14 - Gladiator
Who the hell would have thought Roman epics would make a come back? Looking back it is the perfect genre for a modern realisation but at the time....we just did not see this one coming! But then it came and we ate out scoffed words. Ridley Scott may have dropped the ball with every historical epic he has done since, but he nailed Gladiator like a boss. From the epic grandeur of the CGI Colosseum to the pumping brass of Hans Zimmer's score, Gladiator is a treat. The meat of the pie is the gladiatorial bouts proving that actually the Romans were spot on, it was really entertaining. That said, maybe a little bloody if it was real aye? A fantastic cast and a riveting story of murder and betrayal make Gladiator a classic in the same league as Spartacus.
Best bit: Maximus rallying his fellow gladiators and winning a game they were meant to lose.
13 - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Easily the best Star Wars film and there aren't even any Death Stars to blow up. What makes Empire so good is the journey that Luke goes through. Like any good action hero we get a training montage where he learns the physical skills needed to achieve his goals and gains the knowledge to apply his skills. What makes Luke such a compelling hero however is his earnest goodwill and loyalty to his friends. Luke never completes his training, instead he faces Darth Vader as a Padawan (though that word came later). After a stunning duel of sabres and force ability Luke loses his hand and seemingly his sanity as the most famous twist in the history of film twists hits him like a bat to the face.
Best bit: Yoda's awesome tutelage.
12 - A Fistful of Dollars
This is a little controversial as The Good, The bad and The Ugly is widely regarded as the best in the trilogy and in many ways it is. But for me the best action moments are in Fistful. "My mule don't like people laughing. He gets the crazy idea you're laughing him!" It takes a lot of balls to face off 5 armed guys and talk s**t like that. Of course, 6 bullets later they are all dead. Shot from the hip in one beautifully fanned draw. The editing is perfect, the unique cinematography that comes with Techniscope film stock is now iconic and Clint Eastwood is the ultimate movie bad ass.
Best bit: The man with no name proves that it is faster to load a revolver than a rifle.
11 - Raiders of the Lost Ark
Lucas and Spielberg's homage to the serials of the 1930s and 40s is a wild ride through jungles, deserts and ancient crypts. Throw in Nazis and you have all the ingredients for a great romp. Luckily that is exactly what Raiders of the Lost Ark is, a fantastic romp. Indiana Jones is like America's James Bond, woman want him and men want to be him. Of course back then Harrison Ford was about the coolest guy in the world so his sardonic and witty chauvinist took what was great about Han Solo and gave it a bull whip. There are some stunning set pieces, including a couple of near misses with propellers and a rather large stone. The lasting impression however is that some things are best left untouched, the Ark making an interesting parallel to nuclear technology and ultimate power.
Best bit: The boulder dash. And now for the TOP 10!