A Glean movie guide
80s Action Essentials
Pure adrenaline, no CGI required.
The definitive high-octane hits that defined a decade of cinema.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Die Hard
A high-stakes thriller that redefined the 'everyman' hero against impossible odds in a locked-down skyscraper.
NYPD cop John McClane's plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her office's Christmas Party, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.
- 02
Raiders of the Lost Ark
A masterclass in pacing and practical stunts that revived the classic adventure serial for a new generation.
When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.
- 03
The Terminator
A relentless sci-fi chase film that launched a legendary franchise and introduced a terrifyingly cold villain.
In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?
- 04
Aliens
A rare sequel that successfully pivots from atmospheric horror to high-intensity military action.
Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.
- 05
Predator
A tense jungle survival story that pits elite commandos against an invisible extraterrestrial hunter.
A team of elite commandos on a secret mission in a Central American jungle come to find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.
- 06
RoboCop
A gritty, satirical take on the future of law enforcement with visceral action and sharp social commentary.
In a violent, near-apocalyptic Detroit, evil corporation Omni Consumer Products wins a contract from the city government to privatize the police force. To test their crime-eradicating cyborgs, the company leads street cop Alex Murphy into an armed confrontation with crime lord Boddicker so they can use his body to support their untested RoboCop prototype. But when RoboCop learns of the company's nefarious plans, he turns on his masters.
- 07
Lethal Weapon
The quintessential buddy-cop movie featuring perfect chemistry and explosive urban set pieces.
A veteran cop and an unstable detective become partners who must put their differences aside in order to bring down a heroin-smuggling ring run by ex-Special Forces.
- 08
First Blood
A grounded, intense look at a veteran pushed to the edge in a small-town survival war.
When former Green Beret John Rambo is harassed by local law enforcement and arrested for vagrancy, he is forced to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.
- 09
Top Gun
A stylish, high-flying spectacle that defined the 80s blockbuster aesthetic and pop culture landscape.
For Lieutenant Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell and his friend and co-pilot Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, being accepted into an elite training school for fighter pilots is a dream come true. But a tragedy, as well as personal demons, will threaten Pete's dreams of becoming an ace pilot.
- 10
The Road Warrior
A visceral, high-speed chase through a wasteland that set the gold standard for vehicular combat.
Max Rockatansky returns as the heroic loner who drives the dusty roads of a postapocalyptic Australian Outback in an unending search for gasoline. Arrayed against him and the other scraggly defendants of a fuel-depot encampment are the bizarre warriors commanded by the charismatic Lord Humungus, a violent leader whose scruples are as barren as the surrounding landscape.