Best '80s action movies

Stacker compiled a list of the best '80s action movies of all time based on our own Stacker score, a weighted index split evenly between IMDb user rating and Metascore. To qualify, the film had to have action as one of its genres on IMDb, have a Metascore, and have at least 5,000 IMDb user votes. Ties were broken by votes.

OMDb

1 / 50

#50. Clash of the Titans (1981)

- Director: Desmond Davis
- Stacker score: 78.7
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: 59
- Runtime: 118 minutes

OMDb

2 / 50

#49. The Monster Squad (1987)

- Director: Fred Dekker
- Stacker score: 78.9
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: 61
- Runtime: 79 minutes

OMDb

3 / 50

#48. The Hitcher (1986)

- Director: Robert Harmon
- Stacker score: 79.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 32
- Runtime: 97 minutes

OMDb

4 / 50

#47. Romancing the Stone (1984)

- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Stacker score: 79.1
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: 63
- Runtime: 106 minutes

OMDb

5 / 50

#46. 48 Hrs. (1982)

- Director: Walter Hill
- Stacker score: 79.9
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 96 minutes

OMDb

6 / 50

#45. The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

- Director: Nelson Shin
- Stacker score: 80.1
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 43
- Runtime: 84 minutes

OMDb

7 / 50

#44. Superman II (1980)

- Director: Richard Lester
- Stacker score: 80.1
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: 83
- Runtime: 127 minutes

OMDb

8 / 50

#43. Willow (1988)

- Director: Ron Howard
- Stacker score: 80.6
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 47
- Runtime: 126 minutes

OMDb

9 / 50

#42. Repo Man (1984)

- Director: Alex Cox
- Stacker score: 81.1
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 92 minutes

OMDb

10 / 50

#41. Southern Comfort (1981)

- Director: Walter Hill
- Stacker score: 81.2
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 63
- Runtime: 106 minutes

OMDb

11 / 50

#40. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

- Director: John Carpenter
- Stacker score: 81.2
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 53
- Runtime: 99 minutes

OMDb

12 / 50

#39. They Live (1988)

- Director: John Carpenter
- Stacker score: 81.4
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 55
- Runtime: 94 minutes

OMDb

13 / 50

#38. The Stunt Man (1980)

- Director: Richard Rush
- Stacker score: 81.6
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 131 minutes

OMDb

14 / 50

#37. Police Story 2 (1988)

- Director: Jackie Chan
- Stacker score: 81.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 101 minutes

OMDb

15 / 50

#36. Silverado (1985)

- Director: Lawrence Kasdan
- Stacker score: 82.4
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 133 minutes

OMDb

16 / 50

#35. Casualties of War (1989)

- Director: Brian De Palma
- Stacker score: 82.5
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 75
- Runtime: 113 minutes

OMDb

17 / 50

#34. Escape from New York (1981)

- Director: John Carpenter
- Stacker score: 82.6
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 99 minutes

OMDb

18 / 50

#33. Runaway Train (1985)

- Director: Andrey Konchalovskiy
- Stacker score: 82.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 67
- Runtime: 111 minutes

OMDb

19 / 50

#32. No Way Out (1987)

- Director: Roger Donaldson
- Stacker score: 82.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 114 minutes

OMDb

20 / 50

#31. WarGames (1983)

- Director: John Badham
- Stacker score: 82.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 114 minutes

OMDb

21 / 50

#30. Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

- Director: Richard Donner
- Stacker score: 83.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 70
- Runtime: 114 minutes

OMDb

22 / 50

#29. The Karate Kid (1984)

- Director: John G. Avildsen
- Stacker score: 83.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 60
- Runtime: 126 minutes

OMDb

23 / 50

#28. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

- Director: Martin Brest
- Stacker score: 83.6
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 66
- Runtime: 105 minutes

OMDb

24 / 50

#27. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

- Director: Leonard Nimoy
- Stacker score: 84.1
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 119 minutes

OMDb

25 / 50

#26. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Stacker score: 84.8
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 57
- Runtime: 118 minutes

OMDb

26 / 50

#25. To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

- Director: William Friedkin
- Stacker score: 85.2
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 81
- Runtime: 116 minutes

OMDb

27 / 50

#24. A Better Tomorrow (1986)

- Director: John Woo
- Stacker score: 85.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 78
- Runtime: 95 minutes

OMDb

28 / 50

#23. Thief (1981)

- Director: Michael Mann
- Stacker score: 85.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 78
- Runtime: 123 minutes

OMDb

29 / 50

#22. Batman (1989)

- Director: Tim Burton
- Stacker score: 86.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 126 minutes

OMDb

30 / 50

#21. Predator (1987)

- Director: John McTiernan
- Stacker score: 86.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 47
- Runtime: 107 minutes

OMDb

31 / 50

#20. Police Story (1985)

- Director: Jackie Chan
- Stacker score: 87.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 78
- Runtime: 100 minutes

OMDb

32 / 50

#19. Midnight Run (1988)

- Director: Martin Brest
- Stacker score: 87.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 78
- Runtime: 126 minutes

OMDb

33 / 50

#18. Lethal Weapon (1987)

- Director: Richard Donner
- Stacker score: 87.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 109 minutes

OMDb

34 / 50

#17. RoboCop (1987)

- Director: Paul Verhoeven
- Stacker score: 87.2
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 70
- Runtime: 102 minutes

OMDb

35 / 50

#16. First Blood (1982)

- Director: Ted Kotcheff
- Stacker score: 87.3
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 61
- Runtime: 93 minutes

OMDb

36 / 50

#15. The Road Warrior (1981)

- Director: George Miller
- Stacker score: 87.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 96 minutes

OMDb

37 / 50

#14. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

- Director: Nicholas Meyer
- Stacker score: 88.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 113 minutes

OMDb

38 / 50

#13. The Blues Brothers (1980)

- Director: John Landis
- Stacker score: 89.3
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 60
- Runtime: 133 minutes

OMDb

39 / 50

#12. Ghostbusters (1984)

- Director: Ivan Reitman
- Stacker score: 89.4
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 105 minutes

OMDb

40 / 50

#11. The Killer (1989)

- Director: John Woo
- Stacker score: 90.5
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 111 minutes

OMDb

41 / 50

#10. Akira (1988)

- Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo
- Stacker score: 91.1
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 67
- Runtime: 124 minutes

OMDb

42 / 50

#9. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Stacker score: 93.0
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 65
- Runtime: 127 minutes

OMDb

43 / 50

#8. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

- Director: Richard Marquand
- Stacker score: 93.3
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Metascore: 58
- Runtime: 131 minutes

OMDb

44 / 50

#7. Die Hard (1988)

- Director: John McTiernan
- Stacker score: 93.7
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 72
- Runtime: 132 minutes

OMDb

45 / 50

#6. Blade Runner (1982)

- Director: Ridley Scott
- Stacker score: 93.9
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 84
- Runtime: 117 minutes

OMDb

46 / 50

#5. The Terminator (1984)

- Director: James Cameron
- Stacker score: 93.9
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 84
- Runtime: 107 minutes

OMDb

47 / 50

#4. Ran (1985)

- Director: Akira Kurosawa
- Stacker score: 96.2
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 96
- Runtime: 162 minutes

OMDb

48 / 50

#3. Aliens (1986)

- Director: James Cameron
- Stacker score: 97.1
- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- Metascore: 84
- Runtime: 137 minutes

OMDb

49 / 50

#2. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Stacker score: 97.2
- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- Metascore: 85
- Runtime: 115 minutes

OMDb

50 / 50

#1. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

- Director: Irvin Kershner
- Stacker score: 100.0
- IMDb user rating: 8.7
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 124 minutes

Best '80s action movies

#50. Clash of the Titans (1981)

#49. The Monster Squad (1987)

#48. The Hitcher (1986)

#47. Romancing the Stone (1984)

#46. 48 Hrs. (1982)

#45. The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

#44. Superman II (1980)

#43. Willow (1988)

#42. Repo Man (1984)

#41. Southern Comfort (1981)

#40. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

#39. They Live (1988)

#38. The Stunt Man (1980)

#37. Police Story 2 (1988)

#36. Silverado (1985)

#35. Casualties of War (1989)

#34. Escape from New York (1981)

#33. Runaway Train (1985)

#32. No Way Out (1987)

#31. WarGames (1983)

#30. Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)

#29. The Karate Kid (1984)

#28. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

#27. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

#26. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

#25. To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

#24. A Better Tomorrow (1986)

#23. Thief (1981)

#22. Batman (1989)

#21. Predator (1987)

#20. Police Story (1985)

#19. Midnight Run (1988)

#18. Lethal Weapon (1987)

#17. RoboCop (1987)

#16. First Blood (1982)

#15. The Road Warrior (1981)

#14. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

#13. The Blues Brothers (1980)

#12. Ghostbusters (1984)

#11. The Killer (1989)

#10. Akira (1988)

#9. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

#8. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

#7. Die Hard (1988)

#6. Blade Runner (1982)

#5. The Terminator (1984)

#4. Ran (1985)

#3. Aliens (1986)

#2. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

#1. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

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