There are countless action movies about one-man-armies, the kind of heroes who can take on countless thugs single-handedly. While these movies can be a lot of fun, there is something about the team-on-a-mission movie that has earned a solid place as an action movie subgenre for decades now.
These types of movies typically follow a dysfunctional group of characters who are pulled together, either by choice or against their will, to pull off some kind of dangerous mission in which not all of them will be coming home. There are plenty of great examples, some of which take the idea in some really fun directions.
Armageddon (1998)
Though often dismissed as a dumb Armageddon is an incredibly fun blockbuster. With a massive asteroid heading towards Earth, NASA recruits a grungy gang of oil drillers to help save the world.
Does the plot make any sense? Absolutely not. But if audiences are willing to turn their mind off for a while, it delivers action-packed chaos that Bay does so well. Also, aside from Bruce Willis as the marquee name, the movie is filled with a dynamic cast of indie actors at the time, such as Ben Affleck, Owen Wilson, and Steve Buscemi.
The Avengers (2012)
With The Avengers, the team-on-a-mission movie was changed forever. The cinematic universe introduced the idea of having the of the team established in their own solo movies before being rounded up for a big team-up blockbuster.
The bold strategy worked incredibly well, largely thanks to how fun it was to see the iconic characters interact in a live-action movie for the first time. While the MCU has expanded far beyond this, it's still fun to the excitement of seeing this team first come together.
Aliens (1986)
James Cameron has many talents but finding new ways to approach a sequel is perhaps his most impressive skill of all. Before reinventing the Terminator franchise with T2, Cameron took the daunting task of revisiting Alien with a much different follow-up.
Cameron went for the "bigger is better" approach for replaced the tense horror feel of the original with an action-packed sci-fi adventure. With the heroic Ripley at the center, Cameron created a memorable group of soldiers to face off against an army of Xenomorphs.
Fast Five (2011)
The team dynamic of the Fast and Furious movies is well established now, with the "Fast Family" a big draw for these adventures. But this idea was really first developed in the series' fifth movie.
One year before the MCU pulled it off, Fast Five had the genius idea to bring together various characters from the past movies to make one super team. Dom, Brian, and the others reunite to pull off a heist while being hunted by the relentless lawman, Luke Hobbs.
Predator (1987)
Taking the idea of old-school war movies like Kelly's Heroes and mixing it with Alien gave audiences Predator, one of the most purely enjoyable movies of the '80s. Arnold Schwarzenegger leads a team of hardcore commandos deep into the jungle on a rescue mission only to encounter an alien who hunts for sport.
The movie does a great job of building this team up to be an elite group of musclebound soldiers and that makes it all the more thrilling when this extraterrestrial enemy starts picking them off one by one.
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
The kickoff to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkein's work has a lot going on, but one of its most memorable aspects is assembling one of the most iconic cinematic teams of all time.
What is great about this Fellowship is the different dynamics within the group. Frodo is the heart of the journey; Aragorn is the noble and strong hero; Gandalf is the moral center. It all combines into a brilliant ensemble that allows this kind of story to happen within a fantasy movie.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Steven Spielberg's war epic memorable group of soldiers at its center.
Tom Hanks leads the movie as Captain Miller, who takes a small company of men to rescue a private being sent home. It's great to see the classic mission movie told in a more grounded way, with characters who feel like everyday people and action that is more brutal than exciting.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
For the first Star Wars spinoff movie, they chose the very clever idea of revisiting one small aspect of the original film and expanding it into an exciting standalone work. The movie follows a ragtag group of Rebel fighters tasked with retrieving the plans for the Death Star so it can be destroyed.
Creating a mission movie within the Star Wars universe was a great idea, and while there are some classic characters who stand out, the original characters are great fun as well. Jyn Erso is a strong lead with an emotional connection to the story, Cassian Andor is an intriguing spy with grey areas, and Chirrut Îmwe brings a fascinating new approach to the Jedi lore.
Seven Samurai (1954)
It is astonishing how many movies and filmmakers were Seven Samurai follows a group of samurai hired by villagers to fight back against bandits who are invading their town.
The movie is a stunning work to revisit even after all these years. Not only is it a thrilling adventure story that has been remade and reworked countless times, but it is also a beautiful movie and a great display of Kurosawa's talent.
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
It's hard to even think about this subgenre without thinking of The Dirty Dozen. While it might not have been the first of its kind, it sticks out in the minds of fans as a blueprint for how to do this kind of movie right. The story follows a rebellious military major who trains a group of criminal soldiers for a suicide mission.
The Dirty Dozen is a great ensemble of antiheroes who form a dynamic team. The movie's impact is so strong it seems to be a huge inspiration for James Gunn's The Suicide Squad.
