If you’re a fan of action movies, then it is probably safe to say that you like big explosions, unreal stunt work, and just enough story to keep it all together until the end. These types of movies are a lot of fun, and one could make the argument that they provide the quintessential movie-watching experience.
The thing is that there seems to be a contest as to which film will come up with the most insane & equally absurd stunt that’ll just leave audiences flabbergasted. Sure, you’ll leave the theater with your jaw dragging, but as soon as you really think about it, you come to realize the lack of reality behind it all. This is where the car chase comes in and why the action movies of yesteryear depended so much on them. There’s no hiding behind much when one car pursues another. Factor in innocent bystanders & frantic traffic, and you’ve got the makings of legendary action sequences.
So, understanding that this list will most assuredly make the internet angry, here are three truly great movie car chases:
The Italian Job (original film) — With Cool Britannia at it’s height, you had Mini Coopers, killer driving, a legendary 60ft jump, and the greatest cliffhanger ever put on film. This late-1960s movie was fun from start to finish.
The French Connection — Five minutes of edge-of-your-seat tension as a car chases an elevated train (?!?). It turns out that most of the sequence was filmed illegally and recklessly. Makes you want to watch it right now.
The Fast and the Furious — It’s amazing this franchise has been around for nearly twenty years, but leave it to the original to leave it’s mark with one heck of a race sequence, and with a train no less.
Action movies are a blast, and some of the best ever made include truly epic car chases the likes of which will never be equaled. It’s a bold statement but one that has held up for decades. So, the next time you’re watching an action flick, acknowledge the car chases for what they are — unbridled thrills that do more for a movie than just about any plot twist you could imagine.
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