"Pulse-pounding," "adrenalin rush," and "roller-coaster ride" are some of the popular phrases commonly used to describe this collection of movies. From script to score to direction, these are all crafted with one thing in mind: action. No matter the subgenre -- crime thriller, disaster movie, swashbuckler, combat film -- plot and character development take a backseat to explosions, chases, and death-defying stuntwork.