I really can't think of a Besson action sequence not involving Jet Li that I'd rank anywhere near the Helm's Deep or Moria or Minas Tirith battles.
Leon the Professional, Le Femme Nikita and The Fifth Element absolve Luc Besson of all his sins (that stupid Joan of Arc movie, all the Taxi movies he's produced, etc.). Plus, he's pretty much responsible for cultivating most of the kinetic, low-brow action films/directors of the past decade.
Frankenheimer... I saw Ronin and I think I saw Grand Prix way back in the day, anything else I should watch?
His sequel to The French Connection is better than most original action flicks, The Manchurian Candidate (although more of a thriller), The Train, etc. That's not including his more thriller-oriented stuff like Seconds and 7 Days in May.
Donner's made some good films, but I don't really think the pure action sequences measure up to the other guys I mentioned, although I should watch the Lethal Weapon series again.
Are you kidding? Between Superman and all the Lethal Weapon films, he gets a pass for life. His second-tier stuff like Conspiracy Theory and Maverick are also better choreographed than most modern directors.
Haven't watched any Peckinpah films yet, but if you're saying he's a great action director, what films do you recommend?
The Wild Bunch, The Getaway and Cross of Iron.
... I think you have a difficulty separating from what makes a great imaginative director and a great action director. Peter Jackson is great at conjuring up large set pieces, but in the case of Lord of the Rings, that work was already done for him (thanks Tolkien!). Jackson reminds me of Spielberg, actually.
And that's not to say either are
bad at directing action, as both have shown they're quite capable, but others have surpassed and exceeded them on a technical level. Their range behind the camera is what makes them so prolific, but when you get to down to a specific element, there are better directors.
Cameron is the only one of the iconic modern day directors that can really say he belongs at the head of the class when it comes to action sequences.
