Hollywood has always been obsessed with sequels. Many people argue that this is a current phenomenon (“movies are nothing but sequels, reboots, and remakes anymore!”), but sequels have been a lucrative business for a long, long time. Even movies that assuredly did not need sequels, like Rocky (back in 1977), spurned entire franchises. And really, has there ever been a movie more ridiculous than Rocky IV?
That said, sometimes Hollywood resists. Action movies are ripe for sequels, as most people could care less about the story - they just want to see more explosions and gunfights. But these never received one. These are the ten best action movies that never got a sequel.
Inception
Christopher Nolan knows how to keep us wanting more. Some people argue that Inception is his greatest film - it has action, it has spectacular visual effects and imagination, it has a stellar cast, it is wonderfully creative, and it contains a surprisingly humane and emotional story at its core.
And luckily, it was a one and done thing. The complete story was set up and told in just 148 minutes, and it ended in a suitably satisfying (if ambiguous) manner. We need more movies like this.
Enter The Dragon
Enter the Dragon is such an acclaimed masterpiece that no one dares to touch it. Released back in 1973, Enter the Dragon became an enormous box office success, thanks in large part to the amazing action and the commemoration of Bruce Lee’s legacy.
It is now considered one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time and has been selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. A sequel to Enter the Dragon is unnecessary, but above all, it would be deeply disrespectful.
Looper
Looper is another stellar notch in Rian Johnson’s acclaimed filmography (no comments about The Last Jedi, please). It’s an action sci-fi mix that tells the story of the titular “loopers,” contract killers who dispose of people that have been sent back through time.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Joe, who must hunt down his future self after he accidentally lets him escape. It’s a wonderfully imaginative story, and it is both brilliantly filmed and brilliantly told by Rian Johson. Like Inception, it sets up a rich landscape, tells the story it wants to tell, and leaves before wearing out its welcome.
The Fugitive
The Fugitive is one of the most acclaimed action thrillers of all time. The story is simple - a wrongfully convicted man escapes confinement and sets out to find the real killer while avoiding the pursuant Marshals. But simplicity is not a bad thing, especially when the story is this well executed.
The movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards and even won Best Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones), a rare feat within the action genre. Yes, they did make a spin-off called U.S. Marshals (which was terrible we may add), but a spin-off is not a sequel!
Hot Fuzz
OK, Hot Fuzz is more of a parody than an actual action film, but we think it’s close enough! Hot Fuzz is the second movie in Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright’s acclaimed Cornetto trilogy, and it stars Simon Pegg as Nicholas Angel, a serious and humorless cop who uncovers a secret in a small and seemingly perfect English village.
It has a little bit of The Wicker Man, a dash of slasher movies, and a whole heaping of ridiculous and nonsensical action movie tropes that all come together into a magnificently original whole. It’s funny, it’s spooky, and it’s even genuinely thrilling. Sometimes.
Point Break
We think it was only fitting to place Point Break next to Hot Fuzz. Point Break was Keanu Reeves’ big action movie in the early 90s, and unlike another of his iconic 90s action movies, this one never received an unnecessary sequel. In this movie, Reeves plays an FBI agent who infiltrates a group of bank robbers, led by the charismatic Bodhi (played brilliantly by Patrick Swayze).
It’s a great, compact story, and it contains one of the best endings in action movie history. To add to it would be an insult to the movie, and the genre itself.
True Lies
True Lies certainly isn’t James Cameron’s most accomplished works, but it is a very fun and engaging action movie nevertheless. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker, a counter-terrorism agent who struggles to keep his real job secret from his wife, Helen.
Of course, things begin to go wrong, and Helen is suddenly pulled into her husband’s dangerous world. The chemistry between Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis alone warrants a watch, but the movie is also filled with some good action and comic relief.
District 9
It’s unfortunate that Neill Blomkamp has been unable to capitalize on District 9, because it really is a fantastic movie. It is set in an alternate 1980s when aliens appear over South Africa. Rather than tell a traditional “alien invasion” movie, District 9 presents a more relatable and grounded story that has roots in African history and human traits like xenophobia, racism, and segregation.
Well, as relatable as aliens can get, anyway. That said, it still finds time for some thrilling and spectacular action sequences, many of which will leave you breathless. It’s cliché to say, but it’s true!
The Goonies
We suppose The Goonies is more “adventure” than “action,” but the adventure and action genres are so intrinsically linked that we’re including it, anyway! The Goonies is one of the all-time greatest adventure movies, a monumental example of the Spielbergian adventure film that dominated the 1980s.
There would be no Stranger Things without The Goonies. And The Goonies is perhaps the greatest movie within said genre, as it contains an exciting, humane, and heartwarming story, not to mention a brilliant cast including the likes of Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, and Corey Feldman.
Dredd
Dredd is perhaps one of the greatest action movies that no one has ever seen. Maybe that awful Sylvester Stallone movie soured the reputation of the franchise forever. Regardless, this Dredd is certainly worth watching.
It’s filled with bombastic and beautifully filmed violence, and the story doesn’t take itself too seriously, instead relying on satire to make some surprisingly topical and worthwhile thematic statements. It’s smart, it’s beautiful, but above all else, it is exciting. What more could you want from an action movie?
