Foray on Action Films: The Ones I’ve Missed

*I am currently off track from school and working only nights. To keep me entertained I have been making lists and watching older action films while I wait for stupid people to call who don’t know how to use their computer. I used to think I was an action film connoisseur but I didn’t know shit and I want to change that. My plan is to watch as many as I can and record how they live up to today’s standards.*

Mad Max (1979) -

First Blood (1982) – Brian Dennehy is the biggest ass on the planet and my God is Rambo a badass. For a movie with only body count of one, it’s quite awesome and still lives up to the hype of being 30 years old. It’s rare to come across an action film with character development, an evolving story, growth, and understanding. The balance of the movie having some pretty good action scenes and some great drama is absolutely outstanding and creates a perfect movie. I highly recommend it for those who haven’t but I’m probably the last person to see this movie.

Escape From New York (1982) -

The Road Warrior (1982) -

Commando (1984) – The repetitive music and annoying sidekick are the only down falls of this movie. I loved it. Arnold is Arnold and it pays off. He kicks ass without remorse in some badass and hilarious ways. While I do feel that True Lies and Commando share a lot of similarities, True Lies is the better film but Commando should not be passed up. The final action scene, which lasts close to 20 minutes, is awesome to say the least and while I did find it hard to believe that a fat Barrett could go toe to toe with Matrix, it ends in a pretty awesome way. You don’t fuck with Arnold, add this one to the list.

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) - It was alright....not as action packed as I thought it would be but when there was action it was pretty good. It feels like 2 and 4 are similar movies and while the the Boss Battle with a Helicopter is pretty sweet (and something I wish would appear in more films) the mowing down of an entire army with a .50 Cal Machine gun in the most brutal fashion takes the cake. Is this also the start of action movies having a love interest and they get killed near the end resulting in the main character going on a kill spree? Kinda corny and I expected better. It was a fine movie but compared to First Blood and Rambo (4), you wan skip it and watch those 2....Rambo 3 around the corner for me though.

Cobra (1986) – Watched it at Jeff’s praise but I couldn’t help but be disappointed. The action and chases are pretty good, but you have to wade through a lot of shit to get to the good parts. After the opening scene in the grocery store, the next 45 minutes (give or take) are pretty brutal and uninteresting. Cobra himself is an interesting character and his interactions with his partner, Poppy from Seinfeld, are humorous but every other character is terrible. The Night Slasher in particular is a bad character and sadly adds nothing to the film. He is no Hans Gruber in terms of bad guys but on an interesting note he is the punk in the beginning of Terminator that gets his heart ripped out. While Cobra does have its good moments particularly at the end, it just isn’t as good as I was hoping it was going to be.

RoboCop (1987) -

Bloodsport (1988) -

Rambo 3 (1988) - You know what? I'm stunned that I enjoyed this more than Part 2. While both aren't typically amazing films, they are fine in their own right and personally, I thought 3 was better. I see a trend in the 80's and 90's is that these awesome, unbeatable people need a sidekick or someone to tag along with....this wasn't the worst case (Commando ugh) it was still pretty bad. I side with RedLetterMedia that children actors are the worst and this is a case of that syndrome. Annoying enough to bother me but Rambo still kicks some ass like usual. We worried me for a bit in not using a bow but totally showed up and fucked up some people with it, bonus points for that. I am still siding with Rambo 1 and 4 as the best of the bunch and people should watch them, 2 and 3 are ok to good and will watch them from time to time.

Road House (1989) –

Die Hard 2 (1990) -

Total Recall (1990) - Man Michael Ironside looks young, and he wasn't slurring his lines so he must have been drinking a lot less 25 years ago. While the action in it is pretty good, I'm going to consider it more of a Science Fiction film and not a pure action flick ala Commando. I understand why people adore this movie and where pissed that they remade it this year, frankly I don't understand how they remade the movie without going to Mars and such but that's besides the point because it is apparently awful. Probably what I enjoyed most about the film is the parts where it is mind fucking you into thinking what is reality and what isn't. Even though it doesn't matter I just like the idea that he really is still in Recall and does wake up after the credits. I'm sure there is plenty of evidence that debunks this theory (I can think of some) but still. Parts of it are quite impressive still while parts have aged noticeably but it only adds to the charm and tone the film is going for. Worth watching but I don't know about revisiting it as often as some of the other ones I have watched.

Hard Boiled (1992) -

Demolition Man (1993) –

The Crow (1994) -

Torque (2004) – What a piece of shit this movie is. I find it hard to believe that one could enjoy this movie ironically too. Terrible action, acting, lines, script, pacing, everything. When you have movies as terribly awesome as Tokyo Drift, why the hell would anyone watch this? While I did enjoy the performance of Adam Scott, Ice Cube being Ice Cube, and the shocking transformation of Jamie Pressly, everything else is just complete shit. And who the hell is Martin Henderson? I have guilty pleasure movies, I love the first Mortal Kombat, but there is no reason for anyone to enjoy this in any way. Fuck this movie.

*Feel Free to Suggest Others*

*I am currently off track from school and working only nights. To keep me entertained I have been making lists and watching older action films while I wait for stupid people to call who don’t know how to use their computer. I used to think I was an action film connoisseur but I didn’t know shit and I want to change that. My plan is to watch as many as I can and record how they live up to today’s standards.*

Mad Max (1979) -

First Blood (1982) – Brian Dennehy is the biggest ass on the planet and my God is Rambo a badass. For a movie with only body count of one, it’s quite awesome and still lives up to the hype of being 30 years old. It’s rare to come across an action film with character development, an evolving story, growth, and understanding. The balance of the movie having some pretty good action scenes and some great drama is absolutely outstanding and creates a perfect movie. I highly recommend it for those who haven’t but I’m probably the last person to see this movie.

Escape From New York (1982) -

The Road Warrior (1982) -

Commando (1984) – The repetitive music and annoying sidekick are the only down falls of this movie. I loved it. Arnold is Arnold and it pays off. He kicks ass without remorse in some badass and hilarious ways. While I do feel that True Lies and Commando share a lot of similarities, True Lies is the better film but Commando should not be passed up. The final action scene, which lasts close to 20 minutes, is awesome to say the least and while I did find it hard to believe that a fat Barrett could go toe to toe with Matrix, it ends in a pretty awesome way. You don’t fuck with Arnold, add this one to the list.

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) - It was alright....not as action packed as I thought it would be but when there was action it was pretty good. It feels like 2 and 4 are similar movies and while the the Boss Battle with a Helicopter is pretty sweet (and something I wish would appear in more films) the mowing down of an entire army with a .50 Cal Machine gun in the most brutal fashion takes the cake. Is this also the start of action movies having a love interest and they get killed near the end resulting in the main character going on a kill spree? Kinda corny and I expected better. It was a fine movie but compared to First Blood and Rambo (4), you wan skip it and watch those 2....Rambo 3 around the corner for me though.

Cobra (1986) – Watched it at Jeff’s praise but I couldn’t help but be disappointed. The action and chases are pretty good, but you have to wade through a lot of shit to get to the good parts. After the opening scene in the grocery store, the next 45 minutes (give or take) are pretty brutal and uninteresting. Cobra himself is an interesting character and his interactions with his partner, Poppy from Seinfeld, are humorous but every other character is terrible. The Night Slasher in particular is a bad character and sadly adds nothing to the film. He is no Hans Gruber in terms of bad guys but on an interesting note he is the punk in the beginning of Terminator that gets his heart ripped out. While Cobra does have its good moments particularly at the end, it just isn’t as good as I was hoping it was going to be.

RoboCop (1987) -

Bloodsport (1988) -

Rambo 3 (1988) - You know what? I'm stunned that I enjoyed this more than Part 2. While both aren't typically amazing films, they are fine in their own right and personally, I thought 3 was better. I see a trend in the 80's and 90's is that these awesome, unbeatable people need a sidekick or someone to tag along with....this wasn't the worst case (Commando ugh) it was still pretty bad. I side with RedLetterMedia that children actors are the worst and this is a case of that syndrome. Annoying enough to bother me but Rambo still kicks some ass like usual. We worried me for a bit in not using a bow but totally showed up and fucked up some people with it, bonus points for that. I am still siding with Rambo 1 and 4 as the best of the bunch and people should watch them, 2 and 3 are ok to good and will watch them from time to time.

Road House (1989) –

Die Hard 2 (1990) -

Total Recall (1990) - Man Michael Ironside looks young, and he wasn't slurring his lines so he must have been drinking a lot less 25 years ago. While the action in it is pretty good, I'm going to consider it more of a Science Fiction film and not a pure action flick ala Commando. I understand why people adore this movie and where pissed that they remade it this year, frankly I don't understand how they remade the movie without going to Mars and such but that's besides the point because it is apparently awful. Probably what I enjoyed most about the film is the parts where it is mind fucking you into thinking what is reality and what isn't. Even though it doesn't matter I just like the idea that he really is still in Recall and does wake up after the credits. I'm sure there is plenty of evidence that debunks this theory (I can think of some) but still. Parts of it are quite impressive still while parts have aged noticeably but it only adds to the charm and tone the film is going for. Worth watching but I don't know about revisiting it as often as some of the other ones I have watched.

Hard Boiled (1992) -

Demolition Man (1993) –

The Crow (1994) -

Torque (2004) – What a piece of shit this movie is. I find it hard to believe that one could enjoy this movie ironically too. Terrible action, acting, lines, script, pacing, everything. When you have movies as terribly awesome as Tokyo Drift, why the hell would anyone watch this? While I did enjoy the performance of Adam Scott, Ice Cube being Ice Cube, and the shocking transformation of Jamie Pressly, everything else is just complete shit. And who the hell is Martin Henderson? I have guilty pleasure movies, I love the first Mortal Kombat, but there is no reason for anyone to enjoy this in any way. Fuck this movie.

*Feel Free to Suggest Others*

I saw some of Demolition Man. Really stupid, but looked like it might be stupid fun in a good way. Also, I have not, in fact, seen First Blood.

Hard Boiled, John Woo at his finest

The Raid: Redemption, holy fuck that movie

Don't trust Jeff's taste in movies dude.

@Hunter5024: Yeah...I'm starting to learn that, but I want to see these movies nonetheless so maybe just don't let them get me excited about a particular movie, though Ryan was dead on with First Blood when it came up on the BC a few weeks ago

@Nightriff: Ryan's taste in movies you can usually trust, but Jeff's is an enigma.

@Hunter5024: So Judge Dredd is a good movie then because Jeff doesn't like it? Might check that out... but they were BOTH wrong on Torque

Ong Bak, The Protector and The Raid: Redemption

@Sploder: Already have seen Protector but it is on my list of movies to revisit and hope they are as good as I remember.

@believer258: You should seriously watch First Blood. Just watched it a few hours ago and it is fantastic. Then I followed it up with Rambo which is just awesome

I came in to suggest Commando, but you've already seen it. That's the definitive action movie in my opinion. So instead I suggest Police Story; Jackie Chan's best film.

@Sploder: Already have seen Protector but it is on my list of movies to revisit and hope they are as good as I remember.

John Woo's The Killer and Payback with Mel Gibson(I feel like this movie is more off a Max Payne movie then the 2008(?) movie) are two action movies I can easily suggests.

Yeah, I'd comment on these movies, but they're all on my list, too.

When you're caught up, make sure you watch Last Action Hero. Cult film if there ever was one, but I think it's a really funny take on action movies. Like Cabin in the Woods for action films.

@Nightriff said:

@Hunter5024: So Judge Dredd is a good movie then because Jeff doesn't like it? Might check that out... but they were BOTH wrong on Torque

Stay clear of dredd, if your looking for 80s,90s action movies all that come to mind right now is the running man. Also yeah watch demolition man, not necessarily because of its quality.

I'll agree that Jeff doesn't have the best taste in action movies. I mean, I tried my hardest to sit all the way through Fast Five but there was just no way it was happening. That movie was terrible.

Rambo's all right but the real winners on that list up there are Demolition Man (which I loved as a kid and which, surprisingly, has aged really well) and Total Recall. When it comes to action movies, anything by Paul Verhoeven is great: Flesh + Blood, Total Recall, RoboCop, Starship Troopers, etc.

Other winners: The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three, the Die Hard movies, Blade Runner, the first two Mad Max movies, the first two Terminator movies, and a shitload of Korean revenge movies.

@Nightriff said:

@believer258: You should seriously watch First Blood. Just watched it a few hours ago and it is fantastic. Then I followed it up with Rambo which is just awesome

First Blood is actually legitimately good as a movie, not just a good action movie. I'd seen it a few years ago, and after hearing for years about how absurd the character is and how it's all Vietnam War Apologia and stuff like that, I was quite surprised. I think all that super action-y stuff must be in the sequels because the first one just does a really good job at being a morally ambiguous thriller.

@Nightriff

Hey dude, if you haven't seen it yet, you gotta check out The Running Man, starring Arnie! It's got that delicious 80's cheese, and it's pretty damn funny too! It has tons of one-liners everywhere that you can pick up and use in a lot of situations :D.

Oh yeah... the action scenes were alright as well.

I only saw Torque for the first time this week. It was one of the greatest things I have ever experienced... I am also about 70% dumber now.

also, Cobra is pretty great because it isn't really an action movie. Pizza cutting with scissors, mad music video, I want your eyes pig, plastic hamburger... If you were disappointed by this you should probably go ahead and skip Road House.

@GunstarRed said:

I only saw Torque for the first time this week. It was one of the greatest things I have ever experienced... I am also about 70% dumber now.

also, Cobra is pretty great because it isn't really an action movie. Pizza cutting with scissors, mad music video, I want your eyes pig, plastic hamburger... If you were disappointed by this you should probably go ahead and skip Road House.

Huh? No, Road House ought to be seen by everyone at least once, just because. It's the closest thing to a redneck epic there will ever be.

@believer258: Don't get me wrong I love Road House, but it's barely an action movie.

Torque is a blessed gift to all of humanity.

Big Trouble in Little China is a must-see in my book. Funny and full of great action scenes. Kurt Russell's finest role.

Speaking of Russell, another good one is Tango and Cash. Stallone plays straight man to Russell's wise-ass.

And to close out the Kurt Russell trifecta, there's Escape from New York. Fantastic dystopian future flick with Russel entering the world's largest prison to rescue the President. Skip the sequel though as it loses a lot of the mystery found in the original.

@GunstarRed: Tokyo Drift >>>>>>>>>>>>> Torque, and probably just as dumb, been a while since I've seen FF:TD and I enjoyed the weirdness of Cobra (cutting Pizza and weird shit like that) but it was just really boring, finally 20 minutes saved it from being a big disappointment. And my buddy swears by Road House so I'm watching it mainly to appease him, and The Jim Rome Show references it a lot so I have my reasons to watch it.

@JCTango: I want to see Running Man but I'm having a hard time finding a good copy to either buy or borrow. Friends and family don't have a version and until I get some of these ones out of the way first, I'm trying not to purchase any more. Also debating on going deep into a Crime genre hole soon....never seen Scarface and that sounds crazy to people I know.

@MarkWahlberg: Yup, First Blood is amazing, I don't think the character is absurd at all and quite "believable" for a hollywood character. The speech at the end I can understand put compared to some speeches in 2 and 3 is pedestrian. The sequels are super action-y compared to First Blood, not to the degree I thought though, but if you haven't seen it, check out Rambo (4). While pretty generic story and stuff, totally worth it for the final action scene.

@Jrinswand: Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3 that recently came out? Seen all the Die Hard's except for 2 (on the list), need to see both the Mad Max's (now on the list) but I've seen both Terminator 1 and 2, and watch again last week and both totally live up. Edward is more annoying in 2 than I recalled but still an awesome movie. T 1000 best bad guy only behind Hans Gruber.

@Carryboy: I'm not going to watch Judge Dredd, just a joke at Jeff's weird taste in film.

@D0tti: Payback is one I'm trying to get a hold of, I "watched" it once but I don't remember a single thing from it....torture scene with a hammer? About all that comes to mind.

@Sploder: Bone Breaking and Slicing all the tendons scenes are completely fucked up, I still look away when the guys Achilles Heel is cut because I have a phobia of mine getting hurt I guess. Worst story ever, some of the best martial arts scenes ever.

@EVO: I do have a bunch of martial arts films to watch too (Enter Dragon, Police Story 1, 2, etc) but I wasn't sure if I should throw them in with this lot or if I should make a separate list, this one being guns the other being fists. All are action films but done in different ways. And speaking of Jackie Chan's best films I watched The Drunken Master and Legend of the Drunken Master.....I need to rewatch Rumble in the Bronx (my previously favorite of his) and see if it is as good as I remember because both of those, specifically Legend, are fucking amazing. Some amazing choreography in both of them. If you haven't seen them, check them out and let me know what you think.

You know what? Judge Dredd's a watchable movie. I said it. Yeah, I mean it in sort of an ironic way, but still. The music's enjoyably overblown, there are some decent special effects, and the sheer absurdity of the whole thing (from casting, to dialogue, to the goddamn costumes) kinda carries it through. It also has the ABC robot, which is still kind of awesome. That said, Dredd 3D is miles better and probably a better way to spend your time.

On a similar note, only somewhat less extreme, is Kurt Russell in Soldier. I actually like that movie, despite it being a pretty generic sci-fi actioner from the 90's. Then again, I also like Escape from LA more than Escape from New York, so take that for what you will.

I'm assuming you've already seen Predator, its sequel, Aliens, and such, so you might be inclined for some more obscure choices. A decent foreign action/war movie I liked was 9th Company, consider checking it out.

@Giantstalker: Know what, I'm probably going to watch Judge Dredd ironically and just to see how bad it is, I'm very interested in it now. I'm sure the recent film is better but whatever, I enjoy a good bad movie every now and again. I have seen Soldier but it has been many years, remember thinking it was pretty good back then. I added Escape From New York mainly for Solid Snake being based off the character.

I revisted Predator a week ago or so and it isn't as good as I remembered. I think a lot of people give that movie more credit that it deserves. Never seen Predator 2. Rewatched Alien and Aliens and Alien is still good but has aged to the point that it isn't even suspenseful for me anymore where Aliens (and a trend in that all James Cameron films pre Titanic) is still fucking amazing. I was always an Alien for Aliens but I completely changed when I watched them back to back.

It's kind of sad, because as such an iconic action hero character, I personally think the Rambo movies are boring. The last one is hysterical in a terrible way.

@Nightriff: What theory and idea are you talking about when it comes to Total Recall? Are you just wishful thinking, or did you not understand the movie well?

@NTM: That the whole thing was that he was still in Recall. That it all was just a dream. The movie does plenty to debunk that theory but I still like the idea of it. Not a hard movie to understand at all.

The fact you didn't care much for Cobra makes me think you're a member of the Taliban.

I've only seen First Blood, Robocop, Mad Max and Total Recall on the list you've made. I actually watch Robocop for the first time recently on Netflix and I'm surprised at how violent it is. I know it was kind of known for that, but I seem to remember watching parts of it when I was younger and not seeing that. Maybe it was a censored version, who knows? Movies in general are a blind spot for me, though.