Action is a universally loved genre. After all, the riveting, adrenaline-pumping charm of fight sequences, chases, explosions, and complex stunts can never get lost in translation. Some of the most entertaining movies ever made, from old acclaimed classics to beloved modern blockbusters, are action vehicles— a fair number were made outside English-speaking countries.
From experimental European works of art, likeRun Lola Run, to Asian classics that need no introduction, likeHarakiri, foreign action movies provide a fascinating insight into how different cultures approach the genre’s signatures and tropes. There’s nothing quite as fun as a well-made action movie, and if they’re willing to step outside their English-speaking comfort zone, general audiences will discover thatmany countries around the world have some excellent action spectacles to offer.
Country: Brazil
Though generally panned by critics,Elite Squadimmediately became one of Brazil’s biggest cult classics, proving thatcritics and audiences can disagree greatly. As such, a lot was weighing on the sequel’s shoulders; thankfully for fans, it delivered.Elite Squad 2proved to be just as impactful and action-packed as its predecessor, if not even better. In it, a high-ranking security officer in Rio is swept into a bloody political dispute involving government higher-ups and dangerous paramilitary groups.
Wagner Moura, now very famous worldwide, offers a terrific performance as Roberto Nascimento, reprising the role that was his international breakthrough in the 2007 original.What’s best aboutElite Squad 2is its ability to balance brutal action with political nuance, telling a gripping tale of crime and corruption that’s sure to strike a chord with any fan of the genre, no matter where they’re from.
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9’The Raid 2' (2014)
Country: Indonesia
The originalThe Raid: Redemptiontook the world by storm in 2012, immediately earning praise as not just one of the best action movies of the 2010s but the best Indonesian action film of all time. It’s fair to say that it was quite surprising when the sequel,The Raid 2, was arguably better. In it, action hero Rama goes undercover to bring down a criminal syndicate and uncover the corruption within his police force.
This is one of those raremartial arts movies that are perfect from start to finish, all thanks to high-energy and over-the-top action that somehow finds plenty of ways to one-up the mind-blowing fight scenes of its predecessor.The Raid 2has a much better and more compelling narrative than most action-focused movies of its type, but the main attractions are the super-stylized fight sequences brilliantly directed byGareth Evans.
The Raid 2
8’Enter the Dragon' (1973)
Country: Hong Kong
No list of the best foreign action movies of all time would be complete without at least a mention ofthe legendary iconBruce Lee. The Hong Kong-American martial artist has a reputation that has made him a kind of mythical figure in the film industry, and it’s all thanks to movies likeEnter the Dragon, perhaps his most popular. In it, Lee plays a martial artist traveling to an island fortress to spy on an opium lord under the guise of attending a fighting tournament.
Lee is at the top of his game inEnter the Dragon, showing howhis unparalleled ability to command the screen made him the larger-than-life action star that he’s remembered as today. The story isn’t particularly strong or complex, but it never pretends to be anything more than it is: an entertaining enough excuse to see some of the most impressive fight choreography the martial arts movie genre has ever seen.
Enter the Dragon
7’Run Lola Run' (1998)
Country: Germany
Germany has produceda wide variety of outstanding films, andRun Lola Runis probably their best and most popular from the 1990s. It’s an experimental thriller where, after a failed money delivery, Lola has only 20 minutes to get 100,000 Deutschmarks to save her boyfriend’s life. Those 20 minutes take place in real-time, making this one of the most gripping journeys one can have with a movie.
An offbeat tone, a legendary soundtrack, and compact use of actionmakeRun Lola Runone of the most refreshing action films of the ’90s, which was arguably the best decade ever for the genre. With a stylish and suspenseful touch, directorTom Tykwerachieves an exhilarating pace that makesRun Lola Runan absolute rush from start to finish.
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6’Hard Boiled' (1992)
Hong Kong has produced some of the greatest and most iconic action movies ever made, thanks to directors as iconic asJohn Woo. The filmmaker has made a variety of exceptional action films, but one of his most highly acclaimed isHard Boiled. It’s about a… well, hard-boiled cop who teams up with an undercover agent to shut down a sinister mobster crew.
With over 300 on-screen deaths,Hard Boiledhas one ofthe highest on-screen kill counts in movie history. If this isn’t enough to make any action fan who hasn’t seen the film want to get to it immediately, it’s hard to say what will. Speaking on a more severe tone,Hard Boiledhas a strong emotional core, the typical idiosyncrasies that make Woo so beloved, and exquisitely crafted actionscenes that prove that action cinema can be artistic while also keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.
Hard Boiled
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5’Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000)
Countries: China, Taiwan, Hong Kong
Since it came out at the turn of the century, the multinational co-productionCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragonhas been praised as a groundbreaking piece of martial arts cinema. Making ample use oflow fantasy tropes at their very best, it tells the tale of a young Chinese warrior who steals a sword and escapes into a romantic world of adventure and physics-defying action.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s creatively crafted and incredibly fun fight sequences made it successful, but its smartly written script andAng Lee’s skillful directing catapulted it to four Oscar wins and international fame. It’s not often that someone makesa movie that toys with and re-contextualizes everything its genre has come to represent, but that’s precisely what Lee’s masterpiece did.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
4’Oldboy' (2003)
Country: South Korea
ThoughPark Chan-wookhas made some of the most celebrated South Korean movies in history, none have ever come close to the level of quality and fame thatOldboyreached and has kept over the years. The groundbreaking film follows a man who, after being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, escapes and has only five days to track his captor.
Oldboyis definitely not for the faint of heart.Its action scenes are brutal, but it’s its smart yet ruthlessly written screenplay that’s likeliest to leave plenty of viewers disturbed for days. With terrific performances and a third act that packs a hell of a punch,Oldboyis one ofthe best cat-and-mouse thrillers of all time, in no small measure thanks to some of the most creatively shot and edited action fans will see in some time.
3’Harakiri' (1962)
Country: Japan
Throughout its film industry’s history, Japan has createdmany great samurai moviesthat can be counted among the best action films ever. One such film — the best, some would say — isHarakiri. In it, a ronin arrives at a feudal lord’s palace requesting seppuku, an ancient samurai ritual consisting of self-disembowelment when the alternative was dying an honorless death. There, he tells the story of the suicide of another ronin who previously visited the lord’s palace, revealing the potentially tragic ways in which their pasts are intertwined.
Harakiriis bolstered by an emotionally resonant story anchored by a fascinating protagonist, played by the always-terrificTatsuya Nakadai. For those who enjoy gripping dramas, this should be enough. For those who like a little bit more blood and adrenaline in their samurai films, though,Harakirihas plenty of tricks up its sleeve. It has some of the most riveting combat the genre has ever seen, shot gorgeously by directorMasaki Kobayashiand his admirable team.
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2’Seven Samurai' (1954)
Though many might make a case forHarakiribeing the best samurai movie of all time, the consensus is thatSeven Samuraiholds the coveted title, and the reason is no mystery. This seminal Japanese movie is one of the most influential and commonly imitated period epics ever made, telling the tale of seven samurai hired by farmers from a village for protection against a group of bandits.
No one made samurai movies likeAkira Kurosawa. In fact,no one made movies like Akira Kurosawa, period. The Japanese auteur was one of the greatest filmmakers who have ever lived, andSeven Samuraiis a testament to his inimitable skill and eye for detail. Aside from being an exhilarating action movie,Seven Samuraiis a beautiful work of art with attentive direction, a flawless script, and impressive camerawork.
Seven Samurai
1’Ran' (1985)
Seven Samuraimight be Kurosawa’s best film, butRanis one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time. It’s a jaw-dropping epic masterwork that, simply put, has no equal. Kurosawa spent years meticulously storyboarding and planning the film, and the result is, perhaps,the most visually striking foreign film ever made. It’s Kurosawa’s rendition ofWilliam Shakespeare’sKing Lear, telling the story of an elderly warlord from Medieval Japan who hands over his empire to his sons and retires. Sadly, he underestimates how much power will corrupt them, causing them to turn on each other and him.
Ranis a gut-wrenching story with lots to say about the shame and regret that come with aging, the pointlessness of violence, and the destructiveness of revenge. It does so not just through a brilliantly written screenplay but also through some of the best direction of Kurosawa’s career, despite him having been 75 years old and legally blind when he made the movie.Ranalso includes some brilliant Medieval battle scenes, cementing its reputation as one of the best projects the action genre has ever been graced with.
