Point Break (1991)

A dog gets thrown at Keanu Reeves in the middle of a foot chase, and somehow that isn’t the silliest thing in Point Break. That would be the dialogue, which is mostly grown men shouting about waves and the meaning of life. Gary Busey’s partner hands out life advice between bites of his lunch, and the romance with Lori Petty’s Tyler exists so somebody can be in danger later. But Kathryn Bigelow directs action like few others. That foot chase, through houses and backyards with a handheld camera running behind, is still a blueprint. A skydiving scene feels like actual falling. Keanu Reeves plays Utah as a quarterback learning to be cool, wide-eyed and earnest, and Patrick Swayze is pure charisma as Bodhi, the kind of guy you’d follow off a cliff, which is the problem. It made $83.5 million worldwide on a reported $24M. A 7.1 because the action is a classic even when the script reads like a surf shop poster. $2,614 says you watch one surfing video tonight and end up pricing wetsuits by midnight.

What works: Bigelow’s handheld foot chase and skydiving scenes, and Swayze’s easygoing, dangerous charm as Bodhi.

What doesn’t: The dialogue is mostly speeches about waves, the FBI work runs on hunches, and Tyler exists mostly to be put in danger.

Who it’s for: Action fans who want to see where a lot of modern chase scenes learned their moves.