Those were the days when people could get away with pretty much anything in the name of entertainment, and they did not have to worry about offending anyone! Yes, we are talking about the carefree era of the 1980s, when we relished in our guilty pleasures.
We also had some timeless classics, but there was a free-flowing system of thoughtless entertainment. Because the filmmakers did not shy away from corny content, the era was known for generating some of the most ridiculous action and horror films. In fact, some of the most popular B-movies and action-packed entertainers ignored realism in favor of sheer entertainment value.
These films may not be as thought-provoking or as deep as the Mariana Trench, but they sure as hell know their way around, and they will take your tension away! You surely get the idea by now: we are going to look at some of the most ludicrous but entertaining action films from the 1980s that are not supposed to be taken seriously.
Some of the films on our list contain elements of horror as well as action and terror. Anyway, those were the amazing 1980s! Prepare for a cheesy trash-fest, since life is not supposed to be serious all of the time!
The Barbarians (1987)
Ever since the grand success of the film Conan the Barbarian, sword and sorcery flicks became quite popular in the 80s. The idea was to portray a hulking, muscular hero, who would fight the evil forces with his brute force and righteousness. The Barbarians is one such addition to the collection, and the movie tells the story of two young orphans who were adopted by a tribe.
They grow up to be powerful gladiators, who were then capable enough to get their revenge on an evil warlord Kadar who had kidnapped the queen of their tribe and ruthlessly slaughtered many others. Now, their mission is to rescue their queen and restore the tribe to its former glory. As the two mighty heroes go-ahead to meet their nemesis, things boil down for an action-packed final showdown!
The story sounds familiar, doesn’t it? That’s because it is! You may have heard this narrative multiple times, and the movie adds nothing spectacular to the familiar plot. However, on the bright side of things, the director Ruggero Deodato never takes the script seriously and makes it an enjoyable affair. The narrative moves at a brisk pace, and there are several scenes of intense swordfights that keep things interesting. There are also a few instances of splatter and gore, but nothing too graphic.
The cast enjoys their performances in this camp-fest, and the likes of David Paul and Peter Paul are decent leads. The heroes here are stupid fools, but they are muscular and powerful enough- so no one cares. The tongue-in-cheek humor keeps you hooked, and the heroic duo is quite the rescue team! At times it is hard to believe that the same director who made Cannibal Holocaust is the one behind this comical sword and sorcery drama.
The dialogues are crazily inept and they will have you laughing your guts off. To add to the spice, the makers have also thrown in some cheesy fantasy monsters, like the dragon with adorable eyes, and the werewolf-like creatures. The makeup effects are adequately campy, and the movie is gloriously goofy the whole time. Those who are seeking something serious might look away, but the ones who are in the mood for some cheesy fun should hop on board!
Enter the Ninja (1981)
American martial art movies don’t exactly have the best reputation but Enter the Ninja, changed the concept 360 degrees! The film revolves around a mercenary soldier named Cole, who was a part of the Angolan Bush War. He completed his ninjutsu training in Japan and then went to visit his friend Frank Landers and his wife Mary in the Philippines.
Frank fought alongside him in the war, but now, he is troubled by the local henchmen who have eyes on his land. When the leader of the local thugs learns that Cole is a trained ninja, he hires one of his own to fight him. It comes down to an intense battle to their deaths, and only the better-skilled fighter will come out alive! It sure was nail-biting! stuff.
There is another reason why Enter the Ninja remains one of the most popular ninja flicks of the 80s. The credit of being one of the few Western movies that tackle the subject properly goes to it. We must acknowledge that the plot is not very convincing, and there isn’t a lot of complication to spice things up.
Well, this is no classic, and it is all about the good fighting the corrupt. If you are up for this recycled plot, you will be pleasantly surprised by the riches that the narrative has to offer. Among the positives, the locations are definitely one of the highlights of the movie and it makes it look like a foreign-made action flick.
The direction by Menahem Golan is purposely dramatic, and it helps in capturing the true spirit of such B-movies. The cast is pretty impressive, and the likes of Christopher George and Sho Kosugi make their presence felt. The latter, in particular, is a popular Japanese star from the 80s, and he also starred in the two sequels of this film. He is an expert when it comes to martial arts, and his skills are evident in the fight scenes.
While there is some intense martial arts-based fighting in the movie, the final battle is the one to watch out for. It is so well-choreographed that it almost looks like a big-budget drama for a second. In short, Enter the Ninja is a must-watch for all you martial arts lovers out there, and if not anything else, you will surely appreciate the intense sword fights that take place.
Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988)
What do you expect when the hero of the story is called Hell? Well, that is exactly what you get for this movie – a badass protagonist and plenty of action. The story is premised in a world that is seeing the aftermath of a worldwide nuclear war. Now, over 68% of the male population is dead, and virile men are a rarity.
The women have taken control of the new world, and Sam Hell is one of the prisoners taken by them. The nuclear war has also thrown in some other adversaries, such as the deadly mutants roaming around. Humanity is threatened by extinction due to infertility and all the threats around unless something drastic is done quickly.
Sam is tasked with the rescue of a group of fertile women, who have been imprisoned by a mutant leader that looks like a frog. Sam Hell must obey the orders because a bomb has been attached to him and it will go off -if he moves off track. What follows is an incredible adventure, the likes of which you haven’t seen before!
This excruciating B-movie action-comedy is not a classic by the wildest stretch of the imagination. However, it promises over an hour of harmless fun, the kind of which we all love to indulge in. Roddy Piper plays the role of the protagonist, Sam Hell, and the fans of wrestling will know him from his wrestling days. He was impressive in John Carpenter’s They Live, and he does a fine job here as well.
He certainly doesn’t know the first thing about acting, but that doesn’t stop him from enacting some charismatic moves, and boy, is he good in the action scenes! There are plenty of showstoppers in terms of intense fights, and he steals the show with his effortless performance. Everything from the set designs to the jokes, and even the costumes are made for the laughs, and they succeed.
The frog-like mutants look hilarious, and the story woven around them is deliberately goofy. The film was popular enough to power a few sequels along the way, but they aren’t as enjoyable as this one. It stays engagingly silly from the very beginning, and we strongly recommend this with a few mid-strength beers!
Basket Case (1982)
The movie starts off with a young man named Duane Bradley who walks into a motel room in New York with a strange-looking basket. It is soon revealed that the basket contains his hideously deformed, formerly conjoined twin brother, who was surgically removed. This brother of his is deformed to such an extent that the doctors who performed the surgery hesitated to consider him a human.
However, the deformed creature has an evil mind and it turns out that he is the guiding force behind Duane’s trip. He wants to get revenge on the doctors who separated him back in the day, and the sole purpose of the vile beast is to kill everyone he blames. Things take a turn when Duane falls in love with a lady at the doctor’s office, and now he wishes to start over a new life. His freakish twin brother has some very different ideas that ensure a grim ending to the tale!
Underestimate this movie as just another B-movie at your own risk. This horror and action drama has all the ingredients of a solid entertainer and the crisp narrative will hold your attention till the very end. The misadventures of a geeky and gullible young man and his twisted twin brother have the right kind of thrills and it will keep you guessing the whole time.
The bloodthirsty, misshapen monster looks absolutely grotesque, and his actions are unspeakable. Basket Case shines because of its atmospheric locations, and it gathered quite a cult following because of the bizarre plot. The director Frank Hennenlotter puts his heart into the project and even with a ridiculously small team he puts things together effortlessly.
The meager budget shows in the poor special effects, but the low-budget charm actually helps the movie and gives it the typical 80s feel. If we must complain about one thing it has to be those moments, where the film feels dragged. Editing the final version by a good ten minutes would have done the trick.
It certainly is more of an action drama and lacks the horror elements, but we don’t mind that one bit. In fact, the innovative killings and some intense action sequences only add to the entertainment value. There have been two sequels of this movie, but none match up to the brilliance of the original. Enjoy this sleazy and unpredictable movie with a couple of beers, and life will suddenly seem a lot simpler!
The Wraith (1986)
A small desert town in Arizona is terrorized by Packard Walsh and his motorized gang. They force random drivers to drag-race, and they win over their vehicles adding to their fleet. Jamie Hankins is a decent teenager who happens to like a girl that Walsh wanted for himself. After catching Jamie getting intimate with the girl, Walsh stabs him to death.
Soon afterward, a mysterious man named Jake Kesey arrives in the town. He is a super-cool biker and he also has an invincible car. Jake befriends Jamie’s girlfriend and also takes his brother under his wing. Moreover, he goes about a systematic killing of the local thugs who used to bully everyone around. His ghostly black car challenges the members of the motorized gang to a race, and eventually kills them off one by one.
Neither the gang members nor the police can catch Jake and his mysterious car, but there might be something supernatural about Jake’s identity! Who is this righteous fellow bringing order back to the lawless town?
The Wraith is an adorable effort to roll multiple things into a single movie, and we aren’t complaining about the end results. There is a saying that if you have seen one of the 80s action-horror flicks then you have seen them all. Maybe, there is some truth to the notion, but we feel that you will still love watching all of them separately.
This movie, for instance, might have a storyline that you have heard before, but the execution will ensure that your eyes are glued to the screen. First of all, watching a young Charlie Sheen as the protagonist is a treat.
This was made before he became famous, his performance even was then was quite promising. There are some breathtaking car racing scenes, and the roads are bound to remind you of the Mad Max movies. Besides the cool cars, you will enjoy some talented supporting actors delivering power-packed performances, and there isn’t much to not like here.
The writer and director Mike Marvin narrates the asinine story at a zippy pace, and the relatively impractical premise is treated with such seriousness that you never realize the absurdity of the plot. The pounding rock soundtrack adds to the ambiance of the movie, and this is one film that you wouldn’t regret watching multiple times! Sometimes, feeling good is all you need and The Wraith will certainly do that perfectly!
Chopping Mall (1986)
Technology can be a blessing until it turns into a curse! A group of young couples learns this the hard way when they decide to have an after-hours party in the store in the Park Plaza Mall, where they work. The mall has recently installed an advanced security system, which is manned by three high-tech robots. Everything is fine until a lightning storm damages the computers that control the three robotic guards.
The robot security system malfunctions and the robots are turned into murderous machines that seek to kill anyone in their path. The four couples are now trapped with potential killers with no one around to help them out. The seemingly indestructible robots take out the victims one by one, and time is running out for the surviving members to find an escape route!
What did you expect when you hear about an 80s B-movie titled Chopping Mall? That is exactly what you will get in this movie, and the title is literally the summary of the film. The makers were well-aware that they were dealing with something silly and cheesy, and they made no bones about it and no efforts were made to tone down the over-the-top narrative.
This movie is more of a parody of the typical slasher-horror and action flicks back in the day, and a group of stupid teenagers trapped inside a mall seemed like the perfect premise to kick things off. While most of the movie is pretty dumb, you have to appreciate a few moments of brilliance. There are some nail-biting times in the course of the narrative, and on the other hand, there were some hilarious scenes. The young couples and their extremely dumb actions to deal with the killer bots are definitely laugh-worthy.
However, we were quite impressed with the look of the killer robots, especially taking into account the low budget of the film. The cast is not too shabby, and you will recognize the alluring Barbara Crampton among the lot. There are some fascinating kill scenes, and the body count keeps rising with time. If you are prepared to handle a fun-filled parody that doesn’t take itself seriously, then this movie is a must-watch for you!
The Toxic Avenger (1984)
Who says superhero flicks have to be serious? Along with this superhero action comes dark comedy. As he tells us the story of a social misfit named Melvin who works as a mop boy at the Tromaville Health Club. He is repeatedly bullied and tortured, and it all comes to the point, where he accidentally falls into a vat of toxic waste. This has some strange effects on his body and his alter ego is created. Melvin becomes the Toxic Avenger, the local superhero who can stand up to corruption and bullies. The bad guys will have a lot to lose and the corrupt mayor of the town must watch out for the new hero on the block!
This movie has Troma Studios stamped all over it, and the notorious studio has done a remarkable job with this over-the-top superhero drama. The Toxic Avenger is so outrageously offensive that in today’s time it would have been blasted on social media platforms. The horrible acting performances, the hilarious script, and the insane storyline makes for the perfect guilty pleasure that is enjoyable only because it is so outrageous.
Welcome to the town of Tromaville, where bullies and sociopaths are everywhere. Their grisly acts are funny at times, but the arrival of a strange superhero makes it a laughing riot. There are plenty of politically incorrect things, and thankfully people could get away with a lot back in the day. You will also find a generous dose of gore, and there are some pretty violent scenes that make the movie inappropriate for children.
Even the Toxic Avenger takes down the bad guys in a rather graphic manner, sometimes ripping out their entrails or burning them in a microwave. The budget was obviously non-existent, and the cheap special effects look fascinating. In fact, with a little imagination, you will enjoy the rubbery effects.
Loaded with terrible dialogues and outrageous gore. This Troma production will be the perfect number to relax with after a stressed day. Overall, the Toxic Avenger is undoubtedly trashy, but it went on to become a cult classic and certainly deserves to be watched.
Yor, the Hunter from the Future (1983)
The story is premised in what looks like some kind of a prehistoric wasteland, and Yor is a caveman who is traveling across the barren landscape. He arrives in a village and his bravery and brute force save the villagers from a deadly dinosaur attack. A feast is organized in his honor, but the troubles are far from over.
A hostile neighboring tribe attacks, and it is Yor to the rescue once again. He also finds himself a damsel in distress, and something surprising changes things for him completely. He finds the same mysterious medallion that he wears on another woman, who is supposedly a desert goddess and this makes him curious about his real origins. He sets out with his new companions in search of his destiny, and needless to say, the journey is full of some wonderful adventures!
If you are thinking that cavemen and dinosaurs never coexisted, this movie is not for you! The logic goes right out of the window, and that is precisely the selling point of this film. The director, Antonio Margheriti is well-known among those who love such guilty pleasures, and he delivers one cheap but entertaining drama.
There are really no questions that this is a terrible movie, especially with the embarrassing performances and the laughable special effects. The makers knew that they were nowhere close to the money required to pull this off in grand style, and they chose to take the easier alternative – made it an absolute laugh-riot.
There are some genuinely fun moments, even in the so-called serious scenes, such as the dinosaur attacks. The movie tries to impress with some gore and some intense battle sequences, but it is already a lost cause in the first ten minutes. Imagine a campier version of Conan the Barbarian, and this exploitation flick is exactly that. All in all, this gloriously goofy cheese-fest is supposed to be enjoyed without judgments, and go and watch this one only if you are up for it.
Ninja Terminator (1985)
An evil Ninja clan is celebrating its twentieth anniversary of ruling over the land. The leader of the Ninja Empire, Supreme Ninja orders three of his finest warriors to get him pieces of a magical gold statue, which when united gives the owner incredible powers and makes him impossible to defeat.
However, the three warriors decide that it is too much power for the tyrant, and they steal the pieces. Now, the Supreme Ninja sends out his forces after these rogue ninjas, and they have to find a way to keep the missing pieces hidden. After multiple twists and turns, the final outcome is revealed, and in order to get to that, you must sit through this martial arts action fest!
Godfrey Ho is the unsung hero of cheesy ninja movies, and Ninja Terminator is just another feather in his cap. Richard Harrison is in, one of his regular features, and this time around he brings in the actor to play one of the three heroic ninjas who dare to defy their oppressive leader. The story doesn’t really make much sense, but you aren’t in this for the rational side of things anyway!
The narrative appears to be a bit jittery, mainly because it seems like footage from two different films has been fused together. However, what makes it worth your time are the countless inane moments that are sure to tear you up with laughter. The ninja warriors waste no time in displaying their sword fighting skills and the fight scenes are well-choreographed.
Another hilarious moment comes, when a toy robot menacingly delivers a videotape, and such outrageous scenes keep coming. The silliness is entertaining, which is why this movie makes this list, and if you throw in a few moments of gratuitous skin-show and the awful dialogue, this becomes the perfect recipe for a fun movie night.
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Jack Burton is a truck driver and he takes his friend Wang Chi to the airport to pick up his fiance. Little did he know that things would take a remarkable turn, but it does when Wang’s fiancé is kidnapped on her arrival by a Chinese street gang. Jack and Wang go after the group, but they soon find out that there is more to the kidnapping than what meets the eye!
David Lo Pan is an evil sorcerer and he was cursed over two thousand years ago which caused him to exist without a physical body. The only way out of the curse is to marry a woman with green eyes, and Wang’s fiancée Miao Yin is the chosen one who fits the bill perfectly. Now, Jack must help his friend get back his lady love, and in doing so he will have to take on a world of skilled fighters and supernatural forces! Could things be any more entertaining!
Big Trouble in Little China is a big name among 80s action flicks, and it is regarded as one of John Carpenter’s cult classics. When he comes together with the legendary Kurt Russell, you can expect some serious fireworks and you will not be disappointed. Funnily enough, Kurt Russell was skeptical about taking up this role because he was coming fresh from a string of flops.
However, things turned around pretty quickly with this one becoming a smash hit, and his role was remembered for times to come. The movie is not really plot-heavy, but it doesn’t need to with all the things happening. The fast-paced narrative doesn’t allow any boring moments, and the action sequences provide enough of an adrenaline rush.
In fact, the martial arts bits are particularly well done, and the makers deserve some credit for these fight scenes. The effects are surprisingly good for their time, and they go well with the badass one-liners from Russell. Forget realism for a while and get yourself a big tub of popcorn to enjoy this one.
Maniac Cop (1988)
New York City is seeing a series of brutal murders, and the shocking part is that the killer seems to be a uniformed police officer. The City Hall desperately tries to cover up the increasing death toll, and Frank McCrae is tasked with leading the investigation process. One of the prime suspects in the case is a young cop named Jack Forrest, but this is merely a setup organized by the actual killer. Now, it is up to his girlfriend to team up with the detective and solve the case at the earliest to clear the name of innocent Jack. Will they succeed before the maniac killer cop strikes again?
One of the first things that you will notice about this movie is the star cast. The likes of Bruce Campbell and Tom Atkins do a fabulous job, and the supporting cast was pretty impressive as well. The problem with the making of Maniac Cop was the ridiculously low budget, and this was an issue keeping in mind some of the things they had to pull off.
This is probably the handicap that prevented the movie from becoming a properly made action thriller. The narrative is quick and crisp, and things get pretty grisly at times. The death scenes are short, but most of the characters are slaughtered throughout the movie. You will also get to enjoy a few tense chase scenes, and the police station massacre will stick with you for some time. We loved the look of the deranged killer and his methods were simply sickening!
The movie has been directed in absolutely rip-snorting style by William Lustig and a very witty script will keep you well entertained. The popularity of this movie was enough to warrant a few sequels, but unfortunately, they did not do justice to the original. In short, if you are looking for a storyline that blends suspense, shocks, and violence quite craftily, this might be worth checking out.
Galaxy of Terror (1981)
A spaceship crash-lands on a mysterious planet named Morganthus, and another spaceship is sent on a rescue mission. However, the second spacecraft also meets with a similar fate and crash-lands on the planet. They are in for a rude shock when one by one the team members get slaughtered brutally.
The ships are damaged, and the surviving members must find a way to escape from the horrors on this lifeless planet. They soon discover that the root cause behind all the evil things happening around them is a strange pyramid-shaped object at a distance. Some unexplained force is using it to exploit the worst fears of the members against themselves, and it seems to be all over for the crew!
Sci-fi action flicks have their way of keeping the audiences glued to the screen, no matter how unreal the storyline gets. This one, for instance, has a rather futuristic approach, and it is quite an impressive effort for a B-movie that was rather cash-strapped. This film has the look of an Alien, and the dark and grim surroundings strike fear in the hearts of the bravest souls watching.
Things start off pretty straightforward, and the narrative doesn’t waste much time in getting straight to the point. The alien menaces are seen briefly, but they undoubtedly make things very interesting. There is no shortage of gore throughout the storytelling, and exploding heads and bodies ripped apart are a normal sight.
The final death scene is probably one of the most over-the-top sequences ever, and the sight of a body being crushed by animated tubing is quite disturbing. The cast members seem to have a lot of fun with this intense effort, and somewhere, the makers knew that apart from the looks of it, there was not much that they could recreate from Alien. Even then, the movie was good enough to gain a cult following, and it is one space-horror come action flick that you might regret missing out on!
The 80s were infamously known for many more such movies, and we simply couldn’t get enough of these. Now that such content has dried up to a large extent, it is quite enjoyable to sit back to revisit the glorious days. Do let us know in the comments below about some of your personnel favorites from the 80s in this genre!