B
Backlash
See it – An entertaining, fast-paced, action-packed western. Starring Richard Widmark, it also has an element of mystery as the main characters try to track down the answers to a secret involving gold, a massacre, and the lone survivor. Not the best ending, but there are several battles throughout, multiple duels, and a nice little twist to ensure you walk away satisfied. 3.5 action rating
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Bandido
See it – This is a can’t-miss for fans of Robert Mitchum. Although the story is nothing special (you’ve seen it dozens of times with all the Mexican Revolution movies), there is plenty of action to light up the screen. Very similar to “Vera Cruz,” this movie is about the Mexican Revolution minus Pancho Villa. There are several great fight scenes, including a daring escape through a swamp, a train battle, and an unforgettable finale involving a boat full of dynamite and a gatling gun. Use your imagination. 3 action rating.
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Bandolero!
See it – Only see this if you are a fan of Jimmy Sewart or Dean Martin. Without them, this is a run-of-the-mill western. Combine Stewart’s “Night passage” and Martin’s “Rio Bravo” and you’ve seen it before. Only this time the actors are a lot older. It’s one of the last westerns made by either one of them. There’s good acting, good fighting, and even some humor. It may be a little predictable, but it’s still an entertaining way to spend an hour and a half. 3 action rating
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Bataan
This movie doesn’t have much of a soul. You feel nothing for the characters. Not to be mistaken with “Back to Bataan,” this movie seriously lacks big name star power. The fight scenes are pretty good for a movie so old (it was actually made during World War 2). But the movie is one brief skirmish after another, and nothing terribly exciting ever occurs. 2.5 action rating
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
3.5 out of 5 action rating
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Battle Cry
Talk about a misleading title. This is a 2 and a half hour movie with 5 minutes of actual battle. I appreciate that this movie is trying to tell the stories of the soldiers’ home life. But you can’t name a WWII movie “Battle Cry” and not have any action. I feel deceived. This movie is more concerned about the love stories of the men and their gals than the actual war. Boooring! 1 action rating
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Battleground
See it – This is a great WWII classic that is as good today as it was in 1949. Enthralling from start to finish, it is as light-hearted and hilarious as it is memorable and moving. Perhaps not as action-packed as some other war movies, but it makes up for it with great acting, script, screenplay, and soundtrack. “Sound off! 1, 2, 3, 4!” 2.5 action rating
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Battle Los Angeles
See it - "Black Hawk Down" meets "Independence Day" 4.5 action rating
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Battle of the Bulge
5 action rating
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Battleship
3.5 action rating
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Beachhead
See it – This Tony Curtis movie is finally being rediscovered, and it is beyond me how it has gone under the radar for so long. In some ways, this is superior to alot of other WWII movies. It is the story of 4 marines who embark on a secret mission on a Japanese-occupied island. Their mission is to sneak through the jungle to meet an intelligence contact. It has a lot of rugged action and never lacks in the excitement department. But it is missing the elements that make a film a classic. For instance, the acting and script leave a lot to be desired. And the ending action scene is laughable because of the horrible special effects. I guess they didn’t want to wait 30 years for the scene to be done right. But as shocking as it is to hear me say it, this is actually a good Tony Curtis action movie when it’s all said and done. 4 action rating
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Beach Red
This is the predecessor of “The Thin Red Line.” If you liked that one, you’ll probably like this one. But if you’re more into the action, don’t be fooled by the title. This is not a traditional action classic, it's more into being "artsy." You’re more likely to be entertained by the many other WWII movies to choose from. 2 Action rating
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Ben-Hur (2016)
2.5 out of 5 action rating
Bend of the River
See it – This is one of my favorite early Jimmy Stewart westerns. But its unique in that it is more of an adventure western or “psychological” western. It never fails to entertain and its everything you want from a classic cowboy yarn. 4 action rating
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Between Heaven and Hell
See it – A vastly underrated and reflective war movie starring Robert Wagner and Buddy Ebsen. This movie has been nearly forgotten over the years, and it's a shame. Much of the story is told in flashbacks. There’s very good character development. And best of all, there was much more action than I expected. A bit slow toward the beginning, but there is a really cool action sequence in one of the flashbacks where Wagner and some of his men assault a cliff-side machine gun nest. When the current story picks back up after the flashbacks, there is plenty more action, including an exciting and desperate ending. 3.5 action rating
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Big Jake
3 action rating
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The Big Red One
See it – Picture a mix between HBO’s miniseries “Band of Brothers” and the “Dirty Dozen.” It co-stars Lee Marvin in his usual hard-nosed role. The other co-star is a pleasant surprise. In a rare role playing someone other than Luke Skywalker, we see Mark Hammel playing a young soldier struggling with the fear of combat. This movie is special because it follows the squad as they serve tours of duty in every major theater, from North Africa to Berlin. Some moments feel very corny and 70’s. Other scenes are very over-the top, such as when the main characters help a woman deliver a baby inside a tank while propping her legs up using machine gun belts. But at its heart it’s a just a good World War 2 movie, complete to its climactic final scene. 4 action rating
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The Big Trail
John Wayne’s first starring role - ’nuff said. Pretty good movie for its time, but it’s really only for die-hard fans of the Duke. Wayne is great and there is a handful of the usual variety of exciting wagon train moments. But this western is literally ancient. 2 action rating.
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Billy Two Hats
See it – One of the best of Gregory Peck’s later westerns, this is actually a very underrated movie. Also, if you like listening to Peck speak in a Scottish accent, that’ll give you another reason to like it. Not particularly unique or smart, but an enjoyable western with a classic feel just the same. Peck and his young half-breed sidekick, Billy Two Hats, are outlaws on the run. We never hear much about their past, but their camaraderie is evident as they save each other’s lives multiple times while being chased through the desert by a relentless lawman. When things turn south, they’ll have to use their wits, not just their guns, to survive. 3 action rating.
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Bitter Victory
Just another British anti-war movie with all the usual ingredients…secret mission, getting lost in the desert, Richard Burton etc. This one decides to focus a little more on the conflict between the two officers in command. Which means less time for actual plot development and good combat sequences…or any combat sequences for that matter. There’s only one real battle, and it’s near the beginning. The rest of the movie just coasts along till its disappointing ending. In addition, it feels cheap, as if corners were cut in order to spend as little money as possible. And with a love triangle dominating the subplot, this really doesn’t even feel like a war movie. You almost forget there is a war going on. Which is not good for a movie that is supposed to be about a secret mission. In short, rather than a good war movie, this is a boring story that happens to be incidentally taking place during World War II. 1.5 action rating
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The Blue Max
See it – An engrossing tale of a hotshot World War One pilot’s quest for Germany’s highest military honor, the Blue Max. Starring George Peppard and James Mason, it is a fictitious story with the main purpose of showing the danger of letting pride and the pursuit of glory get in the way of chivalry during wartime. Interesting tidbit - the Blue Max was originally awarded to pilots for shooting down 8 enemy planes, but by the time the war ended the figure was increased out of necessity to 30. It was also given to U-Boat captains who sunk more than 190,000 tons of enemy shipping. But I digress. This classic war film has some of the greatest aerial combats scenes in Hollywood history. Maybe the best. If you’ve seen “Flyboys,” you undoubtedly will agree that “Blue Max” not only is a superior film, but the combat scenes are just as good despite the outdated special effects. It’s a long movie, but there are enough explosions to keep you hooked from start to finish. 3 action rating.
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The Book of Eli
See it - The best post-apocalyptic movie since “Mad Max” with the best twist since “The Sixth Sense.” 4 action rating
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Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
Skip it - 3 action rating
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The Bourne Legacy
3 action rating
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The Bravados
See it – This is a western you are going to love. It has everything – action, mystery, and a great story. Gregory Peck joins a manhunt for 4 outlaws. But he may have a personal vendetta of his own. I don’t care whether or not you like Gregory Peck movies, you’ll like this one. It has a shocking ending that is so unique, you won’t forget it. 3 action rating
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Braveheart (1995)
"Every man dies, not every man really lives."
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The Bridge at Remagen
See it – First things first, it’s pronounced rā'mä'gən (or Raymoggin). A classic war movie about some American soldiers who attempt to capture the last remaining bridge into Germany. Its only weakness is that it lacks big-name actors. Of course, when your movie co-stars Robert Vaughn and George Segal, that means that the majority of your budget went into visual effects and battle scenes. In other words, this isn’t going to win any academy awards, but its got lots of tanks and explosions and a rousing score. It has some R-rated content, so it’s not exactly old fashioned. But it’s still an action-packed WWII classic. 4 action rating
Bridge of Spies
1 out of 5 action rating
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The Bridge On the River Kwai
2.5 action rating
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A Bridge Too Far
5 action rating
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Broken Arrow (1950)
See it – This is classic cowboys vs. Indians. Never mind that it may be historically inaccurate or that the Indians speak perfect English. It doesn’t rank up there with Jimmy Stewart’s best movies, but it’s worth a watch. Not too much fighting but the power is in the story. If you’re looking for action-packed you may be disappointed. Compare to “Fort Apache.” 2.5 action rating
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Broken Lance
An interesting western that starts at the end and tells the story in a flashback. It stars Spencer Tracy as a calloused cattle baron and Robert Wagner and Richard Widmark as his bitter sons. Tracy is magnificent as usual, but this western leaves a lot to be desired in the action department. There’s only one real fight at the very end. And I’m not a fan of a movie without a true villain. This is a substantial western, but not a good action movie. 2 action rating.
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The Buccaneer
See it - 2 action rating
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A Bullet for Rommel
You’ve heard of “spaghetti westerns.” Behold the “spaghetti war movie.” Also known as “Hell’s Brigade” or “The Battle Giants,” the title is misleading because the mission has nothing to do with assassinating Rommel. During WWII, a small group of commandoes disguise themselves as German soldiers and parachute behind enemy lines. The objective of the mission is unknown to the soldiers, but each of them is given their own specific task. They must put together the pieces of the puzzle while causing mayhem behind enemy lines. While the battle scenes near the end are entertaining, it’s hard to overlook the rest of the movie, which is confusing, poorly made, and corny. 3.5 action rating.
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