It is not easy to maintain a series of films for several entries or more. Making one good movie can be hard enough, but making sequels based on the original while keeping what people loved about the first movie is a challenge. This becomes even more difficult for action films than for other genres, given that they are expected to be spectacular and exciting, and the sequel will probably have to try to surpass what came before.
Because of these problems, it is worth noting the excellent action series, which consists of several parts. All of the following film series fit into the action genre and have proven their ability to last for years. While not all of these franchises may hold flawless records, the longevity of each one is impressive, and it’s undeniable that each of these long-running action series has major achievements.
10 “John Wick” (2014–2023)
By the standards of the militants, John Wick The series had a rather humble beginning. The first film was praised for its simplicity and elegance, as it was simply about a man, John Wick (Keanu Reeves), who was stripped of everything and decided to fight back by going out and taking revenge on the various criminals and bandits who wronged him and ruined his life.
His first film in 2014 also planted the seeds that would later be explored in increasingly explosive and improbable sequels. In the world John Wick is a fascinating underworld filled with criminal organizations and killers that follow a certain set of rules, and the first film’s hints of such an underground society ensured that there would be plenty to explore in its fun and action-packed sequels.
9 “Mission Impossible” (1996–2024)
Mission impossible began as a spy-themed series that began airing in the 1960s, but is currently best known as an action film franchise led by Tom Cruise. He plays Ethan Hunt, a Mission Impossible Force (IMF) agent who becomes involved in a series of dangerous and deadly missions that target a wide range of enemies.
This movie series has become legendary for how wild the stunts and action scenes get, with Cruise doing particularly dangerous things in every movie without the use of a stunt double. They’re also well-made, brilliant action/spy films, and while Cruz is ultimately in the spotlight, it helps that he’s also backed by a strong supporting cast in each film. Mission impossible movie too.
8 “Terminator” (1984–2019)
There is an argument that the first Terminator The 1984 film was not strictly a non-stop action film. It did have a lot of thrill and excitement - and had a pretty intense final act - but at times it also felt like a horror movie with a time-traveling cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who seemed unstoppable and was obsessed with the desire to kill his mother (Linda Hamilton) of a future resistance fighter before he could be born.
It also worked in a strong and resonant novel that belongs to the sci-fi genre because it has time travel, cyborgs, and a future doomsday event. All of the sequels to the first film had a larger budget and seemed to be more action-packed overall, and while most of them don’t live up to the original, the 1991s Terminator 2: Judgment Day is fantastic and is considered one of the best action sequels of all time.
7 “Lone Wolf and Cub” (1972–1974)
Although not quite long-playing in the classical sense of the term. Lone wolf and cub certainly fruitful. Six films were released over the course of about two to three years, and they were all excellent action and samurai films. The series follows a lone swordsman (Tomisaburo Wakayama) seeking revenge on various people for killing his wife, with his only companion being his young son, his only remaining link to his past and his humanity.
It’s amazing how good all six films are since they were released between 1972 and 1974. Each one features gory, over the top sword fighting, and the overall storyline is strong, even though some of the films feel pretty episodic. . Its premise and structure still influence the action genre today, perhaps best seen on a TV show such as The Mandalorian.
6 “Matrix” (1999-2021)
Action/sci-fi movies are forever changed with release Matrix in 1999. It was a creative and entertaining film unlike any other shown in mainstream cinema. It had an ingenious plot where humanity is enslaved by machines and one person - the Chosen One - is destined to fight against the AI, freeing and freeing the human race in the process.
While none of its sequels have been as well-loved, they are all interesting in their own way. The Matrix Reloaded provides great action and world building, while Matrix revolutions completes the original trilogy. Then the fourth film, 2021 Resurrection of the Matrixcompletely changes the situation by providing a strange but fascinating meta-commentary on the series and its legacy.
5 “Mad Max” (1979-)
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Crazy Max The series is one of the longest-running action films in history, as it began in 1979, with a fifth film scheduled for release in 2024: exactly 45 years later. It is also notable that so far all the films in the series have been directed by one person: an Australian filmmaker. George Miller.
The series had humble beginnings as the first film is a fairly simple revenge film with fairly limited and short action scenes. 1981s road warrior gave much more action and then the fourth film of the series, Mad Max: Fury Roadfelt non-stop when it came to action, spectacles, chases and huge explosions.
4 “Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman” (1962–1989)
Zatoichi The series may well be the longest-running action series of all time, as there were 26 films made between 1962 and 1989 that starred Shintaro Katsu starring. Godzilla The series has more parts, but is not as easily identified as an action series, as some films have more action than others.
All 26 films in the series follow a blind swordsman/masseuse/gambler who engages in various, mostly episodic, adventures and misadventures throughout Japan in the mid-1800s. For those who need more than 26 films, there was also Zatoichi A series starring Katsu that aired between 1974 and 1979 for a total of 100 episodes over four seasons.
3 “Dirty Harry” (1971–1989)
Clint Eastwood may be best known for his Westerns (where he usually plays the same character in each one), but he is also well known for his Dirty Harry row. It’s one of those long-running movies where the first movie is clearly the best, although all four of its sequels can offer a decent amount… well, maybe not the fifth and last movie, Dead Basin (1989).
But beyond that, there are four action/crime films worth celebrating that range from good to great. The films follow protagonist Harry Callahan, a serious and controversial police officer who will stop at nothing to ensure the capture of criminals. In each film, Harry takes on a new case.
2 “Death Wish” (1974–1994)
death wish feels comparable to Dirty Harry in a way, at least in the first movie of every series. death wish follows an architect named Paul (Charles Bronson), who becomes a vigilante after his wife is killed, and his attitude and stoicism are comparable to Eastwood’s character in Dirty Harry series, even if Paul operates outside the law.
The police eventually recruit Paul into the third film, and each sequel to the relatively mundane first film greatly increases the body count and explosive action. This is all getting pretty silly, but for those who love over-the-top and over-the-top action movies from the 1980s, the movies 2 through 4 of course you covered.
1 Indiana Jones (1981–2023)
In 1981, the most iconic Harrison Ford a character not named Han Solo, with the release In Search of the Lost Ark. It was Indiana Jones, the world-traveling professor/archaeologist who goes on a new adventure with every film, usually in search of some famous artifact.
This inevitably leads him to run into nefarious characters who also pursue the same, though usually not for righteous reasons. This allows for many activities beyond the adventurous elements of an international search for rare treasures and historical items. The fifth film, coming out in 2023, is the longest-running action movie of all time, and it’s especially impressive that the 80-year-old Ford has starred in all of them so far.
Source: Collider
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