10 Most Action-Packed Non-Action Movies, Ranked

Ever since the inception of the medium, films have been defined by their great action. While strong performances and clever writing are certainly important to a film’s success, momentum and movement on screen allow filmmakers to show their creativity. The action genre has certainly grown in popularity over the last century, with critical films like Die Hard, The Matrix, and Mad: Max: Fury Road proving what the genre was capable of. However, a film doesn’t need to be broadly defined as an “action film” to include impressive sequences of suspense and intrigue.

There are many reasons that a non-action film may contain an action sequence. Sometimes it is critical to advancing the plot, inserting a sense of comic relief, or giving border context about the surrounding events. The insertion of a great action sequence into a drama film or a rom-com shows how truly fungible genres can be; it’s often that the best films of all time combine more than one influence. These are the most action-packed non-action movies, proving that some good old-fashioned thrills are always welcome, no matter the narrative.

10 ‘The Treasure of the Sierra Madre’ (1946)

Directed by John Huston

John Huston’s adventure epic The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a timeless classic about the perils of greed. The film centers on the adventures of three men who seek gold within the Sierra Madre range, only to find themselves in danger due to the intense competition. While most of the film focuses on the interpersonal relationships between the characters, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre contains several impressive fights and chase sequences.

For example, the graphic death of Humphrey Bogart’s character was initially so violent that it sparked a censorship dispute. Although it shares plot commonalities with other adventure films of the era, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is made a more intense film because of its action. It was important for Huston to show the high pressure that the characters were under, which helped explain their desperation and greed.

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9 ‘Goodfellas’ (1990)

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese has made many crime epics, but Goodfellas is known as the film that truly defined the mafia genre. The story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his experiences working with the gangster Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) offered insight into what the mafia was really like; as it turns out, Hill is forced to do some pretty dangerous missions in order to pay off his debts.

Goodfellas is a very violent movie with no shortage of chases, shootouts, murders, and fights. Even though there aren’t action sequences in the Die Hard vein, the film certainly does not give its characters much room to breathe. Goodfellas succeeded where other gangster movies didn’t because of its suspense and intrigue. This decision was critical to the film’s message; Scorsese risked lionizing the film’s larger-than-life figures if he did not indicate that they suffered consequences for their actions.

8 ‘The Lion King’ (1994)

Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff

Produced during the “Disney Renaissance” era, The Lion King is easily one of the most beautifully rendered animated films of all time. The film tells a profound story about the ties that bind a family together, showing how the young lion Simba (Matthew Broderick) copes with the death of his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones), and seeks to get revenge on his uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons).

The Lion King relies on critical action sequences to advance the plot. The death of Mufasa sets Simba off on his heroic journey, and the battle with Scar brings the film to an exciting climax. Indeed, The Lion King’s action sequences helped transform it into a more “mature” animated film. It’s a film that defines the best of Disney’s animation department, blending stunning animation, a compelling narrative, and a critically acclaimed score by Hans Zimmer to create a modern masterpiece.

7 ‘Titanic’ (1997)

Directed by James Cameron

It’s safe to say that there’s not another living filmmaker who knows how to make great action sequences quite like James Cameron. Between True Lies, Aliens, and the Avatar and The Terminator franchises, Cameron has pushed the boundaries of visual effects with his immersive spectacles. While it’s more of a straightforward historical romance, the 1997 epic Titaniccontains some of the most jaw-dropping disaster sequences in the history of cinema.

The ship’s sinking was realized in brutal detail, justifying the film’s extensive running time. However, Cameron understood that great action is superfluous if the audience doesn’t have characters that they are invested in. While its exciting to see the level of destruction he pulls off, Titanic remains an all-time classic because of the strong investment that audiences had in the deeply emotional relationship between Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet).

6 ‘Fight Club’ (1999)

Directed by David Fincher

David Fincher’s seminal dark comedy Fight Club isn’t necessarily the film it’s remembered as being. While some viewers may have walked away from the film considering Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) and the Narrator (Edward Norton) to be heroes, Fight Club is actually an indictment of toxic masculinity and violent fetishes. After getting involved with an underground cult organization, the Narrator finds himself at the forefront of a revolutionary movement determined to break society to its knees.

Showing the damaging effects that violence can have on mentally ill people, Fight Club realizes this theme through some disturbing action sequences. The film has retained its cult classic status, as viewers have come to appreciate its dark sense of humor and satirical themes. The film’s violence has been the subject of controversy; a different ending was inserted into the Chinese release to conform to more easily identifiable ethical standards.

5 ‘Zoolander’ (2001)

Directed by Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller’s wacky comedy Zoolander is a hilarious satire of the ego of the fashion industry featuring no shortage of playful jabs at celebrity culture. After being involved in a plot by evil fashion mogul Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell) to coordinate a series of assassinations, the male models Derek (Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) must become heroes and save the world.

While there are certainly some funny exchanges that are reliant on dialogue, Zoolander becomes even more erratic and hilarious when it draws from the espionage and action genres. The film succeeds by taking the viewer off guard; the plot twists are often strange and don’t conform to traditional logic. The intention is to make viewers laugh, but Zoolander unexpectedly proved that Stiller was an accomplished action filmmaker. He later directed the Hollywood satire Tropic Thunder and the thriller series Escape at Dannemora.

4 ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ (2001)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Ocean’s Eleven is one of the greatest reboots of all time. Ocean’s Eleven centers on a group of daring feats performed by a team of experts as they break into a Las Vegas casino. Danny (George Clooney), Rusty (Brad Pitt), Linus (Matt Damon), and the rest of the crew even survive an explosion during the film’s climax. While the original film starring “The Rat Pack” was a fairly generic crime comedy, Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 remake embraces the possibilities of the heist genre with its inventive robbery sequences.

The Ocean’s franchise succeeded by steadily incorporating more action sequences into the films. Subsequent entries kept toying with genres; for example, Ocean’s Twelve transformed the saga into a “hangout” movie that satirized celebrity excess, and Ocean’s Thirteen inserted more slapstick comedy into the story. It’s not necessarily action in the same way that John Wick is, but Ocean’s Eleven does put its character in some dangerous situations.

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3 ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’ (2004)

Directed by Adam McKay

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is one of the most surprising, downright hilarious, and most quotable movies movies ever made. It kicked off the partnership between Will Ferrell and Adam McKay and created a series of iconic characters that are still fondly remembered. Although aimed at satirizing both the news media and the male ego, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy also contains one of the most shocking fight scenes in any comedy movie.

Ron (Ferrell), Brick (Steve Carrell), Brian (Paul Rudd), and Champ (David Koechner) must defend themselves after getting into a brawl with the other news teams. The iconic Anchorman fight scene was recreated in the film’s sequel, which explored Ron’s adventures in the 1980s. The Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues fight is perhaps even more extreme, featuring appearances by Will Smith, Liam Neeson, John C. Reilly, Amy Poehler, and Jim Carrey, among others.

2 ‘Atonement’ (2007)

Directed by Joe Wright

Atonement is a heartbreaking historical romance about the love between the poor housekeeper Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) and the wealthy girl Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley). After a scandal involving Cecilia’s younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan), Robbie is forced to fight during the Battle of France in World War II.

Atonement contains one of the most incredible tracking shot action sequences in cinematic history. The single scene showing Robbie’s experiences during the hectic battle is more enthralling and authentic than many actual action movies. Atonement’s war scenes make the heartbreaking romance even more powerful, as it reveals the extent to which Robbie will go in order to return home to Cecilia. Director Joe Wright would later show his full merits as an action filmmaker when he cast Ronan in the 2011 spy thriller Hanna.

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1 ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ (2019)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a love letter to the Golden Age of Hollywood that centers on the relationship between the struggling actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his loyal stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Given that it is a story that centers around film production, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood features many recreations of iconic cinematic fight scenes. Tarantino crafts a loving tribute to the actors, stunt performers, and artists that make “movie magic” happen.

Although it does feature some more subdued and reflective moments, make no mistake: the film is quite intense. Indeed, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood features a gruesome final sequence in which Cliff and Rick face off with members of Charles Manson’s crime family, who are attempting to assassinate Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). It serves as a rousing yet surprisingly emotional example of Tarantino changing history, ending the film on a more optimistic note.

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