15 B-List Action Movies from the 80s That Became Unlikely Cult Classics
Remember a time when heroes didn't need to have superpowers to save the day, they just needed a cool car and a catchy one-liner?
This list is a tribute to those B-list action movies that have earned a special place in the hearts of fans all over the world; it's for anyone who loves themselves some silly fun and healthy dose of nostalgia, wrapped up in action-packed package.
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 41%
Box Office: $14,4 million
Framed for a crime he didn't commit, a New York cop is given a new identity and trained by a martial arts master to become an elite assassin for a secret government organization, undertaking missions that challenge his skills and morality.
Miami Connection (1987)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%
A rock band, consisting of martial artists, battles a gang of motorcycle-riding ninjas who are trafficking drugs in Orlando, Florida, leading to a series of fierce confrontations and a quest to protect the city.
The Last Dragon (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 61%
Box Office: $33 million
A young martial artist in New York City searches for the elusive "Glow," a supernatural force that will make him the greatest fighter, while protecting a singer from a corrupt music promoter and defeating a kung fu master in Harlem.
Deadly Prey (1987)
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Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 55%
A former soldier is kidnapped and forced to participate in a deadly game where he is hunted for sport by a group of wealthy men, but he turns the tables on his pursuers with his survival skills and combat training.
Hawk the Slayer (1980)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%
After his evil brother murders their family, Hawk embarks on a quest for vengeance, assembling a band of warriors to confront his brother's army in a battle for justice and retribution in a fantastical, medieval world.
Gymkata (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%
Box Office: $5,7 million
An Olympic gymnast is recruited by the U.S. government to compete in a deadly game in a fictitious country, using his gymnastic skills combined with martial arts to survive the lethal challenges and a conspiracy that awaits him.
Streets of Fire (1984)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%
Box Office: $8,1 million
A mercenary is hired to rescue his ex-girlfriend, a singer who has been kidnapped by a motorcycle gang, navigating through a neon-lit, rain-drenched urban landscape in a stylized rock-and-roll fable.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%
Box Office: $11.1 million
A truck driver gets caught in an ancient Chinese war in San Francisco's Chinatown, battling sorcerers and demons to rescue his friend's fiancée from the underworld, with the help of an unlikely group of heroes.
Death Wish 3 (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 16%
Box Office: $16.1 million
Vigilante Paul Kersey returns to New York to fight crime after a friend's murder, taking on street gangs and the criminal underworld with a cache of weapons, leading to an all-out war on the streets.
The Delta Force (1986)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 15%
Box Office: $17,76 million
An elite military unit, led by Major Scott McCoy, is tasked with rescuing hostages from a hijacked plane, confronting terrorists in a high-stakes operation that spans the globe.
They Live (1988)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%
Box Office: $13,4 million
A drifter discovers a pair of sunglasses that reveal the world is controlled by aliens masquerading as humans, leading him to fight against the alien oppressors in a bid to save humanity.
Cyborg (1989)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 22%
Box Office: $10,1 million
In a post-apocalyptic future, a martial artist protects a cyborg whose brain holds a cure for a deadly plague, battling ruthless pirates and traversing dangerous territories to bring the cyborg to safety.
Tough Turf (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 17%
Box Office: $9,3 million
A rebellious new kid in town stands up to local bullies and wins the heart of a troubled girl, using his wits and fighting skills to navigate the dangers of his new high school and protect those he cares about.
The Hidden (1987)
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Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%
Box Office: $9,7 million
A detective teams up with an FBI agent who is actually an alien to track down a parasitic extraterrestrial that inhabits human bodies, causing them to engage in violent crimes, in a race against time to stop the alien's spree.
Maniac Cop (1988)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%
Box Office: $671,382
A slain police officer is resurrected as a vengeful killer who stalks the streets of New York, leading to a citywide manhunt as a detective uncovers the truth behind the officer's death and seeks to put an end to the killings.