Pop Culture Genres
Action is a genre that involves high energy stories, featuring fighting, car chases, rescues, battles, and escapes. In action films, these elements often take precedence from the emotional drama or character development. Instead, the focus is usually on a protagonist who must survive against all odds in a difficult and often dangerous situation. Stunts are used frequently in action films. Sometimes actors have stunt doubles who are trained how to do dangerous activities. An example of an action film is Mission Impossible, where Tom Cruise does all sorts of crazy stuff.
Action Common Questions
What makes a movie an action movie?
Action movies are made up of action scenes that feature fighting, stunts, car chases or explosions that take more importance over other elements like characterization or complex plots. An action movie typically has a strong hero, revenge plot, montages and scenes of the hero training, car chases, and a final fight between the hero and antagonist. Action movies are often paired with the thriller or adventure genre.
What are the typical conventions of action movies?
The typical conventions of action movies include a hero, victim, and villain, a goal to stop the villain force and save the victim, and a power divide between the hero and the villain. Other typical conventions include a speech in praise of the villain. The men in action movies are generally portrayed as strong and brave, the women as vulnerable and beautiful, while the villains are seen as evil, devious, and nasty.
What is an action thriller?
An action thriller can be defined as a genre that blends both anticipation and suspense. Action thrillers aim to keep audiences alert and looking at the screen at all times. The protagonist in the films are placed against a problem and have a mission that will showcase the danger that the protagonist faces. Tension is tied to the main problem and continues to build throughout the film, leading to a provocative movie climax.
Wikipedia - Action Fiction
Wikipedia - Action Film
Movies | Film
Melissa Fielding
Action Guides
Browse through our curated Action Guides for additional categorizations, tips, details, variations, styles, and histories of Action. Guides provide additional insights into the unique properties and shared relationships between elements.
5'9"–6'2" | 1.75-1.88 m
5'10" | 1.78 m (Variable)
Tales to Astonish #35 (September 1962)
Auric Goldfinger
Baby Groot
10.25" | .26 m
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Batman (Adam West)
Batman (Christian Bale)
Batman (Michael Keaton)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
6′0″ | 1.83 m
5'11" | 1.80 m
Bugha
Butch Coolidge
Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer)
Batman Returns (1992)
5′11″ | 1.80 m
Corvus Glaive
Infinity: Free Comic Book Day (May 2013)
5'3"–5'9" | 1.60–1.75 m
The New Mutants #98 (February 1991)
Dirty Harry (1971)
Django Unchained (2012)
Dr Disrespect
The Invincible Iron Man #55 (February 1973)
New Avengers #8 (September 2013)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Elle Driver
Ernst Stavro Blofeld
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Ethan Hunt
Captain America #117 (September 1969)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
5'7" | 1.70 m
Strange Tales #180 (June 1975)
Iron Man #219 (June 1987)
Gogo Yubari
Tales to Astonish #13 (November 1960)
Honey Ryder
Hooded Justice
Watchmen (2019)
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan (2018)
5'10" | 1.78 m
Jackie Chan
James Bond (Brosnan)
GoldenEye (1995)
James Bond (Connery)
James Bond (Craig)
James Bond (Dalton)
The Living Daylights (1987)
James Bond (Moore)
Live and Let Die (1973)
Die Hard (1988)
John Rambo
First Blood (1972)
John Wick (2014)
Joker (Heath Ledger)
Joker (Jack Nicholson)
Joker (Joaquin Phoenix)
The Hunger Games (2012)
Jungle Action #6 (September 1973)
King Leonidas
Journey into Mystery #83 (1962)
Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander)
Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie)
Leeloo
The Fifth Element (1997)
Mad Max (1979)
Maximus Decimus Meridius
Gladiator (2000)
The Amazing Spider-Man #13 (June, 1964)
NICKMERCS
The Avengers #257 (July 1985)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (May, 1963)
Nite Owl
O-Ren Ishii
Budd is a character in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series. He works for Bill and is the only man in the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, an elite group of assassins. His code name is Sidewinder. He is a skilled shooter; his rifle is his weapon of choice. After the squad's disbandment, Budd lives a lonely life on his own in the desert, where he steadily descends int alcoholism. He awaits the return of Beatrix, who he knows is coming to kill him in revenge for the Massacre at Two Pines. Budd is played by Michael Madsen.
Budd is portrayed by Michael Madsen with a height of 6'2" (1.88 m).
Budd is a character in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series. He works for Bill and is the only man in the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, an elite group of assassins. His code name is Sidewinder. He is a skilled shooter; his rifle is his weapon of choice.
Budd elevations (assorted)
Quentin Tarantino (Fandom) - Budd
Wikipedia - Kill Bill: Volume 1
Stan Lee, full name Stanley Martin Lieber, propelled Marvel Comics into the powerhouse it is today. He worked his way up from an assistant at a comic book publishing company (then called Timely Comics), to a writer and then Editor-in-Chief. He is generally thought of as the creator of the Marvel we know and love, as well as the creator of hundreds of beloved characters. A fan favorite Easter egg, he made a cameo in every Marvel Cinematic Universe film until Avengers: Endgame, which was released after his death in 2018.
Stan Lee had a height of 5'11" (1.80 m).
Stan Lee, full name Stanley Martin Lieber, propelled Marvel Comics into the powerhouse it is today. He worked his way up from an assistant at a comic book publishing company (then called Timely Comics), to a writer and then Editor-in-Chief. He is generally thought of as the creator of Marvel Comics.
Height (Comics)
Death: November 12, 2018
Stanley Martin Lieber
December 28, 1922 (Birthday)
Stan Lee front elevation (assorted), posing, side
Marvel - Stan Lee
Marvel Fandom - Stan Lee
Wikipedia - Stan Lee
Bugha (Kyle Giersdorf)
Bugha (Kyle Giersdorf) is a professional gamer and Youtuber known for winning $3 million at the first inaugural 2019 Fortnite Word Cup at the age of 16. He was also the first solo participant at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York. Bugha is represented by Sentinels, an esports organization based in Los Angeles, California. Bugha started playing 'Fortnite' at the age of 14 and regularly streams the games, 'Fortnite', 'Valorant', 'Deceit', 'Among Us', and 'Terraria'. He has been listed in 2020's Forbes 30 Under 30 within the Video Games category.
Bugha (Kyle Giersdorf) has a height of 6'0" (1.83 m).
Bugha (Kyle Giersdorf) is a professional gamer and Youtuber known for winning $3 million at the first inaugural 2019 Fortnite Word Cup at the age of 16. He was also the first solo participant at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York. Bugha is represented by Sentinels.
Years Active: 2018–Present
Kyle Giersdorf
Bugha (Kyle Giersdorf) elevations (assorted)
Twitch - Bugha
Wikipedia - Bugha
Jason Bourne is a character in a series of movies, you guessed it, called Jason Bourne. This character seemed to be able to do just about anything. While in the first movie he ends up losing his memory and having to figure out who he is, though he never lost any of his crazy fighting skills or ability to elude the people chasing him. Played by actor Matt Damon, Jason Bourne is actually the alias of the character's birth name, David Webb. If you dig action movies and seeing Matt Damon on the big screen, check out this series and get to know who Jason Bourne really is!
Jason Bourne is portrayed by Matt Damon with a height of 5'10" (1.78 m).
Jason Bourne is a character in a series of movies, you guessed it, called Jason Bourne. This character seemed to be able to do just about anything. While in the first movie he ends up losing his memory and having to figure out who he is, though he never lost any of his crazy fighting skills.
Jason Bourne elevations (assorted)
Wikipedia - Jason Bourne
James Bond (Daniel Craig)
Daniel Craig is our current James Bond. He first appeared in 2006's Casino Royale to critical and commercial success. Although fans were initially skeptical about Craig in the role, he won them over with his authentic portrayal of the character: he is often considered closest to Ian Fleming's version of Bond. Craig has appeared in four further films; Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015). His upcoming film, No Time To Die, will be the twenty-fifth installment in the James Bond franchise. It is due for release in late 2021.
James Bond is portrayed by Daniel Craig with a height of 5'10" (1.78 m).
Daniel Craig is our current James Bond. He first appeared in 2006's Casino Royale to critical and commercial success. Although fans were initially skeptical about Craig in the role, he won them over with his authentic portrayal of the character: he is often considered closest to Ian Fleming's idea.
Portrayal: 2006–Present
James Bond (Craig) elevations (assorted)
James Bond (Fandom) - Daniel Craig
Wikipedia - James Bond (Craig)
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