LaRoseDermaAgeDefying: General improvements to article content

2026-03-18T06:44:34Z

General improvements to article content

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article

2023-08-20T15:58:44Z

Created a new article

New page

{{Short description|Film and TV genre}}
The '''action comedy''' is a genre that combines aspects of [[Action fiction|action]] and [[comedy]].

==Film==
[[Allmovie]] describes action comedy films as those with "fast and furious" action yet being "mostly lighthearted", rarely having death or serious injury.<ref name="allmovie" /> The Script Lab wrote, "[The genre] relies on the characters to bring out the humor, while the action scenes tend to be less intense than in the traditional action movie."<ref>{{cite web | last=Buffam | first=Noelle | url=https://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/948-action/ | title=Action | work=The Script Lab | date=March 12, 2011 | access-date=December 5, 2022 }}</ref>

Action comedies often have "[[wikt:fish out of water|fish out of water]]" themes, for example using a starring actor's celebrity to contrast the setting, such as how comedian and actor [[Eddie Murphy]]'s "streetwise, sarcastic persona clashes with conventional police procedures in the ''Beverly Hills Cop'' films" in the late twentieth century.<ref>{{cite book | last=Gallagher | first=Mark | chapter=Restaging Heroic Masculinity | year= 2006 | title=Action Figures: Men, Action Films, and Contemporary Adventure Narratives | publisher=Palgrave Macmillan | page=163 | isbn=978-1-4039-7723-6 }}</ref>

The 1926 film ''[[The General (1926 film)|The General]]'' starring [[Buster Keaton]] may be the first action comedy film.<ref>{{cite news | last=St. James | first=Emily | url=https://www.avclub.com/the-general-1798207566 | title=The General | work=[[The A.V. Club]] | date=December 9, 2009 | access-date=December 2, 2022 }}</ref> Other early forms of action comedy films were [[swashbuckler film]]s from the 1930s. [[Allmovie]] wrote that its "stars combined wit and one-liners with a thrilling plot and daring stunts". In the 1980s, the genre became commonplace, and [[buddy cop]] films emerged as an extension of action comedy films such as ''[[Midnight Run]]'' (1988) and the [[Lethal Weapon (franchise)|''Lethal Weapon'' film series]].<ref name="allmovie">{{cite web | author=Staff | url=https://www.allmovie.com/subgenre/action-comedy-d513 | title=Action >> Action Comedy | work=allmovie.com | publisher=[[Allmovie]] | access-date=December 2, 2022 }}</ref> Other action comedies from the decade included ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]'' (1980) and the films of actor and martial artist [[Jackie Chan]].<ref name="rt">{{cite news | last=Vo | first=Alex | url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/action-comedies/ | title=The 50 Best Action-Comedy Movies, Ranked By Tomatometer | work=rottentomatoes.com | publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] | date=August 10, 2021 | access-date=December 2, 2022 }}</ref>

In the 1990s, action comedy films "became more violent, with fiery deaths and emphatic shootings increasingly used as punchlines".<ref name="allmovie" /> [[Rotten Tomatoes]] wrote that ''[[Rush Hour (1998 film)|Rush Hour]]'' (1998) revitalized the genre's formula and that ''[[Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels]]'' (1998) was a highlight from the decade. In the first two decades of the 21st century, the films ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]'' (2004), ''[[Hot Fuzz]]'' (2007), ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'' (2008), ''[[21 Jump Street (film)|21 Jump Street]]'' (2012), and ''[[Bad Boys for Life]]'' (2020) were among numerous instances of the genre.<ref name="rt" />

{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" 
|+ List of action comedy films
|-
! scope="col" | Film
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style=white-space:nowrap | Ref.
|-
| ''[[21 Jump Street (film)|21 Jump Street]]'' || 2012 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[22 Jump Street]]'' || 2014 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[48 Hrs.]]'' || 1982 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[American Made (film)|American Made]]'' || 2017 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Ant-Man (film)|Ant-Man]]'' || 2015 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Ant-Man and the Wasp]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Bad Boys (1995 film)|Bad Boys]]'' || 1995 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''[[Bad Boys for Life]]'' || 2020 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Big Trouble in Little China]]'' || 1986 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Big Momma's House]]'' || 2000 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''[[Beverly Hills Cop]]'' || 1984 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Birds of Prey (2020 film)|Birds of Prey]]'' || 2020 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Black Dynamite]]'' || 2009 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Blues Brothers|dab=film}}'' || 1980 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Deadpool (film)|Deadpool]]'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Deadpool 2]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Drunken Master II]]'' || 1994 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Free Guy]]'' || 2021 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Game Night (film)|Game Night]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Get Smart (film)|Get Smart]]'' || 2008 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|General|dab=1926 film}}'' || 1926 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Gentlemen|dab=2019 film}}'' || 2019 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Guardians of the Galaxy (film)|Guardians of the Galaxy]]'' || 2014 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2]]'' || 2017 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Heat|dab=film}}'' || 2013 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''[[Hot Fuzz]]'' || 2007 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Interview}}'' || 2014 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''[[Johnny English]]'' || 2003 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''[[Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle]]'' || 2017 || <ref name="menshealth">{{cite magazine | last=Calderon | first=Jenna | url=https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/g34183919/funny-action-movies/ | title=The Best Action Comedy Movies of All Time | magazine=[[Men's Health]] | date=September 28, 2020 | access-date=December 2, 2022 }}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Keanu (film)|Keanu]]'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Kick-Ass (film)|Kick-Ass]]'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Kingsman: The Secret Service]]'' || 2014 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Kiss Kiss Bang Bang]]'' || 2005 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]'' || 2004 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Lethal Weapon]]'' || 1987 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Lethal Weapon 2]]'' || 1989 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels]]'' || 1998 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Men in Black (1997 film)|Men in Black]]'' || 1997 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Midnight Run]]'' || 1988 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Nice Guys}}'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Other Guys}}'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Paper Tigers}}'' || 2020 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Red (2010 film)|Red]]'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Ride Along]]'' || 2014 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''[[Romancing the Stone]]'' || 1984 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Rumble in the Bronx]]'' || 1995 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Scott Pilgrim vs. the World]]'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Shanghai Noon]]'' || 2000 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Shaolin Soccer]]'' || 2001 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Shaun of the Dead]]'' || 2004 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''[[Shazam! (film)|Shazam!]]'' || 2019 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Something Wild (1986 film)|Something Wild]]'' || 1986 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Spy (2015 film)|Spy]]'' || 2015 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Suicide Squad|dab=film}}'' || 2021 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Supercop]]'' || 1992 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Team America: World Police]]'' || 2004 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Thor: Ragnarok]]'' || 2017 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Three Kings (1999 film)|Three Kings]]'' || 1999 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Tropic Thunder]]'' || 2008 || <ref name="rt" />
|}

==TV series==
*''[[The A-Team]]'' (1983–1987)<ref name="TV-Independent">{{cite news |last1=Beard |first1=Matthew |title='A-Team' is viewers' most-wanted oldie for prime-time revival |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/ateam-is-viewers-mostwanted-oldie-for-primetime-revival-92658.html |access-date=December 15, 2022 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=October 23, 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215220335/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/ateam-is-viewers-mostwanted-oldie-for-primetime-revival-92658.html |archive-date=December 15, 2022}}</ref>
*''[[Burn Notice]]'' (2007–2013)<ref>{{cite news | author=Staff | url=https://deadline.com/2010/03/action-comedy-tv-showrunner-matt-nix-23122/ | title=Action Comedy TV: Showrunner Matt Nix | work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] | date=March 14, 2010 | access-date=December 2, 2022 }}</ref>
*''[[Chuck (TV series)|Chuck]]'' (2007–2012)<ref>{{cite book | last1=Proulx | first1=Mike | last2=Shepatin | first2=Stacey | year=2012 | title=Social TV: How Marketers Can Reach and Engage Audiences by Connecting Television to the Web, Social Media, and Mobile | publisher=Wiley | isbn=978-1-118-23965-0 }}</ref>
*''[[Doom Patrol (TV series)|Doom Patrol]]'' (2020–2022)<ref>{{cite news | last=Butler | first=Karen | url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2022/10/10/doom-patrol-hbo-max/6681665405020/ | title=Season 4 of 'Doom Patrol' to premiere on Dec. 8 | work=upi.com | publisher=[[UPI]] | date=October 10, 2022 | access-date=December 12, 2022 }}</ref>
*''[[The Dukes of Hazzard]]'' (1979–1985)<ref name="TV-Independent" /><ref name="perlmutter">{{cite book | last=Perlmutter | first=David | year=2018 | title=The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows | publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] | isbn=978-1-5381-0374-6 }}</ref>
*''[[Future Man (TV series)|Future Man]]'' (2017–2020)<ref name="hulu">{{cite web | url=https://www.hulu.com/hub/comedy-tv/collections/5466 | title=Action Comedy | work=hulu.com | publisher=[[Hulu]] | access-date=December 2, 2022 }}</ref>
*''[[Kidd Video]]'' (1984–1985)<ref name="perlmutter" />
*''[[Knight Rider (1982 TV series)|Knight Rider]]'' (1982–1986)<ref name="TV-Independent" />
*''[[Lethal Weapon (TV series)|Lethal Weapon]]'' (2016–2019)<ref name="hulu" />
*''[[Our Flag Means Death]]'' (2022)<ref>{{cite news | last=Shachat | first=Sarah | url=https://www.indiewire.com/2022/03/our-flag-means-death-pirate-ship-revenge-1234705721/ | title=How 'Our Flag Means Death' Built a Realistic but Farcical Pirate Ship | work=[[IndieWire]] | date=March 12, 2022 | access-date=December 12, 2022 }}</ref>
*''[[Peacemaker (TV series)|Peacemaker]]'' (2022)<ref>{{cite news | last=Truitt | first=Brian | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2022/01/13/peacemaker-hbo-max-superhero-show-brings-hair-metal-friends-vibe/9160893002/ | title=How HBO Max's 'Peacemaker' became a hair metal superhero spin on the ensemble comedy | work=[[USA Today]] | date=January 13, 2022 | access-date=December 12, 2022 }}</ref>
*''[[Remington Steele]]'' (1982–1987)<ref>{{cite book | last=Taylor | first=Larry | year=2018 | chapter=Nomads | title=John McTiernan: The Rise and Fall of an Action Movie Icon | publisher=McFarland | isbn=978-1-4766-3233-9 | page=17 }}</ref>
*''[[Rush Hour (American TV series)|Rush Hour]]'' (2016)<ref>{{cite news | last=Swift | first=Andy | url=https://tvline.com/2014/09/30/rush-hour-tv-series-bill-lawrence/ | title=Rush Hour TV Series In the Works for CBS from Bill Lawrence, Brett Ratner | work=[[TVLine]] | date=September 30, 2014 | access-date=December 12, 2022 }}</ref>
*''[[Teenage Bounty Hunters]]'' (2020)<ref>{{cite news | last=Nemetz | first=Dave | url=https://tvline.com/2020/07/30/teenage-bounty-hunters-trailer-netflix/ | title=''Teenage Bounty Hunters'' Trailer: High School Girls Kick Ass After Class in Netflix's Edgy Action Comedy | work=[[TVLine]] | date=July 30, 2020 | access-date=December 12, 2022 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book | last=King | first=Cynthia M. | year=2009 | chapter=Comedy in Action | editor-last=Kendrick | editor-first=James | title=A Companion to the Action Film | publisher=Wiley | isbn=978-1-119-10076-8 | pages=140–164 }}

[[Category:Action (genre)]]
[[Category:Action comedy]]
[[Category:Action comedy films|*]]
[[Category:Action comedy television series|*]]
[[Category:Film genres]]
[[Category:Television genres]]
[[Category:1980s in film]]
[[Category:1990s in film]]
[[Category:2000s in film]]
[[Category:2010s in film]]
[[Category:2020s in film]]

Action comedy - Revision history

LaRoseDermaAgeDefying: General improvements to article content

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article