15 Most Bad-Ass Teams In Movie History

The 'men on a mission' movie was one of the most popular genres in Hollywood during the 1960's and 70's. Part of the appeal was the potential to unite an all-star ensemble cast that would convince audiences to flock to the theater, but just as important was the versatility of the narrative; the basic concept could be reused and applied to the Middle Ages, World War II, the Old West and even thousands of years into the future, making the genre seem familiar yet fresh.

Throughout the 1980's and 90's action movies started gearing towards high-concept pitches and big-name stars, with the team movie drifting towards irrelevance. However, in recent years the sub-genre is making a relative comeback under the guise of the studio blockbuster; X-Men, The Avengers, The Expendables, Fast and Furious, G.I. Joe and the upcoming Suicide Squad and Justice League are just a few franchises shifting the focus back towards the ensemble action movie.

With that in mind, this article will attempt to rank the 15 most bad-ass action movie teams in movie history. The list is based on criteria including skill, teamwork, the scale of the threat and of course; the sheer volume of ass kicked. For example; the Reservoir Dogs quickly became every man for himself, Saving Private Ryan's squad were just normal guys following orders, and the Ghostbusters were scientists way out of their depth, so they don't feature...

Despite the unique premise and complicated plotting, Christopher Nolan's Inception actually follows a relatively straightforward 'men on a mission' narrative; Leonardo DiCaprio's Cobb must assemble a team for 'one last job' to clear his name, but to do so they must pull off a heist that nobody has ever managed before.

Many of the characters themselves follow genre archetypes; Michael Caine is the wise old mentor that taught the team leader everything he knows, Ken Watanabe the mysterious rich benefactor, Ellen Page the exposition-delivering new recruit, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt the team leader's best friend and long-time partner. Add in some banter, bickering and a couple of montages to boot, and the recipe follows the team movie template down to a tee.

What elevated the movie above cliche (and towards a Best Picture nomination), is a combination of big ideas, smart writing and large-scale action. As well as looking the part in immaculately-tailored suits, the team's combination of brains and brawn see them survive crazy ex-wives, car chases, shootouts and fistfights through three levels of the target's subconscious, pulling off a seemingly-impossible heist in the process.