Not allactionfilmsare built the same. Some of these movies are heavily packed with dialog, making the action scenes sweeter. Imaginative films compensate for their lack of thrilling action by offering a buildup that satisfies audiences. Most of these movies seek to forsake theunending trend of senseless explosions and spectacleto immerse you in the plot. This is mainly achieved by pacing and the creation of a specific atmosphere. you may find yourself at the edge of your seat watching any of these films, mainly because anticipation is used to heighten the emotional stakes of the action.
A slow-burn action drama can often be confused with other genres, but we’d like to point out that’s the point. These films rely on something other than exposition or thrilling sequences to keep you hooked. For example, masterpieces like 1995’sHeatis a cop drama that only features two major shootouts, yet is regarded as one of the greatest movies of the decade with a runtime of nearly three hours.
A slow-paced action movie makes you invested, so when the climax arrives, you feel a sense of relief regardless of the outcome. This sensation creates a memorable and meaningful experience that makes you feel for the characters involved.
That said, the following is a list of our picks for the best slow-paced action movies with explosive endings.
15The American (2010)
The Americanis the most deceiving entry on our list.It stars George Clooney. This ultra-slow-burn thriller follows a master assassin, played by Clooney, hiding in Sweden when his cover is suddenly blown. He flees to Italy while waiting for his next assignment. His sole lifeline, Pavel, kept him in touch with all the specifics about his last task. The film was written by Rowan Joffe and directed by Anton Corbijn.
The American does an adequate job at storytelling. It doesn’t indulge too much in theatrics to portray the life of a cover operative. Jack is a paranoid man who follows the same routine and clenches at the sole notion of something being out of place. At the movie’s climax, it’s revealed Jack’s been setting up his own assassination, and while he manages to dodge his execution, he barely gets to escape to see the end as he wishes.
14Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Thedirectorial debut of Quentin Tarantinowould be the most expensive film ever made if it were to be shot today. Starring an all-star ensemble cast including veterans Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Steve Buscemi. The movie follows a group of nameless criminals as they plan and execute a diamond heist that goes wrong when the police arrive out of nowhere. For a film that caused a big stir in its heyday,Reservoir Dogsholds it back on the onscreen killing.
Reservoir Dogs is a strong film because the script is fast-paced, funny, and poses one too many uncanny situations. Only a few notice that the movie occurs mainly in a single location. Every character plays a role in the ongoing buildup of the ensuing tension that pays out in the finale. A cross-pointed shootout occurs among three characters, an impactful scene that still has one too many YouTubers trying to figure out who shot who.
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13Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
The first entry featuring Al Pacino in our list. The man may not be the first option that comes to mind when you think about action movies, yet he’s been in quite a few with solid payoffs.Dog Day Afternoonis one of his early works, directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Frank Pierson. The movie is a retelling ofa true story about a bank robbery gone wrongin the Chase Manhattan Bank Brooklyn’s branch. Pacino gets to team up with his Godfather co-star John Cazale.
Pacino graced the screen with a visceral performance as a bank robber and closeted gay man Sonny Wortzik. He and his friend Salvatore Naturile hold a bank hostage, trying to get money for his lover’s gender confirmation surgery. It all seems to go well, and as the robbers plan to board a plane with the hostages, the police prove their resourcefulness to get the situation under control in a matter of moments. The film’s pacing feels like a play as Pacino tries to play it smart and negotiate his release.
12Nighthawks (1981)
Nighthawksis a small cop film directed by Bruce Malmuth and written by David Shaber Starring, starring Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, and Rutger Hauer. The plot takes place in New York City with two cops tracking down a European terrorist on American soil. It’s one of the most overlooked films in Stallone’s filmography, considering the actor was a big name at the time, with Rocky I and II under his name.
For an early cop drama,this film shows a lot of restraintregarding the antics pulled by cops who mostly play by the book during the film’s runtime. We get to see Stallone, and Williams conduct interviews with witnesses and track down leads to build a profile. When the duo gets everything they need, they set up the perfect trap for the antagonist. Hauer’s character falls into one of the oldest traps in the book, thanks to his relentless hunt for the next kill.
11The Debt (2010)
You’re not prone to think about “action movie star” when you think about Helen Mirren, yet she’s starred in multiple action films, includingher recurring role in The Fast and Furious franchise.The Debtis a slow-burn thriller directed by John Madden, with a script by Matthew Vaughn. The movie plays back and forth with the timelines as Jessica Chastain plays Rachel Singer in the past and Mirren in the present.
The film’s plot follows the trial and tribulations of three Mossad agents in the 1960s as they hunt down Nazi war criminals in East Berlin. We get to see the interwoven web of threads followed by intelligence agencies to track down the well-hidden Nazis and how their hunt never stops, even after being out of commission for a long time.
10Four Rooms (1995)
The vibes in this fantastic film are all over the place. Another overlooked classic with one of the strongest ensembles of the ’90s. Not only in actors but also with directors, as the movie follows the misadventures of a bellboy named “Ted,“played by Tim Roth, in four different stories directed by Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez, and Quentin Tarantino. In a single night, Ted faces weird sexual rituals, a hostage situation, and two misbehaving kids.
Featuring the likes of Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Beals, Marisa Tomei, and Bruce Willis, every storyinFour Roomsplaces Ted in the most unlikely scenarios, with the last being the most dialog-driven one, as expected from anything written and directed by Tarantino. Three men are discussing a bet about lighting a Zippo ten times in a row or risking losing a finger if the task is not performed in accordance. After a drawn-out explanation about the nature of the bet, hilarity ensues in a quick, fast-paced ending.
9Hostiles (2017)
Not all of us get to think about slow-paced cowboy films, as most of the first options coming to mind are full of shootouts.Hostiles, on the other hand, is a slow burn with a more serious tone. Based on historical events, this film, directed by Scott Cooper and starring Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike, tells the story of a veteran soldier tasked with escorting a Cheyenne chief and his family back to their homeland.
Captain Joseph Blocker is put in the care of his deadliest enemy as the man is dying of illness and old age,something he accepts reluctantly. After securing passage during their trip and losing most of their entourage, the final resolution comes quickly, as Blocker must ensure his enemy can rest in peace in the land stolen from him. The movie offers insight into the American army’s political dealings with a solid script by Scott Cooper and Donald E. Stewart.
8Fatal Attraction (1987)
Not so much an action movie; this film plays more like a physiological thriller, which doesn’t make it devoid of action and a proper exploding ending. This is the first of multiple films following a similar theme that would increase Douglas’s profile during the 90s. Directed by Adrian Lyne and written by James Dearden,Fatal Attractionfeatures Michael Douglas and Glenn Close.
The film is about a married man named Daniel Gallagher who has a weekend fling with a woman named Alexandra Forrest. Alex would go on to become dangerously obsessed with him. The slow-pacing plot sees Alex pull multiple stunts to get Daniel’s attention and endanger his marriage.When he finally comes clean to his wife, she forgives him, but Alex is not about to let things slide with ease, resulting in the film’s tense climax.
7Prisoners (2013)
So many people attach Denis Villeneuve’s name to sci-fi that it’s easy to forget the multiple crime thrillers he handled at the start of his career.Prisonersis a 2013 offering by the directors with a script by Aaron Guzikowski and starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, and the always-creepy Paul Dano. It’s a film exploring the dangers of self-serving justice as the increasing suspicion drives a man named Keller to believe that a mentally challenged young man named Alex has kidnaped his girl and the daughter of his closest friends.
The police work done by Detective Loki leads him to discover a series of murders, some unrelated to the case, including a sex offender priest who seems to be on a mission to turn the other cheek by killing other offenders like him. The plot thickenswhen the police discover the people making the killingsused to be victims at some point, and the lack of resolution to their case drove them to insanity, the same thing that happens to Keller at the end of the film.
6Carlito’s Way (1993)
This is the second collaboration of Al Pacino, directed by Brian De Palma, and the second entry by Pacino in the list.Carlito’s Wayworks a redemption story written by David Koepp. The plot follows a former drug lord after being released from prison. Carlito does his best to avoid his past criminal life, but his dismissal of newcomers to the game and his conflicts with old allies keep him inside.
The buildup comes to a close when Carlito cuts ties to everything that makes him a bad person and tries to flee with the woman he loves. He’s about to be successfulwhen a recent face from the pastcomes knocking in a truly sad sendoff. Although not as violent as Scarface, this film is another solid entry that will keep you on the edge of your seat in expectation.
