Action films have understandably been a popular genre since the very beginning of cinema. Audiences love vicariously experiencing adventures and chills as great heroes pull off crazy stunts and defeat evil villains. Though some films use massive budgets for effects and promotion, even mid-tier action movies can deliver thrills.
There is something innately satisfying about seeing the body in action, particularly when situated against compelling and twisty plots. Beyond the most popular mega-hits, there's something rewarding about looking back at some of the less well-known entries in the genre. It is particularly enjoyable to reappraise those mid-tier action films which feature way more stars in the cast than most people remember.
Cast Includes: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Piven, Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, Ryan Reynolds, Andy Garcia, Taraji P. Henson, Jason Bateman
The figure of the magician is one which periodically becomes particularly fascinating for popular culture, and Smokin’ Aces is an excellent example of this phenomenon. The film is certainly both violent and stylish, following Jeremy Piven as Buddy “Aces” Israel, a Las Vegas magician who winds up hunted by the Mob after becoming tangled in their affairs. The supporting cast is full of stars from Ben Affleck, to Ryan Reynolds, to the late Ray Liotta. It even has an appearance from a young Chris Pine as a skinhead. It's especially fascinating to see Pine in such a repugnant role in 2006, for in 2009 he would find his career as a charming hero take off with his starring role as Captain Kirk in Star Trek.
Surprisingly stacked cast?Cast Includes: Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci
Like so many neo-noirs, Lucky Number Slevin features a complicated plot focusing on a man who is drawn into a crime world of which he knows little. The 2006 release failed to capture the popularity of such similar genre entries by Quentin Tarantino, yet it's still enjoyable to see Josh Hartnett during his heyday as a leading man. His co-stars Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley are especially compelling as rival crime bosses the Boss and the Rabbi. This is also a film which occurs at an interesting point in Lucy Liu's career, coming shortly after roles in Ally McBeal and Charlie’s Angels, but before her return to TV success on Elementary.
Surprisingly stacked cast?Cast Includes: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, John Lithgow, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, Jean Smart
Ben Affleck gives one of his most committed performances in The Accountant, in which he plays a number-cruncher on the autism spectrum who supplements his income by working for various organized crime groups. It's one his more remarkable action roles, even though it was overshadowed by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which was also released in 2016. Affleck is joined by a supremely gifted supporting cast including such luminaries including J.K. Simmons (who had recently won an Academy Award for Whiplash), as well as an up-and-coming Anna Kendrick (who reached widespread recognition a few years prior with Pitch Perfect).
Surprisingly stacked cast?- 4
Cast Includes: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Isaacs, Scott Eastwood, Jon Bernthal
Though Fury might not have achieved the fame of some other famous war films, it is nevertheless as raw and visceral a cinematic experience as one would expect of a film about a tank crew fighting in the European theater of WWII. Like other great films of the genre, the human component holds the key interest, thanks in large part to the committed and deeply resonant performance given by Brad Pitt as Don Collier, the leader of the squad. It's also notable for starring Scott Eastwood (son of Clint), who would go on to appear in The Longest Ride, arguably one of his most recognizable performances.
Surprisingly stacked cast? Cast Includes: Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Chan, Adrienne Barbeau, Peter Fonda
The action comedy is always one of the most enjoyable genres in Hollywood, and The Cannonball Run is one of the finest ones ever made. This is due in large part to the fact it includes some of the biggest names in Hollywood, packed together in an ensemble comedy about an illegal road race across the US. Simply the inclusion of Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise would be enough of a draw, but the inclusion of such famous actors as Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. makes it even better. It even includes none other than Roger Moore, best known for playing James Bond, appearing as a parody of himself. The presence of such radiant stardom adds undeniable fun to the otherwise somewhat predictable story.
Surprisingly stacked cast?Cast Includes: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Stellan Skarsgård, Sean Bean, Jonathan Pryce
Few directors have had as many remarkable successes as John Frankenheimer, known for such famous films as The Manchurian Candidate and Birdman of Alcatraz. While 1998's Ronin might not be one of his best-known or most highly-regarded films, it thoroughly entertains with a compelling and suspenseful story and top-tier action sequences and car chases. While most people will watch for Robert De Niro's lead performance alone, the rest of the cast is full of talented performers like Stellan Skarsgård and Jonathan Pryce - both of whom would become famous for appearing in major franchises, the former in Dune (as Baron Harkonnen) and the latter in Game of Thrones (as the High Sparrow). As if that isn't enough, it's also a joy to see an earlier appearance from Sean Bean, who later became iconic due to his role as Boromir in The Lord of the Rings and Ned Stark in HBO's Game of Thrones.
Surprisingly stacked cast?
