List of action films of the 1980s
This is chronological list of action films released in the 1980s. Often there may be considerable overlap particularly between action and other genres ; the list should attempt to document films which are more closely related to action, even if they bend genres.
| Title | Director | Cast | Country | Subgenre/notes |
| 1980 | - | - | - | - |
| 2 Champions of Shaolin | Chang Cheh | Lu Feng, Lo Mang, Chiang Sheng | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Any Which Way You Can | Buddy Van Horn | Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Ruth Gordon | United States | Action comedy |
| Clan of the White Lotus | Lo Lieh | Gordon Liu, Lo Lieh, Hui Ya-hung | Hong Kong | |
| Delitto a Porta Romana | Bruno Corbucci | Tomas Milian, Olimpia di Nardo, Nerina Montagnani | Italy | Action thriller |
| Encounters of the Spooky Kind | Sammo Hung | Sammo Hung, Chung Fat, Chan Lung | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Flag of Iron | Chang Cheh | Chiang Sheng, Guan Feng, Philip Kwok | Hong Kong | |
| Flash Gordon | Mike Hodges | Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Chaim Topol | United States | Science fiction action |
| Le Guignolo | Georges Lautner | Jean-Paul Belmondo, Michel Galabru, Georges Géret | France Italy | Action comedy |
| Return to the 36th Chamber | Lau Kar-Leung | Gordon Liu | Hong Kong | |
| Smokey and the Bandit II | Hal Needham | Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Dom DeLuise | United States | Action comedy |
| Superman II | Richard Lester | Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder | United Kingdom United States | Superhero film |
| The Big Brawl | Robert Clouse | Jackie Chan, José Ferrer, Kristine de Bell | United States | |
| The Blues Brothers | John Landis | John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown | United States | Action comedy |
| The Empire Strikes Back | Irvin Kershner | Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams | United States | Science fiction action |
| The Exterminator | James Glickenhaus | Christopher George, Samantha Eggar, Robert Ginty | United States | |
| The Hunter | Buzz Kulik | Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold | United States | Action thriller |
| The Master | Tony Liu | Chan Lau, Chang Lin, Chen Kuan-Tai | Hong Kong | |
| The Octagon | Eric Karson | Chuck Norris, Karen Carlson, Lee Van Cleef | United States | |
| The Rebel Intruders | Chang Cheh | Philip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, Lo Meng | Hong Kong | |
| The Sword | Patrick Tam | Lee Kwan-hak, Jimmy Wang Yu, Chan Pooi-Ling | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| The Victim | Sammo Hung | Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Dick Wei | Hong Kong | Martial arts comedy |
| The Young Master | Jackie Chan | Jackie Chan, Yuan Biao, Wei Pai | Hong Kong | |
| Trois Hommes à Abattre | Jacques Deray | Alain Delon, Pierre Dux, Dalila di Lazzaro | France | Action thriller |
| 1981 | - | - | - | - |
| An Eye for an Eye | Steve Carver | Chuck Norris, Christopher Lee, Richard Roundtree | United States | Martial arts film |
| City Heat | Richard Benjamin | Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, Jane Alexander | United States | |
| Condorman | Charles Jarrott | Michael Crawford, Oliver Reed, Barbara Carrera | United States | Superhero film, action thriller |
| Deadly Brothers | Cesar Gallardo | Rudy Fernandez, Phillip Salvador | Philippines | Action thriller |
| Enter the Ninja | Menahem Golan | Franco Nero, Susan George, Sho Kosugi | United States | |
| Escape from New York | John Carpenter | Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine | United States | Science fiction action |
| For Your Eyes Only | John Glen | Roger Moore, Julian Glover, Carole Bouquet | United Kingdom | Action Thriller |
| Game of Death II | Ng See Yuen | Tang Lung | Hong Kong | |
| Knightriders | George A. Romero | Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Tom Savini | United States | |
| Le Professionnel | Georges Lautner | Jean-Paul Belmondo, Michel Beaune, Cyrielle Claire | France | Action thriller |
| Lion vs. Lion | Chien Yuen Sheng | Wang Lung-wei, Lo Mang, Wong Yue | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Mad Max 2 | George Miller | Mel Gibson, Virginia Hey, Syd Heylen | Australia | |
| Masked Avengers | Chang Cheh | Philip Kwok, Lu Feng, Chiang Sheng | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| My Young Auntie | Liu Chia-Liang | Liu Chia-Liang, Hui Ying-Hung, Liu Chia-hui | Hong Kong | Action comedy, martial arts film |
| Nighthawks | Bruce Malmuth | Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Rutger Hauer | United States | Action thriller |
| Outland | Peter Hyams | Sean Connery, Francis Sternhagen, Peter Boyle | United States | Science fiction action |
| Raiders of the Lost Ark | Steven Spielberg | Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Denholm Elliott | United States | |
| Sharky's Machine | Burt Reynolds | Burt Reynolds, Vittorio Gassman, Rachel Ward | United States | Action thriller |
| Southern Comfort | Walter Hill | Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, Fred Ward | United States | Action thriller |
| The Cannonball Run | Hal Needham | Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett | United States | Action comedy |
| The Emperor and His Brother | Chor Yuen | Ti Lung, Lo Lieh, Ku Feng | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| The Prodigal Son | Sammo Hung | Yuen Biao, Frankie Chan, Lam Ching-ying | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| 1982 | - | - | - | - |
| Enzo G. Castellari | Vic Morrow, Christopher Connelly, Fred Williamson | Italy | Science fiction action | |
| 48 Hrs. | Walter Hill | Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy | United States | Action comedy |
| Anno 2020 - I gladiatori del futuro | Joe D'Amato | Harrison Muller, Al Cliver, Sabrina Siani | Italy | Science fiction action |
| Burst City | Sogo Ishii | Takanori Jinnai | Japan | |
| Carry On Pickpocket | Sammo Hung | Frankie Chan, Sammo Hung, Richard Ng | Hong Kong | |
| Class of 1984 | Mark L. Lester | Perry King, Timothy Van Patten, Merrie Lynn Ross | Canada | Action thriller |
| Conan the Barbarian | John Milius | Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow | United States | |
| Death Wish 2 | Michael Winner | Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Vincent Gardenia | United States | Action thriller |
| Dragon Lord | Jackie Chan | Jackie Chan, Chen Hui-Min, Mars | Hong Kong | |
| Firefox | Clint Eastwood | Clint Eastwood, David Huffman, Freddie Jones | United States | |
| First Blood | Ted Kotcheff | Sylvester Stallone | United States | Action thriller |
| Five Element Ninjas | Chang Cheh | Chen Pei Hsi, Cheng Tien Chi, Chu Ke | Hong Kong | |
| Forced Vengeance | James Fargo | Chuck Norris, Mary Louise Weller, Michael Cavanaugh | United States | Action thriller, martial arts film |
| Get My Son Dead or Alive | Pepe Marcos | Eddie Garcia, Rudy Fernandez, Vic Vargas | Philippines | Action thriller |
| Human Lanterns | Sun Chung | Lo Lieh, Chen Kuan-Tai, Lo Mang | Hong Kong | |
| Ninja in the Dragon's Den | Corey Yuen | Conan Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hwang Jang-lee | Hong Kong | Martial arts Film |
| One Down Two to Go | Fred Williamson | Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Jim Kelly | United States | |
| Running on Empty | John Clark | Terry Serio, Deborah Conway, Geoff Rhoe | Australia | |
| Shaolin Temple | Cheung Yam Yim | Jet Li | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| The Challenge | John Frankenheimer | Scott Glenn, Toshirō Mifune, Donna Kei Benz | United States | Martial arts film |
| The Dead and the Deadly | Wu Ma | Cherie Chung, Sammo Hung, Lam Ching-ying | Hong Kong | Action comedy, martial arts film |
| The Junkman | H. B. Halicki | H. B. Halicki, Christopher Stone, Susan Shaw | United States | Action comedy |
| Legendary Weapons of China | Liu Chia-Liang | Alexander Fu Sheng, Lee Shao Hwa, Liu Chia-Liang | Hong Kong | |
| The Soldier | James Glickenhaus | Ken Wahl, Klaus Kinski, Alberta Watson | United States | |
| Tron | Steven Lisberger | Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Cindy Morgan | United States | Science fiction action |
| Turkey Shoot | Brian Trenchard-Smith | Steve Railsback, Olivia Hussey, Michael Craig | Australia | Action thriller |
| Warlords of the 21st Century | Harley Cokliss | Michael Beck, Annie McEnroe, James Wainwright | United States | |
| 1983 | - | - | - | - |
| 10 to Midnight | J. Lee Thompson | Charles Bronson, Lisa Eilbacher, Gene Davis | United States | Action thriller |
| 2019, After the Fall of New York | Sergio Martino | Michael Sopkiw, Valentine Monnier, Anna Kanakis | Italy France | Science fiction action |
| Bastard Swordsman | Lu Chun-ku | Norman Chu, Tony Liu, Wong Yung | Hong Kong | |
| Blue Thunder | John Badham | Roy Scheider, Malcolm McDowell, Warren Oates | United States | |
| Duel to the Death | Ching Siu-tung | Norman Chu, Damian Lau | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Endgame | Joe D'Amato | Al Cliver, Laura Gemser, George Eastman | Italy | Science fiction action |
| Escape from the Bronx | Enzo G. Castellari | Mark Gregory, Henry Silva, Valeria D'Obici | Italy | |
| Exterminators of the Year 3000 | Giuliano Carmineo | Robert Jannucci, Alicia Moro, Eduardo Fajardo | Italy Spain United States | |
| Fearless Hyena Part II | Chuen Chan | Jackie Chan | Hong Kong | |
| Go for It | Enzo Barboni | Bud Spencer, Faith Minton, Terence Hill | Italy | |
| Osamu Dezaki, Shichiro Kobayashi, Hirokazu Takahashi | Japan | |||
| Holy Flame of the Martial World | Lu Chun-ku | Candy Wen Hsueh-Erh, Huang Min-Yi, Kuo Chue | Hong Kong | |
| Le Marginal | Jacques Deray | Jean-Paul Belmondo, Henry Silva, Claude Brosset | France | Action thriller |
| Lone Wolf McQuade | Steve Carver | Chuck Norris, David Carradine, Barbara Carrera | United States | |
| Never Say Never Again | Irvin Kershner | Sean Connery, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Max von Sydow | United States | |
| Octopussy | John Glen | Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan | United Kingdom | Action thriller |
| Project A | Jackie Chan | Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Return of the Jedi | Richard Marquand | Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams | United States | Science fiction action |
| Revenge of the Ninja | Sam Firstenberg | Sho Kosugi, Keith Vitali, Virgil Frye | United States | |
| Scarface | Brian De Palma | Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer | United States | Crime action |
| Shaolin Drunkard | Yuen Woo Ping | Simon Yuen, Yuen Cheung-Yan | Hong Kong | |
| Smokey and the Bandit 3 | Dick Lowry | Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Mike Henry | United States | |
| Stroker Ace | Hal Needham | Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Jim Nabors | United States | |
| Sudden Impact | Clint Eastwood | Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle | United States | Action thriller |
| Superman III | Richard Lester | Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor, Jackie Cooper | United States | Superhero film |
| The Boxer's Omen | Kuei Chi Hung | Bolo Yeung, Lung Wei Wang | Hong Kong | |
| The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter | Lau Kar-leung | Alexander Fu Sheng, Gordon Liu | Hong Kong | |
| The New Barbarians | Enzo G. Castellari | Fred Williamson, Anna Kanakis, Venantino Venantini | Italy | Science fiction action |
| Uncommon Valor | Ted Kotcheff | Gene Hackman, Robert Stack, Fred Ward | United States | |
| Vigilante | William Lustig | Robert Forster, Fred Williamson, Richard Bright | United States | Action thriller |
| Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain | Tsui Hark | Yuen Biao, Tsui Siu Keung, Sammo Hung | Hong Kong | |
| 1984 | - | - | - | - |
| A Breed Apart | Philippe Mora | Rutger Hauer, Powers Boothe, Kathleen Turner | United States | |
| Alley Cat | Victor M. Ordonez, Eduardo Palmos, Al Valletta | Karin Mani, Robert Torti | United States | |
| Beverly Hills Cop | Martin Brest | Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Lisa Eilbacher | United States | Action comedy |
| Blastfighter | Lamberto Bava | Michael Sopkiw, Valerie Blake, George Eastman | Italy France | Action thriller |
| Cannonball Run II | Hal Needham | Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Shirley MacLaine | United States | Action comedy |
| Antonio Margheriti | Lewis Collins, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine | Italy West Germany | ||
| Conan the Destroyer | Richard Fleischer | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain | United States | |
| Firestarter | Mark L. Lester | David Keith, Drew Barrymore, George C. Scott | United States | Action thriller |
| Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom | Steven Spielberg | Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Amrish Puri | United States | |
| Kids From Shaolin | Cheung Yam Yim | Jet Li | Hong Kong | |
| Missing in Action | Joseph Zito | Chuck Norris, M. Emmet Walsh, Lenore Kasdorf | United States | Action thriller |
| Sam Firstenberg | Lucinda Dickey, Jordan Bennett, Sho Kosugi | United States | ||
| Raiders of the Shaolin Temple | Godfrey Ho | Taiwan | ||
| Revenge of the Drunken Master | Godfrey Ho | Chen Hui Liu, Wen Chiang Lung | Hong Kong | |
| Roadhouse 66 | John Mark Robinson | Willem Dafoe, Judge Reinhold, Karen Lee | United States | |
| Runaway | Michael Crichton | Tom Selleck, Gene Simmons, Cynthia Rhodes | United States | Science fiction action |
| Sheena | John Guillermin | Tanya Roberts, Ted Wass, Donovan Scott | United States | |
| Streets of Fire | Walter Hill | Michael Paré, Diane Lane, Rick Moranis | United States | |
| The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension | W. D. Richter | Peter Weller, Ellen Barkin, John Lithgow | United States | Action comedy |
| The Exterminator 2 | Mark Buntzman, William Sachs | Robert Ginty, Mario Van Peebles, Deborah Geffner | United States | Action thriller |
| The Final Executioner | Romolo Guerrieri | William Mang, Marina Costa, Harrison Muller | Italy | |
| The Ninja Mission | Mats Helge | Curt Brober, Christopher Kohlberg, Hanna Pola | Sweden United Kingdom | |
| The Terminator | James Cameron | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton | United States | |
| The Toxic Avenger | Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Herz | Mitch Cohen, Mark Torgl, Andree Maranda | United States | Action comedy |
| Toy Soldiers | David Andrew Fisher | Jason Miller, Cleavon Little, Terri Garber | United States | |
| Wheels on Meals | Sammo Hung | Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung | Hong Kong | Action comedy, martial arts film |
| 1985 | - | - | - | - |
| A View to a Kill | John Glen | Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts | United Kingdom | |
| American Ninja | Sam Firstenberg | Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, John Fujioka | United States | |
| Black Moon Rising | Harley Cokliss | Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Hamilton, Robert Vaughn | United States | |
| Code of Silence | Andrew Davis | Chuck Norris, Henry Silva, Bert Remsen | United States | |
| Commando | Mark L. Lester | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vernon Wells, Bill Duke | United States | |
| Death Wish 3 | Michael Winner | Charles Bronson, Deborah Raffin, Ed Lauter | United States | |
| Disciples of the 36th Chamber | Lau Kar-leung | Hsiao Ho, Gordon Liu | Hong Kong | |
| Gymkata | Robert Clouse | Kurt Thomas, Tetchie Agbayani, Richard Norton | United States | Martial arts film |
| Heart of Dragon | Sammo Hung | Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Emily Chu | Hong Kong | |
| Invasion U.S.A. | Joseph Zito | Chuck Norris, Richard Lynch, Melissa Prophet | United States | |
| King Solomon's Mines | J. Lee Thompson | Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom | United States | |
| Les Spécialistes | Patrice Leconte | Gérard Lanvin, Bernard Giraudeau, Christiane Jean | France | Action comedy |
| Light Blast | Enzo G. Castellari | Erik Estrada, Michael Pritchard, Thomas Moore | Italy | |
| Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | George Ogilvie, George Miller | Mel Gibson, Tina Turner, Angelo Rossitto | Australia | |
| Malibu Express | Andy Sidaris | Darby Hinton, Sybil Danning, Art Metrano | United States | |
| Lance Hool | Chuck Norris, Soon-Teck Oh, Cosie Costa | United States | ||
| Mr. Vampire | Ricky Lau | Ricky Hui, Moon Lee, Chin Suit Ho | Hong Kong | |
| My Lucky Stars | Sammo Hung | Richard Harrison, Hwang Jang Lee | Hong Kong | |
| Ninja Terminator | Godfrey Ho | Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao | United States | |
| Parole de flic | José Pinheiro | Alain Delon, Jacques Perrin, Fiona Gelin | France | |
| Partida | Ben Yalung | Fernando Poe, Jr. | Philippines | Action thriller |
| Police Story | Jackie Chan | Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Cho Yuen | Hong Kong | |
| Pray for Death | Gordon Hessler | Sho Kosugi, James Booth, Norman Burton, Michael Constantine | United States | Martial arts film |
| George Pan Cosmatos | Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Charles Napier | United States | ||
| Red Sonja | Richard Fleischer | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brigitte Nielsen, Sandahl Bergman | United States | |
| Guy Hamilton | Fred Ward, Joel Grey, Wilford Brimley | United States | ||
| Runaway Train | Andrei Konchalovsky | Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay | United States | |
| Spies Like Us | John Landis | Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Steve Forrest | United States | |
| Target | Arthur Penn | Gene Hackman, Matt Dillon, Gayle Hunnicutt | United States | Action thriller |
| The Last Dragon | Michael Schultz | Taimak, Vanity, Christopher Murney | United States | |
| The Protector | James Glickenhaus | Jackie Chan, Danny Aiello, Roy Chiao | Hong Kong United States | |
| To Live and Die in L.A. | William Friedkin | William L. Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Pankow | United States | Action thriller |
| Trancers | Charles Band | Tim Thomerson, Helen Hunt, Michael Stefani | United States | Science fiction action |
| Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars | Sammo Hung | Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung | Hong Kong | |
| Wild Geese II | Peter Hunt | Scott Glenn, Barbara Carrera, Edward Fox | United Kingdom | |
| Year of the Dragon | Michael Cimino | Mickey Rourke, John Lone, Ariane | United States | Action thriller |
| Yes, Madam! | Corey Yuen | Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Rothrock | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| 1986 | - | - | - | - |
| A Better Tomorrow | John Woo | Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, Ti Lung | Hong Kong | Action thriller |
| Aliens | James Cameron | Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn | United States | Science fiction action |
| Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold | Gary Nelson | Richard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, James Earl Jones | United States | |
| Armed Response | Fred Olen Ray | David Carradine, Lee Van Cleef, Mako | United States | |
| Armour of God | Jackie Chan | Jackie Chan, Alan Tam, Rosamund Kwan | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Behind Enemy Lines | Gideon Amir | David Carradine, Mako Iwamatsu, Steve James | United States | |
| Big Trouble in Little China | John Carpenter | Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall | United States | |
| Bleu Comme L'Enfer | Yves Boisset | Lambert Wilson, Tchéky Karyo, Myriem Roussel | France | Action thriller |
| Born American | Renny Harlin | Mike Norris, Steve Durham, David Coburn | Finland United States | |
| Born to Defence | Jet Li | Jet Li, Dion Lam, Song Jia | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Clash of the Ninjas | Wallace Chan | Thomas Allen, Eddie Chan, Bernie Junker | Hong Kong | |
| Cobra | George Pan Cosmatos | Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen, Reni Santoni | United States | |
| F/X | Robert Mandel | Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Diane Venora | United States | |
| Fair Game | Mario Andreacchio | Cassandra Delaney, Peter Ford, David Sandford | Australia | |
| Firewalker | J. Lee Thompson | Chuck Norris, Louis Gossett, Jr., Melody Anderson | United States | |
| Heroes Shed No Tears | John Woo | Yuet Sang Chin, Doo Hee Jang, Ho Kon Kim | Hong Kong | |
| Iron Eagle | Sidney J. Furie | Louis Gossett, Jr., Jason Gedrick, David Suchet | United States | |
| Jumpin' Jack Flash | Penny Marshall | Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen Collins, Jonathan Pryce | United States | Action comedy |
| Legacy of Rage | Ronny Yu | Brandon Lee, Michael Wong, Regina Kent | Hong Kong | |
| Magnum Muslim. 357 | Ronwaldo Reyes | Fernando Poe, Jr., Vivian Foz, Eddie Garcia | Philippines | |
| Martial Arts of Shaolin | Lau Kar-leung | Jet Li, Yu Chenghui, Ji Chunhua, Hung Yan-yan | Hong Kong China | Martial arts film |
| Maximum Overdrive | Stephen King | Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington | United States | Science fiction action |
| Millionaire's Express | Sammo Hung | Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Cynthia Rothrock | Hong Kong | |
| Murphy's Law | J. Lee Thompson | Charles Bronson, Kathleen Wilhoite, Carrie Snodgress | United States | Action thriller |
| No Retreat, No Surrender | Corey Yuen | Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kurt McKinney, J.W. Fails | United States Hong Kong | |
| Raw Deal | John Irvin | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathryn Harrold, Sam Wanamaker | United States | |
| Righting Wrongs | Corey Yuen | Cynthia Rothrock, Yuen Biao | Hong Kong | |
| Royal Warriors | David Chung | Michelle Yeoh, Michael Wong, Hiroyuki Sanada | Hong Kong | |
| The Delta Force | Menahem Golan | Chuck Norris, Lee Marvin | United States | |
| The Golden Child | Michael Ritchie | Eddie Murphy, Charles Dance, Charlotte Lewis | United States | |
| The Seventh Curse | Lam Ngai Kai | Chow Yun-Fat, Chin Sju-ho, Dick Wei | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| The Wraith | Mike Marvin | Charlie Sheen, Nick Cassavetes, Randy Quaid | United States | |
| 1987 | - | - | - | - |
| A Better Tomorrow II | John Woo | Chow Yun-fat, Emily Chu, Waise Lee | Hong Kong | |
| A Chinese Ghost Story | Ching Siu-Ting | Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Wu Ma | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Sam Firstenberg | Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, Jeff Weston | United States | Martial arts film | |
| Angel | Raymond Leung, Teresa Woo | Moon Lee, Yukari Oshima, Elaine Lui | Hong Kong | |
| Banzai Runner | John G. Thomas | Dean Stockwell, John Shepherd, Charles Dierkop | United States | |
| Beverly Hills Cop II | Tony Scott | Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Jürgen Prochnow | United States | Action comedy |
| Black Cobra | Stelvio Massi | Fred Williamson, Eva Grimaldi, Bruno Bilotta | Italy | Action thriller |
| Cherry 2000 | Steve De Jarnatt | Melanie Griffith, David Andrews, Ben Johnson | United States | |
| Death Before Dishonor | Terry J. Leonard | Fred Dryer, Brian Keith, Paul Winfield | United States | |
| J. Lee Thompson | Charles Bronson, Kay Lenz, John Ryan | United States | Action thriller | |
| Eastern Condors | Sammo Hung | Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Joyce Godenzi | Hong Kong | |
| Extreme Prejudice | Walter Hill | Nick Nolte, Powers Boothe, Michael Ironside | United States | Action thriller |
| Fatal Beauty | Tom Holland | Whoopi Goldberg, Sam Elliott, Rubén Blades | United States | Action thriller |
| Hard Ticket to Hawaii | Andy Sidaris | Ronn Moss, Dona Speir, Hope-Marie Carlton | United States | Action thriller |
| Le Solitaire | Jacques Deray | Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Pierre Malo, Michel Creton | France | |
| Lethal Weapon | Richard Donner | Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey | United States | Action thriller |
| Magnificent Warriors | David Chung | Richard Ng, Michelle Yeoh, Derek Yee | Hong Kong | |
| Masters of the Universe | Gary Goddard | Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster | United States | |
| Miami Connection | Richard Park, Y.K. Kim | Y.K. Kim, Vincent Hirsch, William Ergle | United States | Martial arts film |
| Predator | John McTiernan | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo | United States | Science fiction action |
| Prison on Fire | Ringo Lam | Chow Yun-fat, Tony Leung Kar-Fai, Roy Cheung | China Hong Kong | Action thriller |
| Project A II | Jackie Chan | Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung, Rosamund Kwan | Hong Kong | Action comedy, martial arts |
| Rage of Honor | Gordon Hessler | Sho Kosugi, Lewis Van Bergen, Ulises Dumont | United States Argentina | Martial arts film |
| RoboCop | Paul Verhoeven | Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox | United States | Science fiction action |
| Sparrow Unit | Ben Yalung | Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr., Ronnie Ricketts, Sonny Parsons | Philippines | |
| Sidney J. Furie | Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper | United States | Superhero film | |
| Surf Nazis Must Die | Peter George | Barry Brenner, Gail Neely, Michael Sonya | United States | |
| The Living Daylights | John Glen | Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, Jeroen Krabbé | United Kingdom | |
| The Running Man | Paul Michael Glaser | Arnold Schwarzenegger, María Conchita Alonso, Richard Dawson | United States | Science fiction action |
| Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except | Josh Becker | Brian Schulz, John Manfredi, Robert Rickman | United States | Action thriller |
| Ultimatum Ceasefire | Wilfredo Milan, Bert Mendoza, Jerry Tirazona | Eddie Garcia, Ramon Revilla | Philippines | |
| Walker | Alex Cox | Ed Harris, Marlee Matlin, Peter Boyle | United States Nicaragua | |
| Gary Sherman | Rutger Hauer, Gene Simmons, Robert Guillaume | United States | ||
| 1988 | - | - | - | - |
| Above the Law | Andrew Davis | Steven Seagal, Pam Grier, Sharon Stone | United States | Action thriller |
| Action Jackson | Craig R. Baxley | Carl Weathers, Vanity, Craig T. Nelson | United States | |
| Alex Boncayao Brigade | Joey del Rosario | Ronnie Ricketts, Mia Prats, E.R. Ejercito | Philippines | |
| Angel II | Teresa Woo | Alex Fong, Moon Lee, Elaine Lui | Hong Kong | |
| Black Eagle | Eric Karson | Jean-Claude Van Damme, Doran Clark, Bruce French | United States | Action thriller, martial arts film |
| Bloodsport | Newt Arnold | Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb, Leah Ayres | United States | Martial arts film |
| Aaron Norris | Chuck Norris, Aki Aleong, Roland Harrah III | United States | ||
| Bulletproof | Steve Carver | Gary Busey, Darlanne Fluegel, Henry Silva | United States | |
| Crocodile Dundee II | John Cornell | Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, John Meillon | Australia United States | |
| Die Hard | John McTiernan | Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia | United States | Action thriller |
| Dragons Forever | Sammo Hung | Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao | China Hong Kong | |
| Ex-Army | Tony Reyes | Lito Lapid, Marianne Dela Riva, Tetchie Agbayani | Philippines | |
| Hero and the Terror | William Tannen | Chuck Norris, Brynn Thayer, Steve James | United States | |
| I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | Keenan Ivory Wayans | Keenan Ivory Wayans, Bernie Casey, Antonio Fargas | United States | Action comedy |
| In the Line of Duty III | Arthur Wong | Cynthia Khan, Hiroshi Fujioka, Dick Wei | Hong Kong | |
| Maniac Cop | William Lustig | Tom Atkins, Bruce Campbell, Laurene Landon | United States | |
| Messenger of Death | J. Lee Thompson | Charles Bronson, Trish VanDevere, Laurence Luckinbill | United States | Action thriller |
| Midnight Run | Martin Brest | Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto | United States | Action comedy |
| Ne réveillez pas un flic qui dort | José Pinheiro | Alain Delon, Michel Serrault, Patrick Catalifo | France | Action thriller |
| Platoon Leader | Aaron Norris | Michael Dudikoff, Michael DeLorenzo, Robert F. Lyons | United States | War action |
| Police Story 2 | Jackie Chan | Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung | Hong Kong | Martial arts film |
| Rambo III | Peter MacDonald | Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Marc de Jonge | United States | Action thriller |
| Red Heat | Walter Hill | Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Belushi, Peter Boyle | United States | Action thriller |
| Red Scorpion | Joseph Zito | Dolph Lundgren, M. Emmet Walsh, Al White | United States | |
| Shoot to Kill | Roger Spottiswoode | Sidney Poitier, Tom Berenger, Kirstie Alley | United States | Action thriller |
| Space Mutiny | David Winters, Neal Sundstrom | Reb Brown, Cameron Mitchell, Cisse Cameron | South Africa | Science fiction action |
| Striker | Stephen M. Andrews, Enzo G. Castellari | Frank Zagarino, John Phillip Law, John Steiner | United States Italy | |
| The Dead Pool | Buddy Van Horn | Clint Eastwood, Patricia Clarkson, Evan Kim | United States | Action thriller |
| The Inspector Wears Skirts | Wellson Chin Sing-Wai | Sibelle Hu, Ellen Chan, Sandra Ng | Hong Kong | Action comedy |
| They Live | John Carpenter | Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster | United States | Science fiction action |
| Tiger Cage | Yuen Woo-ping | Simon Yam, Carol Cheng, Jacky Cheung, Donnie Yen | Hong Kong | |
| Tiger on Beat | Lau Kar-Leung | Chow Yun-fat, Conan Lee, Nina Li | Hong Kong | |
| 1989 | - | - | - | - |
| A Better Tomorrow 3 | Tsui Hark | Chow Yun-fat, Anita Mui, Tony Leung Kar-Fai | Hong Kong | |
| A Punch to Revenge | Chiu Lee | Ben Lam, Yukari Oshima, Stanley Sui-Fan Fung | Hong Kong | |
| Cedric Sundstrom | David Bradley, Steve James, Marjoe Gortner | United States | ||
| American Rampage | David DeCoteau | Samantha York | United States | |
| Angel III | Stanley Tong | Alex Fong, Moon Lee | Hong Kong | |
| Angel Enforcers | Godfrey Ho | Dick Wei, Phillip Ko, Pan Pan Yeung | Hong Kong | |
| Batman | Tim Burton | Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger | United States | |
| Best of the Best | Bob Radler | Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, Sally Kirkland | United States | |
| Black Rain | Ridley Scott | Michael Douglas, Andy García, Ken Takakura | United States | |
| Black Sheep Baby | Leonardo Garcia | Ronnie Ricketts, Monica Herrera, Tony Ferrer | Philippines | Action thriller |
| Blind Fury | Phillip Noyce | Rutger Hauer, Terrance O'Quinn, Lisa Blount | United States | Martial arts film |
| Bloodfist | Terence H. Winkless | Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Joe Mari Avellana, Michael Shaner | United States | |
| Comando de la Muerte | Alfredo Gurrola | Sergio Goyri, Jorge Luke, Cesar Sobrevals | Mexico | |
| Cyborg | Albert Pyun | Jean-Claude Van Damme, Deborah Richter, Vincent Klyn | United States | Science fiction action, martial arts film |
| Dead Bang | John Frankenheimer | Don Johnson, Penelope Ann Miller, William Forsythe | United States | |
| Devil Hunters | Chun-Ku Lu | Alex Man, Moon Lee, Siu-Ming Lau | Hong Kong | |
| Dragon Fight | Billy Tang | Jet Li, Stephen Chow, Dick Wei | Hong Kong | |
| Eagle Squad | Jose Carreon | Robin Padilla, Monsour del Rosario, E.R. Ejercito, Ricky Davao, Edu Manzano, Julio Diaz, Jinggoy Estrada, Paquito Diaz | Philippines | |
| Fatal Vacation | Eric Tsang | Bernardo Bernardo, Emily Kwan, Spanky Manikan | Hong Kong | |
| Ghostbusters II | Ivan Reitman | Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver | United States | Action comedy |
| God of Gamblers | Wong Jing | Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau, Joey Wong | Hong Kong | |
| Yuen Woo-ping | Donnie Yen, Cynthia Khan, Michael Wong | Hong Kong | ||
| Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade | Steven Spielberg | Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliott | United States | |
| K-9 | Rod Daniel | James Belushi, Mel Harris, Kevin Tighe | United States | |
| Kickboxer | Mark di Salle, David Worth | Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Alexio, Dennis Chan | United States | |
| Killer Angels | Chun-Ku Lu | Moon Lee | Hong Kong | |
| J. Lee Thompson | Charles Bronson, Perry Lopez, James Pax | United States | ||
| Lethal Weapon 2 | Richard Donner | Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci | United States | |
| Licence to Kill | John Glen | Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi | United Kingdom | |
| Next of Kin | John Irvin | Patrick Swayze, Liam Neeson, Adam Baldwin | United States | |
| Pink Cadillac | Buddy Van Horn | Clint Eastwood, Bernadette Peters, Timothy Carhart | United States | |
| Princess Madam | Godfrey Ho | Moon Lee, Michiko Nishiwaki | Hong Kong | |
| Renegades | Jack Sholder | Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Robert Knepper | United States | Action thriller |
| Road House | Rowdy Herrington | Patrick Swayze, Kelly Lynch, Sam Elliott | United States | |
| Samurai Cop | Amir Shervan | Robert Z'Dar, Matt Hannon, Jannis Farley | United States | |
| Snake Eater | George Erschbamer | Lorenzo Lamas, Ronnie Hawkins | Canada | |
| George Erschbamer | Lorenzo Lamas, Ron Palillo, Kathleen Kinmont | Canada | ||
| Tango & Cash | Andrei Konchalovsky | Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell, Teri Hatcher | United States | |
| The Blond Fury | Hoi Mang | Cynthia Rothrock, Ronny Yu, Wu Ma | United States Hong Kong | |
| The Killer | John Woo | Chow Yun-fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh | Hong Kong | |
| The Punisher | Mark Goldblatt | Dolph Lundgren, Louis Gossett, Jr., Jeroen Krabbé | United States Australia | |
| Violent Cop | Beat Takeshi Kitano | Beat Takeshi Kitano | Japan | Action thriller |