{"id":117221,"date":"2019-07-25T06:00:07","date_gmt":"2019-07-25T11:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=117221"},"modified":"2020-07-06T15:39:42","modified_gmt":"2020-07-06T20:39:42","slug":"5-essential-elements-of-action-movies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/5-essential-elements-of-action-movies\/","title":{"rendered":"Genre Insights: 5 Things You Need to Make an Action Movie"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re looking to dive into the ultimate film genre, here are five things you need when making an action short or feature.<\/h2>\n

I love action movies. In fact, I\u2019ve dedicated a good deal of my life to watching, appreciating, and writing about action movies \u2014 specifically those from the \u201880s and \u201890s. Outside of writing here for PremiumBeat, I also run a fan community dedicated to action movies called the Ultimate Action Movie Club<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As a filmmaker, my fascination for action has piqued in the last few years, as the classic action movie formula has made a resurgence. Not counting the recent superhero boom (which I did finally dive into and write about here<\/a>), we\u2019ve seen some recent action blockbusters among the likes of John Wick<\/em><\/a>, The Raid<\/em><\/a>, and Taken<\/em><\/a> \u2014 as well as the resurgence of franchises like Mad Max<\/em><\/a>, Death Wish<\/em><\/a>, and Mission: Impossible<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The action movie genre has proven to be both a reliable box office draw and a solid streaming option, with titles that remain popular for years and often quickly spawn into major blockbuster franchises.<\/p>\n

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1. Strong Hero<\/h3>\n
\"Genre<\/a>

Image from John Wick<\/em> (via Lionsgate<\/a>).<\/p><\/div>\n

First and foremost, action movies live and die (literally) with their heroes. While there are some examples of ensemble casts (like The<\/em> Expendables<\/em><\/a>) or buddy-cop duos (like Lethal Weapon<\/em><\/a>), at their hearts, every action movie needs a singular, strong, courageous hero.<\/p>\n

While the action movie hero can certainly have character flaws \u2014 a disdain for protocol or a filthy chain-smoking habit \u2014 the likability of the hero is often what ultimately decides the success of the film. That\u2019s why action movies are such star-driven titles. The actors or actresses take on larger-than-life personas, making fans want to see them again and again.<\/p>\n

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2. Revenge Plot<\/h3>\n
\"Genre<\/a>

Image from Death Wish<\/em> (via Paramount Pictures<\/a>).<\/p><\/div>\n

More often than not, an action movie\u2019s plot is going to be solely fueled by some sort of revenge or vengeance (or Avengement<\/a><\/em>?) that will power the narrative from start to bloody finish. Perhaps the most on-the-nose example of this would be the original John Wick<\/em> film (as well as the subsequent sequels), which are based off one single event that propels Keanu Reeves<\/a>\u2019s John Wick into action.<\/p>\n

The tropes are all pretty similar \u2014 a kidnapped daughter in Taken<\/em>, an attacked family in Death Wish<\/em>, a platoon systematically wiped out in Predator<\/a> \u2014<\/em> all vehicles in casting your hero unhinged into the world of revenge.<\/p>\n

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3. Training Montage<\/h3>\n