When done correctly, an action film entertains its audience with well-choreographed thrills and a raw, never-tell-me-the-odds passion, while providing a smart, succinct look into human nature. This breed of action films was insanely popular in the ’80s and ’90s thanks to big-screen stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.
More recently, the rise of the superhero genre has led to something of a rebirth for the actioner, and, with Hollywood relying more and more on remakes to rope in moviegoers, several classic actioners — focusing on everything from martial arts to Greek mythology — have been recreated for modern audiences. Sometimes these reimaginings offer an updated adventure that can even surpass the original in terms of quality, while other times they’re created solely to capitalize on the prior film’s success, causing them to be poorly made and create audience disconnect.
Worst: Clash of the Titans
In 1981, acclaimed animator Ray Harryhausen and Jason and the Argonauts producer Charles Schneer collaborated on Clash of the Titans, a film based on Greek mythology. The “princess and dragon” hero quest featuring Zeus’s son Perseus earned critical praise for its visual effects and old-school charm, so it’s understandable that MGM saw “cash cow” potential in a remake of the beloved classic. When it was released in 2010, however, the remake received extremely negative reviews. Critics said it just didn’t live up to the nostalgia, citing the annoying visual effects and uninspired script. Despite the poor reception, however, the film grossed nearly $500 million worldwide and was followed by a sequel, Wrath of the Titans, two years later.
Best: 3:10 to Yuma
In the 1957 film 3:10 to Yuma, set in Wild-West-era Arizona, volunteers are needed to escort captured criminal Ben Wade onto the train to Yuma Prison. Dan Evans, a rancher in need of money, agrees to the proposition in exchange for $200. The premise remains the same in the 2007 remake, although many consider the remake an improvement on the original as well as one of the best Westerns of the 21st century, pointing to the memorable acting, rugged action sequences, and cynical creativity.
Despite receiving all this praise (and two Academy Award nominations), it was still unsuccessful at the box office, making just $70 million on a $55 million budget.
Worst: Poseidon
Before James Cameron’s Titanic reinvigorated the disaster film genre, 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure followed passengers and crew on the fictional SS Poseidon attempting to escape the capsized luxury liner. The star-studded film achieved major cult status and won two Academy Awards, and even the least enthusiastic critics branded it “so bad it’s good.” So it was only natural that the film would receive a remake, Poseidon, released by Warner Brothers in 2006. However, while critics commended Poseidon’s use of photorealistic CGI, the visual effects couldn’t make up for the shaky storytelling and forgettable action sequences. In the end, it was just a useless remake that shouldn’t have been made.
Best: The Mummy
1999’s The Mummy — arguably the best-known film in the franchise — was actually a remake of a lesser-known 1932 film with the same name starring horror legend Boris Karloff. The more recent version, despite receiving mixed reviews at its release, has since been accepted as a pivotal film in the history of action horror. Brendan Fraser’s performance as the quintessential action hero has been especially praised, and, despite not being as well-received as its pre-Code predecessor, The Mummy is still a macabre classic that changed its genre for the better. The 2017 Tom Cruise reboot, though? Not so much.
Worst: Death Wish
Back in 1974, Death Wish shocked the world with its gory tale of an architect who snaps after his wife is murdered by home invaders, causing him to begin killing muggers and other violent criminals in the streets. The film attracted controversy for its apparent championing of vigilante justice, although, with crime rates rising during the mid-’70s, the film definitely resonated with audiences and was an important part of action film history. 2018’s Death Wish, on the other hand, was much more poorly received, with critics complaining that it removed all the effectiveness and context of the original and instead replaced it with fleeting thrills and an asinine tone. Oddly enough, general audiences were more accepting of the film, with common themes among positive reviews being the film’s action and emotion.
Best: 13 Assassins
Probably the least well-known film on this list, 13 Assassins, a 2010 samurai flick based on real-life events, received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. It’s a remake of the 1963 period drama of the same name, but boasts a higher budget than its predecessor and was generally considered better by critics.
The film is about the titular 13 assassins who plan to assassinate a cruel Japanese ruler to prevent him from being appointed to a powerful council of feudal lords. Critics waxing lyrical about the film applauded its ability to execute intense action scenes while not forgetting about developing its plot and characters, and many commended the conclusion of the film (a wondrously shot 45-minute fight scene that we can only assume was a logistical nightmare to create).
Worst: Total Recall
Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most successful action stars of all time — and a good deal of that success is thanks to Total Recall. The 1990 action film focuses on a construction worker (Schwarzenegger) who realizes his entire memory has been planted in his brain and must discover what’s real and what’s not. It was still a box office success and even received a Special Achievement Academy Award for its visual effects. With ’80s nostalgia becoming an increasingly lucrative venture, a remake was finally released in 2012 — to critical panning. Common complaints criticized the remake’s lack of plot, humor, and character development compared to the original. To many, it was just another example of Hollywood’s aggressive nostalgia-baiting.
Best: The Departed
In the 2006 film The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese, a gangster who’s been planted in the police force squares off against a police officer who’s been planted in his mob. Hijinks ensue, as each must unveil the other without being discovered himself. The film was a box-office success and received extremely positive reviews from critics for its epic and gritty storyline, with many listing it as one of the best films of Scorsese’s career. It also won the Academy Award for Best Picture. However, it’s actually a remake of a film that’s much less well-known in the cinephile community — the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, which likewise received immense critical praise.
Worst: Point Break
“Internet’s boyfriend” Keanu Reeves jump-started his action film career with 1991’s Point Break. The film, which has since achieved “cult film” status, features an FBI agent (Reeves) who forms a confusing relationship with a surfing gang of bank robbers he’s tasked to investigate. Positive reviews often focused on the film’s raw “coolness” and outrageous action scenes, and the film had enough of a cultural impact to be eventually remade in 2015.
Unfortunately, the remake received intense critical disdain, with not even the impressively coordinated stunts saving it from what critics perceived as poor casting and a lack of humor.
Best: King Kong
Peter Jackson had been trying for years to remake 1933’s masterpiece King Kong, and in 2003 he finally got his chance. The success of his Lord of the Rings films persuaded studio heads into pursuing the project, with the film being granted one of the highest production budgets of all time. When it was released in 2005, critics heaped praise upon the impressiveness and scale of the remake as well as Jackson’s direction. The film’s portrayal of the classic image of Kong atop the Empire State Building was especially revered. Unlike several other remakes on this list, this film is an example of offering genuine nostalgia because the creator was passionate about the project, instead of just functioning as a cash grab.
