Sylvester Stallone is one of the biggest action movie stars on the planet and has an astounding career playing brave heroes, skilled assassins, and even traumatized veterans. While Stallone gained his breakout role as the underdog fighter Rocky Balboa in his famous sports franchise, following this success, he carved out another career as a true action movie star chasing bad guys and bringing crooks to justice. Spurred by his longstanding rivalry with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stallone has continually pushed himself toward more over-the-top, chaotic, and wildly entertaining action movie releases.
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Many of Stallone’s best films were in the action movie genre, as he excelled in the Rambo franchise and portrayed countless heroes across prison movies, thrillers, sci-fi films, and more. With an often underappreciated skill for portraying tough guy characters as well as layered and noble lawmen, Stallone has proved his skills by acting opposite everyone from Antonio Banderas to Robert De Niro. While Stallone’s action star heyday may have been in the 1980s, he continued to excel right through the 21st century.
10 Assassins (1995)
Sylvester Stallone as Robert Rath
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Assassins RActionCrimeThriller
Assassins (1995) is a thriller directed by Richard Donner, starring Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas. Stallone plays Robert Rath, a professional hitman aiming to retire while Banderas portrays Miguel Bain, a younger assassin challenging Rath’s status. As they face off in a deadly game, Rath protects a target, played by Julianne Moore, from both Bain and his own dark past in a high-stakes battle of wits and survival.
Director Richard Donner Release Date October 6, 1995 Writers Lilly Wachowski , Lana Wachowski , Brian Helgeland Cast Sylvester Stallone , Antonio Banderas , Julianne Moore , Anatoli Davydov , Muse Watson , Steve Kahan , Kelly Rowan , Reed Diamond , Kai Wulff , Kerry Skalsky Character(s) Robert Rath , Miguel Bain , Electra , Nicolai Tashlinkov , Ketcham , Alan Branch , Jennifer , Electra’s Neighbor , Bob , Remy , Buyer with Remy Runtime 133 Minutes Main Genre Action Expand
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One highly underrated Sylvester Stallone action movie was Assassins, which told of a clever game of cat and mouse between the nearly retired assassin Robert Rath (Stallone) and the man who killed his mentor Miguel Bain (Antonio Banderas.) With a script originally written by the Wachowskis, the future Matrix creators were unhappy with the changes made to it and tried to have their names removed after it was rewritten by Brian Helgeland (via Collider.) While viewers never got to see the Wachowskis’ original vision, the result was an action-packed Stallone vehicle that represented some of his best work in the 1990s.
With Stallone as the cool and calculated career assassin and Banderas as the sweaty, stressed wild man, this was an excellent release from Lethal Weapon director Richard Donner. Elevated by strong supporting performances from the likes of the love interest Julianne Moore, Assassins was a star-studded action movie with plenty of high-stakes energy. Although things may sometimes feel a little too convoluted for their own good, Assassins worked well as a fun-filled action film.
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9 Lock Up (1989)
Sylvester Stallone as Frank Leone
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7/10 Lock Up RActionAdventureCrimeThriller
Lock Up stars Sylvester Stallone as Frank Leone, a convict nearing the end of his sentence in a minimum-security prison. He is unexpectedly transferred to a maximum-security facility by a vengeful warden who harbors a personal grudge against him. Directed by John Flynn, the film explores themes of resilience and justice as Leone navigates brutal challenges to regain his freedom.
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*Availability in US Director John Flynn Release Date August 4, 1989 Writers Richard Smith , Jeb Stuart , Henry Rosenbaum Cast Sylvester Stallone , Donald Sutherland , John Amos , Sonny Landham , Tom Sizemore , Frank McRae , Darlanne Fluegel , William Allen Young , Larry Romano , Jordan Lund , John Lilla , Dean Rader Duval , Jerry Strivelli , David Anthony Marshall , Kurek Ashley Runtime 109 Minutes Main Genre Action Expand
It must be admitted that Sylvester Stallone’s prison action movie Lock Up was a mixed bag that even the actor himself said wasn’t made “with enough maturity to really make a significant impact on the audience” (via EW.) However, despite a haphazard production that meant filming started before the script was even finished, the result was a highly entertaining Stallone film. Telling the story of Frank Leone, a convict nearing the end of his sentence, his path to freedom gets seriously delayed when a ruthless prison warden with a grudge gets him transferred into a maximum security facility.
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With his sentence extended by five years, Leone must deal with the sadistic nature of Warden Drumgoole, who was expertly portrayed by Donald Sutherland. This sinister energy of Drumgoole made him one of the most compelling villains in a Stallone movie, and the film built toward its epic climactic conclusion in the electric chair. While it’s true that Lock Up was a strange mix between a lighthearted prison drama and an intense action movie, the parts that worked were wildly entertaining.
8 Cliffhanger (1993)
Sylvester Stallone as Ranger Gabe Walker
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Cliffhanger RActionAdventureThriller
Cliffhanger, directed by Renny Harlin, follows former ranger Gabe Walker as he confronts his past on a treacherous peak. Initially returning to aid stranded climbers, Walker discovers they are hijackers searching for lost money, complicating an already perilous rescue mission.
Director Renny Harlin Release Date May 28, 1993 Studio(s) Carolco Pictures , Pioneer , Le Studio Canal+ , RCS Video Writers Michael France , Sylvester Stallone Cast Sylvester Stallone , John Lithgow , Michael Rooker , Janine Turner , Rex Linn , Caroline Goodall , Leon , Craig Fairbrass , Gregory Scott Cummins , Denis Forest , Michelle Joyner , Max Perlich , Paul Winfield , Ralph Waite , Trey Brownell , Zach Grenier , Vyto Ruginis , Don S. Davis , Scott Hoxby , John Finn , Bruce McGill , Rosemary Dunsmore , Kim Robillard , Jeff McCarthy Runtime 112 Minutes Sequel(s) Cliffhanger 2 Budget 70000000.0 Main Genre Action Expand
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The early 1990s were tough for Sylvester Stallone. He had three consecutive failures, Rocky V, Oscar, and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, all of which received negative critical and audience responses. In dire need of a hit, Stallone’s next movie was with Die Hard 2 director Renny Harlin, and he went back firmly into action hero mode for Cliffhanger. This mountaineering heist story was a hit with viewers, and although critics weren’t as pleased, it proved Stallone was still a major box office draw.
Looking back on Cliffhanger, this was one of Stallone’s most underrated releases. The sheer ridiculousness of its Rocky Mountain setting and over-the-top gadgetry made it a fun, action-packed thriller. Stallone may be overacting, but that’s also part of its appeal, as he faced off against John Lithgow, who played a psychotic British intelligence agent robbing $100 million from the U.S. Treasury. As pure action movie fun, Cliffhanger fully delivered on its outrageous mountain-setting premise.
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7 Tango & Cash (1989)
Sylvester Stallone as Lieutenant Ray Tango
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8/10 Tango & Cash ActionAdventureComedyCrimeThriller
Two rival Los Angeles cops are forced to team up when a drug lord implicates them in a crime they didn’t commit. They end up in jail and their only option is to escape in order to bring the real culprit to justice.
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*Availability in US Director Andrei Konchalovsky , Albert Magnoli Release Date December 22, 1989 Writers Randy Feldman Cast Sylvester Stallone , Kurt Russell , Teri Hatcher , Jack Palance , Brion James , James Hong Main Genre Action
As the 1980s came to an end, Sylvester Stallone finished the decade by teaming up with Kurt Russell for the cult buddy cop classic Tango & Cash. With a classic premise of mismatched cops being framed and sent to jail by their arch-nemesis, it was thrilling to watch Stallone as the straight-faced detective Ray Tango wisecracking alongside the trigger-happy cowboy Gabe Cash. While critics did not take to the duo upon release, in hindsight, it’s clear that the satirical stylings of Tango & Cash weren’t appreciated in their own time.
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Part of the appeal of revisiting Stallone in Tango & Cash was that the film was so full of tropes and clichés that it was tough to decipher if it was a truly by-the-numbers movie or a clever satire on action movies of this time. Either way, Tango & Cash was made for fun viewing that didn’t take itself too seriously and was elevated by the talents of two action movie greats coming together. While the poor reception sadly meant a sequel was never made, Stallone enthusiasts fondly look back on the film.
6 Cobra (1986)
Sylvester Stallone as Lieutenant Marion “Cobra” Cobretti
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Cobra RActionCrimeThriller
In Cobra, a genius mathematician turns vigilante and uses his intellect to execute intricate crimes while police attempt to apprehend him. As the story progresses, layers of mystery unravel, leading to a gripping narrative filled with suspense and intellectual duels.
Director George P. Cosmatos Release Date May 23, 1986 Writers George P. Cosmatos , Paula Gosling , Sylvester Stallone Cast Sylvester Stallone , Brigitte Nielsen , Reni Santoni , Andrew Robinson , Brian Thompson , John Herzfeld , Lee Garlington , Art LaFleur , Marco Rodríguez , Ross St. Phillip , Val Avery , David Rasche , John Hauk , Nick Angotti , Nina Axelrod , Joe Bonny , Brad Bovee , Kevin Breslin , Roger Aaron Brown , John Cahill , Malik Carter , Louise Caire Clark , Christine Craft Character(s) Marion Cobretti , Ingrid , Gonzales , Detective Monte , Night Slasher , Cho , Nancy Stalk , Captain Sears , Supermarket Killer , Security Guard , Chief Halliwell , Dan , Low Rider , Prodski , Waitress , Policeman #1 , Innocent Bystander , Supermarket Kid , Policeman #2 , Father of Blonde Girl , Night Guard , Woman in Car , TV News Reporter Runtime 87 Minutes Main Genre Action Expand
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Cobra was the logical conclusion of the type of no-nonsense action hero that Sylvester Stallone had come to be known for in movies like the Rambo franchise. By taking the violent nature of 1980s action movies and turning the dial up even further, the guns-blazing heroics of Stallone as Lieutenant Cobra made for nail-biting viewing. With sunglasses, a toothpick in his mouth, and dressed in darkly clad clothing, Stallone never looked cooler than he did in Cobra.
From the over-the-top violence of its opening supermarket hostage scene to the thrilling countdown to catching a deranged serial killer, Cobra stars a hero who disregarded the letter of the law to achieve his aims. Sadly, the thing that brought Cobra down from truly achieving greatness within Stallone’s filmography was that its best moments came in the opening scene, and it never really reached the same momentum again.
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5 Demolition Man (1993)
Sylvester Stallone as Sergeant John Spartan
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Demolition Man RActionCrimeSci-FiThriller
In the 1993 action movie Demolition Man, Sylvester Stallone stars as time-displaced police officer John Spartan, who struggles to adapt to the year 2032 after being cryogenically frozen for messing up a job. However, his old-school skills come in handy for innocent cop Lenina Huxley (Sandra Bullock) and the futuristic city of San Angeles when the criminal Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes) is thawed and the complacent authorities don’t know how to react.
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*Availability in US Director Marco Brambilla Release Date October 8, 1993 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Peter M. Lenkov , Robert Reneau , Daniel Waters Cast Sylvester Stallone , Wesley Snipes , Sandra Bullock , Nigel Hawthorne , Benjamin Bratt , Bob Gunton Runtime 115 minutes Budget $57 million Expand
It’s interesting to note that Sylvester Stallone’s Demolition Man has only become more relevant in the years since its release. Set in the then far-flung future of 2023, the world of Demolition Man was one categorized by virtual meetings, self-driving cars, and non-contact social greetings. Stallone played Sergeant John Spartan, a no-nonsense cop from the 1990s who, along with his arch enemy Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes), were awoken from their cryogenically frozen state into a world they no longer understood.
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Snipes was fantastic as the deranged crime lord using the weaknesses of a crime-free utopian society against itself, while Stallone’s old-world attitude was the only thing that could bring him down. Demolition Man was a creative and fun-filled action movie that was truly ahead of its time in the way it eerily accurately predicted many aspects of the imagined future it depicted. Demolition Man was one of Stallone’s funniest films of the 1990s and was bolstered by his terrific onscreen chemistry with newcomer Sandra Bullock.
4 First Blood (1982)
Sylvester Stallone as John J. Rambo
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10/10 First Blood (1982) RActionAdventureThrillerWar
First Blood is an action-thriller film starring Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo, a Vietnam War veteran who drifts into Hope, Washington, in search of an old buddy. However, he is mistreated by the local sheriff, leading to a violent confrontation that sets off a chain of events, forcing Rambo to rely on his combat skills to survive.
Director Ted Kotcheff Release Date October 22, 1982 Studio(s) Carolco Pictures , Anabasis N.V. , Elcajo Productions , Cinema 84 , Orion Pictures Writers William Sackheim , Sylvester Stallone , Michael Kozoll Cast Sylvester Stallone , Richard Crenna , Brian Dennehy , Bill McKinney , Jack Starrett Runtime 93 Minutes Budget 15000000.0 Main Genre Action Expand
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While the early part of Sylvester Stallone’s career was overshadowed by the astounding success of the Rocky franchise, in 1982 a new action series came along that could at last rival Stallone’s most famous creation. First Blood introduced the PTSD-suffering Vietnam veteran John J. Rambo in an intense action movie set in the wilderness of a small Wisconsin town. As a former special ops agent, Rambo’s wartime trauma erupted into a massive manhunt as he had to use his survival skills to evade police in a gigantic search.
First Blood was an edge-of-the-seat action movie grounded in real drama, as the psychological issues of veterans remain an essential topic. While the series later devolved into pure action movie carnage, this first entry maintained the humanity at the heart of Rambo’s character and was one of Stallone’s most interesting roles. As an actor perfectly matched to the part he was playing, Stallone truly brought the character from David Morrell’s original novel to life on the big screen.
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3 The Expendables (2010)
Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross
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5/10 The Expendables RAdventureThrillerAction
The Expendables is the first film in the action franchise that follows the exploits of a close team of mercenaries that complete dangerous jobs worldwide. Hired by a covert operator, the Expendables are tasked with heading to South America to deal with a dangerous dictator and liberate a country from his oppressive rule. However, they soon learn that the dictator is a front, leaving them caught in a dangerous mission with a threat higher up the chain than they could have imagined.
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*Availability in US Director Sylvester Stallone Release Date August 13, 2010 Studio(s) Lionsgate Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Dave Callaham , Sylvester Stallone Cast Mickey Rourke , Steve Austin , Bruce Willis , Jet Li , Sylvester Stallone , Dolph Lundgren , Charisma Carpenter , Arnold Schwarzenegger , Jason Statham , Eric Roberts , Randy Couture , Terry Crews Runtime 103 minutes Franchise(s) The Expendables Sequel(s) The Expendables 2 , The Expendables 3 Budget $80 million Expand
With a long career behind him full of action movie heroism, it was thrilling to see Sylvester Stallone return with a brand new action franchise with The Expendables. The first installment of this ongoing series starred Stallone as Barney Ross, the leader of an elite group of mercenaries tasked with overthrowing a Latin American dictator. As a film packed with action movie stars of past and present, such as Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Dolph Lundgren, The Expendables truly was a who’s who of action movie history.
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While later installments would bring in Stallone’s old rival, Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s impossible to beat the exciting power of the original, which proved Stallone still had it after all these years. With intense action sequences and some hilarious tongue-in-cheek dialogue, The Expendables ticked all the right boxes for everything an action movie lover would want. With The Expendables, Stallone could add Barney Ross right alongside Rocky and Rambo to his list of iconic movie heroes.
2 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
Sylvester Stallone as John J. Rambo
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5/10 Rambo: First Blood Part II RActionAdventureThrillerWar
Rambo: First Blood Part II follows John Rambo, played by Sylvester Stallone, as he is released from prison for a government-sanctioned covert mission back to the hostile jungles of Vietnam. Tasked with gathering intelligence on American prisoners of war, he faces formidable challenges in this high-stakes operation.
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*Availability in US Director George P. Cosmatos Release Date May 21, 1985 Writers David Morrell , Kevin Jarre , Sylvester Stallone , James Cameron Cast Sylvester Stallone , Richard Crenna , Charles Napier , Steven Berkoff , Julia Nickson , Martin Kove Character(s) Col. Samuel Trautman , John J. Rambo , Marshall Murdock , Lt. Col. Podovsky , Co Bao , Ericson , Capt Vinh , Banks , Capt. Vinh , Sgt. Yushin , Gunboat Captain , Gunboat captain II , Lifer , P.O.W. #1 , P.O.W. #2 , P.O.W. #3 , P.O.W. #4 , P.O.W. #5 , Prison Guard , Russian Pilot , Russian Soldier , Chief Radio Operator , Tay’s Soldier , POW #6 , Radio Operator Runtime 94 minutes Main Genre Action YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9039tUMRbjA Expand
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The success of Sylvester Stallone’s portrayal of John J. Rambo in First Blood showcased the character’s potential to lead a new action franchise, and the sequel, Rambo: First Blood Part II, was released three years later. This follow-up may have lacked the emotional resonance of the original, but it was more than made up for that with pure action movie carnage. By bringing Rambo back to Vietnam as he sought to rescue captured POWs who had been left behind, First Blood Part II may not have been historically accurate, but it was certainly a lot of fun.
First Blood Part II was the perfect sweet spot for the character of Rambo, as his action hero stylings were in full gear, and he hadn’t yet turned into the one-dimensional superhero-style character he turned into in subsequent sequels. As a major box office hit worldwide, First Blood Part II was one of the great rock-em-sock-em action films ever produced. This installment transformed Sylvester Stallone into one of cinema’s major action heroes.
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1 Cop Land (1997)
Sylvester Stallone as Sheriff Freddy Heflin
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10/10 Cop Land RCrimeDramaThriller Director James Mangold Release Date August 6, 1997 Studio(s) Woods Entertainment , Across the River Productions Distributor(s) Miramax Films Writers James Mangold Cast Sylvester Stallone , Harvey Keitel , Ray Liotta , Robert De Niro , Peter Berg , Janeane Garofalo , Robert Patrick , Michael Rapaport Runtime 104 minutes Budget $15 million Main Genre Crime Expand
While Sylvester Stallone’s acting credentials often get a bad rap as he’s become associated with over-the-top action movie spectacle performances, those who deride his acting skills need to check Cop Land to be proven wrong. This action crime drama featured Stallone in a more reserved and realistic role as he portrayed small-town Sheriff Freddy Heflin uncovering corruption within his police force. With acting legends Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Harvey Keitel among its cast, it was a testament to Stallone’s talent that he more than held his own among such esteemed company.
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Cop Land was a thrilling tale of corruption and deceit filled with fantastic performances and plenty of heart-pumping suspense. Stallone shed his action-hero persona to portray a much more grounded character who, without superstrength and out-of-this-world combat skills, still did what was right to stand up against the bad guys. As a nuanced and layered portrait of crime and conflict in small-town New Jersey, Cop Land was Stallone’s finest achievement as an actor.
Sources: Collider, EW