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 some diamonds in the rough with three more of the best – Alien Nation (1988), Revenge of the Ninja (1983), and Runaway (1984).
Alien Nation (1988) – Directed by Graham Baker, Alien Nation stars James Caan, Mandy Patinkin, and Terrance Stamp in a sci-fi-action film that focuses on Earth’s first contact with an alien civilization. Three years after that encounter, these aliens, known as Newcomers, slowly begin to be integrated into human society.
Revenge of the Ninja (1983) – Helmed by Sam Firstenberg, Revenge of the Ninja stars Shô Kosugi, Keith Vitali, and Virgil Frye. After Cho’s family is killed by a group of ninjas, Cho and his son escape to America to start a new life. After opening up a doll shop, Cho discovers that he’s unwittingly importing heroin inside the dolls. As if that’s not bad enough, Cho’s friend betrays him, and thus the ultimate battle begins.
Runaway (1984) – Directed and written by Michael Crichton, and starring Tom Selleck, Cynthia Rhodes, and Gene Simmons of the band KISS, Runaway is a sci-fi crime thriller set in the near future and revolves around a police officer who specializes in malfunctioning robots. When a robot turns out to have been programmed to kill, he begins to uncover a homicidal plot to create killer robots… and his son becomes a target.
If you liked this list, check out BEST UNDERRATED 80’S ACTION MOVIES – PART 1 & PART 2 below, which feature Ridley Scott’s Black Rain, Walter Hill’s Streets of Fire, and John Badham’s Blue Thunder for Part 1, and Peter Hyams’ Running Scared (1986), Guy Hamilton’s Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985), and Robert Radler’s Best of the Best (1989) for Part 2.
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