10 Greatest Action Masterpieces of the 20th Century, Ranked

With its exhilarating set pieces, pulsating stakes, unforgettable characters, and its penchant for visceral thrills, action cinema stands as perhaps the most exhilarating and intoxicating of blockbuster spectacles when it's operating at its best. One need only look to recent triumphs like Top Gun: Maverick and Mad Max: Fury Road to recognize this. However, many of the genre’s best and most defining hits were released in the 20th century.