Best Underrated 80s Action Movies – Part 2

The eighties were full of incredible action movies, but while a lot of them are considered classics now, some of the best movies (you never saw) routinely get underrated, so here on JoBlo we’re celebrating Thanksgiving weekend with three more of the best – Running Scared (1986), Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) and Best of the Best (1989).

Running Scared 1986 – In this buddy-cop action movie, Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines play two Chicago cops who are eager to retire to the Florida Keys, but have to bust a notorious drug dealer (Jimmy Smits) first. Directed by Peter Hyams.

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins 1985  – Fred Ward stars in the big screen adaptation of Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir’s pulp “The Destroyer” series. Co-starring Joel Grey in a piece of “only in the eighties” casting as Remo’s Korean mentor. Directed by James Bond alum Guy Hamilton, with an awesome score by Craig Safan.

Best of the Best 1989: Eric Roberts and Philip Rhee co-star with the less obvious casting of James Earl Jones and Christopher Penn in this martial arts movie classic

If you liked this list, check out BEST UNDERRATED 80’S ACTION MOVIES – PART 1 below, which featured Ridley Scott’s Black Rain, Walter Hill’s Streets of Fire, and John Badham’s Blue Thunder!

About the Author

Chris Bumbray began his career with JoBlo as the resident film critic (and James Bond expert) way back in 2007, and he has stuck around ever since, being named editor-in-chief in 2021. A voting member of the CCA and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, you can also catch Chris discussing pop culture regularly on CTV News Channel.