Subgenres of the Action Film Genre
Over the decades, the core action film genre has spawned numerous subgenres. Many films now combine one or more of these subgenres for deeper subtext, and great opportunity to blow things up.
Each of the subgenres features the core action elements of the strong hero and the exciting effects, but it also has a more specific focus so that you know going in how it’s likely to end.
Superhero Movie
The superhero is a larger-than-life hero who stops all manner of villains and rights all manner of wrongs. Film superheroes of old were fearless and motivated only by their duty to mankind. Modern superheroes are more well-rounded and usually have an emotional wound, often a lost love, from which they continue to suffer. Superman, Spiderman, and Iron Man are all examples of this subgenre.
Spy Movie
Where would we be without James Bond to save the world? The spy movie is usually focused more on the exploits of a super-intelligent man, rather than a super-strong man. The spies are usually one-step ahead of the villains, but always find their way into danger. They usually also find their way into the arms of a willing woman.
Apocalypse/Disaster Movie
Any action film featuring Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan character fits the bill here. Now the every man must battle to save the world from certain doom. In a popular twist, the every man must battle to rescue the world from the evil that has already befallen, as in I Am Legend.
Action-Adventure Movie
No one does action-adventure as well as Indiana Jones or The Mummy. National Treasure also fits the bill, although it’s combined with another action subgenre. These movies may feature some explosions, chases, and fights, but they’re more focused on recovering the lost item. They often feature the hero, or sometimes a ragtag band of heroes, swinging from ropes and running from danger he’s bungled into. There’s also usually a female love interest who holds her own amidst the action.
Assassin Movies
Movies about assassins can also be dramas, but they’re more frequently action movies these days. These hired killers may be motivated by revenge, but more often they’re motivated by a paycheck. The movies may also involve spying, but the spying is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Crank is a perfect example of the current take on this subgenre.
Revenge Movies
Revenge movies like the Punisher: War Zone are similar to assassin movies, in that killing the villain is the goal. In this case, the assassin is bent on vengeance and usually isn’t working for a spy agency/criminal underground/secret organization. He’s one man against the world.
Cop/Crime
Cops and crime go hand-in-hand. Since cops carry guns, they’re also perfect action movie heroes. Die Hard isn’t the first, and it won’t be the last, in a long tradition of crime action movies.
Thrillers
Thrillers not only treat us to heart pounding action, they also include several good scares or psychological chills. Wanted is the latest in the line of action-thrillers.
Futuristic/Sci-Fi
The Terminator and Star Wars franchises are both perfect examples of the futuristic/sci-fi action film subgenre. Both present ample opportunities for explosions and pathos. They also present opportunities to question our current society and the direction it’s heading, without getting too heady to spoil the fun.
Family Action-Adventure
These days it’s not enough to take the kids to the movies. Now they want to be thrilled, too. National Treasure is one example of the family action movie. The Journey to the Center of the Earth is another. Unlike adult action fare, family adventure movies feature larger casts of heroes, less blood, less gunfights, less sex, less gore, and more emphasis on finding the treasure.
