1. The Dark Knight
   This is a gimme. Even though it isn’t a straightforward action film, The Dark Knight is intense from beginning to end. It rarely lets up, and there are some amazingly memorable action sequences, most notably the car/truck chase scene that results in Batman flipping a semi on its top. I don’t think I need to explain myself further.
2. Iron Man
   Before there was The Dark Knight, there was Iron Man. The film reigned the box office and critical arena for two months before DC finally upended Marvel, but that shouldn’t diminish the surprisingly high quality of the Jon Favreau film. Despite great previews and a lot of buzz, I was skeptical as to whether a director who had never handled a large budget could make a movie about a tin man work, but my skepticism vanished quickly. Strangely, the movie doesn’t have as much as action as one would expect (I so wish that Afghanistan attack would have gone on for longer), but it still has the perfect bland of thrills, laughs and visual effects. Of course, it took Robert Downey Jr. to take the character to the next level.
3. Cloverfield
   Some people will disagree with me on this. Some hated this movie (for reasons I’m still trying to figure out), but Cloverfield, the highly anticipated spring blockbuster of 2008, was more than I could have asked for. While it starts off slow, the movie soon shifts into action and destruction mode – and it doesn’t let up until the closing credits. Some have pointed out that the shaky camera is a gimmick or downright lame, or that the characters are shallow, but what really gets me are the people that complain that the creature’s back story is not explained – nor is the creature often shown in its full glory. This is the exact reason why I believe Cloverfield worked so well: it is a snapshot of normal people as they try to escape a creature that just showed up one day. It isn’t their place to discover its origins or follow the monster around to snap a good picture; they are trying to escape, and that’s that.
4. Rambo
   Whatever you think of Sylvestor Stallone, the new Rambo was a Godsend to the action movies at all. This one also starts off rather slow, with a lot of silent Sly dwelling on his past, but once the action kicks in, it gets downright nasty. The movie is super gritty and doesn’t show away from any gore, and depicts warfare as a downright bloody mess. Hundreds of people die in the movie, many of those in the last few minutes as Rambo tears them to shreds – literally – with a rail gun. I actually thought it was a pretty damn good movie, but at the very least, it is mindless entertainment.
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
   I sure as hell didn’t think I was going to be putting the PG-rated sequel to the so-so The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on this list, but sure enough, here it is. The movie always stops just short of showing much blood, but it pushes that PG-rating to its limit. The movie is surprisingly violent and darker than its predecessor, and director Adam Adamson seems to have improved upon it as well. Prince Caspian is tighter and fast paced, and also offers a few very good action sequences, most notably the invasion of the castle and the massive battle at the end. If you’re into action movies, you may have overlooked this one – so head to the rental store now.
6. Doomsday
   Another movie I would never have expected to end up on this list, Doomsday is a surprisingly entertaining action movie. Even though the picture blatantly rips off such classics as Mad Max, Gladiator, Braveheart, Escape From New York, 28 Days Later and yes, even Aliens, it is this absurd amalgation that works in the picture’s favor. The movie is absolutely ridiculous and switches genres and setting every few minutes (literally, there is a whole sequence that seems like it’s pulled right out of First Knight), yet this makes it all the more fun. Put your brain on standby and enjoy.
7. Wanted
   The hit Angelina Jolie action movie would have ranked higher – but it was just a tad overrated. The movie is entertaining, at times hilarious and also full of action, but it didn’t always click on all cylinders. Still, Wanted is a blast and belongs in any action fan’s arsenal of DVDs or Blu-Rays. Even though Jolie looks good in just about every movie she’s in, she looks especially hot here.
8. The Incredible Hulk
   Not exactly an action movie I’d watch over and over again, The Incredible Hulk is a step up from its predecessor and features some pretty solid action sequences. The chase through Brazil is top notch, as is a Hulk vs. the military sequence partway through. The movie isn’t as smart as it thinks it is, but this is about as good as you’re going to get for a giant green character that basically does nothing but grunt and smash things.
9. Eagle Eye
   Unlike Doomsday, Eagle Eye suffers from its over-the-top nature. This non-stop thrill ride does keep you engaged and entertained, but once the big twist is revealed, it loses some of its edge. The many plot holes practically beg for you to take it with a grain-of-salt, but it sure seems like the filmmakers took this one more seriously than audiences did. Nevertheless, Eagle Eye is a fun, action-packed movie with lots of suspense and special effects.
10. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
    The sequel to Hellboy was highly anticipated, but a little disappointing. It’s not that the movie isn’t well done or lacks action; it’s just that it feels like director Guillermo Del Toro got a little carried away with things. Following his awesome Pan’s Labyrinth, Del Toro decided to take all of the monster rejects from that movie and drop them in this sequel. There’s just something that feels a bit off about the picture, as if it isn’t a faithful follow-up to the original. Then again, it’s still entertaining and exciting, so I can’t fault it too much.

Notable Loser: Body of Lies

Just missing the top ten is the Ridley Scott-directed Body of Lies, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a CIA agent operating in the Middle East. Critics bashed the film and audiences ignored it, which means that most of you reading this article probably haven’t seen it. The movie is surprisingly captivating, and is better than some of the movies listed above. Nevertheless, it doesn’t have the amount of major action sequences to warrant placement on a “Best Action Movies” list – but I wanted to make note of it anyway.

And no, Spider-Man 3 is not on the list. Here are the top ten action movies of 2007:

1. Transformers (2007)
   The top five action movies of 2007 are pretty close to one another, and the top three are almost interchangeable. But there’s no denying that the film with the biggest impact over the summer was an explosive action film that had fan boys salivating and even regular audience members blown away by spectacular visual effects and a finale that all but destroys Los Angeles. The movie was plagued with some annoying dialogue and other screenplay issues, but Michael Bay’s action sequences overcame those flaws to make Transformers the best action movie of 2007.
2. 300 (2007)
   Coming in a very close second place is 300, a movie from Dawn of the Dead director Zach Snyder. 300 could have been a complete disaster, but Snyder made the movie a visual feast. Some people complained that the movie had a lot more talking than fighting, but I found it to have the perfect balance of politics, drama, visuals and action. 300 is by far and away the most visually original picture of 2007, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Visual Effects Oscar gets handed out – on the one hand, Transfomers offered seamless visuals; on the other, 300 was one long special effect that defied expectations and made the film the biggest hit of the first four months of the year.
3. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
   The smartest action film in the top three, the third Bourne film places third simply because I thought The Bourne Supremacy was slightly better. The Bourne Ultimatum felt a bit like it was re-treading on the second film’s originality only with a less interesting plot, but I only say that because Supremacy is one of my all-time favorite action films. Ultimatum is still a great action movie, and continues to prove that Matt Damon can be an action hero, and a damn intimidating one to boot.
4. Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
   Despite going way too over the top at times (the fighter jet blowing up a billion dollars worth of highway, for instance), the fourth Die Hard movie was everything fans were expecting and waiting for. People had all but given up on the chance that they would indeed make a fourth movie, but Bruce Willis brought his rugged John McClain back to theaters one more time. The movie is one long action sequence, and while it is hit a bit by the fact that it is rated PG-13, it is still a pretty brutal thrill ride. At the very least, it was refreshing to return to the action films of old, where tough guys did tough things.
5. No Country for Old Men (2007)
   Who knew that a major Best Picture contender would end up on a Top Ten list for Best Action Movie? Regardless, No Country for Old Men, from the Coen Brothers, is one of the most exciting movies I’ve seen in a long time. Not your typical action film, the Coen Brothers fill their film with an impending sense of dread, and give us one of the scariest and most ruthless villains ever witnessed on the silver screen. Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t end the way most of us would have liked – otherwise, this film could have been a lot higher on this list.
6. Shooter (2007)
   Items six through ten aren’t nearly as good as items one through five, but are still good entries for those looking for mindless entertainment. Shooter is a pretty mindless film that tries to cover some idiocies with a political assassination and conspiracy storyline, which, for the most part, works well enough. Mark Wahlberg does a good job in the lead, and Shooter offers plenty of action and intrigue. It’s not a great movie, but it’s still better than most action movies we get these days.
7. 28 Weeks Later (2007)
   Okay, so 28 Weeks Later is technically a horror movie, or at the very least a zombie movie, but as far as excitement goes, it’s a great little film. The movie didn’t receive very good reviews nor box office revenues, but this zombie sequel is exciting and suspenseful from the first minute to the last. The opening sequence is great, and the film is full of exciting moments.
8. Vacancy (2007)
   It’s been a while since I last saw this thriller, but I had to put it on the list anyway. It’s not an action movie per se, but it is action-packed, so I think it deserves a place. Starring the unlikely combination of Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale as a nearly divorced couple, Vacancy is about two people who find themselves trapped at the hotel from Hell. The movie is exciting from beginning to the end, minus the last two minutes, which are just dreadful. Still, I hadn’t sat on the edge of my seat like this in a long time.
9. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
   I wasn’t crazy about the ending of this one either, but there’s no denying that 3:10 to Yuma is still a thoroughly entertaining film. Starring the great combination of Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, the western remake offers a complicated and disturbing villain (Crowe), some good action scenes and several other exciting moments. If anyone still thinks that westerns are out of date, 3:10 to Yuma is just one of many recent westerns that proves them wrong.
10. The Kingdom (2007)
    This one wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be, but The Kingdom has some great action, especially toward the end. Somehow this movie, which featured some pretty spectacular trailers and a quality cast, flopped in theaters despite having everything that action audiences require. The shortcoming of the film is that the screenplay isn’t nearly as good as it should have been, given the material.

Other movies that almost made the list: Planet Terror, Death Proof and Smokin’ Aces. The two Grindhouse films were both thoroughly entertaining and offered some good action, while Smokin’ Aces was entertaining but not quite as action packed as I was hoping for.

Why wasn’t Spider-Man 3 on the list? Because it just wasn’t that good of a movie. Harry Potter? Not nearly as good as the other movies (and not really an action movie). Pirates of the Caribbean? That movie just sucked. Fantastic Four 2? Enough said.