Movies Like ‘Striking Distance’ for Action Fans

Description: A buddy-cop action film with a mix of explosive set pieces and dark humor, focusing on an unorthodox detective pairing tackling a dangerous criminal conspiracy.

Fact: The film's success spawned three sequels and is credited with popularizing the buddy-cop genre. The original script was much darker, with Riggs attempting suicide in the first scene.

Description: A tense, claustrophobic action film where an everyman hero must outsmart and outfight a group of highly organized criminals in a confined urban setting.

Fact: The film was based on a novel called 'Nothing Lasts Forever,' which was a sequel to 'The Detective,' a book previously adapted into a Frank Sinatra movie. Bruce Willis was fourth choice for the lead role.

Description: A hard-edged action film featuring a disgraced protagonist teaming up with an unlikely partner to uncover corruption, filled with sharp dialogue and violent confrontations.

Fact: Bruce Willis took the role after turning down 'Basic Instinct.' The original script was much darker and more violent, with the studio demanding rewrites to lighten the tone.

Description: An adrenaline-fueled action film that blends extreme sports with crime drama, featuring an undercover agent forming a complex relationship with his charismatic target.

Fact: The film's surfing scenes were so dangerous that professional surfers were injured during production. Patrick Swayze did all his own skydiving stunts for the film.

Description: A tense, contained action thriller set primarily on a naval vessel, featuring a lone hero against overwhelming odds and a memorable villain.

Fact: Steven Seagal performed most of his own stunts in the film. The movie was nicknamed 'Die Hard on a battleship' during production.

Description: A survival action film set in treacherous mountain terrain, combining breathtaking stunts with a personal redemption story and ruthless villains.

Fact: The opening sequence, where a climber falls to her death, was so realistic that it caused controversy. The film's aerial sequences were shot using real helicopters in dangerous mountain conditions.

Description: A high-stakes action thriller featuring a wrongfully accused protagonist on the run, blending intense chase sequences with a personal vendetta against corrupt systems.

Fact: The train crash scene was one of the most expensive stunts ever filmed at the time. The film was based on a popular 1960s TV series of the same name.

Description: A relentless action thriller built around a simple but brilliant premise that keeps tension high throughout, featuring a heroic cop facing off against a cunning bomber.

Fact: The original script had the bus going at 35 mph, but director Jan de Bont increased it to 50 mph to make it more exciting. The film's success led to a much-maligned sequel set on a cruise ship.

Description: A flashy, high-energy buddy cop film mixing explosive action with comedic banter, set against the backdrop of Miami's criminal underworld.

Fact: This was Will Smith's first major film role after 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.' The film was originally written for Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz before being rewritten for Smith and Martin Lawrence.

Description: A high-concept action thriller featuring an unlikely team forced to break into an impregnable fortress to stop a deadly threat, with spectacular set pieces and military precision.

Fact: Sean Connery's character was originally written as a younger man, but the actor's performance convinced the filmmakers to rewrite the role for him. The film features one of the first uses of the 'Hummer' vehicle in an action movie.