A good Action sequence is something that is truly amazing to watch, as it can be as expansive as explosions crashing across the screen, or more intimate, like a duel between two people. This gives the best action scenes such a range and in 2018 we were given some truly amazing spectacles.

For me the best action scenes are those that excel in every element, whether that be live actions, special effects, digital effects, or animation and bring every facet to shine. It is also the category that looks at some of the department’s people don’t often fully understand like stunt coordination or the 2^nd unit.

So without further ado, these are the moments of action that awed us in 2018. Be warned that there may be some slight spoilers ahead for the films in question.

Avengers: Infinity War

The Big Team Up Battle, “I am Groot” “ I am Steve Rodgers” I mean enough said.  

Directed by – Anthony Russo & Joe Russo
Second Unit Led by – Alexander Witt
Stunt Coordination by – Sam Hargrave
See Full Review

Black Panther

Casino Brawl: A tracking shot through the air across the casino to land on some guys getting minced by Okoye, all of this while one of the best musical scores accents every hit.  

Directed by – Ryan Coogler
Second Unit Led by – Andy Gill & Darrin Prescott
Stunt Coordination by – George Cottle
See Full Review

Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Bathroom Battle: A three-person fight that is brutal, with three different fighting techniques on show, and if that is not all August Walker reloads his punches halfway through in one of the most ridiculous yet amusing moments of the year.     

Directed by – Christopher McQuarrie
Second Unit & stunt Coordination Led by – Wade Eastwood
See Full Review

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Escape from the Lab: Explosive action that combines the best parts of printed comics with the flow of animation creating a visually unique action scene.    

Directed by – Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey & Rodney Rothman
Art Direction by – Dean Gordon & Patrick O’Keefe
Animation Led by – Julie Bernier Gosselin, Jeff Panko,Terrence Robertson-Fall, Humberto Rosa & Philip Rudolph
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Upgrade

First Fight: That moment when they unlock the potential of the chip and you see it in all its glory and its horror.  

Directed by – Leigh Whannell
Second Unit Led by – Andy Canny
Stunt Coordination by – Chris Anderson
See Full Review

And the Winner is!!!!! – Upgrade

There were a lot of great action sequences in 2018, ever more than just the shortlist I have here. However, for me, Upgrade just sneaks out ahead in what was a very difficult category to find a winner. It is a fight of two halves, a body working with mechanical precision and a face that is horrified with what is going on. This creates a juxtaposition that is helped by some clever cinematography, and great acting from Logan Marshall-Green, that captivates you and draws you into every punch and every glass smashed over someone’s head. It is one of those fights that you can watch over and over again, just for the pure spectacle of it all.    

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

What are your favourite cinematic moments from 2018?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images used were created by the respective studio and artists of each film