[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The Terminator gets my vote for #1.

That pulsing soundtrack and the relentless pursuit by the CSM-101 left me drained when I saw it in the theater way back when...1984? I haven't seen anything like it since.

[rbg81]

I agree with the original Terminator as #1—it was groundbreaking.

Also:
— Die Hard
— Aliens
— Indiana Jones (Lost Ark & Temple of Doom)
— Fight Club (not strictly an action movie, but damn)
— John Wick (I & II)
— Skyfall (epic motorcycle chase)

Pre 1980:
— To Hell and Back [the Audie Murphy story]. All the more great because it really happened.
— The Dirty Dozen
— Kelly’s Heroes (Oddball, LOL)
— The Longest Day
— Sands of Iwo Jima
— You Only Live Twice (a lot of people don’t like this Bond movie, but I always did)