With the summer movie season warming up, we revisit some of the great movies of the action/comedy genre… because, honestly, nothing is better than getting the one-two punch of a little bit of comedy wrapped up in your action flick (or is it action in your comedy?). Check out Movie picks for best action-comedy movies. What’s your favorite?
Bad Boys (1995)
Martin Lawrence
Will Smith
Téa Leoni
Bad Boys, Bad Boys, whatcha gonna do… whatcha gonna do when Will Smith and Martin Lawrence pair up? Short answer: laugh your ass off. Bad Boys isn’t short on comedy or action, and serves up Will Smith before he became a mega-super-duper-star and Martin Lawrence in one of his funniest roles. The polar opposite cops that Smith and Lawrence play are never short on humor, with Will Smith proving that his first starring role was only the start of a huge career.
48 HRS. (1982)Nick Nolte
Eddie Murphy
Annette O’Toole
Before Nick Nolte became a drunky old curmudgeon, he played tough guy Jack Cates opposite new comedian on the scene Eddie Murphy in his first big screen gig. The cop/convict teaming of 48 HRS delivered loads of hilarious comedy nuggets - Nolte is still gruff, but the balance of his tough cop with Murphy’s off-the-wall con is a nice mix, setting the bar high for the buddy cop genre.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)Kurt Russell
Kim Cattrall
Dennis Dun
James Hong
Victor Wong
Big Trouble in Little China is that 80s gem that’s become a legendry cult classic - Kurt Russell plays idiot-turned-hero expertly, the everyday truck driver Jack Burton who rises to the occasion to take on the Chinese baddies in one of the best loved comedies of the decade. Maybe it’s a stretch for a best action-comedy list, but there is plenty of high praise for Big Trouble – the little bit cheesy, low budget special effect, John Carpenter classic.
The exploding dude scene is always a treat:
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)Burt Reynolds
Sally Field
Jackie Gleason
Jerry Reed
Smokey and the Bandit is one long hilarious car chase, as Bandit works to keep Smokey off the trail of a bootleg shipment of beer driven by truck driver Jerry Reed and his sidekick, Fred the basset hound. Jackie Gleason all but steals the show as Sheriff Buford T. Justice, who rips on his bumbling boob of a son with zingers like “There’s no way, *no* way that you came from *my* loins. Soon as I get home, first thing I’m gonna do is punch yo mamma in da mouth!”
Tropic Thunder (2008)Ben Stiller
Jack Black
Robert Downey, Jr.
Ben Stiller pulls together a dream cast including Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. for this humorous look at prima donna actors dropped in the jungle to capture their best performances for a war movie. Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for an Academy Award for his turn as “the dude playin’ the dude, disguised as another dude!” and hell, making Tom Cruise seem like less of a douche only ups the ranking of Tropic Thunder. That’s no small feat.
Kung Fu Hustle (2004)Stephen Chow
Yuen Wah
Yuen Qiu
Kung Fu Hustle has to be the coolest action-comedy flick to make our list, for its super unique film making that makes even those who hate subtitles sit up and take notice. Kung Fu Hustle is a non-stop martial arts action flick with excellent choreography, camera work and special effects… plus, it’s hilarious. Check out this great scene:
True Lies (1994)Arnold Schwarzenegger
Jamie Lee Curtis
Tom Arnold
You can’t do an action movie list without Schwarzenegger, but Arnold on the comedy list too? With supporting players Jamie Lee Curtis as a conservative housewife who transforms into a sexy action movie goddess (how many times did you watch her striptease scene?) and silly sidekick Tom Arnold, they’ve got the funny bits down amid a sea of action. Oh yeah, and Arnold ain’t no slouch either.
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)Eddie Murphy
Judge Reinhold
John Ashton
Ronny Cox
Beverly Hills Cop was another Eddie Murphy masterpiece back when Murphy was cranking out the funny flicks. His Detroit cop Axel Foley, on the case to solve his friend’s murder, crosses paths with the uptight Beverly Hills police. From the banana in the tailpipe to his turn as Ramone (see clip below), Eddie Murphy owns this film. Watch Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley get into a members-only club as “Ramone:”
Rush Hour (1998)Jackie Chan
Chris Tucker
Rush Hour is the quintessential buddy flick, pairing Jackie Chan’s action with Chris Tucker’s comedy. Jackie Chan is a detective trying to get back the Chinese consul’s daughter from kidnappers. Chris tucker is an out of control LAPD cop assigned to keep Jackie Chan’s character from poking into the kidnapping case. East meets West equals comedy gold in Rush Hour:
Hot Fuzz (2007)Simon Pegg
Nick Frost
Jim Broadbent
Timothy Dalton
A big-time London cop is making the rest of his colleagues look bad, so they ship him off to the dullest beat ever – a small, safe village where he has nothing to do. Oh, and he gets a bumbling new partner to boot. Luckily, the hilarious Simon Pegg uncovers a huge murder cover-up… and… let the action begin. Life in this small town will never be quite so dull again.
Pineapple Express (2008)Seth Rogen
James Franco
Danny R. McBride
Pineapple Express is one of the funniest action comedies in recent years – with laughs that appeal to the stoner set and anybody just looking for a funny movie. Pineapple has the perfect characters in James Franco’s Saul, Seth Rogen’s Dale Denton and a hilarious secondary character in Danny McBride’s Red – the one dude that just NEVER dies, despite the near-death experiences. Can we get a Red-centric sequel… please?
