1988 Film That Was Just Ranked as the Best ‘80s Action Movie Still Defines the Genre
A recent ranking has crowned a 1988 film as the greatest '80s action movie, outranking a slew of beloved thrillers from possibly the genre's biggest decade. Here's what led to Die Hard topping the ranking and it continuing to define the genre more than 37 years after it was released.
Who Just Named Die Hard the Best '80s Action Movie?
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In March 2026, Slashfilm updated its ranking of the 24 best '80s action movies. The outlet named one of the most iconic and talked-about films of all time, 1988's Die Hard, as the best action movie of the decade. Directed by John McTiernan, who was also behind Predator, it became a pop culture phenomenon and spawned four sequels: 1990's Die Hard 2, 1995's Die Hard with a Vengeance, 2007's Live Free or Die Hard, and 2013's A Good Day to Die Hard.
Slashfilm began explaining its choice by quoting McTiernan, who said, "Terrorist movies are usually mean, filled with all sorts of mean, nasty acts. I didn't say yes to this project until we figured out some ways to put, in essence, some joy in it." The outlet argued that it is that mix of fun elements and violence that makes Die Hard a classic.
The ranking went on to praise Alan Rickman's iconic portrayal of Hans Gruber and Bruce Willis' everyman character. Most notably, Slashfilm credits Die Hard with changing the action movie genre so completely that they named it the most influential action movie as well. To prove the point that the film came to define the genre, the outlet pointed to an entire subsection of movies that could be defined as Die Hard knock-offs.
Given Die Hard's iconic status, it shouldn't surprise anyone that it has topped other rankings. In January 2026, Time Out had it in the No. 1 slot of its updated list of the best action movies ever. The next month, in February 2026, Collider put it in the top spot of its 20 greatest action thriller masterpieces of all time ranking.
The Full List: Slashfilm's 24 Best '80s Action Movies Ranked
- 24. Runaway Train
- 23. Rambo: First Blood Part II
- 22. The Untouchables
- 21. Road House
- 20. Cobra
- 19. Above the Law
- 18. Action Jackson
- 17. Escape from New York
- 16. Millionaires Express
- 15. Aliens
- 14. In the Line of Duty IV
- 13. Predator
- 12. Righting Wrongs
- 11. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
- 10. To Live and Die in L.A.
- 9. RoboCop
- 8. Project A
- 7. The Killer
- 6. Commando
- 5. Lethal Weapon 2
- 4. Raiders of the Lost Ark
- 3. The Road Warrior
- 2. Police Story
- 1. Die Hard