What Makes a Great Action Movie?
With Shang-Chi (review here) having recently broken the record for biggest opening for Labor Day weekend ($94.4 million![1]), I figured I’d share my thoughts on what sets a great action movie apart from the rest. In my view, the strength of any action movie is dependent on its ability to deliver spectacle, an immersive experience, and a reason to be emotionally invested. I would also argue that action movies with just spectacle are ok, those that are spectacular and immersive are great, and the rare few that have spectacle, are immersive, and get viewers emotionally invested are superb.
This very simple diagram is a visual representation of my action movie ranking system. Any film inside of a given circle has that circle’s assigned feature, as well as the feature(s) of the surrounding circle(s). So, the further inward a movie can be placed, the more features it has, and the better it is!
Spectacle
At a basic level, any action movie has to deliver on spectacle. Whether it’s hand-to-hand combat, car chases, or big explosions, something visually interesting and dynamic has to be going on for the majority of the film. This is the bare minimum requirement that any action movie must pass, which is why watching a movie that only has spectacle makes for a fairly tame viewing experience. That’s because, while visually interesting, these films fail to draw you into the action and provide no reason to become emotionally invested. So, if all a movie has going for it is nice visuals, it will simply wash over rather than grab you.
Action movies that only have spectacle: Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and F9: The Fast Saga (2021).
2. Immersion
Next we have movies that excel at providing both spectacle and immersion. In this context, immersion refers to a film having you actively engaged with what’s happening on-screen. Factors that provide a strong sense of immersion include excellent practical and/or visual effects, sound design, and cinematography. The combination of these attributes makes the spectacle feel authentic by grounding it in at least some sense of reality, and makes you feel like you’re really in the action. You may not care too much about the characters if the movie isn’t that interested in their development, but you’ll still have an incredible rollercoaster-esque experience.
Action movies that are spectacular and immersive: The Matrix (1999), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
3. Emotional Investment
Lastly, we have those select few action movies that – in addition to delivering spectacle and immersive experiences – get the viewer emotionally invested. Emotional investment is essentially the act of caring about what happens to characters. The most effective way for a movie to make the viewer emotionally invested is by having three-dimensional and relatable characters and placing them in situations with legitimate stakes. Broadly speaking, if you’re emotionally invested you’ll feel happy if everything turns out ok and sad if it doesn’t. However, being invested also makes you much more immersed in the movie: you grow attached to certain characters and begin to worry a lot more about how the story will progress since their well-being is not guaranteed. I wouldn’t necessarily say that a movie that provides spectacle, immersion, and reason for emotional investment is inherently superior to one that only provides the first two; after all, you may not demand solid character development from a movie with excellent action. But, I will say that a film that does deliver on all three offers a very fulfilling viewing experience that is more likely to leave a lasting impression on you.
Action movies that deliver spectacle, immersion, and a reason for emotional investment: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Aliens (1986), and Blade Runner 2049 (2017).
Closing Remarks
That pretty much sums up my main ideas on this topic. In no way should my analysis be interpreted as exhaustive; for instance, there are many factors besides the ones I’ve mentioned (e.g., acting performances, pacing, score, etc.) that contribute to an action movie’s success or failure. The factors I’ve highlighted are simply the main differentiators I’ve noticed after having watched a more than healthy number of films. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post and that you share your thoughts on what makes an action movie great in the comments section!