In the 1980s, action movies got big. Really, really big. Not only were stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme larger than life, but so was the level of spectacle that directors worked to capture on camera. There are just too many classics of the decade to choose from, but it’s no fools’ errand to try and rank the greatest action movies of the 1980s.

With the dust settled on Vietnam and America locked in a Cold War with Russia, the 1980s saw a seismic paradigm shift with action movies. While they remained star-oriented vehicles, many action flicks of the decade experimented beyond tired genres, like gunslinger Westerns and political thrillers, to toy with comedy, science fiction, and fantasy. The ’80s also saw action movies shape up overseas, with filmmakers from Japan and Hong Kong elevating the game.

Whether you want bazooka blasts by the barrel or hard-hitting fistfights, ’80s action movies are second to none. So, to celebrate this golden gun period of cinema, here are the greatest ’80s action movies of all time.