World In Action

March 15, 2026 Jim McLennan specials 0

There may not be a more universally popular genre in cinema than action. I think it stems back to the mythical origins of the genre. The “hero’s journey”, as documented by Joseph Campbell in seminal work The Hero with a Thousand Faces, basically describes an action movie structure: “a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed.” It’s a simple template, but one which can be adopted and applied around the world and to any era. The Epic of Gilgamesh, which may date as far back as 2100 BC and is among the earliest surviving works of literature, follows this pattern. Had there been movie makers in ancient Mesopotamia, I’ve no doubt this would have been a popular action franchise. 

Action cinema is also simple, often being good vs. evil at its most basic. And what defines “good” is, if not quite universal, certainly something that transcends borders. Survival. Revenge. Protecting the family (and for “family”, you can read any preferred group you want: community, nation or planet will all do, just as well). These are ideas which are easy for an audience to get behind, and for film-makers to push the necessary buttons. Once Iosef Tarasov kills John Wick’s dog, no further explanation is necessary. Well, except in China: John Wick was never released in theatres there, though I suspect other factors were in play for that decision, than local confusion over whether Tarasov simply took away John’s dinner. 

It also helps that action translates very well across cultures, while genres such as comedy struggle to make the leap. Jackie Chan putting life and limb on the line for your entertainment does not require an interpreter. Watching things blow up is a universal pastime – see also the global appeal of fireworks. If someone is walking in slow-mo away from the giant fireball, so much the better. It offers an escape from the humdrum, everyday lives ninety-nine percent of us endure every day. To quote Sean Connery, from a 1965 Playboy interview: “Bond is the invincible figure every man would like to be, every woman is excited by, and is everyone’s survival symbol.”

These days, action also offers the spectacle necessary to lure audiences into the cinema, because massive set pieces and destruction help justify the theatrical experience. The genre has topped the box-office at the end of every year since COVID – while those figures are for North America, I would expect them to be similar in other countries. But action also offers enough flexibility to be something each culture can bend to its will. There’s no doubt Bollywood action offers something different from Korean, which in turn is different from the output of Scott Adkins. Yet they can be appreciated outside of their native land, in the same way foreign food can be a tasty treat, simply because it’s not the same as your staple diet. 

And that brings us to the purpose of this introduction. It’s an ongoing feature, in which I’ll be trying out action from as many different countries as I can find. However, much as with my 31 Countries of Horror features, I’ll be consciously avoiding the heavy hitters in the genre, which get a lot of coverage as is. No China, Japan, America, etc. Below you’ll find the first set of entries. Further ones will be added going forward, as and when they stray across the screen here.