Best Action Films of 1981
Taps
Devery Freeman's novel Father ... on the show-stopping performances of Sean Penn (in his movie debut) and Tom Cruise as two of the cadets. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Escape from New York
The year is 1997. ... from New York was followed by a sequel of sorts in 1996, Escape From L.A., again starring Kurt Russell. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Sharky's Machine
A William Diehl novel ... of the title refers to Sharky's fellow cops, played by heavyweights Brian Keith, Charles Durning, Bernie Casey, and others. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Cannonball Run
Burt Reynolds and director ... the cast as a crazed proctologist along for McClure's ambulance ride, and Needham makes a cameo as a patient. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Postman Fights Back
Chow Yun-Fat stars in ... fee for their services, the greatest warrior of them all was a man who would not fight for money. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Death Hunt
Set in the '30s, ... extensive knowledge of wilderness living, but Millen has the resources of the Canadian police at his beck and call. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Nighthawks
Deke DaSilva (Sylvester Stallone) ... a terrifying hijacking of a cable car where Wulfgar coolly decides which of the hostages will live or die. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Caveman
Former Beatles drummer Ringo ... his own tribe and finds various comic adventures. This spoof is mostly without dialogue besides the expected neanthropic grunt. [ best action films - 1981 ]
An Eye for an Eye
The frequently used title ... not suffering from traumatic nightmares, our hero is single-handedly decimating every one of villain Morgan Canfield's (Christopher Lee) henchmen. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Knightriders
Knightriders may well be ... his own band of "black knights." Keep an eye out for a chucklesome unbilled bit by novelist Stephen King. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Road Warrior
Director George Miller's follow-up ... by Miller and stunt coordinator Max Aspin. Savage and kinetic, Mad Max 2 is a must-see for action buffs. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Class of 1984
A music teacher (Perry ... be the only film including a scene in which Michael J. Fox is stabbed during a prison-style cafeteria riot. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Fist of the White Lotus
As a sequel to ... happens, is an aged abbot (played by director Lo Lieh) who looks like he could not harm a fly. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Comin' at Ya!
This violent spaghettiesque western ... a brave gunslinger who is determined to save his fiancee from her abductors, a brutal group of white slavers. [ best action films - 1981 ]
My Young Auntie
In a change from ... action begins. Tai-nun gets to showcase her martial-arts talents, as her views of the world slowly begin to change. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Shaolin & Wu Tang
Gordon Liu's Hong Kong ... each other. The pair eventually learn the error of their ways and team up to take out the prince. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Dreadnaught
Director and master choreographer ... Mousey's rigorous training/laundry detail scene and the film's hallucinatory climax taking place on the stage of a Chinese opera. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Counter Attack
Bruce Li directs and ... in this martial arts action film. Some releases erroneously state that the movie stars Bruce Le. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Deadly Strike
An area policeman (Bruce ... local crime. Together, they form a powerful martial-arts group. Some releases erroneously credit Bruce Le with the starring role. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Dragon Lee vs. The Five Brothers
In Dragon Lee vs. ... outnumbered, Dragon Lee must do everything within his power in order to prevent the overthrow of the Ching government. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Dragon Princess
Starring martial arts expert ... fellow fighting champion Sonny Chiba in hopes of restoring her family name, not to mention her own personal honor. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Final Exam
Since this no-brainer is ... this subgenre) also manages to rob the film of whatever cheap thrills it might have been able to provide. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Kung Fu for Sale
Shu Jun Ping directs ... fu. Eventually the young man must battle Lightning Shuffler, who wants to rid the world of kung fu practitioners. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Lightning Kung Fu
Kuei Chi hung directs ... to late-night raids, he confronts the formidable bandit king Fang Feng-jia (Ku Feng) who is responsible for the theft. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Devil Killer
Jacky Cheng, Ko Shou ... do just what you expect them to do. The villains then send their own exterminators to exterminate the exterminators. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Rebellious Reign
As the emperor of ... loyalties, a web of betrayal and deceit is created that will culminate in consequences that will echo throughout history. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Shaolin Invincibles
Hou Cheng directs the ... Ching, Shaolin monks led by the stars attack the Forbidden City. They must take down the well-trained palace guard. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Taoism Drunkard
Chiu lives with his ... Boy." The priest wants to use him to appease the temple's ancestors, but this "Cherry Boy" has other plans. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The True Game of Death
When a man forms ... plan goes wildly askew, however, when the drug they had intended to use as an aphrodisiac turns out deadly. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Unbeaten 28
When kung-fu student (Meng ... Unbeaten 28 also features Jack Lung, Nancy Yen, Jeannie Chang, O Yau Man, Ma Cheung, and Mau Ging Shun. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Fierce Boxer
Lee Chen Kun, Ma ... His skills are taxed to the utmost when he is called upon to rescue his son from evil opponents. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Occhio Alla Penna
Trinity series star Bud ... passing through, the presumed medico shows that his true talent is cracking skulls. Music is composed by Ennio Morricone. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Kill the Shogun
In 1592, the Japanese ... (not for running) is going to whomp the heck out of anything that moves and single-handedly send Hideyoshi packing. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Hit Man in the Hand of Buddha
In this martial arts ... a veteran martial arts performer, gets to play a good guy after a long career as a screen villain. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Bone Crushing Kid
Chen Haw directs Chang ... with Sung. Sung responds by studying kung fu and becoming more aggressive in his attempts to be the best. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Shaolin Chastity Kung Fu
Robert Tai's Hong Kong ... Shaolin Chastity Kung Fu. Ah Tien and the others are soon able to achieve their revenge on the gang. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Mantis Combat
When a once infamous ... to avenge his death is is son, who has been trained with the deadly "mantis fist." Starring Chen Sing. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Return of the Deadly Blade
Taylor Wong Tai-loi directs ... around the world. They must stop him, but is he simply pretending to be who he claims to be? [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Art of War
This 1981 action adventure ... battle with Moose Face and Tsai Hung. The Art of War stars Henry Yu Young and Lau Kar Wing. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Abbot White
In this vintage martial ... at will, can fend off swords with ease, and can use his arms like a sword. Chor Yeun stars. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The 36 Shaolin Beads
The Hong Kong action ... The film was directed by David Lin and co-stars Lung Fei, Wong Goon Hung, Pai Ying, and Jack Lung. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Challenge of the Shaolin Disciples
The Iron Hand clashes ... formidable martial arts masters clash the result is one of the most bone shattering fights ever committed to celluloid. [ best action films - 1981 ]
8 Strikes of the Wildcat
Everyone knows that there's ... and Vole masters the deadly art of the Cat Claw Style in order to claim victory against incredible odds. [ best action films - 1981 ]
Night of the Assassins
This blood-soaked Shaw Bros. ... brother. With blind retribution fueling his sword, Wu carves a line through the empire until his vengeance is satisfied. [ best action films - 1981 ]
The Dukes of Hazzard: Season 04
The Dukes of Hazzard ... & western impresario Mickey Gilley, adroitly cast as "himself" in the episode "The Sound of Music - Hazzard Style." [ best action films - 1981 ]
Drunken Dragon
[ best action films - 1981 ]
Hombres de Accion
[ best action films - 1981 ]
