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Sabata
See it – The Sabata trilogy is the epitome of spaghetti westerns -a bit cheesy, but immensely entertaining and full of clever ways for people to get shot. Nearly all other spaghetti westerns fall short when compared to “Sabata,” “Return of Sabata,” and my favorite of them all, “Adios, Sabata.” Lee Van Cleef stars in this one, and although he’s not exactly a super star, he does a great job in the role. This film is a western version of a 70’s James Bond movie. There’s plenty of gadgets and a sinister villain who enjoys diabolical death games. This movie doesn’t always flow, and it doesn’t always make sense, but who cares? It’s hard to find a more action-packed western. 5 action rating.
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Safe House
4 action rating
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Sahara (1943)
See it – The only pure action movie that Humphrey Bogart did. It’s a WWII story about a tank crew lost in the desert. They manage to find a water hole and decide to defend it against the Jerries. Bogart treats his beloved tank like a “dame” and even gives her a name. The first hour of the film is more of a survival story. But the last half hour is one big battle. An old school war movie, but the final stand (set amongst ancient ruins) is pretty cool. 3 action rating
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Salt
2.5 action rating
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San Antonio
See it – This western starts out like any other light-hearted Errol Flynn flick. But things get serious quick. There are two gunfights in the middle of the film, and it ends in style with a long, exciting gunfight/chase that literally lasts ever bit of 15 minutes. Also, note the amazing stunts in this old school movie. Those aren’t dummies that fall two stories and land on their backs. Flynn is magnetic as usual, and the movie has that perfect kind of ending that leaves no question why Flynn was as big as Texas back in the day. 3 action rating
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Sands of Iwo Jima
See it – One of the great WWII classics. Starring John Wayne as a gritty sergeant, this memorable war movie is a good old-fashioned action movie. It has its slow moments, but it is everything “Flags of our Fathers” is not. A must-see for John Wayne fans. 3 action rating
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The Scalphunters
See it – Following the success of “In the Heat of the Night,” this “buddy western” was definitely influenced by the “buddy cop” subgenre that would soon take Hollywood by storm. But despite its comedy, this still manages to be a pretty exciting western. Burt Lancaster plays a trapper whose firs are stolen from him. He then journeys halfway across the west to get them back. And props to Telly Savalas for playing yet another convincing villain. He seems to have cornered the market when it comes to the “deranged bad guy” role. 4 action rating
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Sea of Sand (aka Desert Patrol)
This is a relatively dull, unintelligent WWII movie that just doesn’t really stand out. It has a pretty cliché plot about a group of men who go out on a desert mission to blow up a supply depot. The film’s only star is Richard Attenborough, but he is not in many scenes. He’s really a supporting character. The result is some pretty terrible acting by his co-stars. The film moves very slowly until the last 30 minutes. If you can wait that long it gets pretty exciting. But if you like unimpressive, low budget action scenes and British men in short shorts, this movie is definitely for you. 3.5 action rating.
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The Searchers
See it – There are several reasons you should see this legendary western. One is that it is the only John Wayne movie in the AFI top 100 movies of all time. It actually didn’t win an Oscar, but it should have. Another reason is the uniquely dark feel of the movie. There are some parts that are downright terrifying even today. Finally, most people consider this to be director John Ford’s best movie. I know I do. 3 action rating
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The Secret Invasion
See it- Raise your hand if you like a rousing World War 2 suicide mission movie. Well here’s one you may not have even heard of. A team of soldiers with special skills attempt to tunnel into a Nazi fortress to break out an Italian prisoner of war. When things go wrong, they must use their skills to make one last desperate attempt to accomplish their mission. Great action scenes include a rooftop gunfight, the hijacking of a Nazi boat, and a long escape/battle through the Balkan mountains. Unfortunately, like all good B-movies, it has its share of corny moments. For instance one of the soldier’s special skills is forgery. It’s kind of hard not to chuckle when the soldier, after being tortured, says with a straight face, “It’s okay, they didn’t hurt my writing hand.” This war film has no big movie stars, but familiar faces include Stewart Granger, Raf Vallone, Mickey Rooney, and Henry Silva. 3.5 action rating.
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Seminole
This movie isn’t bad. It has a great cast including Rock Hudson, Anthony Quinn, and a young, dark-haired Lee Marvin. It also has some great costumes. But there’s a couple reasons not to see this film. First, it’s inferior compared to “Distant Drums,” another movie about the Seminole Wars. Second, it lacks action. The ending is also a bit absurd. This is one of those movies that’s right on the fringe between being worth seeing or skipping. In other words, rent it but don’t buy it. 2 action rating
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Sergeant Rutledge
On an action scale, this is only one step above a court-room drama. Starring Jeffrey Hunter, the story is told in flashbacks as witnesses are called to the stand at a court martial hearing. John Ford directed a lot of good westerns, but this is not one of them. The story might hold your attention at the very end, but there’s not enough gunfire to hold your attention throughout. 2 action rating.
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Shalako
See it – Let’s be honest, the main reason you'll want to watch this movie is to see Sean Connery as a cowboy. But this is a surprisingly good rip-roaring western. In fact, the strangest thing about this movie is that it revolves around a group of British hunters on a big game hunt, and none of them are played by Connery. He plays the American. The only western he ever did, Connery doesn’t even attempt to change his accent, but it’s okay. This is an action movie, and it is as exciting and action-packed as they come. The hunting party is attacked by Indians, and James Bond…I mean Shalako, has to save the day. This movie is a mix between “Duel at Diablo” and “Last of the Mohicans.” Plus, the story was written by the legendary Louis L’Amour himself, so that should be enough right there. 4.5 action rating
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Shenandoah
See it – This is one of your future all time favorite movies. Every once in a while, there comes along an action movie that has it all. Excitement, adventure, romance, comedy, great story, and a great soundtrack. It is even rarer to find all these in a western. Impossible, you say? Well, you’ve never seen “Shenandoah.” This is one of the best movies ever made about the Civil War. I would also venture to say that this is Jimmy Stewart’s best western. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll quote it, you’ll want to own it. As far as action goes, this is second to none. There are gunfights, train hijackings, prison breaks, and huge sweeping battle scenes. Best of all, this classic is as watchable today as it was when it first came out. Go watch this movie immediately, I’m not even joking. 4.5 action rating
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Sherlock Holmes (2009)
2.5 action rating
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Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
3 action rating
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She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
People associate the words “cavalry,” “Indians,” and “John Wayne” with the word “action movie.” But where’s the action in this one? This is a very disappointing western because it has only two small skirmishes in the entire movie. They are not even long enough to be called battles. Sure, John Wayne is great in his role as an aging cavalry officer mere days away from his retirement. But this is a cavalry “fort soap opera,” and if you’re not careful you’ll find yourself nodding off to sleep. The second of the John Ford/John Wayne cavalry trilogy of 1948-1950. Wayne’s character is different than the one he plays in “Fort Apache” and “Rio Grande.” Yet this story has several characters from those other movies played by the same actors (ex. Ben Johnson as “Tyree” and Victor McLaglen as “Quincannon.”) Even though the trilogy has overlapping characters, it is not meant to be watched in any particular sequence. 1.5 action rating
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Shoot Out (1971)
One of Gregory Peck’s worst westerns. Probably not his fault, especially since so many of his other westerns were so ridiculously good that this one pales in comparison. But the script is rubbish and there are multiple scenes that are so cheesy they almost make you cringe. And worst of all, there’s very little action to keep us interested. And I’m not sure if you would call a bad guy shooting an apple off a little girl’s head “action.” Most people haven’t heard of this western, and it’s probably best just to keep it that way. 2 action rating.
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Shout at the Devil
See it- This superb actioner is very light-hearted, but packs quite a punch. Adventure meets war when hunters in Africa run into Germans during World War I. This underrated film starring Lee Marvin and Roger Moore has a recipe with just the right blend of comedy and action. But its Marvin who offers the lions share of the hilarity in the first half of the movie. The second half of the movie is much more serious, as the two main characters volunteer to blow up a German battleship docked for repairs. To those who don’t like this movie, I say, in the words of Lee Marvin, “See you in a minute…We’ll shout at the devil together!” 3.5 action rating
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Showdown at Boot Hill
“People kill for love, for hate, and for money. I never cared enough about anyone to hate them, and I’ve never been close enough to love them. So you see, I kill for money.” This is just one of many great quotes in a western that has lots of talking and not much action. And for a Charles Bronson movie, you just don’t see that coming. There’s not even a showdown at Boot Hill as the title suggests. Aside from a great script, I can’t in good conscious recommend a western that doesn’t even have a final gunfight. 1.5 action rating
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The Siege at Red River
2.5 action rating
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Sierra
While this ranks among Audie Murphy’s best westerns, it’s far from spectacular. The plot, however, is unique. It is the story of an innocent young man who was raised in the mountains by his outlaw father. When his father gets injured, he is forced to go for help, and in doing so enters society for the first time. The naïve young man gets in to trouble, and it doesn’t help matters any when the townspeople find out his true identity. While the plot is original enough, nothing else really stands out about this film. It co-stars a very young Tony Curtis and a very old Burl Ives, who starts getting annoying after he sings his fourth song. There is not very much action, and there are twice as many songs as gunfights. 2 action rating
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Skyfall
4 action rating
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Snow White and the Huntsman
3.5 action rating
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Sons of Katie Elder
See it – “Four Brothers” was a modern retelling of this awesome western. One of John Wayne’s best. 3 action rating
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Spectre
3.5 out of 5 action rating
Springfield Rifle
See it- This is a diamond in the rough. It is relatively unknown but a must-see for Gary Cooper fans. Cooper plays his usual character of a man on a mission to redeem himself, but this is not a typical western. Exciting from start to finish, it’s the story of the inception of counterintelligence used by the Union in the Civil War. It is not necessarily James Bond with a cowboy hat. It is still very much a western, and a refreshingly good Civil War movie for a change. Movie buffs will also get a kick out of a young Fess Parker. Full of twists and lots of battle scenes, it’s a good old-fashioned, fun movie. 4 action rating
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The Stalking Moon
This is a very long western that’s not bad, but it’s pretty bland until about an hour in. After that, there is a lot of stalking (thus the name). But even then, there’s just not that much action. The title of the movie should be “Gregory Peck sneaks around in the forest.” The story is about a cavalry scout, played by Peck, who helps rescue a white woman from Indian captivity. Peck’s character agrees to take the woman and a young Indian boy to the nearest town, but things change when he learns the secret of who the boy really is. 2.5 action rating
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Star Trek (2009)
4 action rating
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Star Trek Beyond
4 out of 5 action rating
Star Trek: Into Darkness
Simply put, the coolest movie of 2013. 4.5 out of 5 action rating
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens
4.5 out of 5 action rating
The Story of G.I. Joe
This movie has a very “old” feel to it. Also, it lacks the Hollywood heroics usually associated with a war movie. It is for this unique reason that a lot of people actually like this 1945 WWII movie co-starring a super young Robert Mitchum. I could compare it to “Band of Brothers” because the story is about the unit rather than a single main character. Replacements come and go but the story always focuses on the unit. But “Band of Brothers” actually had some good fight scenes. This movie only has one good combat sequence. So instead, I will compare this film to “All Quiet on the Western Front” because instead of focusing on combat, it focuses more on the rain and mud and “trench” hardships of the war. 1 action rating
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Sucker Punch
3 action rating
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Surrogates
2 action rating
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