The Best Action Movies of 1978, Ranked
Classic Martial Arts and High Octane Thrills
Discover the best action cinema from a legendary year. Featuring Bruce Lee gems, superhero debuts, car chases, and essential kung fu masterpieces.
About 1978 Action Movies
If you look back at the cinematic landscape of 1978, you will find a genre caught in a fascinating state of transition. The gritty, cynical realism that defined the early seventies was beginning to drift away, making room for a new era of high-stakes spectacle and mythmaking. It was a year where the action movie started to discover its muscles, moving from the rain-slicked streets of urban crime dramas toward something much larger and more enduring.
The primary cultural earthquake of the year was undoubtedly Richard Donner’s Superman. While many classify it strictly as a superhero epic, its DNA is pure action cinema. It provided a blueprint for how to handle large-scale set pieces with a sense of wonder rather than just violence. By proving that audiences would show up in droves for spectacular stunts and visual effects, it paved the way for the blockbuster era that would eventually dominate the eighties.
However, the year belonged just as much to the grittier side of the tracks. Walter Hill released The Driver, a lean and mean pursuit film that stripped the genre down to its bare essentials. Starring Ryan O’Neal as a silent getaway specialist, it featured car chases that felt visceral and dangerous. Hill’s focused direction influenced decades of filmmakers, from Michael Mann to Nicolas Winding Refn, by proving that a great action movie did not need a complex plot if it had impeccable rhythm and style.
In another corner of the globe, 1978 was a monumental year for martial arts. Jackie Chan effectively changed the course of Hong Kong cinema with Drunken Master and Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow. Before this, the shadow of Bruce Lee loomed large, demanding intensity and stoicism. Chan introduced physical comedy and intricate choreography that felt like a high-speed dance. This was a pivotal moment where the action hero became vulnerable and relatable, winning through perseverance and ingenuity rather than pure invincibility.
Back in the states, the revenge thriller found a new peak with Every Which Way But Loose. While critics were baffled by the mixture of bare-knuckle brawling and a comedic orangutan sidekick, Clint Eastwood’s star power turned it into a massive hit. It signaled a shift toward populist action entertainment that did not always feel the need to be a heavy social commentary.
Even the world of science fiction contributed to the adrenaline rush with Capricorn One, a conspiracy thriller about a faked Mars landing. Its desert chase sequences involving helicopters and a desperate James Brolin remain some of the finest examples of late seventies tension building.
Looking at 1978 in the rearview mirror, it was the bridge between two worlds. It held onto the tough, independent spirit of the New Hollywood era while embracing the burgeoning desire for escapism. It was the year the genre learned it could be many things at once: a neon-lit car chase, a gravity-defying flight over Metropolis, or a slapstick fight in a village square. The foundations were laid, and the action movie would never be small again.
Paradise Alley
1978Three Italian-American brothers, living in the slums of 1940's New York City, try to help each other with one's wrestling career using one brother's promotional skills and another brother's con-artist tactics to thwart a sleazy manager.
Dr. Strange
1978A psychiatrist becomes the new Sorcerer Supreme of the Earth in order to battle an evil Sorceress from the past.
Flatfoot in Africa
1978Inspector Rizzo in Napoli gets a message from a policeman from South Africa who wants to meet him. Immediately before this meeting the South African policeman is killed. Dying he shows Rizzo a picture of his young son Bodo. Rizzo travels to Johannesburg to find out what the policeman was working on and to find Bodo.
The Inglorious Bastards
1978Set in Europe during WWII, a group of American soldiers on their way to military prison are beset upon by a German artillery attack, escaping with Switzerland in their sights. Before making it any farther, they volunteer to steal a V2 warhead for the French Underground - taking them deep into the heart of German territory.
Convoy
1978Trucker Rubber Duck and his buddies Pig Pen, Widow Woman and Spider Mike use their CB radios to warn one another of the presence of cops. But conniving Sheriff Wallace is hip to the truckers' tactics, and begins tricking the drivers through his own CB broadcasts. Facing constant harassment from the law, Rubber Duck and his pals use their radios to coordinate a vast convoy and rule the road.
F.I.S.T.
1978Johnny Kovak joins the Teamsters trade-union in a local chapter in the 1930s and works his way up in the organization. As he climbs higher and higher his methods become more ruthless and finally senator Madison starts a campaign to find the truth about the alleged connections with the Mob.
The Five Venoms
1978A dying master sends his last student to check up on five former pupils, who each know a special style of kung-fu.
They Called Him Bulldozer
1978The "Bulldozer", a former football star, is now working as a fisherman. As a group of street-people arranges a football match against the local Armybase, he is asked to be their trainer. His boat was damaged by a submarine and he currently has no work, so he agrees.
Crippled Avengers
1978A group of martial artists seek revenge after being crippled by Tu Tin-To, a martial arts master, and his son.
Odds and Evens
1978A bumbling government agent recruits a trucker whose gambling knowledge can help crack an illegal Florida operation.
Superman
1978Mild-mannered Clark Kent works as a reporter at the Daily Planet alongside his crush, Lois Lane. Clark must summon his superhero alter-ego when the nefarious Lex Luthor launches a plan to take over the world.
Richard Donner’s epic achievement redefined the physical scale of the hero’s journey, using groundbreaking practical effects and a sense of soaring momentum to make the impossible feel tactile and grand.
Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
1978Everyone abuses and humiliates a downtrodden orphan until he befriends an old man, who turns out to be the last master of the snake fist fighting style. Jackie becomes the old man's student and finds himself in battle with the master of the eagle's claw style, who has vowed to destroy the snake fist clan.
Yuen Woo-ping’s kinetic direction showcases a landmark shift toward more fluid, animalistic fighting styles, marking the definitive moment where stunt precision met genuine theater.
Drunken Master
1978After getting into trouble, a mischievous young man is sent to train under a brutal, but slovenly old beggar, who teaches him the secret of the Drunken Fist.
Jackie Chan’s breakout success reinvented the martial arts landscape by infusing breathless choreography with slapstick timing, effectively birthing the comedic kung fu genre through sheer physical ingenuity.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
1978During the Qing Dynasty, a fishmonger is killed by the reigning Manchu government for supporting the anti-government movement; his son manages to escape to Shaolin Temple, where he plans to learn its secretive brand of martial arts to seek revenge.
Gordon Liu elevates the training montage to an art form in this Shaw Brothers masterpiece, which revitalized the genre by focusing on the grueling, inventive discipline required to forge a warrior.
The Wild Geese
1978A British multinational company seeks to overthrow a vicious dictator in central Africa. It hires a band of (largely aged) mercenaries in London and sends them in to save the virtuous but imprisoned opposition leader who is also critically ill and due for execution. Just when the team has performed a perfect rescue, the multinational does a deal with the vicious dictator leaving the mercenary band to escape under their own steam and exact revenge.
Providing a gritty blueprint for the mercenary ensemble flick, this production relies on veteran gravitas and explosive pyrotechnics to deliver a cynical, hard-edged look at international gray-zone warfare.
Hooper
1978Legendary stunt man Sonny Hooper remains one of the top men in his field, but due to too many stressful impacts to the spine and the need to pop painkillers several times a day, he knows he should get out of the industry before he ends up permanently disabled.
A high-octane love letter to the industry’s unsung daredevils, this film shines through its practical stunt work and Burt Reynolds’ effortless charisma, proving that the art of the fall is just as thrilling as the fight itself.
Every Which Way but Loose
1978Philo Beddoe is your regular, easygoing, truck-driving guy. He's also the best bar-room brawler west of the Rockies. And he lives with a 165-pound orangutan named Clyde. Like other guys, Philo finally falls in love - with a flighty singer who leads him on a screwball chase across the American Southwest. Nothing's in the way except a motorcycle gang, some cops, and legendary brawler Tank Murdock.
Clint Eastwood pivots from the refined gunfighter to a gritty, beer-swilling brawler in a film that perfectly captures the rough-and-tumble charm of the 1970s blue-collar action subgenre.
Good Guys Wear Black
1978The former leader of a commando rescue attempt into Vietnam tries to discover why his squad members are being murdered, one-by-one, after the war is over.
Chuck Norris transitions from competitive champion to a credible screen force in this political thriller, defining the stoic, high-kicking archetype that would dominate the coming decade of American brawling.
The Driver
1978The Driver specializes in driving getaway cars for robberies. His exceptional talent has prevented him from being caught yet. After another successful flight from the police a self-assured detective makes it his primary goal to catch the Driver. He promises pardons to a gang if they help to convict him in a set-up robbery. The Driver seeks help from The Player to mislead the detective.
Walter Hill strips the getaway thriller down to its cold, metallic chassis, utilizing screeching tires and minimalist dialogue to create a high-speed exercise in pure cinematic geometry.
Game of Death
1978A martial arts movie star must fake his death to find the people who are trying to kill him.
Though completed posthumously, this martial arts odyssey remains essential for the yellow-jumpsuit iconography and a tiered combat structure that functions as a masterclass in Bruce Lee’s philosophical approach to rhythmic violence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts
- The list features several iconic martial arts films such as 'Game of Death,' 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin,' 'Drunken Master,' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow.' These movies are celebrated for their groundbreaking choreography and showcase the high level of martial arts mastery that defined the era.
- 1978 action movies marked a shift from gritty urban crime dramas to more spectacular and mythic storytelling. Films like 'Superman' and 'The Wild Geese' highlighted this evolution by blending high-stakes adventure with larger-than-life heroics.
- Yes, several action comedies such as 'Every Which Way but Loose,' 'Hooper,' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' blend humor with thrilling action sequences. These films highlight the genre's versatility and appeal during 1978.
- 'The Driver' is especially famous for its stylish and intense car chase scenes, setting a standard for automotive action in cinema. 'Hooper' also features exhilarating stunt driving sequences that pay homage to Hollywood stunt performers.
- Yes, the list features 'Superman,' which is regarded as a groundbreaking superhero film that helped establish the modern comic book movie genre. It introduced audiences to a larger-than-life hero and set new benchmarks for visual effects and storytelling.
- Themes such as justice, resilience, and individual heroism permeate many of the films, including 'Good Guys Wear Black' and 'F.I.S.T.' Moreover, martial arts mastery and revenge are pivotal in classics like 'The Five Venoms' and 'Crippled Avengers.'
- 'Robert Clouse' directed 'Game of Death,' a seminal martial arts action thriller. Meanwhile, 'Yuen Woo-Ping' is renowned for his work on 'Drunken Master' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow,' both influential in shaping kung fu cinema.
