Rambo is one of the most influential films of the 80s as it pretty much kick started the action genre. Its influence can be seen in action films today. It's also an action film with a hint of intelligence thanks to the cynical digs at that pointless episode in American history known as the Vietnam war. John Rambo is a man who wants to find peace beyond the war but he returns to America as an outcast instead of a war hero. And then . . .well, he gets pushed around by the sheriff of a small town and all hell breaks loose.
What can be said about Die Hard other than that it kick started a new type of films and ever since there have been numerous Die Hard Clones. The action in this film comes thick and fast and Bruce Willis is at the top of his action game. Alan Rickman plays a memorable bad guy who is both ruthless and meticulous. I put this film below Rambo simply because I recently watched them both (a few weeks apart) and found that Die Hard lost my attention from time to time while Rambo had me hooked throughout. Die Hard is an excellent action film though which deserves a place in this top six.
I just had to include Commando in this top six even though it is considered to be Arnold's answer to Rambo. The similarities don't make this feel like a cheap rip off of Rambo, in fact it stands up pretty well on its own. Arnold plays Matrix, a retired soldier who reluctantly returns to doing what he does best when his young daughter, Jenny, is kidnapped by a ruthless group of mercenaries. Arnold is on top form throughout as he kicks ass and delivers cheesy wise cracks with impeccable timing. The gun play gets a bit over the top near the end of the film as Arnie dispatches a never ending stream of soldiers. But this is an action film so any over the top action sequences can be forgiven.
The pace of this film makes it different from many others of the genre as Arnold is on a race against to stop the mercenaries from killing his Jenny. This plot point offers a solid reason for all the carnage and you really feel for Matrix's plight as he faces off against each of his enemies. He is aided by Cindy, a young woman who is hounded by one of the very men who kidnapped Jenny.
This is another one of those films that is full of cheese but somehow manages to keep my attention. Stallone is the perfect choice for Cobra, the tough no rules street cop. Brigitte Nielsen plays the damsel in distress. There's plenty of action in this film and the short run time makes for a quick watch.
Van Damme (Kurt) is in his element in this action flick as he builds up his skills in the art of Muay Thai to defeat kickboxing champion, Tong Po. Po defeats Kurt's brother in a kickboxing tournament and as a result of the fight he ends up in a wheelchair. Naturally, Kurt wants to avenge his brother which results in a Karate Kid type situation as he trains with a wise old instructor. The high kicking action is great as Van Damme beats up the bad guys and then beats up the main bad guy. The whole thing is nothing new but the Van Damme charm gives this film the edge.
Steven Seagal is Nico Toscani, a former CIA operative trained in the art of Akido. He goes up against corruption in the CIA and deals with things the Steven Seagal way. There are two reasons why I've stuck this film into my top six. Firstly, Steven Seagal plays things differently to other action stars of the era. He has a tough streak that compliments his martial arts skills nicely. Secondly, his style of martial arts offers something a bit different to the usual high kicks offered by action stars such as Van Damme.