action films have even come close to its masterful understanding of the genre, now over a decade since its release.
1
‘Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair’ (2004)
On the one hand, it may be considered cheating to consider the combination of both Kill Bill volumes, known as Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, for this list, considering that both volumes were originally released separately. However, considering this film was always originally envisioned to be experienced as one singular action epic experience, it’s hard to deny this story from being considered in its complete vision. As a complete vision, The Whole Bloody Affair is an unmistakable masterclass of excitement, keeping the audience excited and invested from the first second until the credits roll.
Quentin Tarantino‘s absolute greatest action film is at its greatest when taken as a whole, with the explosive action of the first half complementing the character moments and tension of the second half perfectly. It’s a story that lives and dies by the excitement and spectacle of its execution, whether it be through explosive action sequences or hardened showdowns with deep history between its combatants. Its recent theatrical rerelease late last year further cemented it as a pure cinematic spectacle and a beacon of excitement in the cinematic form.
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Robert Lee III
Almontather Rassoul
