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{{Short description|Film and TV genre}}
{{Short description|Film and TV genre}}
The '''action comedy''' is a genre that combines aspects of [[Action fiction|action]] and [[comedy]].
'''Action comedy''' is a [[hybrid genre]] that combines elements of [[action fiction]] with [[comedy]]. While early [[action films]] feature stuntwork and humor, academic Cynthia King wrote that the genre only came into its own as a mainstay of the American action film genre in the 1980s when actors who had backgrounds in comedy such as [[Eddie Murphy]] began taking roles in action films.{{sfn|King|2019|p=141}} The genre approaches various narratives and styles such as buddy films, superhero films, and [[Hong Kong action cinema]] featuring various actors such as [[Jackie Chan]].
 
Action comedy has also been a recurring theme in television, with series such as ''[[The Dukes of Hazzard]]'' (1979–1985)<ref name="perlmutter" /> and ''[[Peacemaker (TV series)|Peacemaker]]'' (2022).<ref name="Truitt" />


==Film==
==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>
Academic [[Yvonne Tasker]] described most post-classical Hollywood [[action films]] as "more or less [[Action film#Hybrid genres|hybrids]]."{{sfn|Tasker|2004|p=4}} Action films are set across multiple settings and spaces with no single defining landscape and can become complicated in categorization which is sometimes acknowledged through hybridized designators such as action comedy.{{sfn|Holmlund|Purse|Tasker|2024|p=2}}
 
===Characteristics===
[[File:Eddie-murphy-1984.jpg|thumb|200px|Academic Cynthia King said that the action comedy film only came into its own as a mainstay of the American action film genre in the 1980s when actors who had backgrounds in comedy such as [[Eddie Murphy]] (pictured) began taking roles in action films.{{sfn|King|2019|p=141}}]]
Cynthia King said that the term "action comedy" is typically reserved for action films in which humor plays a relatively central role.{{sfn|King|2019|p=140}} Such films can take on a wide variety of formats, including [[buddy films]] involving mismatched partners such as the [[Lethal Weapon (franchise)|''Lethal Weapon'']] (1987-1998) and the [[Rush Hour (franchise)|''Rush Hour'']]  (1998-2006) film series, as well as [[Hong Kong action cinema]] films featuring actors such as [[Jackie Chan]]. King also included within the genre the more comedic [[superhero films]] such as ''[[Mystery Men]]'' (1999), ''[[Hancock (film)|Hancock]]'' (2008) and ''[[The Green Hornet (2011 film)|The Green Hornet]]'' (2011).{{sfn|King|2019|p=140-141}}
 
Elements of action comedy existed in early cinema, such as the chase sequences in pre-1915 films such as ''[[The Lonedale Operator]]'' (1911), which anticipate editing patterns of later action films such as ''[[Wheels on Meals]]'' (1984).{{sfn|Barrowman|2019|p=19}} Later silent film comedies such as those featuring [[Charlie Chaplin]] and [[Buster Keaton]] (e.g., ''[[Easy Street (1917 film)|Easy Street]]'' (1917) and ''[[The General (1926 film)|The General]]'' (1926)) featured chases, gags and stunts that would serve as inspirations for both comedic and non-comedic action set pieces in later action films.{{sfn|Barrowman|2019|pp=19-20}} These films include Chaplin and Keaton using physical materials on stage, either weapons or props, to emphasize, affect or respond to their bodily actions.{{sfn|Barrowman|2019|p=20}}


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>
King wrote that despite a large cinematic history of humor and peril, the action comedy film only "came into its own" as part of American action film genre in the early 1980s, notably when actors who had backgrounds in comedy such as [[Eddie Murphy]] began taking roles in action films.{{sfn|King|2019|p=141}}


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 his book, ''Lights, Camera, Action: Crafting an Action Script'' (2005), Gregory Sarno said that not all films containing conflict and humor are action comedies; Sarno considered films with action-laden subplots such as ''[[Big Momma's House]]'' (2000) and ''[[Dumb & Dumber]]'' (1994) to be closer to straight comedies because the action lacks an integral role in their narratives.{{sfn|Sarno|2005|p=3}} King echoed this point, saying that films such as ''[[Night at the Museum]]'' (2006) or ''[[Loaded Weapon 1]]'' (1993) are better categorized as straight comedies since most of the action is framed comically with no serious violence or peril. She also said that the occurrence of sardonic one-liners in an action film, such as "[[Go ahead, make my day]]" from ''[[Sudden Impact]]'' (1983), is insufficient to categorize such a film as an action comedy.{{sfn|King|2019|p=142}}


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" />
Mark Gallagher, in ''Action Figures: Men, Action Films and Contemporary Adventure Narratives'' (2006), stated that action comedies often feature a [[wikt:fish out of water|fish out of water]] theme, such as Murphy's character clashing with upper-class white communities and conventional police procedures in the ''[[Beverly Hills Cop (franchise)|Beverly Hills Cop]]'' (1984-2024) film series.{{sfn|Gallagher|2006|p=163}}


===List of films===
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" <!-- width="100%" -->
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" <!-- width="100%" -->
|+ List of action comedy films
|+ List of action comedy films
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! scope="col" | Film
! scope="col" | Film
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style=white-space:nowrap | Ref.
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style=white-space:nowrap | {{Ref heading}}
|-  
|-  
| ''[[21 Jump Street (film)|21 Jump Street]]'' || 2012 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[21 Jump Street (film)|21 Jump Street]]'' || 2012 || <ref name="rt" />
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|-
|-
| ''[[Ant-Man and the Wasp]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Ant-Man and the Wasp]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Attack the Block]]'' || 2011 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Bad Boys (1995 film)|Bad Boys]]'' || 1995 || <ref name="menshealth" />
| ''[[Bad Boys (1995 film)|Bad Boys]]'' || 1995 || <ref name="menshealth" />
Line 35: Line 47:
|-
|-
| ''[[Big Trouble in Little China]]'' || 1986 || <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" />
| ''[[Beverly Hills Cop]]'' || 1984 || <ref name="rt" />
Line 45: Line 55:
|-
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Blues Brothers|dab=film}}'' || 1980 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''{{sortname|The|Blues Brothers|dab=film}}'' || 1980 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Cabin in the Woods}} '' || 2011 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''[[D.E.B.S. (2004 film)|D.E.B.S.]]'' || 2004 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Deadpool (film)|Deadpool]]'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Deadpool (film)|Deadpool]]'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Deadpool 2]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Deadpool 2]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Deadpool & Wolverine]]'' || 2024 || <ref>{{Cite web |title=Deadpool & Wolverine {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/deadpool_and_wolverine |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Drive-Away Dolls]]'' || 2024 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Drunken Master II]]'' || 1994 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Drunken Master II]]'' || 1994 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves]]'' || 2023 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''[[Everything Everywhere All at Once]]'' || 2022 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Fall Guy|dab=2024 film}}'' || 2024 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Free Guy]]'' || 2021 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Free Guy]]'' || 2021 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Galaxy Quest]]'' || 1999 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Game Night (film)|Game Night]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Game Night (film)|Game Night]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="rt" />
Line 61: Line 87:
|-
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Gentlemen|dab=2019 film}}'' || 2019 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''{{sortname|The|Gentlemen|dab=2019 film}}'' || 2019 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' || 1984 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Guardians of the Galaxy (film)|Guardians of the Galaxy]]'' || 2014 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Guardians of the Galaxy (film)|Guardians of the Galaxy]]'' || 2014 || <ref name="rt" />
Line 67: Line 95:
|-
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Heat|dab=film}}'' || 2013 || <ref name="menshealth" />
| ''{{sortname|The|Heat|dab=film}}'' || 2013 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
| ''[[Hit Man (2023 film)|Hit Man]]'' || 2023 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Hot Fuzz]]'' || 2007 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Hot Fuzz]]'' || 2007 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[If Looks Could Kill (film)|If Looks Could Kill]]'' || 1991 || <ref>{{cite news|last=Baldwin|first=Daniel|date=July 29, 2016|title=From Grieco With Love: Remembering 'If Looks Could Kill'|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielbaldwin/2016/07/29/from-grieco-with-love-remembering-if-looks-could-kill/|url-status=live|work=[[Forbes]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227035018/https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielbaldwin/2016/07/29/from-grieco-with-love-remembering-if-looks-could-kill/|archive-date=December 27, 2023|access-date=December 29, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Interview}}'' || 2014 || <ref name="menshealth" />
| ''{{sortname|The|Interview}}'' || 2014 || <ref name="menshealth" />
Line 74: Line 106:
| ''[[Johnny English]]'' || 2003 || <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>
| ''[[Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle]]'' || 2017 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Keanu (film)|Keanu]]'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Keanu (film)|Keanu]]'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
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|-
|-
| ''[[Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels]]'' || 1998 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels]]'' || 1998 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Logan Lucky]]'' || 2007 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Man from U.N.C.L.E.|dab=film}}'' || 2015 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Mask|dab=1994 film}}'' || 1994 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Men in Black (1997 film)|Men in Black]]'' || 1997 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Men in Black (1997 film)|Men in Black]]'' || 1997 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Midnight Run]]'' || 1988 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Midnight Run]]'' || 1988 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Miss Congeniality (film)|Miss Congeniality]]'' || 2000 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''[[Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005 film)|Mr. & Mrs. Smith]]'' || 2005 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Nice Guys}}'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''{{sortname|The|Nice Guys}}'' || 2016 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Now You See Me 2]]'' || 2016 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Other Guys}}'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''{{sortname|The|Other Guys}}'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Paper Tigers}}'' || 2020 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''{{sortname|The|Paper Tigers}}'' || 2020 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl]]'' || 2003 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''[[Polite Society (film)|Polite Society]]'' || 2023 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Princess Bride|dab=film}}'' || 1987 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Red (2010 film)|Red]]'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Red (2010 film)|Red]]'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Ride Along]]'' || 2014 || <ref name="menshealth" />
| ''[[Ride Along (film)|Ride Along]]'' || 2014 || <ref name="menshealth" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Romancing the Stone]]'' || 1984 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Romancing the Stone]]'' || 1984 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Rumble in the Bronx]]'' || 1995 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Rumble in the Bronx]]'' || 1995 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Rush Hour]]'' || 1998 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Rush Hour 2]]'' || 2001 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Rush Hour 3]]'' || 2007 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Scott Pilgrim vs. the World]]'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Scott Pilgrim vs. the World]]'' || 2010 || <ref name="rt" />
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|-
|-
| ''[[Shazam! (film)|Shazam!]]'' || 2019 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Shazam! (film)|Shazam!]]'' || 2019 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Sherlock Holmes (2009 film)|Sherlock Holmes]]'' || 2009 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
| ''[[Shotgun Wedding (2022 film)|Shotgun Wedding]]'' || 2022 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Something Wild (1986 film)|Something Wild]]'' || 1986 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Something Wild (1986 film)|Something Wild]]'' || 1986 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Spy (2015 film)|Spy]]'' || 2015 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Spy (2015 film)|Spy]]'' || 2015 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Spy Kids (film)|Spy Kids]]'' || 2001 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Suicide Squad|dab=film}}'' || 2021 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''{{sortname|The|Suicide Squad|dab=film}}'' || 2021 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Supercop]]'' || 1992 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Supercop]]'' || 1992 || <ref name="rt" />
|-
| ''[[Tag (2018 film)|Tag]]'' || 2018 || <ref name="cosmopolitan" />
|-
|-
| ''[[Team America: World Police]]'' || 2004 || <ref name="rt" />
| ''[[Team America: World Police]]'' || 2004 || <ref name="rt" />
Line 138: Line 202:


==TV series==
==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>
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" <!-- width="100%" -->
*''[[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>
|+ List of action comedy TV series
*''[[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>
! scope="col" | TV series
*''[[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>
! scope="col" | Year(s)
*''[[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>
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style=white-space:nowrap | {{Ref heading}}
*''[[Kidd Video]]'' (1984–1985)<ref name="perlmutter" />
|-  
*''[[Knight Rider (1982 TV series)|Knight Rider]]'' (1982–1986)<ref name="TV-Independent" />
| ''{{sortname|The|A-Team}}''
*''[[Lethal Weapon (TV series)|Lethal Weapon]]'' (2016–2019)<ref name="hulu" />
| 1983–1987
*''[[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>
| <ref name="beard">{{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>
*''[[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>
| ''[[Burn Notice]]''
*''[[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>
| 2007–2013
*''[[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>
| <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 | archive-date=December 2, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202191519/https://deadline.com/2010/03/action-comedy-tv-showrunner-matt-nix-23122/ | url-status=live }}</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=[[United Press International|UPI]] | date=October 10, 2022 | access-date=December 12, 2022 | archive-date=October 10, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010135208/https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2022/10/10/doom-patrol-hbo-max/6681665405020/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Dukes of Hazzard}}''
| 1979–1985
| <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" />
|-
| ''[[Lethal Weapon (TV series)|Lethal Weapon]]''
| 2016–2019
| <ref name="hulu" />
|-
| ''[[Our Flag Means Death]]''
| 2022-2023
| <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 | archive-date=December 12, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212142133/https://www.indiewire.com/2022/03/our-flag-means-death-pirate-ship-revenge-1234705721/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Peacemaker (TV series)|Peacemaker]]''
| 2022
| <ref name="Truitt">{{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 | archive-date=December 11, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221211231546/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2022/01/13/peacemaker-hbo-max-superhero-show-brings-hair-metal-friends-vibe/9160893002/ | url-status=live }}</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 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</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 | archive-date=July 30, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730161215/https://tvline.com/2020/07/30/teenage-bounty-hunters-trailer-netflix/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
|}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="cosmopolitan">{{cite magazine | last=Thomas | first=Leah Marilla | url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/g60079761/funniest-action-movies/ | title=These 35 Comedy Action Movies Add 'Ha Has' To Your 'Pew Pews' | magazine=[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|Cosmopolitan]] | date=July 30, 2024 |access-date=December 13, 2024 | archive-date=August 14, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814164431/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/g60079761/funniest-action-movies/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
<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 | archive-date=December 2, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202201956/https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/g34183919/funny-action-movies/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
<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=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] | publisher=[[Fandango Media]] | date=August 10, 2021 | access-date=December 2, 2022 | archive-date=February 18, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218094254/https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/action-comedies/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
 
==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|title=A Companion to the Action Film|chapter=Origins of the Action Film|year=2019|editor-last=Kendric|editor-first=James|last=Barrowman|first=Kyle|publisher=[[Wiley-Blackwell|Blackwell Publishing Ltd.]]|isbn=978-1119100492}}
* {{cite book|last=Gallagher|first=Mark|year=2006|title=Action Figures: Men, Action Films and Contemporary Adventure Narratives|publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]|page=163|isbn=1403970122}}
* {{cite book|title=Action Cinema Since 2000|editor-last1=Holmlund|editor-last2=Purse|editor-last3=Tasker|editor-first1=Chris|editor-first2=Lisa|editor-first3=Yvonne|isbn=9781839022784 |year=2024|last1=Holmlund|last2=Purse|last3=Tasker|first1=Chris|first2=Lisa|first3=Yvonne|chapter=Introduction: Action as Mode|publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]]|author-link3=Yvonne Tasker}}
* {{cite book|title=A Companion to the Action Film|chapter=Comedy in Action|year=2019|editor-last=Kendric|editor-first=James|last=King|first=Cynthia M.|publisher=Blackwell Publishing Ltd.|isbn=978-1119100492}}
* {{cite book|last=Sarno|first=Gregory|year=2005|title=Lights, Camera, Action: Crafting an Action Script|publisher=Littlebear Productions|isbn=978-0595360574}}
* {{cite book|title=Action and Adventure Cinema|editor-last1=Tasker |editor-first1=Yvonne|publisher=Routledge|year=2004|isbn=0-203-64515-4}}
{{refend}}


==Further reading==
{{Film genres|state=collapsed}}
*{{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 }}
{{Comedy footer}}


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

Latest revision as of 12:14, 18 March 2026


Action comedy is a hybrid genre that combines elements of action fiction with comedy. While early action films feature stuntwork and humor, academic Cynthia King wrote that the genre only came into its own as a mainstay of the American action film genre in the 1980s when actors who had backgrounds in comedy such as Eddie Murphy began taking roles in action films.[1] The genre approaches various narratives and styles such as buddy films, superhero films, and Hong Kong action cinema featuring various actors such as Jackie Chan.

Action comedy has also been a recurring theme in television, with series such as The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985)[2] and Peacemaker (2022).[3]

Film[edit | edit source]

Academic Yvonne Tasker described most post-classical Hollywood action films as "more or less hybrids."[4] Action films are set across multiple settings and spaces with no single defining landscape and can become complicated in categorization which is sometimes acknowledged through hybridized designators such as action comedy.[5]

Characteristics[edit | edit source]

Academic Cynthia King said that the action comedy film only came into its own as a mainstay of the American action film genre in the 1980s when actors who had backgrounds in comedy such as Eddie Murphy (pictured) began taking roles in action films.[1]

Cynthia King said that the term "action comedy" is typically reserved for action films in which humor plays a relatively central role.[6] Such films can take on a wide variety of formats, including buddy films involving mismatched partners such as the Lethal Weapon (1987-1998) and the Rush Hour (1998-2006) film series, as well as Hong Kong action cinema films featuring actors such as Jackie Chan. King also included within the genre the more comedic superhero films such as Mystery Men (1999), Hancock (2008) and The Green Hornet (2011).[7]

Elements of action comedy existed in early cinema, such as the chase sequences in pre-1915 films such as The Lonedale Operator (1911), which anticipate editing patterns of later action films such as Wheels on Meals (1984).[8] Later silent film comedies such as those featuring Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton (e.g., Easy Street (1917) and The General (1926)) featured chases, gags and stunts that would serve as inspirations for both comedic and non-comedic action set pieces in later action films.[9] These films include Chaplin and Keaton using physical materials on stage, either weapons or props, to emphasize, affect or respond to their bodily actions.[10]

King wrote that despite a large cinematic history of humor and peril, the action comedy film only "came into its own" as part of American action film genre in the early 1980s, notably when actors who had backgrounds in comedy such as Eddie Murphy began taking roles in action films.[1]

In his book, Lights, Camera, Action: Crafting an Action Script (2005), Gregory Sarno said that not all films containing conflict and humor are action comedies; Sarno considered films with action-laden subplots such as Big Momma's House (2000) and Dumb & Dumber (1994) to be closer to straight comedies because the action lacks an integral role in their narratives.[11] King echoed this point, saying that films such as Night at the Museum (2006) or Loaded Weapon 1 (1993) are better categorized as straight comedies since most of the action is framed comically with no serious violence or peril. She also said that the occurrence of sardonic one-liners in an action film, such as "Go ahead, make my day" from Sudden Impact (1983), is insufficient to categorize such a film as an action comedy.[12]

Mark Gallagher, in Action Figures: Men, Action Films and Contemporary Adventure Narratives (2006), stated that action comedies often feature a fish out of water theme, such as Murphy's character clashing with upper-class white communities and conventional police procedures in the Beverly Hills Cop (1984-2024) film series.[13]

List of films[edit | edit source]

List of action comedy films
Film Year Template:Ref heading
21 Jump Street 2012 [14]
22 Jump Street 2014 [14]
48 Hrs. 1982 [14]
American Made 2017 [14]
Ant-Man 2015 [14]
Ant-Man and the Wasp 2018 [14]
Attack the Block 2011 [15]
Bad Boys 1995 [16]
Bad Boys for Life 2020 [14]
Big Trouble in Little China 1986 [14]
Beverly Hills Cop 1984 [14]
Birds of Prey 2020 [14]
Black Dynamite 2009 [14]
The Blues Brothers 1980 [14]
The Cabin in the Woods 2011 [15]
D.E.B.S. 2004 [15]
Deadpool 2016 [14]
Deadpool 2 2018 [14]
Deadpool & Wolverine 2024 [17]
Drive-Away Dolls 2024 [15]
Drunken Master II 1994 [14]
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 2023 [15]
Everything Everywhere All at Once 2022 [15]
The Fall Guy 2024 [15]
Free Guy 2021 [14]
Galaxy Quest 1999 [15]
Game Night 2018 [14]
Get Smart 2008 [16]
The General 1926 [14]
The Gentlemen 2019 [14]
Ghostbusters 1984 [15]
Guardians of the Galaxy 2014 [14]
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 2017 [14]
The Heat 2013 [16]
Hit Man 2023 [15]
Hot Fuzz 2007 [14]
If Looks Could Kill 1991 [18]
The Interview 2014 [16]
Johnny English 2003 [16]
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle 2017 [16]
Keanu 2016 [14]
Kick-Ass 2010 [14]
Kingsman: The Secret Service 2014 [14]
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 2005 [14]
Kung Fu Hustle 2004 [14]
Lethal Weapon 1987 [14]
Lethal Weapon 2 1989 [14]
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 1998 [14]
Logan Lucky 2007 [15]
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. 2015 [15]
The Mask 1994 [15]
Men in Black 1997 [14]
Midnight Run 1988 [14]
Miss Congeniality 2000 [15]
Mr. & Mrs. Smith 2005 [15]
The Nice Guys 2016 [14]
Now You See Me 2 2016 [15]
The Other Guys 2010 [14]
The Paper Tigers 2020 [14]
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 2003 [15]
Polite Society 2023 [15]
The Princess Bride 1987 [15]
Red 2010 [14]
Ride Along 2014 [16]
Romancing the Stone 1984 [14]
Rumble in the Bronx 1995 [14]
Rush Hour 1998 [14]
Rush Hour 2 2001 [14]
Rush Hour 3 2007 [14]
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World 2010 [14]
Shanghai Noon 2000 [14]
Shaolin Soccer 2001 [14]
Shaun of the Dead 2004 [16]
Shazam! 2019 [14]
Sherlock Holmes 2009 [15]
Shotgun Wedding 2022 [15]
Something Wild 1986 [14]
Spy 2015 [14]
Spy Kids 2001 [15]
The Suicide Squad 2021 [14]
Supercop 1992 [14]
Tag 2018 [15]
Team America: World Police 2004 [14]
Thor: Ragnarok 2017 [14]
Three Kings 1999 [14]
Tropic Thunder 2008 [14]

TV series[edit | edit source]

List of action comedy TV series
TV series Year(s) Template:Ref heading
The A-Team 1983–1987 [19]
Burn Notice 2007–2013 [20]
Chuck 2007–2012 [21]
Doom Patrol 2020–2022 [22]
The Dukes of Hazzard 1979–1985 [2]
Future Man 2017–2020 [23]
Kidd Video 1984–1985 [2]
Lethal Weapon 2016–2019 [23]
Our Flag Means Death 2022-2023 [24]
Peacemaker 2022 [3]
Remington Steele 1982–1987 [25]
Rush Hour 2016 [26]
Teenage Bounty Hunters 2020 [27]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 King 2019, p. 141.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-0374-6.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Truitt, Brian (January 13, 2022). "How HBO Max's 'Peacemaker' became a hair metal superhero spin on the ensemble comedy". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  4. ↑ Tasker 2004, p. 4.
  5. ↑ Holmlund, Purse & Tasker 2024, p. 2.
  6. ↑ King 2019, p. 140.
  7. ↑ King 2019, p. 140-141.
  8. ↑ Barrowman 2019, p. 19.
  9. ↑ Barrowman 2019, pp. 19-20.
  10. ↑ Barrowman 2019, p. 20.
  11. ↑ Sarno 2005, p. 3.
  12. ↑ King 2019, p. 142.
  13. ↑ Gallagher 2006, p. 163.
  14. ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 14.20 14.21 14.22 14.23 14.24 14.25 14.26 14.27 14.28 14.29 14.30 14.31 14.32 14.33 14.34 14.35 14.36 14.37 14.38 14.39 14.40 14.41 14.42 14.43 14.44 14.45 14.46 14.47 14.48 14.49 14.50 14.51 14.52 Vo, Alex (August 10, 2021). "The 50 Best Action-Comedy Movies, Ranked By Tomatometer". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 15.15 15.16 15.17 15.18 15.19 15.20 15.21 15.22 Thomas, Leah Marilla (July 30, 2024). "These 35 Comedy Action Movies Add 'Ha Has' To Your 'Pew Pews'". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 Calderon, Jenna (September 28, 2020). "The Best Action Comedy Movies of All Time". Men's Health. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Deadpool & Wolverine | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  18. ↑ Baldwin, Daniel (July 29, 2016). "From Grieco With Love: Remembering 'If Looks Could Kill'". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  19. ↑ Beard, Matthew (October 23, 2003). "'A-Team' is viewers' most-wanted oldie for prime-time revival". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  20. ↑ Staff (March 14, 2010). "Action Comedy TV: Showrunner Matt Nix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  21. ↑ Proulx, Mike; Shepatin, Stacey (2012). Social TV: How Marketers Can Reach and Engage Audiences by Connecting Television to the Web, Social Media, and Mobile. Wiley. ISBN 978-1-118-23965-0.
  22. ↑ Butler, Karen (October 10, 2022). "Season 4 of 'Doom Patrol' to premiere on Dec. 8". upi.com. UPI. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Action Comedy". hulu.com. Hulu. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  24. ↑ Shachat, Sarah (March 12, 2022). "How 'Our Flag Means Death' Built a Realistic but Farcical Pirate Ship". IndieWire. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  25. ↑ Taylor, Larry (2018). "Nomads". John McTiernan: The Rise and Fall of an Action Movie Icon. McFarland. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-4766-3233-9.
  26. ↑ Swift, Andy (September 30, 2014). "Rush Hour TV Series In the Works for CBS from Bill Lawrence, Brett Ratner". TVLine. Retrieved December 12, 2022.[permanent dead link]
  27. ↑ Nemetz, Dave (July 30, 2020). "Teenage Bounty Hunters Trailer: High School Girls Kick Ass After Class in Netflix's Edgy Action Comedy". TVLine. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2022.

Sources[edit | edit source]

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