The 10 Greatest Action Movie Stunts of the Last 10 Years, in GIFs

Image via Complex Original

It either made your jaw drop or it made you motion sick, but there’s no denying that Inception’s spinning hallway fight was one of the most beautiful scenes in action movie history. The dream sequence makes it look like the actors are floating in zero gravity to engage in fisticuffs. It wasn’t produced through CGI, but rather with huge rotating sets. So rest assured, when Joseph Gordon-Levitt is flopping around trying to land a punch, the action is all real.

What could be more death-defying than launching yourself from a high-speed airplane? It’s not only Bane’s intro—it’s the introduction to the entire movie. After a stunt like this, The Dark Knight audiences knew they were in for something great. The scene took almost two months to shoot, and with Nolan’s notorious hatred for CGI, fans were at the edge of their seats the whole time.

There isn’t a stunt that Tom Cruise is afraid of trying, including his climb up the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. What could easily be shot inside a studio with a green screen and a clever director was all very real. Cruise scaled the world’s tallest building without a stunt double, employing safety cables that were later removed in the editing. Even the leap of faith, where Cruise launches off the building, was done by Tom himself.

Fast & Furious fans have been religiously loyal to the franchise since 2001, and Furious 6 was no different. One thing is for sure: The fans may come for the characters, but they stay for the car stunts. And when Michelle Rodriguez, as Letty, was launched off the top of a tank, only to be caught midair by Dom (Vin Diesel), who leapt out of his own whip, car fanatics knew that they had a new classic on their hands.

Not to be confused with the X-Men character, Nightcrawler was one of 2014’s most slept-on movies. It got an Oscar nod for Best Original Screenplay, but not nearly enough people are buzzing about it. The film’s climax had audiences on the edge of their seats during a high-speed chase with multiple cop cars and murders as Jake Gyllenhaal ensued.

When Katniss and District 7 decided to rise up in protest, fans of the film franchise watched in extreme excitement. In an action scene for the ages, The Lumber District runs from the Peacekeepers, while activating hidden land mines, killing an entire team of the Peacekeepers.

Director Guillermo del Toro’s passion for fantasy lands and monsters both come together in Pacific Rim, where the advanced special effects feel as real as they get. Most battles in the film take place in the ocean—far away from human casualties—making the flying Kaiju even more terrifying.

John Wick was released in October of last year, and it was such a hit that the sequel is already in works. John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, was the best assassin before he retired. It’s a simple premise: Wick is seeking revenge against a gang that killed his dog, but it’s that simple premise that makes the film so exciting. You’re rooting for him, and between the gunfights and fist fights, he never disappoints.

With a lot of films, the hero usually fights either corrupt police or a gang. The Raid 2 doesn’t hold back any punches. SWAT member Rama, the same protagonist from The Raid, returns to destroy both. The Raid 2 is filled with violence and over-the-top martial arts fight scenes, most notably the fight within the prison yard.

There’s no denying that 300 is one of the most artistic, well-executed action movies ever produced. It’s chock full of violence, bloods, and guts, but is so visually appealing that it’s hard to look away. Pick any fight scenes—they’re all shot and edited spectacularly.