9 Action Movie Cliches

For this list, we have chosen 9 action movie cliches. Most action movies we see these days seem to follow a similar pattern that includes many, if not all of these.

#1 Throwing away your weapon to fight hand to hand. This is usually the epic conclusion between the main character and the villain, where the characters, in order to make the scene more cool, throw their guns to the wayside and fight hand to hand. Let's be honest, in real life the person would most likely just shoot the other guy after they threw their gun down, like a coward, but a smart coward.





#2 Walking away from an explosion. We have all seen this, thought about this, and made fun of this before. There is even a funny video about it if you click here. But seriously, in real life we would run as fast as we can from it, or we may die just from the shock of the blast itself, not to mention shrapnel. The fact that it is so overdone and laughable now makes you wonder why movies still do it?

#3 People dressing up as an employee to sneak into an establishment. The funny thing is that in real life, most people know everyone they work with. Even in large establishments like hospitals, people work there for many years and usually know most of the people who work on that floor. Granted, everyone may not know the custodian or every single employee in the building, so it may work in some places, but usually there would probably be one person who sees something fishy going on.


#4 People dying the second they get shot unless the movie needs them not to. In real life, people bleed out after they get shot. Unless you get shot in the head or the heart, you are going to live for at least a few seconds longer. Even if you get shot in the heart you will probably live for a few more seconds. In action movies though, if you are an extra, and a bullet hits you in the leg, you are dead immediately.

#5 Throwing a gun away after using it. Granted, the Matrix is a bad example of this because the guns are imagined anyways. But in real life, guns are expensive, and people usually like their guns. In movies, whenever people shoot someone, they dramatically drop the gun, throw the gun away, give it away, or don't care about it anymore. They never clean it up and put it back in their gun box like in real life.


#6 People don't have peripheral vision. In movies, people can't see 3 feet above them. In real life, when I walk into a room, it usually doesn't matter how big the room is, I can see the entire thing. The ceiling, all the walls, etc. If someone were in there, it is very likely I would notice immediately, and not allow them to hang or hide above me for minutes at a time.

#7 Leaving the hospital right after you get injured. This happens in every action movie (and necessarily too, because it would be boring if they hang out in the hospital the whole movie) but it is unrealistic. In fact, Harvey Dent in this picture would probably be in so much pain, it would be hard to even be conscious without screaming night and day for a good few months of skin grafting, changing bandages, surgeries, etc.





#8 Talking to your enemy while you are fighting. In action movies, they always take monologue and expositional breaks right in the middle of fighting to tell their plan, insult them, explain their reasoning, etc. Sometimes they can even get into lengthy conversations about the morality of both of their positions. In real life, if you were to take a talking break, the other person would likely just punch you in the face while you are talking.

#9 People being ripped beyond reason, and everyone acting like it is normal. For example:

I mean come on!!!

What other action movie cliches have you noticed that are in every movie? Let us know and like us at www.facebook.com/simplefilmcritics!

Check out our other cliche lists as well!

9 Unrealistic Things We See In Almost Every Movie - Click Here

9 MORE Unrealistic Things We See In Almost Every Movie - Click Here

9 Things We See In Almost Every Romance Movie - Click Here

15 Things We See In Almost Every Disaster Movie - Click Here

9 Nicholas Sparks Movie Cliches - Click Here