Die Hard tops Time Out’s list of the 100 greatest action films of all time

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

I am partial to lists and the ranking of the greatest movies of all time, especially when broken down by genre. With over a hundred years worth of movies to choose from, it can sometimes be daunting to whittle a list down. Plus, any list is up for debate since folks don't always hold the same movies in the same regard. Take for instance this new list from the good folks at Time Out New York.

Culled from over fifty "experts" including Danny Trejo, Zoe Bell, John McTiernan, Luc Besson, and countless others behind the screen, in front of it, and online, Time Out's list comes in at 100 of the best action movies of all time. While the list is incredibly inclusive and includes contemporary masterpieces as well as classic and foreign films, the top ten is what we really want to know. You can check out the full list here, but these are the films that came in as the cream of the crop.

1. DIE HARD

2. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

3. TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY

4. HARD BOILED

5. THE ROAD WARRIOR

6. ENTER THE DRAGON

7. POLICE STORY

8.  THE WILD BUNCH

9. SEVEN SAMURAI

10. ALIENS

While that is a damn fine top ten, I think my list would be wildly different.  All of these movies would grace my top 100, but less than half would be in my top ranking.  POLICE STORY is by far the biggest surprise on this list as I don't even consider it Jackie Chan's best work, but I cannot argue with DIE HARD taking the top spot.  Many movies have tried to be like the Bruce Willis classic and countless villains have copied the brilliant performance of Alan Rickman, but few have come close.  If anything, this list is proof positive why the recent DIE HARD sequels have been so lacking.

What do you think of the ranking, and does DIE HARD deserve the top spot?  Let us know in the comments below.