Nothing kills a movie faster than an unnecessary scene that drags the storyline to a complete halt. The film can be rolling along, and the director decides to ruin it with a random scene that does nothing to the storyline. It can really change the landscape of the movie. A group of movie lovers discussed the movies that supply an action-packed thrill ride without any fluff.
1. Jurassic Park (1993)
Movie lovers rave about the pacing of this ground-breaking science fiction action film. Every scene has a purpose. The basis of the movie is about man re-creating dinosaurs, but if you re-watch the film, you can see the true details of the movie. Greed, hubris, and playing god make this movie much more than an action movie. Critics agree this is one of the best movies made over the past several decades.
2. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
A star-studded cast keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats in this heist movie. Pick any A-list actor featured in this film, and you’ll find it hard to take your eyes off them. With perfect dialogue and a great plan, the gang pulls off a perfect heist. Make sure you have all your snacks and sodas ready because you won’t want to leave the couch for fear of missing something.
3. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Leave it to Tom Cruise to keep his audience entertained. When aliens attack Earth, Cruise must fight to keep his world safe. But there’s a catch. He’s caught in a time loop where he re-lives his own death multiple times before he learns how to defeat the attackers. Non-stop action is the best way to describe this film. I’m sweating just writing about it.
4. Back to the Future (1985)
If you make a movie about time travel, you better come up with some high-powered action. Even the slower scenes create a world that only exists in the Back to the Future universe. Pay attention because the little things in this film give away foreshadowing and insights into how time travel works. One movie lover said, “The intro BLITZES through character intros, plot exposition, and foreshadowing to get you to the Delorean as fast as humanly possible. It knows we don’t care about life in the 80s; we want to get into time travel ASAP.”
5. Speed (1994)
Speed takes about five minutes to ramp up, but once it goes above 55 mph, strap in because you’re in for a ride. The film doesn’t waste any time keeping you engaged in the action. How can you not be engaged when there’s a bomb attached to a rogue bus zig-zagging around Los Angeles? Want to see a bus fly through the air like a rocket ship? Yeah, they do that, too.
6. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
High-powered cars in a dystopian future? Sign me up. This film is pedal to the metal from start to finish. Max, played by Tom Hardy, has about five lines of dialogue as he hangs from and jumps out of souped-up hot rods screaming through the dystopian desert. One recent fan sums up the movie perfectly: “The entire movie is two fast-paced action sequences with 5 min of dialogue in between.”
7. Die Hard (1988)
Experts agree the pacing of this movie is nearly perfect. Even the parts that are considered slow keep the audience interested. Fans of this movie quote lines from it 30 years later, proving that it holds up. The only real question to debate is whether this is a Christmas movie. Your thoughts?
8. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
An iconic action movie that set the stage for many action movies, Raiders of the Lost Ark has amazed fans for years. The film truly was ground-breaking for its time. Since its release, it’s been credited for changing how screenwriters pace their movies. It popularized the edge-of-your-seat action that few other movies before attempted.
9. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Fans had to wait 36 years for the sequel to the classic ’86 film Top Gun. That’s a long time, but this movie delivered in every way possible. It’s hard to make a two-plus-hour movie fly by, but I was sad when this thrill ride ended. I could watch Maverick fly that jet for an extra hour or two. I definitely feel the need for speed after that watch.
10. The Departed (2006)
Director Martin Scorsese is a master at directing and keeping his audience engaged. This crime drama flows smoothly from scene to scene, leaving the viewers wanting more. Great dialogue delivered by great actors is a recipe for success on the big screen. A tense mix of suspense, drama, mystery, and even some comedy makes this film a classic for years to come.
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