Are Old School Action Movies Dead?

[Octoberist]

I can see Arnold's 'Unforgiven' being 'Legend of Conan' if done right. But The Last Stand made buzz for the wrong reasons: it was Arnold's first starring role in a decade. Otherwise it looked GENERIC, just like Arnold's film right before his Gov days.

What made me more mad was that it was a waste of the talents of that Korean director.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

Die Hard is no way Bourne. Bourne is much more hand to hand. John McClane is not a hand to hand guy. Not even close

While I thought the first Bourne had good fights, the more I saw of that style, it just feels way to choreographed, more of a dance than a fight. Die Hard fights scenes, and there were at least two that come immediately to mind, feel more like just a down and dirty fight.

The Expendables movies are a waste of talent. You gather all those action stars and THAT is all you can get out of it?

Yeah, Expendables was a big waste, I like the A-Team much better, it's what the Expendables should've been, just ridiculous over the top action with just a bare minimum of plot. The 30-40 minutes of Sly complaining to Jason Statham about being old just killed that movie for me.

 

[SlamAdams]

I actually very much dislike the Bourne movies. The action scenes can be fun but I found them really boring between those scenes. Meanwhile Die Hard grabs me by the collar and drags me to the end. I can never not watch it.

 

[Octoberist]

I actually very much dislike the Bourne movies. The action scenes can be fun but I found them really boring between those scenes. Meanwhile Die Hard grabs me by the collar and drags me to the end. I can never not watch it.

of course, it's because Die Hard was a well made movie period. The new one though, looks misguided and bad.

 

[Jake Cassidy]

I prefer the 80's/90's action films over any of the more recent ones. Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Road Warrior, Predator, First Blood, 48 Hours, Terminator 2, True Lies, The Last Boy Scout, Point Break, Speed, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Rock, Con Air etc. They're amazing.

 

[Mace Dolex]

And what the hell is Stallone doing? Rambo and Rocky Balboa were so surprisingly awesome that the both Expendables movies (despite how fun they are) completely pale in comparison.

I guess maybe audiences just want Arnold and Sly continue with their franchises, I'd rather see a Rocky 7 and Rambo 5 than any more Expendable movies.

 

[dude stannis]

Die Hard is no way Bourne. Bourne is much more hand to hand. John McClane is not a hand to hand guy. Not even close

I meant an action movie with an everyman told in a more down to Earth manner. Though McClane vs. Karl absolutely s***s on any fight in the Bourne films.

 

[Jake Cassidy]

^ It's brutal. I love it.

Riggs vs. Joshua in Lethal Weapon is pretty damn good, too.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I think people are being a bit harsh on the Bourne movies here, they are modern action classics, and the action in them is great, its just that in the sequels the shakey-cam is OTT.

But yeah, I do miss the old-school action movie, thankfully they are still getting made occasionnally, although that may fizzle out if they keep flopping.

 

[Fives]

Yeah, old school action movies haven't really been being made for awhile now. I think it's kind of been dead for awhile, but I'm sure it'll be back again, just probably any time soon lol. When I think of "old school" action movies, I think of Commando, and Cobra, two films that I still really like.

Now Leathal Weapon, and Die Hard have always been favorites of mine, but they're not really "old school" action movies if that makes sense? They were made at the tail end of the 80's when action movies were changing. I think every now, and then their can be a good old school action movie released, but unless they do good hollywood isn't that interested in making them that much.

 

[Mace Dolex]

I think people are being a bit harsh on the Bourne movies here, they are modern action classics, and the action in them is great, its just that in the sequels the shakey-cam is OTT.

The thing with the shaky cam is that it pulls in the audience into the frenetic adrenaline fight scenes but I agree it's getting done to death that I miss old school fist fights like Enter The Dragon, Road House.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I may have seen The Last Stand, Parker, and Bullet to the Head if the trailers didn't make them look like spoofs of the old school action movies.

When Schwarzenegger talked about getting back in the game, he said he had to pick his roles better like Clint Eastwood. So far I haven't seen that from Arnie. He seems to be doing the same thing he was doing before he retired except when all is said and done he says, "Ugh, I'm old." Arnie needs a Unforgiven. He needs a In the Line of Fire.

That's a fair point, hopefully The Tomb and Ten will be better choices from Arnie and Sly. I also think that the war film he was rumoured to make (With Wings As Eagles) would be a good choice as well.

I prefer the 80's/90's action films over any of the more recent ones. Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Road Warrior, Predator, First Blood, 48 Hours, Terminator 2, True Lies, The Last Boy Scout, Point Break, Speed, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Rocks, Con Air etc. They're amazing.

I guess maybe audiences just want Arnold and Sly continue with their franchises, I'd rather see a Rocky 7 and Rambo 5 than any more Expendable movies.

I don't want another Rocky as I think he finished that series off perfectly with Rocky Balboa, but I could go for another Rambo with him back in the US after nearly 30 years away.

I meant an action movie with an everyman told in a more down to Earth manner. Though McClane vs. Karl absolutely s***s on any fight in the Bourne films.

Most definitely.

 

[Gianakin_]

I can see Arnold's 'Unforgiven' being 'Legend of Conan' if done right. But The Last Stand made buzz for the wrong reasons: it was Arnold's first starring role in a decade. Otherwise it looked GENERIC, just like Arnold's film right before his Gov days.

What made me more mad was that it was a waste of the talents of that Korean director.

I keep saying, TLS woulda been a much better movie (and also straight to DVD) if Arnie wasn't the star.

 

[Fives]

I prefer the 80's/90's action films over any of the more recent ones. Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Road Warrior, Predator, First Blood, 48 Hours, Terminator 2, True Lies, The Last Boy Scout, Point Break, Speed, The Long Kiss Goodnight, The Rocks, Con Air etc. They're amazing.

I love this list of action movies . They just don't make them like that anymore. Those are some of the best action movies, and I never get tired of watching them.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

I love this list of action movies . They just don't make them like that anymore. Those are some of the best action movies, and I never get tired of watching them.

The problem is they're trying to restart the genre using the same actors Arnold and Sly, these actors are really showing their age now. They need to find new actors that can play those roles, they need to take the time to grow those actors. Arnold wasn't the huge draw he was right from the start, it took some time.

 

[-JKR-]

The problem is they're trying to restart the genre using the same actors Arnold and Sly, these actors are really showing their age now. They need to find new actors that can play those roles, they need to take the time to grow those actors. Arnold wasn't the huge draw he was right from the start, it took some time.

There's a much greater need for good directors who are willing to contribute to the genre. Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel and Jason Statham would be ready by now to finally make good movies (especially Statham's current career is worse than Dolph Lundgren's).

 

[Quasimod0]

Dwayne is in some pretty good movies, so is vinn. They're doing pretty well for themselves

 

[-JKR-]

Dwayne is in some pretty good movies, so is vinn. They're doing pretty well for themselves

The best I can think of are 'The Rundown' and 'Pitch Black'.

 

[grout]

I thought the 2004 Punisher did a good job in having that old school gritty feel.

 

[Fives]

The problem is they're trying to restart the genre using the same actors Arnold and Sly, these actors are really showing their age now. They need to find new actors that can play those roles, they need to take the time to grow those actors. Arnold wasn't the huge draw he was right from the start, it took some time.

Yeah I think their are actors who could be real good in movies like these. Arnold, and Sly can't play these roles quite like they use to anymore.

There's a much greater need for good directors who are willing to contribute to the genre. Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel and Jason Statham would be ready by now to finally make good movies (especially Statham's current career is worse than Dolph Lundgren's).

That's another good point. This genre could use some actual good directors. I think their are good actors who would be great in movies like these, but usually if the director isn't as good the end product probably won't be that good either. I think these types of movies can come back, but they'll need a combination of good directors, and actors. A good story line would help too.

 

[-JKR-]

I thought the 2004 Punisher did a good job in having that old school gritty feel.

It absolutely did! In fact, I loved it!

And, I think a way of brining people back into old school action feel would be making some comic book adaptations in that mold. Take for example a character like Lobo, who sure has much in common with hardboiled action characters. With Dwayne Johnson, a good script, director, and of course WITHOUT WATERING IT DOWN, it could be a neat, old-school action movie with a twist. Think Predator. Think Total Recall.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Why is everyone forgetting about Lethal Weapon 2?

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

I think expendables failed because Sly wanted them to be 80/90's schlock rather than a remake or something close to the lines of Dirty Dozen (which I very much wanted). I really hope the 3rd film has a more serious tone... the first film probably handled the tone better than the 2nd... but I preferred the set pieces and action from the sequel.

Can't speak for Arnie but most of the guys like Dolph, Sly, JCVD are still in great shape and can do action very well. Like someone mentioned before they need to do something unique or a film that has a better angle rather than the 1 man army shtick. They are all well past that phase for the most part... but not past action ensemble or w/e.

I find it rather interesting how much better Expendables as a franchise has done overseas than it has stateside. Both films went well over the 200 mill mark because of the rest of the world still wanting to see these guys onscreen... the emo/superhero worshipping mainstream audience of the US not so much!

 

[SlamAdams]

I think expendables failed because Sly wanted them to be 80/90's schlock rather than a remake or something close to the lines of Dirty Dozen (which I very much wanted). I really hope the 3rd film has a more serious tone... the first film probably handled the tone better than the 2nd... but I preferred the set pieces and action from the sequel.

Absolutely. They have no excuses for the first one, but if you get SImon West to direct the second its going to be unabashed 80s shlock.

Can't speak for Arnie but most of the guys like Dolph, Sly, JCVD are still in great shape and can do action very well. Like someone mentioned before they need to do something unique or a film that has a better angle rather than the 1 man army shtick. They are all well past that phase for the most part... but not past action ensemble or w/e.

I find that Dolph, Sly, and JCVD are much better actors than their action pedigree suggests. Not award worthy maybe, but if they gave them a half decent, serious (not melodramatic) scripts they could carry them easy.

 

[Jake Cassidy]

Die Hard has the best hero/villain combo ever in McClane/Gruber, imo.