This month, Mark Wahlberg stars as CIA operative James Silva in Peter Berg’s explosive Mile 22. Highly intelligent and expertly trained, Silva has all the trappings of the classic action figure.
Here’s a list of the classic action heroes who withstand the test of time.
Ethan Hunt – Mission Impossible
Arguably the timeless action hero, Mission Impossible’s Ethan Hunt remains a firm favourite film after film, decade after decade. Though expert leader and skilled fighter, Hunt is undoubtedly known for his show stopping stunts above all.
Bryan Mills – Taken
Nothing drives an action hero like a personal mission, and nothing will stand in the way of Taken’s Bryan Mills when his family is in danger. A retired government operative, Bryan jumps back into action to deliver bloody justice against the men who abducted his daughter.
John McClane – Die Hard
Unlike the other heroes in this list, Die Hard’s John McClane is not trained operative of the highest ranking- but his sense of justice and readiness for action cement him as a classic action icon. When terrorists take over the building his wife, children and countless others are in, he knows it’s up to him to save the hostages.
Jason Bourne – The Bourne Identity
Though suffering from extreme memory loss, Jason Bourne certainly never forgot his superior combat skills. In his own pursuit for his identity, Bourne has to deflect the very pursuit against him within an increasingly dangerous and corrupt CIA conspiracy.
James Silva – Mile 22
When diplomacy breaks down and government intervention breaks down, there is only one option left: intelligence officer James Silva. When a police officer holding sensitive information has to be extracted from his crime ridden home nation, it’s up to Silva to lead his team on a bloody cross country mission.
Lorraine Broughton – Atomic Blonde
The most elite intelligence officer within MI6, Atomic Blonde’s Lorraine Broughton is a lethal fighter willing to deploy all of her skills in her bid to succeed. As the Berlin Wall is about to fall, Lorraine travels to the heart of the city to retrieve a confidential dossier- and take down a deadly espionage ring.
John Wick – John Wick
A retired assassin who had put his violent career behind him, John Wick plunges into a remorseless revenge mission when his enemy steals his prized car and kills his deceased wife’s puppy. A viciously brutal action hero, John Wick is a killing machine like no other.
Martin Riggs – Lethal Weapon
Another action hero pushed to peak performance by loss, Lethal Weapon’s Martin Riggs is furious police officer whose readiness to jump into action threatens to be his downfall. When he and his partner uncover a large-scale drug-trafficking operation, it’s Riggs’ quick-thinking actions and skill that brings the criminals to justice.
John Rambo – Rambo
As beloved today as he was when the franchise started over three decades ago, John Rambo remains one of the fiercest action heroes of all time. A Vietnam War veteran and US special forces soldier, he proves his weaponry and hand-to-hand combat skills mission after mission.
Evelyn Salt – Salt
A CIA officer who swore to protect her country, Evelyn Salt is a trained operative with a strong sense of duty. When she is accused of being a Russian spy, however, her years of combat and intelligence training are put to the test as she tries to prove her innocence, resulting in some of the most incredible stunts seen on the screen.
Mile 22 is released in cinemas this Friday!
