Collider has published a ranked list celebrating action films the outlet considers models of skilled direction, pushing back on the notion that action cinema is a lesser artistic achievement than more "serious" genres. The piece argues that strong direction is what separates the genre's best-loved works from the rest, crediting visionary filmmakers for the technical and artistic craft behind these films.

The countdown includes George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) at number eight, praised for its worldbuilding and effects and its Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, and Jan de Bont's Speed (1994) at number seven, highlighted for its tense, single-premise chase structure. The list continues with further entries including The Matrix (1999), though the full ranking extends further and the article text provided is incomplete.