From samurai sword-toting warriors to worldly adventure seekers, reluctant saviors to skilled assassins, the cinema is home to epic action heroes. The silver screen has introduced audiences across the world to some iconic and danger-prone characters who electrify and entertain with their thrilling exploits and fierce attitudes. These monumental figures are courageous and daring, tenacious and tough, oftentimes putting themselves in precarious situations for the greater good and looking mighty impressive while doing so.

Some of Hollywood’s most revered filmmakers and gifted performers have tackled the action genre, delivering some seriously superb characters in the process. Matt Damon became a bona fide action star when he took on the role of amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne in the thrilling Bourne movie franchise, while Bruce Willis helped reshape the face of tough guys everywhere when he portrayed the wise-cracking, no-nonsense cop John McClane in the '80s action smash hit Die Hard. These are some of the best American action heroes of all time.

11 The Bride (Kill Bill)

After having been viciously attacked and shot in the head on her wedding day while pregnant, it’s no wonder Beatrix Kiddo A.K.A. The Bride decided to settle the score against the ruthless titular assassin in Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 martial arts movies, Kill Bill. The samurai-sword wielding, yellow jumpsuit-wearing heroine on a revenge rampage vows to take out each and every member of the killer group known as the Deadly Vipers, traveling across the world from Texas to Tokyo in search of their leader known as Snake Charmer.

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Uma Thurman masterfully butt-kicks her way through the epic films, after collaborating with Tarantino in the conceptualization of the character during production of Pulp Fiction; the esteemed filmmaker created the role just for the actres and cited her as his muse. Thurman drew inspiration for The Bride from Clint Eastwood’s performance as Blondie in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, having said that the legendary star “says almost nothing but somehow manages to portray a whole character.”

10 Jason Bourne (The Bourne Franchise)

Matt Damon established himself as a tremendous action hero when he portrayed the amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne in the 2002 thriller The Bourne Identity, which follows the character as he struggles to regain his memory and discover who he truly is, all the while being fiercely pursued by hitmen seeking to stop him. The protagonist in Robert Ludlum’s popular novels, Bourne quickly discovers his immense talent for hand-to-hand combat and linguistic skills, with Damon having undergone three months of extensive training in stunt work and the use of eskrima, weapons and boxing.

The actor insisted on doing most of his own stunts and had never played such a physically demanding role, having beat out fellow stars like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Sylvestor Stallone for the film. The Bourne franchise has garnered critical acclaim, earning praise for its use of real stunt work as opposed to the frequent use of CGI in many contemporary action flicks.

9 Sarah Connor (The Terminator)

From being first introduced to audiences as a frightened damsel in distress in The Terminator to ultimately becoming a ferocious, cutthroat warrior, Sarah Connor moved mountains in order to protect her son and the future of all humanity, demonstrating the extremes a mother will go to for their children. In the blockbuster movie (and TV) series, Sarah teaches her son John the methods of warfare and survival while fighting against cutthroat killing machine terminator models including Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 Terminator, who goes from foe to ally.

Linda Hamilton delivers a commanding performance as Connor, becoming a respected trailblazer for female action stars for her powerful and inspirational depiction of the character. On her cinematic legacy, Hamilton told The Red Bulletin, “It’s nice that I’m seen as someone who opened possibility for women in action films, but until this film I never thought of myself as a badass. I didn’t want to play me as I was, I want to play me now. It was a journey of discovering who I am today and putting that on screen.”

8 “Dirty” Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry)

Legendary cinema star Clint Eastwood appears as the hard-edged, tenacious San Francisco police inspector Harry Callahan in the 1971 neo-noir action thriller Dirty Harry, who will stop at nothing to track down a crazed psychopath known as “the Scorpio Killer” terrorizing the city. The iconic antihero is not afraid to cross professional boundaries and adopt his own methods of justice on his crusade to catch the bad guy, kicking butt first and taking names later. His tough-as-nails exterior, famous .44 Magnum and biting quips helped establish “Dirty” Harry a beloved cinematic icon, while being credited for inventing the “loose cannon cop” genre.

Despite being arguably Eastwood’s best non-Western role (and leading to several sequels), he was not the leading contender for the movie, with the character having been first offered to actors like Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, and Steve McQueen. The famed thriller is noted for its epic famous lines like “Go ahead, make my day,” and the character landed on Entertainment Weekly’s list of The Top 20 All Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture.

7 Ethan Hunt (Mission: Impossible)

Famed action star Tom Cruise showed off his immense skills as a physical performer with his role as Ethan Hunt in the 1996 action spy film Mission: Impossible, which depicts the Impossible Missions Force agent as he attempts to discover the identity of a mole who has framed him for a series of murders. The actor had been a fan of the show and also produced the thrilling picture, famously performing many of his own stunts and proving to fans across the world just how committed he was to his craft.

The character of Ethan Hunt established Cruise as a top action hero and spawned a lucrative film franchise that has gone on to earn over $3.5 billion, with the star having performed phenomenal and dangerous stunts like skydiving, climbing on a moving plane, propelling down treacherous heights, and even learning to fly a helicopter.

6 John Rambo (Rambo Franchise)

Based on the David Morrell hit novels, the bloody and oh-so-electrifying Rambo action franchise stars cinema great Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo, a misunderstood and reckless Vietnam War veteran who must rely on his deeply ingrained combat skills to survive a massive manhunt in the Washington wilderness. Making his on-screen debut in 1982’s First Blood, the resilient and deadly former Green Beret constantly displays his superior military skills by facing off against corrupt cops, drug cartels and enemy troops throughout the franchise’s five flicks. Roger Ebert commended Stallone for his portrayal and dedication to the character, writing, “Sylvester Stallone is one of the great physical actors in the movies, with a gift for throwing himself so fearlessly into an action scene that we can’t understand why somebody doesn’t get really hurt.”

5 Ellen Ripley (Alien)

Undeniably Sigourney Weaver’s most renowned role to date and the character that earned her worldwide recognition, the actress delivered a dominating performance as Lieutenant Ellen Ripley in the sci-fi horror action franchise Alien. In the groundbreaking 1979 Ridley Scott picture Alien, Ripley fights alongside her fellow crew members against the eponymous Alien, a terrifying and deadly extraterrestrial on their spaceship Nostromo.

The character of Ellen Ripley is heavily regarded as one of the most influential female protagonists in cinematic history, with the actress portraying the hero with both an emotional depth and sensitivity that pairs beautifully with her butt-kicking power and tenacity, making her characters renowned among feminist film theorists. When reflecting on the enduring legacy of the character, Weaver said, “I’m so glad Ripley’s had that staying power…Ripley has to go from being a by-the-book young lieutenant to throwing the book out the window and just improvising her way through things, which is life, and send the message that you can do it, no matter what it is.”

4 Martin Riggs (Lethal Weapon)

The 1987 buddy cop action flick Lethal Weapon famously stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as two mismatched Los Angeles police detectives, with the exciting picture helping to cement the former’s status as a Hollywood leading man. In the first installment of the beloved movie series, Gibson stars as narcotics Sergeant Martin Riggs, a man struggling with the death of his wife who has become suicidal and increasingly volatile; he begrudginly partners with the straight-laced Hhmicide Sergeant Roger Murtaugh to investigate a massive drug-trafficking ring.

Riggs is a fun-loving, wise-cracking and completely unbalanced character that leaves audiences guessing who he’ll punch, shoot or mouth off to next. The exciting and fearless character has earned appreciation from both audiences and critics, landing on Empire’s list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters.

3 Indiana Jones

The sensational Harrison Ford partnered with Steven Spielberg for the 1981 action adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the Hollywood superstar portraying the fedora-wearing, bullwhip wielding Indiana Jones for the exciting and lively picture. The globe-trotting archeologist Dr. Jones is equipped with an extensive knowledge of ancient civilizations and a petrifying fear of snakes, as he finds himself on incredible adventures in search of mystical wonders like the Ark of the Covenant, the holy Sankara Stones, and the Holy Grail.

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The iconic movie character was initially supposed to be portrayed by Tom Selleck, but due to the actor’s contractual commitment to Magnum P.I. he was forced to turn it down. Lucas was hesitant to cast Ford as they had collaborated on three other pictures and he did not want him to become his “Bobby De Niro,” but Steven Spielberg pushed for Ford to tackle the iconic role and the rest is history.

2 The Terminator

Despite the character having made his on-screen debut as a deadly cyborg assassin on a crusade to find and kill heroine Sarah Connor and her unborn son in the 1984 sci-fi action classic The Terminator, the Terminator/T-800 went from villain to unlikely hero throughout the course of the beloved franchise. Widely regarded as his signature role, Arnold Schwarzenegger was a force to be reckoned with when he donned his leather jacket and black shades, impressively portraying the ruthless and unstoppable robot assassin with flair.

Famed action stars Mel Gibson and Sylverster Stallone both turned down the monumental role, with studios even suggesting then-football star O.J. Simpson for the part to director James Cameron, but Cameron (ironically) did not feel Simpson would be a believable killer. The Terminator is both a notorious hero and villain, continually captivating audiences with each installment of the epic action series and famously reminding moviegoers, "I'll be back."

1 John McClane (Die Hard Series)

What makes the authority-loathing, foul-mouthed New York cop John McClane such a relatable and exciting character is the fact that he is constantly portrayed as an antihero, begrudgingly saving the day simply because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Known for his sardonic one-liners, penchant for vigilantism, and devil-may-care attitude, McClane prefers to fly solo rather than depend on the help of others and is a one man army.

Unlike his fellow action stars of the 1980s, the character is physically put through the ringer, audiences witnessing the toll being a reluctant hero can take on the body, with Die Hard featuring McClane bloody and beaten by its conclusion. The recently retired Bruce Willis was catapulted to fame with his remarkable portrayal of the lively protagonist, remarking that “even though he’s a hero, he is just a regular guy. He’s an ordinary guy who’s been thrown into extraordinary circumstances.” John McClane helped launch a new wave of famous heroes in cinema and remains a cherished and revered character.