I’d buy THAT for a dollar!
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The opening gunfight in Desperado hits a point at which the absurdity increases logarithmically and I just laugh and laugh.
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Some Hong Kong films:
Hard Boiled (1992). Also from director John Woo, this is an action masterpiece with wonderfully stylish and violent gunfights. The third act in particular is incredibly exciting with Chow Yun-Fat saving a baby from a burning hospital and a remarkable single-take gunfight.
Police Story (1985). One of Jackie Chan’s best films, this isn’t a kung fu film but a more contemporary kind of action film combining martial arts and big action set-pieces. The opening sees a shanty town on a hillside get completely wrecked by cars while the shopping centre brawl at the end saw the crew christen the film “Glass Story”.
Story of Ricky/Riki-Oh (1991) - Super gory and violent but it comes across as cartoonishly excessive rather than just nasty. This is a film that features a man cut open his own gut and then try to strangle Ricky with his intestines.
Tiger on the Beat (1988) A Hong Kong buddy cop movie, this features a chainsaw duel but the highlight is the shotgun-on-a-rope yo-yo gag.
The 8-Diagram Pole Fighter (1984) - Kung fu classic from legendary director Lau Kar-Leung that makes the list for its incredible teeth-smashing, coffin-leaping finale.
The Blade (1995) Hark Tsui’s brutal remake of the One-Armed Swordsman. Features blades on chains getting flung about that I have to imagine was at least part of the inspiration for Kratos’ Blades of Fury from the videogame God of War.
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The sequencing on this series is challenging. The first movie was called First Blood and the second movie was called Rambo: First Blood Part 2. But then the next movie is Rambo 3, so we have to retcon the numbers and say that Rambo: First Blood Part 2 is actually Rambo 2 and First Blood is…
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i do love a good martial arts film and would love to watch any of these. one i’ve seen more in line with my over-the-top theme was ‘kung fu hustle’, that was very enjoyable
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Also see Shaolin Soccer, same director, same style.
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But beware: There are multiple edits, and the dubbed version kills some of the comedy in the dialogue. Watch the original with subtitles if you can.
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Annnnnnd it’s stuck. Doan doan doan doan…doan doannn doan doannn…
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Almost any Jackie Chan movie, especially First Strike, Drunken Master 2, and Rumble in the Bronx.
The Long Kiss Goodnight is a great but nearly forgotten action thriller with Geena Davis and a nerdy (yes, nerdy) Samuel Jackson.
As mentioned, pretty much any John Woo film. Of his American movies, Face/Off is probably the most over-the-top.
Does Army of Darkness count? I think Army of Darkness counts.
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I concur on the above for the 90s movies of Jackie Chan. Crazy stuff. And stick around for the outtakes/bloopers during the credits of each film 
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Probably my favorite over-the-top action film next to R.O.T.O.R.
I even have the film soundtrack on Vinyl.
Edit: What makes R.O.T.O.R. over the top is stump blowing.
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don’t you worry, i’m all about the subtitles
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i love R.O.T.O.R. stump blowing and horse drugging 100% put this in the over-the-top category.
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Over the top means that it’s too much of whatever it is. There are no over the top movies because you can’t get enough of whatever it is.
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But I’ve had enough of Fast & Furious. After the first one. Just made me want to watch (the original) Point Break. Does that qualify The Fast & the Furious as over the top?
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One of the most over the top Jackie Chan films is 1992’s City Hunter. It’s a manga adaptation with Jackie playing City Hunter, a womanising private detective who ends up on a cruise ship that’s taken over by terrorists led by Richard Norton. Of the golden age of Chan films (1978-1994) it certainly doesn’t rate among the better ones but it’s nonetheless enjoyable with a few classic scenes. Most notably is the one in the arcade where he’s thrown into a Street Fighter II machine and hallucinates that Gary Daniels is Ken. Battles ensue featuring various characters from the game culminating with Jackie dressed as Chun Li. (Fun fact: when Jackie selects E Honda the game displays “E Honde” due to Jackie’s long term relationship with Mitsubishi Motors).
The final battle with Richard Norton is top tier Jackie though. While many of his fights have a rhythm that plays into his love of old MGM musicals, this one in particular feels like a dance number as much as it does a fight.
The comedy is very broad and while some of it certainly hasn’t aged well at all, there’s some genuinely funny gags too. It’s also a film where I actually prefer the dub (well, the old VHS one anyway). It’s stupid and often nonsensical - but that really fits this colourful and goofy film e.g. him screaming “have another Pina Colada!” at a driver that cuts him off.
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This is incredible!!! Just found a clip on youtube, Jackie Chan-li is just… wow…
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Featuring one of the most hilarious lines in cinema history!
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my partner just heard tell of another great one - “gymkata”. the big screen debut of a gymnast trying to be an action star. he must use a combination of karate and gymnastics to win a martial arts competition on behalf of the US government. just… wow.
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