1
The Empire Strikes Back
1980· 2h 4m· Adventure, Action, Science Fiction· en
8.418.7K
Best Action Movies of the 1980s
This collection ranks 3,766 action movies released in the 1980s. The list is ranked using a weighted combination of audience ratings, vote volume and popularity data, so movies with only a handful of votes never outrank widely acclaimed films. The #1 film is The Empire Strikes Back.
3,766 qualifying moviesRanked using a weighted combination of ratings, vote volume and popularity data
- 2
Scarface
1983· 2h 50m· Action, Crime, Drama· en
8.213.3K - 3
Aliens
1986· 2h 17m· Action, Thriller, Science Fiction· en
8.011.1K - 4
Raiders of the Lost Ark
1981· 1h 55m· Adventure, Action· en
7.913.9K - 5
Die Hard
1988· 2h 12m· Action, Thriller· en
7.812.5K - 6
Return of the Jedi
1983· 2h 12m· Adventure, Action, Science Fiction· en
7.917.2K - 7
The Terminator
1984· 1h 48m· Action, Thriller, Science Fiction· en
7.715.0K - 8
Akira
1988· 2h 4m· Animation, Science Fiction, Action· ja
7.94.9K - 9
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1989· 2h 7m· Adventure, Action· en
7.911.3K - 10
Castle in the Sky
1986· 2h 5m· Adventure, Fantasy, Animation· ja
8.04.8K - 11
Predator
1987· 1h 47m· Science Fiction, Action, Adventure· en
7.69.4K - 12
Ran
1985· 2h 40m· Action, Drama, History· ja
8.01.9K - 13
Platoon
1986· 2h 0m· Drama, War, Action· en
7.75.2K - 14
First Blood
1982· 1h 33m· Action, Thriller, Drama· en
7.57.0K - 15
Lethal Weapon
1987· 1h 50m· Action, Thriller, Crime· en
7.35.2K - 16
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1984· 1h 58m· Adventure, Action· en
7.310.3K - 17
Batman
1989· 2h 6m· Fantasy, Action, Crime· en
7.28.7K - 18
RoboCop
1987· 1h 42m· Action, Thriller, Science Fiction· en
7.45.9K - 19
The Killer
1989· 1h 50m· Action, Crime, Drama· zh
7.6923 - 20
Kagemusha
1980· 3h 0m· Action, Drama, History· ja
7.8759 - 21
Top Gun
1986· 1h 50m· Action, Drama, Romance· en
7.19.8K - 22
Beverly Hills Cop
1984· 1h 45m· Comedy, Crime, Action· en
7.24.7K - 23
Police Story
1985· 1h 39m· Action, Crime, Comedy· zh
7.61.1K - 24
The Karate Kid
1984· 2h 7m· Action, Drama, Family· en
7.24.8K - 25
Mad Max 2
1981· 1h 36m· Action, Thriller, Science Fiction· en
7.44.3K - 26
They Live
1988· 1h 33m· Science Fiction, Action, Thriller· en
7.33.6K - 27
Lethal Weapon 2
1989· 1h 54m· Action, Thriller, Crime· en
7.03.8K - 28
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
1982· 1h 53m· Action, Adventure, Science Fiction· en
7.42.2K - 29
Big Trouble in Little China
1986· 1h 40m· Action, Adventure, Comedy· en
7.23.5K - 30
Escape from New York
1981· 1h 39m· Action, Thriller, Science Fiction· en
7.03.6K - 31
The Mission
1986· 2h 5m· Adventure, Drama, Action· en
7.41.6K - 32
A Better Tomorrow
1986· 1h 35m· Action, Crime, Drama· zh
7.4632 - 33
Highlander
1986· 1h 56m· Adventure, Action, Fantasy· en
6.93.0K - 34
To Live and Die in L.A.
1985· 1h 56m· Crime, Thriller, Action· en
7.1827 - 35
Conan the Barbarian
1982· 2h 10m· Adventure, Fantasy, Action· en
6.82.9K - 36
The Gods Must Be Crazy
1980· 1h 49m· Action, Comedy· en
7.31.3K - 37
Bloodsport
1988· 1h 32m· Action, Thriller, Drama· en
7.12.2K - 38
Project A
1983· 1h 45m· Action, Adventure, Comedy· zh
7.3584 - 39
Willow
1988· 2h 6m· Fantasy, Adventure, Action· en
7.02.2K - 40
A Chinese Ghost Story
1987· 1h 35m· Fantasy, Action· zh
7.3349 - 41
Clash of the Titans
1981· 1h 58m· Adventure, Fantasy, Action· en
6.9882 - 42
The Transformers: The Movie
1986· 1h 25m· Animation, Science Fiction, Action· en
7.1618 - 43
The Professional
1981· 1h 48m· Action, Adventure, Thriller· fr
7.2603 - 44
Silverado
1985· 2h 13m· Western, Action, Drama· en
7.0838 - 45
Armour of God
1986· 1h 37m· Adventure, Action, Comedy· zh
7.0673 - 46
Rambo: First Blood Part II
1985· 1h 36m· Action, Adventure, Thriller· en
6.74.4K - 47
The Living Daylights
1987· 2h 10m· Action, Adventure, Thriller· en
6.52.1K - 48
The Hitcher
1986· 1h 38m· Horror, Action, Thriller· en
6.91.1K - 49
48 Hrs.
1982· 1h 36m· Crime, Action, Comedy· en
6.71.8K - 50
Commando
1985· 1h 30m· Action, Adventure, Thriller· en
6.73.2K
Related collections
- Best Movies of the 1980s — Top Rated Films
- Best Action Movies of All Time — Top Rated Films
- Best Action Movies of the 1970s — Ranked
- Best Action Movies of the 1990s — Ranked
- Best Drama Movies of the 1980s — Ranked
- Best Documentary Movies of the 1980s — Ranked
- Best Comedy Movies of the 1980s — Ranked
- Best Horror Movies of the 1980s — Ranked
- Best Animation Movies of the 1980s — Ranked
- Best Music Movies of the 1980s — Ranked
- Best Romance Movies of the 1980s — Ranked
- Best Thriller Movies of the 1980s — Ranked
Frequently asked questions
How many action movies came out in the 1980s?
3,766 action movies from the 1980s carry real rating data.
How are these action films ranked?
By a weighted score combining audience ratings, vote volume and popularity. Movies with very few votes are statistically shrunk toward the global average, so they cannot dominate the top of the list.
What is the highest-rated action movie of the 1980s?
The Empire Strikes Back holds the top position in this collection.