Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
--------------------
20: GoldenEye
The Conflict:
The GoldenEye weapons satellite is hijacked by terrorists. James Bond
hunts them down, and find himself facing a familiar enemy.
The Film: After a six-year gap, GoldenEye revitalized the Bond series for the 90s, and it did so with a bang. The film is loaded with impressive stuntwork, including an epic bungee jump off of a dam, and a crazy scene where Bond has to catch a falling airplane in midair. In the middle of the movie, he drives a tank through all of St. Petersburg and pretty much destroys everything. The shootouts are big and explosive. The fighting is intense. The special effects are really cool. On top of all that, the usual Bond tropes are there - fast cars, hot ladies, lush locations - and the story is great. This was the first Bond film I saw in full, and it's still an inspiring favorite of mine.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: After a six-year gap, GoldenEye revitalized the Bond series for the 90s, and it did so with a bang. The film is loaded with impressive stuntwork, including an epic bungee jump off of a dam, and a crazy scene where Bond has to catch a falling airplane in midair. In the middle of the movie, he drives a tank through all of St. Petersburg and pretty much destroys everything. The shootouts are big and explosive. The fighting is intense. The special effects are really cool. On top of all that, the usual Bond tropes are there - fast cars, hot ladies, lush locations - and the story is great. This was the first Bond film I saw in full, and it's still an inspiring favorite of mine.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
19: Dredd
The Conflict: Judge Dredd and a young recruit take on a drug lord and her gang in a locked-down block.
The Film: This re-imagining of Judge Dredd follows in the same structure as The Raid, but with more space in between the action to build up some character and to establish the fantastically-grungy world of Megacity One. When the action does hit though, it is pretty awesome stuff. The film is stylish, exciting, and still has a heck of a story worth telling, and it doesn't get much more awesome than this.
My current score: 5/5
--------------------The Film: This re-imagining of Judge Dredd follows in the same structure as The Raid, but with more space in between the action to build up some character and to establish the fantastically-grungy world of Megacity One. When the action does hit though, it is pretty awesome stuff. The film is stylish, exciting, and still has a heck of a story worth telling, and it doesn't get much more awesome than this.
My current score: 5/5
18: The Raid 2 (Berandal)
The Conflict: An undercover cop tries to eliminate a gang from the inside out.
The Film: The story isn't particularly new, but it serves as a decent frame for a handful of truly great setpieces. The muddy prison-yard riot is a sprawling onslaught. The car chase is as tough and relentless as they come. Bad guys wield hammers and baseball bats in such brutal ways. The choreography is continuously impressive, to the point where it makes every other martial arts film look puny.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: The story isn't particularly new, but it serves as a decent frame for a handful of truly great setpieces. The muddy prison-yard riot is a sprawling onslaught. The car chase is as tough and relentless as they come. Bad guys wield hammers and baseball bats in such brutal ways. The choreography is continuously impressive, to the point where it makes every other martial arts film look puny.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
17: Air Force One
The Conflict: Air Force One is taken over by Russian terrorists. The President himself has to stop them.
The Film: Harrison Ford makes for a tough, uncompromising President. In a manner not too dissimilar to Die Hard or Olympus Has Fallen, he has to take out the opposition one at a time, out-thinking and outgunning bad guys as each new complication arises. The escalation of events is thrilling, but with great shoot-outs, great aerial battles, and an enjoyable cast has always made this an enjoyable action-movie experience for me personally.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: Harrison Ford makes for a tough, uncompromising President. In a manner not too dissimilar to Die Hard or Olympus Has Fallen, he has to take out the opposition one at a time, out-thinking and outgunning bad guys as each new complication arises. The escalation of events is thrilling, but with great shoot-outs, great aerial battles, and an enjoyable cast has always made this an enjoyable action-movie experience for me personally.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
16: The Rock
The Conflict:
Terrorists take over Alcatraz and use it as a staging ground to deploy a
stolen bio-chemical missile, holding the country hostage. The FBI
employs one man who knows Alcatraz like the back of his hand to
infiltrate the island and stop them.
The Film: The film can get really erratic, with some choppy editing and camera work, but the film does boast plenty of grand action sequences that are explosive and immensely fun. The story is interesting, especially since the bad guys are not all that bad, and the good guys share some unique chemistry.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: The film can get really erratic, with some choppy editing and camera work, but the film does boast plenty of grand action sequences that are explosive and immensely fun. The story is interesting, especially since the bad guys are not all that bad, and the good guys share some unique chemistry.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
15: The Matrix
The Conflict: Thomas Anderson discovers that the world is really a virtual reality, and he has to fight for his people in the real world.
The Film: This was one seriously mind-bending sci-fi flick that had everybody talking back in the day, but on its own merits as an action movie, it's still as hip and fun as ever. It may always be immortalized for its groundbreaking "bullet time" effects, but the kung-fu fights are expertly-choreographed. The film is well-paced, thoughtful, and it packs in loads of action.
My current score: 5/5
--------------------The Film: This was one seriously mind-bending sci-fi flick that had everybody talking back in the day, but on its own merits as an action movie, it's still as hip and fun as ever. It may always be immortalized for its groundbreaking "bullet time" effects, but the kung-fu fights are expertly-choreographed. The film is well-paced, thoughtful, and it packs in loads of action.
My current score: 5/5
14: Die Hard
The Conflict:
Terrorists raid Nakatomi Plaza, holding a whole Christmas party hostage
while they rob the vault. John McClane is caught in the middle of it,
so of course he has to do something about it.
The Film: Considered by most to be the epitome of an action film, Die Hard is a must-see if for no other reason than to see how explosive, over-the-top, and gripping the whole situation is. John McClane is a down-to-earth action hero we love to root for, and he does everything he can to worm his way through the whole building to do the right thing and stop bad guys. What makes the film so enthralling, however, is that everything is pretty much against him -- the bad guys are so slippery and determined that they throw more obstacles at him all the time. Even McClane's allies only serve to make things worse. Just about every wrong thing that can happen does happen, which not only gives the film a huge scope and scale, but also keeps it rolling at full speed.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: Considered by most to be the epitome of an action film, Die Hard is a must-see if for no other reason than to see how explosive, over-the-top, and gripping the whole situation is. John McClane is a down-to-earth action hero we love to root for, and he does everything he can to worm his way through the whole building to do the right thing and stop bad guys. What makes the film so enthralling, however, is that everything is pretty much against him -- the bad guys are so slippery and determined that they throw more obstacles at him all the time. Even McClane's allies only serve to make things worse. Just about every wrong thing that can happen does happen, which not only gives the film a huge scope and scale, but also keeps it rolling at full speed.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
13: Chocolate
The Conflict:
Zen is an autistic girl who needs to get money to save her mother.
After watching and copying countless moves from martial arts films, she
sets out to beat the crap out of a bunch of thugs who owe mom money.
The Film: Maybe not a smart plot, but there is a lot of heart to it, thanks to a lovable main character and a captivating struggle to save her loved ones. Above all though, this film has some of the best fight scenes ever filmed. Jeeja Yanin's fighting is a thing of beauty, and the various fight scenes are staged incredibly well. They fill up the movie's runtime with a satisfying amount of butt-kicking, and it hardly ever gets old. This is arguably the pinnacle of Thai martial arts films in the 00s, and it remains one of my personal favorites in the genre.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: Maybe not a smart plot, but there is a lot of heart to it, thanks to a lovable main character and a captivating struggle to save her loved ones. Above all though, this film has some of the best fight scenes ever filmed. Jeeja Yanin's fighting is a thing of beauty, and the various fight scenes are staged incredibly well. They fill up the movie's runtime with a satisfying amount of butt-kicking, and it hardly ever gets old. This is arguably the pinnacle of Thai martial arts films in the 00s, and it remains one of my personal favorites in the genre.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
12: Speed
The Conflict: Pop quiz hot shot! There's a bomb on the bus. If the bus goes below 50 MPH, the bomb goes off. What do you do?!
The Film: This film is as over-the-top, cheesy, and ridiculous as they come, but that's all part of the charm of this suspenseful and explosive thrill ride. Even though there are shoot-outs, explosions, and gripping chase scenes throughout, the film's light-heartedness and simplicity makes it one of the most easily-digestible flicks on this list. It's perfectly fast and easy entertainment.
My Current Score: 4/5
--------------------The Film: This film is as over-the-top, cheesy, and ridiculous as they come, but that's all part of the charm of this suspenseful and explosive thrill ride. Even though there are shoot-outs, explosions, and gripping chase scenes throughout, the film's light-heartedness and simplicity makes it one of the most easily-digestible flicks on this list. It's perfectly fast and easy entertainment.
My Current Score: 4/5
11: Taken
The Conflict:
Human traffickers took Bryan Mills' daughter. It just so happens that
Mills has a very particular set of skills; skills he has acquired over a
very long career. Skills that make him a nightmare for people like
that. He will look for them, he will find them, and he will kill them.
The Film: Like any good thing, this film is simple, but elegantly-executed. I can't say that the opening events are all that endearing - the guy's daughter and mother are total dips to begin with - but once the action starts rolling, it never lets up. It's all well-shot and well-staged, making this fast and breezy. I think it stands as one of the best among pure action entertainment.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: Like any good thing, this film is simple, but elegantly-executed. I can't say that the opening events are all that endearing - the guy's daughter and mother are total dips to begin with - but once the action starts rolling, it never lets up. It's all well-shot and well-staged, making this fast and breezy. I think it stands as one of the best among pure action entertainment.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
10: Mad Max: Fury Road
The Conflict:
In the post-nuclear-war wasteland, Max becomes a reluctant ally to
Furiosa, both of whom struggle to free themselves and others from the
bondage of an evil dictator.
The Film: Even though The Road Warrior is a formidable action film, it's this refreshed, revamped vision that stands as the most superior Mad Max film to date. As an action film, it's a sublime exercise in simplicity; the film very elegantly builds its entire plot around a single, ongoing chase, but it is a chase full of epic crashes, bubbling conflict, stress and tension, and even the occasional burst of character building. It all adds to to a film that's not only fast and furious, but also elegant in its execution, detailed in its design, and stylish.
My current score: 5/5
--------------------The Film: Even though The Road Warrior is a formidable action film, it's this refreshed, revamped vision that stands as the most superior Mad Max film to date. As an action film, it's a sublime exercise in simplicity; the film very elegantly builds its entire plot around a single, ongoing chase, but it is a chase full of epic crashes, bubbling conflict, stress and tension, and even the occasional burst of character building. It all adds to to a film that's not only fast and furious, but also elegant in its execution, detailed in its design, and stylish.
My current score: 5/5
9: Hard Boiled
The Conflict: An inspector teams up with an undercover cop to defeat a crime syndicate.
The Film: Even though most of this film has plenty of action to spare, it's the finale that really pushes this one over the top. The fight between cops and gangsters eventually leads to a massive climax at a hospital, where the good guys have to fight through dozens and dozens of bad guys, and save innocent lives in the process. The story kinda gets buried under the immense body count, but all of the action is well-staged and stylish, Chow Yun-Fat's character is a pretty decent action hero, and this is one of the most epic police-themed action films ever made.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: Even though most of this film has plenty of action to spare, it's the finale that really pushes this one over the top. The fight between cops and gangsters eventually leads to a massive climax at a hospital, where the good guys have to fight through dozens and dozens of bad guys, and save innocent lives in the process. The story kinda gets buried under the immense body count, but all of the action is well-staged and stylish, Chow Yun-Fat's character is a pretty decent action hero, and this is one of the most epic police-themed action films ever made.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
8: King Kong (2005)
The Conflict: A bunch of filmmakers go to Skull Island, encounter all kinds of peril, including a huge gorilla named Kong.
The Film: It's huge, to the point of being bloated, but even at its most excessive, the film has never failed to enthrall and enchant me. The action setpieces are impressive, long, and epic. They're all extremely vivid and fantastic. In between the action, the film still moves at a great pace, thanks to a colorful cast of characters and a very solid filming style. I find this film far more entertaining and impressive than the original 1930s film, and adventure films don't get much bigger than this.
My current score: 5/5
--------------------The Film: It's huge, to the point of being bloated, but even at its most excessive, the film has never failed to enthrall and enchant me. The action setpieces are impressive, long, and epic. They're all extremely vivid and fantastic. In between the action, the film still moves at a great pace, thanks to a colorful cast of characters and a very solid filming style. I find this film far more entertaining and impressive than the original 1930s film, and adventure films don't get much bigger than this.
My current score: 5/5
7: The Raid: Redemption (Serbaun Maut)
The Conflict: The police raid a building full of gangsters.
The Film: Nothing much to this story, but the film is crammed full of wall-to-wall action. The whole runtime is nothing but incredible scenes of bloody and relentless hitting, punching, kicking, knife-fighting, and more. It gets to the point where it's exhausting, but the style and choreography is so gritty and intense, it's a must-see for all action junkies.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
--------------------The Film: Nothing much to this story, but the film is crammed full of wall-to-wall action. The whole runtime is nothing but incredible scenes of bloody and relentless hitting, punching, kicking, knife-fighting, and more. It gets to the point where it's exhausting, but the style and choreography is so gritty and intense, it's a must-see for all action junkies.
My Current Score: 4.5/5
6: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The Conflict:
One robot is sent back in time to terminate John Connor, who will lead
humanity against the machines in the future. Another robot is sent back
to protect him. Eventually, they all start fighting to try and stop the
coming of Judgment Day.
The Film: Even though this series falls more in line with my Top 100 Sci-Fi List, it's a grand experience even by pure action movie standards. It really is pure action at its finest; from start to finish, the film is a breakneck rush, with hard-hitting fight scenes, explosive car chases, massive amounts of firepower, and some really cool special effects. The film tosses in plentiful amounts of comedy and heart as well, and the characters stand out phenomenally. The story is a bit of a retread of the first Terminator, but is does take things in unpredictable directions, and carries the inspiring theme that the future can be changed. Even after all this time, the film continues to captivate me, and it still stands as a benchmark for cool sci-fi adventure.
My Current Score: 5/5
--------------------The Film: Even though this series falls more in line with my Top 100 Sci-Fi List, it's a grand experience even by pure action movie standards. It really is pure action at its finest; from start to finish, the film is a breakneck rush, with hard-hitting fight scenes, explosive car chases, massive amounts of firepower, and some really cool special effects. The film tosses in plentiful amounts of comedy and heart as well, and the characters stand out phenomenally. The story is a bit of a retread of the first Terminator, but is does take things in unpredictable directions, and carries the inspiring theme that the future can be changed. Even after all this time, the film continues to captivate me, and it still stands as a benchmark for cool sci-fi adventure.
My Current Score: 5/5
5: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The Conflict: Indiana Jones vs Nazis trying to find the Holy Grail.
The Film: In the third film of the series, some of the tropes of Indiana Jones have manifested in familiar ways that continues to make his films enthralling. He still has to explore ancient ruins, find cool artifacts, find a hot love interest, fight bad guys, and more. This third film boasts some of the best action setpieces, including a long and fantastic sequence involving a tank. What really makes this one of the best, however, is the story. The quest for the Holy Grail is probably more thrilling here than it's ever been. Above all, Indy's character receives substantial depth, partly with the opening flashback scene, and largely because of his iconic team-up with his daddy (played impeccably by Sean Connery, whose mere presence thematically unites Indy's roots as a more literal "son of James Bond"). Were it not for the classic and iconic status of Raiders of the Lost Ark, I'd name this as my favorite Indy film. But really, they're both neck-and-neck.
My Current Score: 5/5
--------------------The Film: In the third film of the series, some of the tropes of Indiana Jones have manifested in familiar ways that continues to make his films enthralling. He still has to explore ancient ruins, find cool artifacts, find a hot love interest, fight bad guys, and more. This third film boasts some of the best action setpieces, including a long and fantastic sequence involving a tank. What really makes this one of the best, however, is the story. The quest for the Holy Grail is probably more thrilling here than it's ever been. Above all, Indy's character receives substantial depth, partly with the opening flashback scene, and largely because of his iconic team-up with his daddy (played impeccably by Sean Connery, whose mere presence thematically unites Indy's roots as a more literal "son of James Bond"). Were it not for the classic and iconic status of Raiders of the Lost Ark, I'd name this as my favorite Indy film. But really, they're both neck-and-neck.
My Current Score: 5/5
4: True Lies
The Conflict:
Unbeknownst to his family, Harry Tasker is a spy hunting terrorists.
When his wife has an affair, he messes around with her by kidnapping her
and using her as a spy. Then they all get captured by terrorists, and
have to fight them as one big happy family.
The Film: The action scenes in this film still stand as some of the biggest and most epic, featuring incredible scenes with harrier jets, exploding bridges, motorcycles, and more. Even though terrorist butt-kicking is at its max here, it's the comedy that makes this film so fun, with a fun cast and a hilarious script. It all works for sublime action-packed entertainment.
My current score: 5/5
-------------------- The Film: The action scenes in this film still stand as some of the biggest and most epic, featuring incredible scenes with harrier jets, exploding bridges, motorcycles, and more. Even though terrorist butt-kicking is at its max here, it's the comedy that makes this film so fun, with a fun cast and a hilarious script. It all works for sublime action-packed entertainment.
My current score: 5/5
3: Kill Bill Volume 1
The Conflict: Bill shot The Bride and massacred the entire wedding party. Bill has to pay.
The Film: This film wastes little time in the butt-kicking. After a brief intro that shows The Bride all shot to hell, it fast-forwards to show her confronting an old friend; they immediately go at it, hitting, punching, and slashing knives all over the place and destroying the house in the process. Then the film goes back to explain how The Bride got there, and there is no dull moment as the film retraces her steps from the hospital to brutal payback in the House of the Blue Leaves. The entire last half-hour or so is nothing but an epic, perfectly-staged fight between The Bride and a whole army of bad guys; the one-on-fifty fight has never ceased to inspire feelings of awe, as The Bride cuts through them all with her sword.
While the action is the big standout, the storytelling is no slouch either. Dialogue is surprisingly minimal for a Tarantino film, but there's just enough to explain what happened, and the film's images help with the storytelling burden tremendously. Most unanswered questions and character-building points are reserved for the second film (but it doesn't quite make it on this list, due to a distinct shortage of action). Even on its own though, there's enough of a story in Volume 1 to make the character somebody we can root for, and to make the plot easy to follow.
Uma Thurman is perfectly iconic as the Bride. Lucy Lui is perfectly wicked as the main villain, O-Ren Ishii. Most other side characters are really awesome too. The whole film is an action-packed visual experience that has never failed to entertain, and for me it remains the epitome of a revenge-driven thriller.
My current score: 5/5
--------------------The Film: This film wastes little time in the butt-kicking. After a brief intro that shows The Bride all shot to hell, it fast-forwards to show her confronting an old friend; they immediately go at it, hitting, punching, and slashing knives all over the place and destroying the house in the process. Then the film goes back to explain how The Bride got there, and there is no dull moment as the film retraces her steps from the hospital to brutal payback in the House of the Blue Leaves. The entire last half-hour or so is nothing but an epic, perfectly-staged fight between The Bride and a whole army of bad guys; the one-on-fifty fight has never ceased to inspire feelings of awe, as The Bride cuts through them all with her sword.
While the action is the big standout, the storytelling is no slouch either. Dialogue is surprisingly minimal for a Tarantino film, but there's just enough to explain what happened, and the film's images help with the storytelling burden tremendously. Most unanswered questions and character-building points are reserved for the second film (but it doesn't quite make it on this list, due to a distinct shortage of action). Even on its own though, there's enough of a story in Volume 1 to make the character somebody we can root for, and to make the plot easy to follow.
Uma Thurman is perfectly iconic as the Bride. Lucy Lui is perfectly wicked as the main villain, O-Ren Ishii. Most other side characters are really awesome too. The whole film is an action-packed visual experience that has never failed to entertain, and for me it remains the epitome of a revenge-driven thriller.
My current score: 5/5
2: Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Conflict: Indiana Jones is sent on a mission to stop Nazis from finding and using the Lost Ark of the Covenant.
The Film: Just about every minute of this film is iconic, as it is exciting. Whether it's watching Indy outrunning a giant boulder, stepping through a room full of snakes, clinging to a moving truck, fighting a dude beneath a moving airplane, fighting swordsmen in the street...seriously, there is no dull moment in this film. It's a sublime combination of well-staged action, comic timing, and plotting that makes this a timeless pulp adventure flick.
The story is grand as it is, using a powerful artifact as a Macguffin that elicits thoughtful themes of the pursuit of power. However, it's the cast, writing, and quality filming that brings this story to life to vividly. Indiana Jones is a simple, scholarly, action-oriented down-to-earth hero we can immediately identify with. He pretty much stumbles from one major action setpiece to another, gradually working his way into enemy territory until the very end. And the ending remains a chilling, awe-inspiring experience that gives this entire adventure substantial weight.
Stephen Spielberg crafted this film well, using unique locations, top-notch special effects, and a unique sense of style. George Lucas' ideas permeate through the picture with a classic sense of adventure, the likes of which many other films strive for but rarely ever achieve.
My Current Score: 5/5
--------------------The Film: Just about every minute of this film is iconic, as it is exciting. Whether it's watching Indy outrunning a giant boulder, stepping through a room full of snakes, clinging to a moving truck, fighting a dude beneath a moving airplane, fighting swordsmen in the street...seriously, there is no dull moment in this film. It's a sublime combination of well-staged action, comic timing, and plotting that makes this a timeless pulp adventure flick.
The story is grand as it is, using a powerful artifact as a Macguffin that elicits thoughtful themes of the pursuit of power. However, it's the cast, writing, and quality filming that brings this story to life to vividly. Indiana Jones is a simple, scholarly, action-oriented down-to-earth hero we can immediately identify with. He pretty much stumbles from one major action setpiece to another, gradually working his way into enemy territory until the very end. And the ending remains a chilling, awe-inspiring experience that gives this entire adventure substantial weight.
Stephen Spielberg crafted this film well, using unique locations, top-notch special effects, and a unique sense of style. George Lucas' ideas permeate through the picture with a classic sense of adventure, the likes of which many other films strive for but rarely ever achieve.
My Current Score: 5/5
1: Casino Royale (2006)
The Conflict: Upon earning his license to kill, Agent 007 must track down a terrorist threat and challenge him to a game of cards!
The Film: You may not think a two-and-a-half hour film centered around a high-stakes game of poker would be much of an action film, much less my number-one pick. But this is James Bond we're talking about here, and in 2006, this sexy new reboot had revitalized 007's ancient saga with a plethora of great action setpieces, a sleek new style, and a tough new actor.
The film begins with a gritty scene: Bond beating some guy
up in a bathroom, and killing a mole, two significant milestones that
earns him his 00 status. Then there's a crazy chase scene through an
African construction yard (featuring phenomenal parkour moves by
Sébastien Foucan), which ultimately ends in Bond storming an embassy
like he just doesn't give a darn. Even though things slow down when he
visits Montenegro, the tension never lets up, as Bond continues to
confront bad guys at every turn. The airport scene in Miami and the
finale in Venice stand out as really meaty and gripping action scenes.
All this action couldn't have worked, however, if it wasn't for the iconic character. Daniel Craig is the roughest and toughest Bond to date, and in this film he's got quite the attitude. It's his ego that takes the stage, and the film's focus is entirely on the battle between Bond's ego and his sense of duty. The twisty events of the film, and his relationship with all the characters, naturally mold him into the hardened superspy we all know and love. No other Bond movie has unearthed nearly as much pathos as this.
The film is as gorgeous as they come, with exotic and luxurious locales, cool-looking cars, and fine-looking ladies all captured with fantastic photography. The film is very sharply-edited, and the acting is great. It's an exciting film, but I believe that the qualities of the story and film makes this the best Bond film to date, and therefore one of the best action films ever made. Given my adoration of the James Bond franchise, I am compelled to regard this as my favorite of the lot. After all, who wouldn't want to be him, or be with him?
My current score: 5/5
The Film: You may not think a two-and-a-half hour film centered around a high-stakes game of poker would be much of an action film, much less my number-one pick. But this is James Bond we're talking about here, and in 2006, this sexy new reboot had revitalized 007's ancient saga with a plethora of great action setpieces, a sleek new style, and a tough new actor.
All this action couldn't have worked, however, if it wasn't for the iconic character. Daniel Craig is the roughest and toughest Bond to date, and in this film he's got quite the attitude. It's his ego that takes the stage, and the film's focus is entirely on the battle between Bond's ego and his sense of duty. The twisty events of the film, and his relationship with all the characters, naturally mold him into the hardened superspy we all know and love. No other Bond movie has unearthed nearly as much pathos as this.
The film is as gorgeous as they come, with exotic and luxurious locales, cool-looking cars, and fine-looking ladies all captured with fantastic photography. The film is very sharply-edited, and the acting is great. It's an exciting film, but I believe that the qualities of the story and film makes this the best Bond film to date, and therefore one of the best action films ever made. Given my adoration of the James Bond franchise, I am compelled to regard this as my favorite of the lot. After all, who wouldn't want to be him, or be with him?
My current score: 5/5
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