Despite their reputation for shallowness, action movies can elicit some very strong emotions in viewers when done well. They can make the audience jump in their seat with fright, have their heart racing with excitement, and make them stand up and cheer when the good guys triumph over the bad guys. But while some dismiss action movies as mindless, they can even pull at the heartstrings in some cases.
Even in the midst of all the explosions, shootouts, and car chases, there are certain action movies that surprise audiences with extremely sad moments. Whether it be character deaths, heartbreaking farewells, or something that just hits close to home, these devastating moments caught action movie fans by surprise.
Leo's Childhood Story - Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
Though Lethal Weapon was one of the most influential action movies of all time, by the time the franchise got to the fourth installment, it had basically turned into a comedy series. A big part of this was the character of Leo Getz (Joe Pesci), the fast-talking con who partners with Riggs and Murtagh.
However, at the end of Lethal Weapon 4, Leo drops the comedy schtick and tells Riggs about his childhood. He explains that he didn't have any friends as a kid except for a small frog he kept as a pet. Leo says one day he was riding his bike and accidentally ran over the frog, killing the only friend he had in the world.
Furiosa Discovers The Green Place - Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
The fast-paced and wild ride of Mad Max: Fury Road doesn't leave the viewer much time to breathe, but it does have an effective and emotional story at its center with the character of Furiosa. She is ostensibly the hero of the story as she tries to rescue the slave wives of a warlord.
Furiosa plans to take the women to "the Green Place", the land she was taken from as a child. When she finally finds her old tribe, they tell her that the Green Place was the swamp wasteland she just traveled through. The realization that the paradise she has dreamed of returning to was gone brings this warrior to her knees as she lets out an anguished scream.
Goose's Death - Top Gun (1986)
There are some that might look back on Top Gun as an overly 80s movie with cheesy dialogue, but it might be better than some fans are remembering. And it is the buddy relationship at the center of the movie between Maverick and Goose that really sells the story.
As Maverick continues to push himself to be the best in the Top Gun program, Goose is just along for the ride, willing to put himself in danger to back up his friend. But after one of Maverick's stunts go wrong, they need to eject as their jet crashes. Maverick clears it alright but Goose smashes his head during the ejection. It was a devastating shock to see the comic relief character of the movie die in such a sudden way.
Harry's Sacrifice - Armageddon (1998)
Michael Bay movies are known for being loud, explosion-filled spectacles without much heart to them. However, even Bay can make the audience teary-eyed under the right circumstances, such as in the disaster movie, Armageddon.
After a group of heroes plant a nuclear bomb on an asteroid to save the world, they realize one of them needs to stay behind to detonate it. Though another man is chosen, Harry Stamper, the leader of the crew, takes his place. He sends a farewell message to his daughter back on Earth it a surprisingly gut-wrenching scene in the midst of all the disaster movie mayhem.
Blake's Death - 1917 (2019)
The World War I movie 1917 is a stunning bit of action movie filmmaking, as it is filmed as one continuous shot that follows a pair of soldiers across a battlefield to deliver a message to the frontlines. The long take adds a feeling of tension that feels like anything could happen at any moment.
In one of the most thrilling scenes, a German plane is shot down near the two heroes. One of the soldiers, Blake, tries to help the pilot, but the German takes out a knife and stabs Blake. As his friend Scholfield holds him, Blake slowly realizes he's dying and it suddenly becomes very clear how young these men are that are fighting this war.
Robert Is Forced To Kill His Dog – I Am Legend (2007)
For any fans of the post-apocalyptic genre, I Am Legend is one worth seeking out. Feeling oddly relatable to current events, the movie takes place in Manhattan which has been abandoned due to a deadly virus outbreak that turns people into aggressive mutants. Will Smith stars as the last man alive whose only company is his loyal dog.
After a run-in with the mutants, the dog is injured severely. Smith takes the animal back to his safehouse and cradles it on the floor as it slowly dies. Then as the dog starts to turn into a mutant, Smith is forced to kill it.
T-800 Sacrifices Himself - Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
It is quite amazing what James Cameron was able to do with Terminator 2, an action movie sequel that completely flips the script on the excellent original and becomes something even better. After playing the terrifying and menacing T-800 in the original movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as a hero T-800 this time around.
The reversal works so well that the audience becomes genuinely sad when the T-800 makes his heroic sacrifice at the end. Knowing that Skynet can still exist so long as he is around, the T-800 lowers himself into a vat of molten steel, giving a final thumbs up to young John Connor before he is gone.
Wade's Death - Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan serves as a harrowing depiction of war as well as a thrilling adventure movie. It follows a group of soldiers during World War II who are sent on a mission to find one man who is being sent home from the war.
Along the way, some members of the company are killed, but the most heartbreaking one is Wade, the company's medic. After being shot, the others try to save him they realize it isn't possible and can simply try to ease his pain. As he slips away, Wade begins crying out for his mother, which adds a brutal punctuation to the death scene.
Brian Drives Into The Sunset - Furious 7 (2015)
The Fast and Furious movies have always been about the family the main characters create, so when one of those members was lost in real life, it was a devastating blow. Paul Walker, one of the actors who had been with the franchise from the beginning, died while Furious 7 was being made, leading fans to wonder what would become of his character Brian O'Connor.
At the end of the movie, it is revealed that Brian will be retiring from the life of crime to be with his family. As Dom Toretto rides off, Brian catches up with him for one last ride. The movie basically breaks the fourth wall to bid farewell to Walker as Brian rides off into the sunset.
The Puppy Dies - John Wick (2014)
It is interesting that in a movie filled with death, the one that affects fans the most is that of a puppy. When retired super-assassin John Wick loses his wife, he finds that she left him a new companion in the form of an adorable little puppy.
Sadly, some mobster goons decide to target John, breaking into his house and beating him up. And when the little dog tries to protect its owner, the cowardly goons kill it. Given how cute this little guy was, it's not too surprising how far John takes his subsequent revenge.