“In some ways,” said film critic Peter Bradshaw, action movies “should be the quintessential cinema genre.”

After all, what does the director shout at the beginning of a take? Action – at times a euphemism for violence and machismo – evolved into a recognisable genre in the 1980s when the war movie, whose enduring strength fed the appetite for action pictures, had stirring British examples such as In Which We Serve. Later, Vietnam gave us Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket and Platoon.

These are the 25 best action and war films of all time according to the critics of the Guardian and Observer.

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B0045INOD8&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Apocalypse Now Francis Ford Coppola]

1. [amazon text=Apocalypse Now&template=custom_title&asin=B0045INOD8&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Apocalypse Now Francis Ford Coppola] (1979)

Director: [amazon text=Francis Ford Coppola&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Francis Ford Coppola] Stars: [amazon text=Martin Sheen&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Martin Sheen], [amazon text=Marlon Brando&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Marlon Brando], [amazon text=Robert Duvall&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Robert Duvall]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B0045INOD8&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Apocalypse Now Francis Ford Coppola]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B014IAWFU0&search_text=%TITLE%&title=North by Northwest Alfred Hitchcock]

2. [amazon text=North by Northwest&template=custom_title&asin=B014IAWFU0&search_text=%TITLE%&title=North by Northwest Alfred Hitchcock] (1959)

Director: [amazon text=Alfred Hitchcock&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Alfred Hitchcock] Stars: [amazon text=Cary Grant&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Cary Grant], [amazon text=Eva Marie Saint&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Eva Marie Saint], [amazon text=James Mason&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=James Mason]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B014IAWFU0&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=North by Northwest Alfred Hitchcock]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B00AEFYS8G&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Once Upon a Time in the West Sergio Leone]

3. [amazon text=Once Upon a Time in the West&template=custom_title&asin=B00AEFYS8G&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Once Upon a Time in the West Sergio Leone] (1968)

Director: [amazon text=Sergio Leone&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Sergio Leone] Stars: [amazon text=Henry Fonda&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Henry Fonda], [amazon text=Charles Bronson&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Charles Bronson], [amazon text=Claudia Cardinale&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Claudia Cardinale]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B00AEFYS8G&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Once Upon a Time in the West Sergio Leone]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B000Q6GX90&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Wild Bunch Sam Peckinpah]

4. [amazon text=The Wild Bunch&template=custom_title&asin=B000Q6GX90&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Wild Bunch Sam Peckinpah] (1969)

Director: [amazon text=Sam Peckinpah&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Sam Peckinpah] Stars: [amazon text=William Holden&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=William Holden], [amazon text=Ernest Borgnine&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Ernest Borgnine], [amazon text=Robert Ryan&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Robert Ryan]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B000Q6GX90&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Wild Bunch Sam Peckinpah]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B00CWZXQ9S&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Deliverance John Boorman]

5. [amazon text=Deliverance&template=custom_title&asin=B00CWZXQ9S&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Deliverance John Boorman] (1972)

Director: [amazon text=John Boorman&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=John Boorman] Stars: [amazon text=Jon Voight&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Jon Voight], [amazon text=Burt Reynolds&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Burt Reynolds], [amazon text=Ned Beatty&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Ned Beatty]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B00CWZXQ9S&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Deliverance John Boorman]

6.

City of God

(2002)

Directors: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund
Stars: Alexandre Rodrigues, Matheus Nachtergaele, Leandro Firmino

Amazon
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[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B003WKL6YO&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Paths of Glory Stanley Kubrick]

7. [amazon text=Paths of Glory&template=custom_title&asin=B003WKL6YO&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Paths of Glory Stanley Kubrick] (1957)

Director: [amazon text=Stanley Kubrick&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Stanley Kubrick] Stars: [amazon text=Kirk Douglas&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Kirk Douglas], [amazon text=Ralph Meeker&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Ralph Meeker], [amazon text=Adolphe Menjou&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Adolphe Menjou]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B003WKL6YO&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Paths of Glory Stanley Kubrick]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B001PYD0KM&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Wages of Fear Henri-Georges Clouzot]

7. [amazon text=The Wages of Fear&template=custom_title&asin=B001PYD0KM&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Wages of Fear Henri-Georges Clouzot] (1953)

Director: [amazon text=Henri-Georges Clouzot&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Henri-Georges Clouzot] Stars: [amazon text=Yves Montand&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Yves Montand], [amazon text=Charles Vanel&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Charles Vanel], [amazon text=Peter van Eyck&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Peter van Eyck]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B001PYD0KM&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Wages of Fear Henri-Georges Clouzot]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B00198X0UY&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Ang Lee]

9. [amazon text=Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon&template=custom_title&asin=B00198X0UY&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Ang Lee] (2000)

Director: [amazon text=Ang Lee&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Ang Lee] Stars: [amazon text=Yun-Fat Chow&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Yun-Fat Chow], [amazon text=Michelle Yeoh&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Michelle Yeoh], [amazon text=Ziyi Zhang&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Ziyi Zhang]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B00198X0UY&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Ang Lee]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B003KGBIRA&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Thin Red Line Terrence Malick]

10. [amazon text=The Thin Red Line&template=custom_title&asin=B003KGBIRA&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Thin Red Line Terrence Malick] (1998)

Director: [amazon text=Terrence Malick&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Terrence Malick] Stars: [amazon text=Jim Caviezel&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Jim Caviezel], [amazon text=Sean Penn&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Sean Penn], [amazon text=Nick Nolte&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Nick Nolte]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B003KGBIRA&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Thin Red Line Terrence Malick]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B00FZIJ18Y&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Raiders of the Lost Ark Steven Spielberg]

11. [amazon text=Raiders of the Lost Ark&template=custom_title&asin=B00FZIJ18Y&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Raiders of the Lost Ark Steven Spielberg] (1981)

Director: [amazon text=Steven Spielberg&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Steven Spielberg] Stars: [amazon text=Harrison Ford&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Harrison Ford], [amazon text=Karen Allen&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Karen Allen], [amazon text=Paul Freeman&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Paul Freeman]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B00FZIJ18Y&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Raiders of the Lost Ark Steven Spielberg]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B002ZG4Q5W&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Ran Akira Kurosawa]

12. [amazon text=Ran&template=custom_title&asin=B002ZG4Q5W&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Ran Akira Kurosawa] (1985)

Director: [amazon text=Akira Kurosawa&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Akira Kurosawa] Stars: [amazon text=Tatsuya Nakadai&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Tatsuya Nakadai], [amazon text=Akira Terao&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Akira Terao], [amazon text=Jinpachi Nezu&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Jinpachi Nezu]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B002ZG4Q5W&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Ran Akira Kurosawa]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B000TTPF20&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Bullitt Peter Yates]

12. [amazon text=Bullitt&template=custom_title&asin=B000TTPF20&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Bullitt Peter Yates] (1968)

Director: [amazon text=Peter Yates&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Peter Yates] Stars: [amazon text=Steve McQueen&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Steve McQueen], [amazon text=Jacqueline Bisset&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Jacqueline Bisset], [amazon text=Robert Vaughn&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Robert Vaughn]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B000TTPF20&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Bullitt Peter Yates]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B00APN454E&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Die Hard John McTiernan]

14. [amazon text=Die Hard&template=custom_title&asin=B00APN454E&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Die Hard John McTiernan] (1988)

Director: [amazon text=John McTiernan&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=John McTiernan] Stars: [amazon text=Bruce Willis&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Bruce Willis], [amazon text=Alan Rickman&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Alan Rickman], [amazon text=Bonnie Bedelia&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Bonnie Bedelia]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B00APN454E&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Die Hard John McTiernan]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B0013N3DSE&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Adventures of Robin Hood Michael Curtiz, William Keighley]

15. [amazon text=The Adventures of Robin Hood&template=custom_title&asin=B0013N3DSE&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Adventures of Robin Hood Michael Curtiz, William Keighley] (1938)

Directors: [amazon text=Michael Curtiz&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Michael Curtiz], [amazon text=William Keighley&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=William Keighley] Stars: [amazon text=Errol Flynn&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Errol Flynn], [amazon text=Olivia de Havilland&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Olivia de Havilland], [amazon text=Basil Rathbone&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Basil Rathbone]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B0013N3DSE&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Adventures of Robin Hood Michael Curtiz, William Keighley]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B000JLSM00&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Searchers John Ford]

16. [amazon text=The Searchers&template=custom_title&asin=B000JLSM00&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Searchers John Ford] (1956)

Director: [amazon text=John Ford&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=John Ford] Stars: [amazon text=John Wayne&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=John Wayne], [amazon text=Jeffrey Hunter&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Jeffrey Hunter], [amazon text=Vera Miles&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Vera Miles]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B000JLSM00&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Searchers John Ford]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B011MHBFD0&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Goldfinger Guy Hamilton]

17. [amazon text=Goldfinger&template=custom_title&asin=B011MHBFD0&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Goldfinger Guy Hamilton] (1964)

Director: [amazon text=Guy Hamilton&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Guy Hamilton] Stars: [amazon text=Sean Connery&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Sean Connery], [amazon text=Gert Fröbe&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Gert Fröbe], [amazon text=Honor Blackman&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Honor Blackman]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B011MHBFD0&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Goldfinger Guy Hamilton]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B000Y5CHIE&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Last of the Mohicans Michael Mann]

18. [amazon text=The Last of the Mohicans&template=custom_title&asin=B000Y5CHIE&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Last of the Mohicans Michael Mann] (1992)

Director: [amazon text=Michael Mann&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Michael Mann] Stars: [amazon text=Daniel Day-Lewis&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Daniel Day-Lewis], [amazon text=Madeleine Stowe&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Madeleine Stowe], [amazon text=Russell Means&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Russell Means]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B000Y5CHIE&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Last of the Mohicans Michael Mann]

19.

Full Metal Jacket

(1987)

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Stars: Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio

Amazon
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[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B00MA5KL7U&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Deer Hunter Michael Cimino]

20. [amazon text=The Deer Hunter&template=custom_title&asin=B00MA5KL7U&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Deer Hunter Michael Cimino] (1978)

Director: [amazon text=Michael Cimino&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Michael Cimino] Stars: [amazon text=Robert De Niro&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Robert De Niro], [amazon text=Christopher Walken&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Christopher Walken], [amazon text=John Cazale&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=John Cazale]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B00MA5KL7U&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Deer Hunter Michael Cimino]

21.

Gladiator

(2000)

Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen

Amazon
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[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B002U6DVQ2&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Rome, Open City Roberto Rossellini]

21. [amazon text=Rome, Open City&template=custom_title&asin=B002U6DVQ2&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Rome, Open City Roberto Rossellini] (1945)

Director: [amazon text=Roberto Rossellini&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Roberto Rossellini] Stars: [amazon text=Anna Magnani&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Anna Magnani], [amazon text=Aldo Fabrizi&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Aldo Fabrizi], [amazon text=Marcello Pagliero&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Marcello Pagliero]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B002U6DVQ2&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Rome, Open City Roberto Rossellini]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B0014BQQYS&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid George Roy Hill]

23. [amazon text=Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid&template=custom_title&asin=B0014BQQYS&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid George Roy Hill] (1969)

Director: [amazon text=George Roy Hill&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=George Roy Hill] Stars: [amazon text=Paul Newman&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Paul Newman], [amazon text=Robert Redford&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Robert Redford], [amazon text=Katharine Ross&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Katharine Ross]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B0014BQQYS&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid George Roy Hill]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B0030A0ZDE&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Where Eagles Dare Brian G. Hutton]

24.[amazon text=Where Eagles Dare&template=custom_title&asin=B0030A0ZDE&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Where Eagles Dare Brian G. Hutton] (1968)

Director: [amazon text=Brian G. Hutton&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Brian G. Hutton] Stars: [amazon text=Richard Burton&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Richard Burton], [amazon text=Clint Eastwood&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Clint Eastwood], [amazon text=Mary Ure&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Mary Ure]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B0030A0ZDE&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Where Eagles Dare Brian G. Hutton]

[amazon template=custom_thumbnail&asin=B004I654UI&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Incredibles Brad Bird]

25. [amazon text=The Incredibles&template=custom_title&asin=B004I654UI&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Incredibles Brad Bird] (2004)

Director: [amazon text=Brad Bird&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Brad Bird] Stars: [amazon text=Craig T. Nelson&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Craig T. Nelson], [amazon text=Samuel L. Jackson&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Samuel L. Jackson], [amazon text=Holly Hunter&template=custom_search&search_text=%TITLE%&title=Holly Hunter]

[amazon text=Amazon&template=custom_text_price&asin=B004I654UI&multi_cc=1&search_text=%TITLE%&title=The Incredibles Brad Bird]