10 Best Joel Silver Action Movies, Ranked

Not many movie producers manage to make a name for themselves outside the industry, but Joel Silver has developed a reputation as a legendary action movie producer in a career going back to the 1980s. Joel Silver’s movies have helped shape the action genre in many ways. He has worked with many of the best action stars of all time, including Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and plenty of outstanding action directors too, like Guy Ritchie and Shane Black. His influence on the genre can’t be overstated.

Joel Silver has overseen the creation of some iconic action franchises. From Die Hard to The Matrix his best movies have been guaranteed money-makers which have left both critics and audiences satisfied. His movies have also set many of the biggest trends in the action genre. Lethal Weapon, for example, set the tone for many buddy cop movies to come, but very few have been able to replicate the success of the original. Silver has helped creative talents flourish, and his legacy is nothing short of remarkable.

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10 Road House (1989)

An undeniable cult classic

Road House is a masterpiece of 1980s schlock cinema, and it has become a guilty pleasure for millions of fans. It may not be the most polished or the most substantial movie, but it dares its audience not to have a good time. Road House stars Patrick Swayze as a bouncer who takes a job at a rowdy bar in Missouri, only to find that the town is under the thumb of a sadistic millionaire who keeps the locals in line with a campaign of intimidation and violence.

Road House delivers cheap thrills, with Patrick Swayze roundhouse kicking a procession of lowlifes to a great bluesy soundtrack. Joel Silver also produced the 2024 Road House remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The remake changes a lot from the original, but it keeps the focus on bone-crunching combat. The debate over which is better will ultimately come down to taste, but the 2024 version will be a success if it is remembered as fondly in 35 years’ time as the original is today.

9 RocknRolla (2008)

Guy Ritchie’s return to the gangster genre

RocknRolla is a typical Guy Ritchie movie, with an ensemble cast full of unsavory characters all fighting for power in London’s seedy underbelly. It’s in the same vein as Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, with a complex plot featuring many idiosyncratic characters, each with their own motivations and ideals. Ritchie keeps every plate spinning while still delivering some propulsive action scenes and plenty of laughs.

Although it may not be quite as accomplished as his other gangster movies, there’s still a lot of joy to be had in watching London’s gangsters colliding and colluding with one another, especially with such a lively cast. Ritchie resorts to many of his favorite archetypes, but Tom Wilkinson’s portrayal of a gruff mob boss and Toby Kebbell’s role as a rock star off the rails are hard to resist.

8 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Shane Black’s fun-loving genre mashup

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang brings together elements of romance, mystery, comedy and action into a complex plot that deepens at every turn. Robert…