There are several types of action movies, and not just in terms of some fitting into specific sub-genres the way Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers, Robocop, and Total Recall all fit into both the action and science fiction genres. Specifically, some action filmmakers have lofty ideas on their minds while others just want to entertain the audience quickly, consistently, and successfully. There's nothing wrong with the latter, as even Die Hard could technically be considered as falling under that umbrella.
But the Die Hard films worth watching can be time-consuming, with all running over two hours. This can be said about the majority of the action genre's best, but fortunately, there are also quite a few extra-swift, heart-pumping actioners to occupy an hour and a half. From a particularly dark Sylvester Stallone solo venture to a couple of high-kicking Jason Statham films, these are the best action movies that run for 95 minutes or less.
10 Cobra (1h 27m)
Certainly one of Sylvester Stallone's grimmer and more brutal movies, Cobra features one chase scene or shootout after another until it's just Stallone and Brian Thompson's "The Night Slasher" thrusting blades to the death. The film is essentially a companion piece to Dirty Harry, to the point it even features two of the same cast members, including Hellraiser's Andy Robinson, who portrayed that film's 'Scorpio.'
Like Harry Callahan, Marion Cobretti views crime as an infestation and his gun is the fumigation equipment. But Cobra goes even further than Harry when it comes to graphic violence, resulting in a film that may put off some, but even they couldn't deny it's action-packed.
9 Commando (1h 30m)
Even if nothing about Commando is Oscar-worthy, it's wildly impressive. It's a movie that knows precisely what its target audience wants and gives it to them in spades. Not one minute of the film's total of 90 is wasted on anything like character-building or plot development, save for some father-daughter bonding between Arnold Schwarzenegger's impeccably-named Colonel John Matrix and his daughter Jenny (a pre-Charmed Alyssa Milano). But that's only so Schwarzenegger has a reason to pick up a gun or seven.
Commando is also the only action film that can rival Predator when it comes to memorable one-liners. Most notable is Matrix's line to one of the main villain's grunts (David Patrick Kelly, The Warriors): "You're a funny guy Sully, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last" only to later drop Sully off a cliff after saying "Remember when I told you I'd kill you last? I lied."
8 Crank (1hr 28m)
Crank was an early leading role for Jason Statham that helped establish him as the next Stallone or Schwarzenegger. It's a knowingly adrenaline-fueled blast that would prove overwhelming were it not led by a restrained and likable star (who is admittedly playing very much against type as the abrasive Chev Chelios).
The first film's plot follows Statham's hitman as he races to find a cure for what's poisoning him. In order to do so, he needs to keep his adrenaline pumping without delay or interruption, and this proves advantageous to the audience's enjoyment factor. The sequel follows the same basic path, but this time Chelios' heart is stolen and replaced with an artificial organ immediately after the violent conclusion of the original film.
7 Duel (1h 30m)
Steven Spielberg's Duel is his later Jaws if the first two acts were cut out and, instead of three men on the Orca, it was just Hooper. Considering how well it's directed and shot, it's truly astonishing that Duel was a television film. Over the course of 74 (or, more commonly, 90) minute runtime it plays like something that would and should be seen on the big screen.
Duel makes for the perfect companion piece to Spielberg's shark masterpiece, and not just because Jaws' shark and Duel's truck emit the same roar when they "die." Both films show a young director cutting his teeth with fun material that could have been b-movie material were it not helmed by a master.
6 Mayhem (1h 28m)
An impressive entry in Samara Weaving and Steven Yeun's budding filmographies, Mayhem is the type of bone-crunching action movie that stretches the limits so far that it starts to feel like horror. It also pairs very well with the similar The Belko Experiment, starring Tony Goldwyn.
Mayhem follows Yeun's Derek Cho, a lawyer at Towers and Smythe Consulting, as he's terminated from his position and then forced to remain in the office. Why? Because the ID-7 "Red Eye" virus has resulted in a quarantine, and everyone infected is rushing to cut the throat of the next person. It's up to Cho and Weaving's desperate loan-requester to survive the remainder of the day, so they can get back to their regular problems.
5 Shoot 'Em Up (1h 26m)
One of Clive Owen's best movies, even if it isn't high art like Children of Men, Shoot 'Em Up pins the British actor against a particularly eccentric Paul Giamatti, who is dead set on taking the baby in Owen's begrudged arms. Interestingly enough, the slam-bang actioner didn't really hit with audiences, even though Owen was arguably at the height of his star power. But critics took to it, appreciating the film's ability to mix graphic violence with a tongue-in-cheek tone to create a rollercoaster of a film that never feels overwhelming to even thin-skinned viewers.
At the very least, Shoot 'Em Up has the best use of a carrot ever committed to celluloid. It also is a film that takes an offbeat look at the issue of gun control. It's never subtle in that regard, but maybe it'll leave the audience thinking after they've finished being entertained.
4 Taken (1h 33m)
The biggest box office success of 2008 save for perhaps Paul Blart: Mall Cop or The Dark Knight as well as an adrenaline shot to the arm of Liam Neeson's career, Taken didn't take long to become a quotable iconic modern action film. And it could have gone much differently, as not even Neeson believed it would perform well financially.
But Taken was a massive hit, mostly courtesy of its bone-crunching action, PG-13 accessibility, and Neeson's grunting charm. The two sequels are also action-packed front to back, but neither of Olivier Megaton's films end up being nearly as compelling as Pierre Morel's original film. There's something about a father going after his kidnapped daughter that's universally relatable, and Taken doesn't stop short of showing just how far Neeson's Bryan Mills will go.
3 Transporter 2 (1h 28m)
While not as strong a film as The Transporter, Transporter 2 is more testosterone-fueled. The original adventure featured Statham's transporter Frank Martin gradually bonding with a human trafficker's daughter, which proved to be a compelling dynamic but ultimately gave the movie more quiet moments than loud ones.
Transporter 2 forgoes most of the touchy-feely stuff in favor of Martin's one-man mission. He's out to save the child of a wealthy couple, one of whom is into some dirty dealings, and the sequel really lets Martin and the actor behind him cut loose. It almost makes Transporter 2 the perfect companion piece to the original film, as long as the viewer ignores the boring The Transporter 3.
2 The Warriors (1h 30m)
Walter Hill's The Warriors is one of the 1970s' definitive cult films and a high point in the director's impressive filmography. And before John Wick's David Patrick Kelly was on the receiving end of one of Schwarzenegger's best lines in Commando, he was dishing out an iconic line of his own with "Warriors! Come out to play!"
The film is a simple case of mistaken identity, but instead of one person having the finger pointed at them, it's an entire gang. The action kicks off early on with the slaying of a well-respected gang leader, and after Kelly's Luther pins it on the Warriors, they have to fight off rival group after rival group. It's a film with a surplus of ambiance, memorable performances, and bruised knuckles.
1 Zombieland (1h 28m)
Equal parts comedy, action, and horror, Ruben Fleischer's Zombieland deservedly earned the title of surprise box office success. From a brilliant surprise Bill Murray cameo (which was almost Joe Pesci) to a hilarious explanation of rules to survive a zombie apocalypse, it's the type of movie that brings something new to a well-worn subgenre.
The plot follows Woody Harrelson's wild Tallahassee, Jesse Eisenberg's reserved Columbus, Emma Stone's tough Wichita, and Abigail Breslin's tougher Little Rock throughout the process of meeting during, bonding over the course of, and surviving throughout the zombie apocalypse. While the film's action sequences are as successful as its laughs, the film's core appeal comes down to the perfect casting and the group's chemistry within. Zombieland 2: Double Tap didn't end up being the critical or commercial success the first film was, but it didn't do half bad for itself, either.