More often than not, action movies are... Well, quite action-packed. This abundance of thrills and high-adrenaline set pieces is precisely what makes the genre so easy to enjoy. However, not all action movies are as combat-focused as one might believe. The term "slow-burn action movie" may sound like an oxymoron, but a few filmmakers have proved that such films are not only possible to make but potential masterpieces that break new ground in the genre.

From modern Hollywood gems like The Revenant to old foreign classics like The Wages of Fear, a few of the most memorable action movies happen to have a methodical pace and highly intellectual themes. This unconventional approach is certainly hard to achieve without losing an audience that still wants to see some good fights and chases before the credits roll. Still, if done right, slow-burn action can be outstanding, and these brilliant movies prove it.

10 'The Grandmaster' (2013)

Directed by Wong Kar-wai

Many cinephiles' favorite director and the poster boy of one of the most revolutionary film movements in history, Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai is well-known for his slow-burning filmography. Still, it's mostly romance movies that have earned him his fame. As such, The Grandmaster shines as a unique entry into his body of work, being an action biopic about the martial arts master Ip Man.

Although often considered one of Wong's weaker efforts, there's a lot more to The Grandmaster than many people give it credit for. Those who are only interested in the action-driven side of Ip Man's life ought to check out the franchise that carries his name, but those intrigued by how Wong turned this fascinating man's life into a philosophical lesson on aging, revenge, and kung fu's impact on Chinese society should really give this movie a chance.

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9 'Brawl in Cell Block 99' (2017)

Directed by S. Craig Zahler

Starring Vince Vaughn in one of the most distinct and interesting roles of his career, Brawl in Cell Block 99 is an exceptional prison drama about a former boxer turned drug runner who lands in a prison battleground after a deal gets deadly. Though Vaughn's powerhouse performance is the main draw of the film, the film is a terrific work in its own right, cleverly using some of the most brutal violence viewers will witness in any recent movie.

Brawl in Cell Block 99 is emotionally powerful and absolutely gut-wrenching, making it one of the most underrated slow-burn movies of recent years. But while not all of its runtime is fueled by adrenaline, Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a nail-biting thriller from start to finish. It's all thanks to a terrific script and committed direction by S. Craig Zahler, who has repeatedly proved to be one of the best modern directors of slow-burn movies with some truly crushing violence.

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8 'The Revenant' (2015)

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu

The movie that made Alejandro G. Iñárritu a four-time Oscar winner, The Revenant is based on the harrowing true story of Hugh Glass. Glass was a frontiersman who, while out on a fur-trading expedition, had to fight for survival after a bear mauls him and his team leaves him for dead. Though it's one of the best action movies of the last decade, The Revenant is much more focused on Glass's gut-wrenching physical and spiritual journey to get revenge.

Shot in wintery Alberta, Canada, with only natural lighting, The Revenant is one of the most visually stunning action movies of recent years. This beauty, mixed with the explosiveness of the occasional action sequences that Iñárritu throws at the viewer (holding no brutality back), helps make The Revenant a slow-burner that's sure to keep viewers' eyes glued to the screen throughout the runtime.

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7 'Drive' (2011)

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn, the man behind some of the most memorable slow-burn genre films of the 21st century, is a bit of an acquired taste. However, he has never made a movie as universally acclaimed as Drive, the story of a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a driver for criminals. After helping his neighbor's husband rob a pawn shop, he gets in trouble with the mob.

The film has a unique visual voice and some of the coolest action ever committed to celluloid, making it one of the most beloved arthouse action movies of all time. The best part of the whole thing for those who love artsy action films, though, is that Drive mixes its gritty combat with a slow pace that allows it to devote plenty of attention to characterization. The movie is all the better as a result, making the mysterious driver one of Ryan Gosling's most iconic and career-defining characters.

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6 'A History of Violence' (2005)

Directed by David Cronenberg

Canadian auteur David Cronenberg is best known for his legendary work in the horror genre, which has made him one of the most celebrated filmmakers of all time following a rocky directorial debut. However, he has made a few movies outside his comfort zone, one of the best ones being A History of Violence. Based on a graphic novel from 1997, it's about a mild-mannered man who becomes a local hero through an act of violence, which brings consequences that'll shake his family to its core.

Despite having bursts of violence that should keep any action fan on the edge of their seat, A History of Violence is, first and foremost, a character drama anchored by terrific performances by Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, and William Hurt (who received an Oscar nod for his very short appearance). Cronenberg is far and away one of the best filmmakers there are when it comes to diving deep into the darkest human impulses, and those are precisely the ones that A History of Violence mercilessly explores.

5 'The French Connection' (1971)

Directed by William Friedkin

Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, The French Connection is about a pair of NYPD detectives in the Narcotics Bureau who find a heroin-smuggling ring in France. However, ending it and capturing its leaders will prove an elusive goal. Despite its undeniably methodical pace, The French Connection is one of the most thrilling movies of all time and has aged like fine wine.

Everything about The French Connection, from Gene Hackman's committed performance to William Friedkin's gritty, realistic direction, works to make it one of the most gripping action thrillers ever. Friedkin perfectly captures the patient rhythm of mystery-solving in police procedurals while also imbuing the movie with lots of high-energy action and one of the best-crafted chase sequences in film history.

4 'Blade Runner 2049' (2017)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

The 2010s were characterized by an ample number of legacy sequels — some truly outstanding, some not so much. But among this sea of long-anticipated successors, Blade Runner 2049 stands tall as perhaps the best. A magnificent event for sci-fi fans, this follow-up to Ridley Scott's iconic original takes place thirty years after its story. In it, a young Blade Runner discovers a long-buried secret that takes him on a journey to find former Blade Runner Rick Deckard, who has been missing for decades.

Leave it to Denis Villeneuve to take an already outstanding sci-fi story and do some things that are pure movie magic with it. Blade Runner 2049 is visually impressive and has some riveting action scenes, though its nearly 3-hour runtime certainly takes its time developing the story. Those more accustomed to explosive action sci-fi may find 2049 a bit challenging, but the challenge is fully worth it. Blade Runner 2049 is a thematically rich work of cyberpunk art with some of the best character writing the genre has ever seen and grand action set pieces that make the whole thing worth being patient for.

3 'The Wages of Fear' (1953)

Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot

One of the tensest thrillers ever made, the French masterpiece The Wages of Fear is a psychological adventure thriller set in a decrepit South American village where four men have been hired to transport an urgent but deadly nitroglycerin shipment. What follows is a gripping action film that, for a breathtaking 131 minutes, grabs a tight hold of the audience's attention and doesn't let go until long after the credits roll.

In 1977's Sorcerer, William Friedkin directed an incredible remake of the film, but the French original remains the superior version. One of the very few movies with a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Wages of Fear constructs a provocative commentary on existential themes such as the destructiveness of human nature. Though the film starts slow, it gradually gets more and more intense until it all boils over.

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2 'Blade Runner' (1982)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Queen among slow-burn sci-fi movies, the original Blade Runner is often lauded as one of the genre's best, most important, and most influential works — for good reason. With a gripping yet certainly slow-burning pace, it tells the story of a detective who must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have come to Earth to find their creator.

The film has no shortage of nail-biting chase sequences and brilliantly crafted action scenes, but they are most certainly not the focus of the story. Instead, Blade Runner is an engrossing character drama exploring some profoundly philosophical themes and challenging the preconceived notions of sci-fi cinema. The action is the glue holding the movie together, but it's the slow-burn elements that give it most of its staying power.

1 'Heat' (1995)

Directed by Michael Mann

When one thinks of slow-burn action movies, it's not unlikely that Michael Mann's seminal action epic Heat is the first film that pops to mind. Based on a TV movie directed by Mann himself, it's a masterful police procedural about a troubled cop hunting a group of high-end professional thieves who start to feel the LAPD heat after they accidentally leave a clue at their latest heist.

The action scenes that Mann crafts for his magnum opus are nothing short of jaw-dropping, including a grand shootout sequence that's among the best moments in the genre's history. The focus of Heat isn't the action, though, but the characters and their fascinating dynamics. Most particularly, the dynamic between Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and the leader of the thief gang, Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), is the film's thematic core and one of the most interesting rivalries in any action thriller. Heat is a masterclass in slow-burn filmmaking and proof that the action genre doesn't need a rapid-fire pace to be great.