Vin Diesel and company have been burning rubber on the big screen for 20 years, though they weren't the first, and they won't be the last, they can certainly be credited with taking the car movie to new heights. The Fast & The Furious series now boasts nine movies, a TV series, a spin-off movie, and multiple video game adaptations. There's no sign of the franchise taking its foot off the gas either, as a tenth and eleventh film are currently planned.
The car-based action movie was prospering long before the street-racing Toretto family entered the fray, and it has continued to do so alongside each new release. Whilst some films drew inspiration from the Fast Saga, others took the car movie onto roads less traveled.
10 Nicolas Cage Got Behind The Wheel A Year Before In Gone In 60 Seconds
With Gone In 60 Seconds and The Fast And The Furious both releasing around a year apart from each other, it's understandable the two are often compared. Whether it be the action and chase scenes, the movie's stars, or the cars themselves, many fans have an allegiance to one or the other.
Though both films were far from critical successes, they did earn major fan followings and major money. Gone In 60 Seconds remains a thoroughly enjoyable car movie, especially for those fans of the subgenre. Maybe after twenty years, it's finally time Nicolas Cage put his pedal to the metal against the Toretto family.
9 It Doesn't Get Much More Intense Than Mad Max: Fury Road
You may want to get a drink and some snacks before sitting down to view Mad Max: Fury Road, for once this movie takes hold, it doesn't let go. The unrelenting pace of George Miller's Mad Max reboot is nothing short of extraordinary, the film uses a simple plot line to deliver one of the most exciting and action-packed movies of recent times.
The outrageous action set-pieces are aided by typically great performances from stars Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, and Nicolas Hoult, and the film earned a whopping ten Academy Award nominations, winning six.
8 Baby Driver Is Musical Mayhem With A Turbo Boost
If you were to imagine a feature-length music video with heists, shootouts, and top-notch acting and direction, the end product would be something similar to Edgar Wright's fantastic Baby Driver. The precise choreography and expert stuntwork result in a masterclass in action movie chase scenes.
The film stars Ansel Elgort as Baby, a getaway driver who suffers from tinnitus and uses music as a way to calm himself during his high-stakes escapes. With an all-star supporting cast featuring Jon Hamm, Lily James, Jon Bernthal, and Jamie Foxx, Baby Driver is a must-watch for any fan of the car-based action movie.
7 The Transporter Is Jason Statham At His Action Man Best
British star Jason Statham has become synonymous with the action genre, but 2002's The Transporter is arguably the film that put Statham on the action star map. Statham plays a driver-for-hire who'll deliver packages with no questions asked, that is until he discovers one of his packages to be alive.
The immensely talented Luc Besson directs and gives audiences a thrilling ride filled with ferocious fistfights and high-impact chase scenes. Two sequels and a reboot came after, as well as a television series.
6 Tarantino Takes To The Road With Death Proof
Legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is known for his violent action scenes, and with 2007's Death Proof, he ramps the brutality up to new levels. An adventure into the slasher genre, Tarantino deploys the iconic Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a stunt driver who murders young women with his 1970 Chevy Nova.
Famous stuntwoman Zoe Bell appears in the film and pulls off a death-defying stunt, she clings to the hood of a car whilst traveling at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. It really has to be seen to be believed.
5 Fans Won't Want To See Rutger Hauer In Their Rearview After Watching The Hitcher
Blade Runner fans will be no strangers to seeing Rutger Hauer's ruggedly handsome face on their TV screens. The Dutch legend terrorizes C. Thomas Howell in this haunting road-thriller and had audiences reaching for their seat belts with his terrifically terrifying performance.
Oscar nominee Jennifer Jason Leigh also appears along with Jeffrey DeMunn, a man The Walking Dead fans will recognize. The Hitcher would be remade in 2007, switching out Rutger Hauer for Sean Bean, with far less spectacular results.
4 Drive Angry Takes Advantage Of The Nicolas Cage Craze
If the high-octane insanity of the Fast And Furious franchise isn't enough for you, then there's always Drive Angry. The movie features Nicolas Cage at his most unhinged, and whilst Cage's acting style may be divisive, there's no denying the Oscar winner is incredibly watchable.
The film's premise is simple, Nicolas Cage's Milton escapes from Hell in order to track down the men who killed his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. It's as utterly ridiculous as it sounds, and the result is popcorn cinema at its most enjoyable. The movie gains extra points for William Fichtner having all kinds of fun in his role as Satan's assistant.
3 Ford Vs Ferrari Is A Race For The Ages
Few men in the history of cinema have embraced their onscreen transformations quite like Christian Bale. In 2018, he did what he's known for and fully immersed himself into a role once again. Bale played real-life racer Ken Miles, and the portrayal is fascinating to watch. Along with co-star and fellow A-lister Matt Damon, Bale helps take an interesting account of historical events and turns it into one the very best car films to ever grace theatres.
The stakes are high, the action is unrelenting and the cars themselves are worthy of the fantastic cinematography the film displays them with. Ford Vs Ferrari was nominated for four Oscars, winning two, for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Editing.
2 The Italian Job Is The Quintessential Car Movie
With one of the most discussed endings in film history (which won't be revealed here, of course), and the untouchable box-office behemoth that is Sir Michael Caine, 1969's The Italian Job is must-watch cinema for fans of any genre.
The movie's popularity has never been in question, the British comedy even received a video-game adaptation for the Playstation in 2001. A remake would also follow in 2003, starring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, and Edward Norton.
1 Bullitt Cleared The Road For The Car-Based Action Movie
The Steve McQueen vehicle Bullitt has a legacy that few can match, especially when it comes to cars on the big screen. Its car chase is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of the medium and it paved the way for most of the movies on this list. A crime-action thriller, Bullitt won awards and adoration the world over.
Bullitt would be selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2007, taking its rightful place amongst the very best of American cinema. Car movies have never been the same since.