The Best Movie Action Scenes of 2017

Harrison Abbott on the best movie action scenes of 2017…

It’s that time again. That’s right, it’s time for arbitrary lists that subjectively rank the best/worst things of the year! This one is about 2017’s decent catalogue of cinematic action scenes, which means there’s likely a lot of omissions to piss you off.

With that in mind, remember to post your baffling vitriol and inexplicable anger in the comments.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle – Taxi Chase

Irrespective of its less-than-stellar narrative and apparent script problems, this polarising spy flick did at least confirm that Matthew Vaughn is in a league of his own when it comes to spectacle. No matter what material he’s working with, the British director can always be depended upon to pull off a killer set-piece or two. From Stardust’s inspired voodoo sword fight, to Kick-Ass’ unbelievable strobe-light rescue (and of course the infamous church massacre), Vaughn always has something audacious up his sleeve.

And for all its faults, The Golden Circle is no exception. Opening with an awesome car chase that races through the streets of London, the blockbuster sequel hits the ground running with a gleeful return to the world of Kingsman. It promises everything that we anticipated from the follow-up, including crazy gadgets, boisterous energy and just the right level of cartoonish silliness.

That last element is something that the movie admittedly struggles with later, as it goes a tad overboard with all the robot dogs, Alpha Gel resurrections and a weirdly protracted Elton John cameo. However, while it lasted, this chase kicked things off with a euphoric bang and gave us a taste of what Kingsman 2 could (and should) have been like. As Merlin would say, ‘’Fucking Spectacular’’.

War for the Planet of the Apes – Alpha-Omega Attack

For the most part, War for the Planet of the Apes is decidedly light on action, focussing instead on internal frictions and moral conflicts. That being said, when Matt Reeves does allow the simian fur to fly, it is both riveting and chilling in equal measure.

Perhaps the best showcase for this is the film’s nail-biting opening, which sees a military squadron stealthy approach an ape outpost. It’s suspenseful as hell, thanks to the haunting cinematography and ominous score from Michael Giacchino. However, when an inciting incident alerts the apes to the invading presence, then full-blown carnage takes hold.

Unlike the other entries in this list, there’s nothing cool about War’s introductory battle. In fact it’s quite oppressive and bleak, characterised less by dazzling acrobatics or exciting explosions and more by a ”Battle of the Bastards”-esque feeling of hectic panic and senseless death. Another decent reference point is probably the beginning of The Revenant,  which is high praise indeed for a summer blockbuster.

John Wick: Chapter 2 – The Hall of Mirrors

The vast majority of 2017’s standout moments can be traced to this superior sequel. Which is hardly surprising, given that it exhibits a near-peerless dedication to crafting vivid fight sequences, often entirely in-camera.

Director Chad Stahelski’s aptitude for jaw-dropping action is evidenced in every facet of his filmmaking, from the mesmerising ‘’gun-fu’ choreography, to the crystal clear camerawork and impeccable editing. His note-perfect execution is the ultimate counterpoint to the shoddy and incoherent stylings of Olivier Megaton or Paul W.S Anderson. In fact, the standard in John Wick: Chapter  2 is so consistently strong, that even the weakest shootout would be considered an absolute highlight anywhere else.

If there is a peak though, then it is undoubtedly the climactic battle that takes place within a disorienting hall of mirrors. The setting alone makes for a compelling scene in its own right, as does the use of exhilarating ultra violence.

However, what really makes this bit shine is something that most viewers wont even notice. You see, because this sequence is realized with such finite precision, you don’t consider how goddamn hard it must have been to stage. Think about it, literally every surface in that room is reflective and not only that, but the camera is constantly moving around at a frenetic pace.

An absurd amount of patience was thus required to skillfully coordinate this, without having the crew show up in the frame. Essentially, the production team were forced to use a blend of techniques to make sure that everything went off without a hitch. These ingenious methods included the use of portable mirrors on wheels, refracting light wherever possible and the occasional instance of digital manipulation. By pooling all of these tricks together and combining them with intensive blocking sessions, the filmmakers succeeded in making this troublesome shoot feel seamless and easy.

What’s most impressive about this is that, even in the face of such restrictive conditions, Stahelski still delivers something that holds its own against the rest of John Wick 2. In a weird way, it’s a shame that this tremendous feat goes by unnoticed. But then again, that’s just a testament to how committed everyone was to doing this film properly and without compromise.

Baby Driver – Neat Neat Neat

This inclusion has been named after its soundtrack accompaniment because, quite frankly, the two cannot be divorced from one another. It’s a truly masterful pairing of audio and image, one that hits the bullseye so astutely, that even the main character feels the need to restart the track when it’s interrupted. The resultant ‘’musical’’ sequence is guaranteed to thrill and delight even the most snobby of audience members.

Of course, some might argue that the film’s ‘’Bellbottoms’’ opening is more memorable, but that’s perhaps less to do with the chase itself and more to do with the preceding build up. Because make no mistake, while that serves as an enjoyable introduction to the central gimmick of Baby Driver, in terms of pure vehicular mayhem, it is the second getaway sequence that is the movie’s crowning achievement. Wittily directed, blisteringly paced and full of jaw-dropping stunt work, ‘’Neat Neat Neat’’ is more satisfying in 3 minutes, than most films are for their entire runtimes.

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The Great Wall – The Siege 

Okay this is sort of a pity mention, but did anyone actually see The Great Wall, or did the world just collectively decide to hate it for no concrete reason?

It was honestly alright and when it came to the action, director Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Dangers) clearly put a lot of effort in. Each of the film’s set-pieces feel distinct and they are all rife with tiny details and interesting concepts.

For example, we have people bungee jumping off the titular structure, so that they can strike down from above using spears. There are guards who operate rotating blades to cut down enemies trying to scale the wall and there are archers who fire whistling arrows that can be used to locate creatures in low visibility . Even the monsters have a few clever strategies, like when they group together and use their reptilian hoods to make a kind of Roman shield formation.

If you’ve been avoiding this film because of the haughty critical reception, then you should seriously give it a try. After all, these crazy ideas deserve to be seen by more people.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2 –Prison Escape

As you may have noticed, this is the only entry here to originate from either the DCEU or the MCU. Which basically guarantees that somebody somewhere is going to be annoyed.

Oh well, here goes. The jail break in GOTG Vol. 2 is arguably Marvel’s greatest set-piece to date. It might not have the dramatic heft of Civil War’s central bout, nor is it as overtly epic as the climax of The Avengers, but it’s got a sense of vibrancy and playfulness that epitomises the MCU at its very best.

So many modern blockbusters have a frustratingly narrow conception of what spectacle can be, particularly superhero movies. Indeed, it often seems like the only way to justify a big budget nowadays is to indulge in an obnoxious blur of destruction porn, ala Man of Steel or Independence Day: Resurgence. When there’s so little variation anymore, it becomes quite easy to get desensitized to all the monotonous pyrotechnics.

Which is exactly why this scene is such a breath of fresh air, as James Gunn deviates from the beaten path, giving us something that we haven’t seen before. That being a space pirate, a baby tree and a talking racoon all gleefully murdering people to the infectious rhythms of ”Come a Little Bit Closer’’ by Jay and the Americans. Where else can you watch a flying arrow illuminate a pitch black room as it carves its way through a staggering amount of bad guys?

Overall, this sequence is simultaneously adorable (See Baby Groot getting all riled up), badass and visually arresting. It also feels surprisingly anarchic and amoral for Marvel. It is afterall, a blackly comedic celebration of unmitigated slaughter, one that is considerably more entertaining than just another vanilla superhero brawl.

Logan – Psychic Seizure

Like John Wick and Baby Driver, Logan is another film that warrants multiple spots on this list. An honourable mention is certainly due for the highly original limo chase, which somehow conjured up a tangible sense of peril and threat, despite the fact that our protagonists are basically invincible. On a side note, it was also incredibly resourceful in its use of just a couple of motorbikes, a wire fence and a smidgen of face stabbing.

However, as clever as that was, the best bit in Logan has to be the unforgettable Casino scene, which is unlike anything else you’ll see in a superhero film. A show-stopping exercise in tension, this sequence was fraught with urgency and different layers of jeopardy. It didn’t hurt that it was also bolstered by unflinchingly brutality.

For context, it is made clear throughout the film that Charles Xavier is failing to control his mutant abilities. This is because of his continuing battle with an extremely aggressive degenerative brain disease. The devastating condition forces Charles to experience sporadic seizures that not only affect him, but also those close by. Indeed, whenever he suffers from one of these episodes, his powerful telepathy manifests itself by compelling everyone to enter into a state of stasis and intense pain. Only Logan has the capacity to resist these involuntary attacks, and even then, it’s shown to be a gruelling struggle.

These seizures come into play during the aforementioned Casino scene, as Charles is triggered at the most inopportune moment.  Stuck on the ground floor of the building, Logan has to travel up numerous levels in order to find Xavier and inject him with medication, otherwise there will be a high number of civilian casualties.

That’d be suspenseful enough for most films, but it is given an extra-dimension when it transpires that Charles is surrounded by hostile gunmen, who are all frozen on the spot. What follows is a wince-inducing display, as Logan forces himself to reach Professor X, battling against psychic agony and graphically dispatching his paralyzed foes. This entails jamming his adamantium claws into people’s eyes, abdomens and up through their chins. It’s gloriously violent, which is obviously part of the appeal, but more importantly, it feels wholly distinct from pretty much any other fight scene. And in the era of so-called ‘’superhero fatigue’’, that is exactly what we need to keep the genre feeling fresh. 

Kong: Skull Island – Helicopter Assault

Big gorilla make helicopters go smash.