Are Old School Action Movies Dead?

[Gianakin_]

Agreed.

 

[bullets]

I feel like this is the year of Old School Action movies.

The Last Stand , Bullet to the Head , Parker , Die Hard 5 , Snitch , The Tomb, and Fast and the Furious 6. Also they are rebooting Jack Ryan. Some might only be moderately successful ,but it seems revitalized for now. The only difference is that Stallone and Arnold are no longer considered mega stars. Which is a shame because they both can convincingly pull it off.

 

[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.

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.

t:

I can't believe I forgot this but......

Beverly Hills Cop

Greatest action/comedy ever.

 

[Hunter Rider]

t:

I can't believe I forgot this but......

Beverly Hills Cop

Greatest action/comedy ever.

You mentioning Beverley Hills Cop reminds me that the themes of films back then were more iconic.

 

[Kane52630]

I feel like this is the year of Old School Action movies.

The Last Stand , Bullet to the Head , Parker , Die Hard 5 , Snitch , The Tomb, and Fast and the Furious 6. Also they are rebooting Jack Ryan. Some might only be moderately successful ,but it seems revitalized for now. The only difference is that Stallone and Arnold are no longer considered mega stars. Which is a shame because they both can convincingly pull it off.

Totally agree. Right now The Rock, Vin Diesel, Statham, and even Sam Worthington are today's action stars.

 

[Fives]

t:

I can't believe I forgot this but......

Beverly Hills Cop

Greatest action/comedy ever.

I can't believe I forgot that one too! The BHC franshise is a great one from back then. The third one is okay lol, but the first two are really good.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

Totally agree. Right now The Rock, Vin Diesel, Statham, and even Sam Worthington are today's action stars.

The first 3 yes... well VD and Stat are becoming very stale... the last guy is a one hit wonder.

 

[SlamAdams]

I'd like to see more Tom Jane

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

You mentioning Beverley Hills Cop reminds me that the themes of films back then were more iconic.

They were, I don't know why, but many movies and composers today tend to avoid motifs and themes or tend to be so subtle that you never catch it on the first watch. I don't know why, I loved hearing the theme of a movie during it with different versions.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

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

This one is close for me.

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[Hunter Rider]

They were, I don't know why, but many movies and composers today tend to avoid motifs and themes or tend to be so subtle that you never catch it on the first watch. I don't know why, I loved hearing the theme of a movie during it with different versions.

My theory is they want the theme to feel simply part of what is going on as opposed to being an adrenaline pumping hero theme that perhaps overrides what is going on, onscreen.

 

[craigdbfan]

Like you mentioned Hunter there was a certain spark captured that never quite came back. I do feel some directors do their earnest to try and recapture or creating moments like that but it's definitely a dime a dozen.

Just take a look at Predator. That to me has one of the best openings ever. The first 10 minutes are incredible. Just in the first few meetings you already have a classic interaction between Dillon and Dutch at the bar. The camera work is perfect and the editing is seamless.

Timeless in every sense of the word.

 

[Jake Cassidy]

This one is close for me.

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Great bad guy.

That's what the best 'Die Hard' style films have. Awesome villains.

Die Hard 1 & 3, Passenger 57, Speed, The Rock, Con Air, Cliffhanger, Under Siege, Air Force One, Sudden Death.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

Die Hard 1 & 3, Passenger 57, Speed, The Rock, Con Air, Cliffhanger, Under Siege, Air Force One, Sudden Death.

Is it sad that I'd rather stay home and watch those films on a free night rather than go see 90% of the garbage that Hollywood puts out today?

 

[craigdbfan]

Is it sad that I'd rather stay home and watch those films on a free night rather than go see 90% of the garbage that Hollywood puts out today?

No, not at all.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I feel like this is the year of Old School Action movies.

The Last Stand , Bullet to the Head , Parker , Die Hard 5 , Snitch , The Tomb, and Fast and the Furious 6. Also they are rebooting Jack Ryan. Some might only be moderately successful ,but it seems revitalized for now. The only difference is that Stallone and Arnold are no longer considered mega stars. Which is a shame because they both can convincingly pull it off.

I think this was more of a last gasp for old school action movies than anything else. The last stand, bullet to the heard, parker all bombed. Die Hard 5 has been brutalized in the reviews and i'm wagering may face a similar fate.

Out of that list only fast and furious is probably going to be a smash and i for sure wouldn't call that franchise an "old school action movie" series.

 

[Jake Cassidy]

Is it sad that I'd rather stay home and watch those films on a free night rather than go see 90% of the garbage that Hollywood puts out today?

That's what I do. I haven't been to the cinema since The Avengers.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

I personally would take a 60s or 70s action movie over an 80s action film.They seem more stylish and interesting to me,but that's just me personally.

 

[terry78]

I think a lot of directors are trying to emulate North by Northwest in their action these days.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

And I love that.

 

[dude stannis]

Is it sad that I'd rather stay home and watch those films on a free night rather than go see 90% of the garbage that Hollywood puts out today?

Nope.

Speaking of The Rock (The film), does anyone else get a lump int heir throat from the Hans Zimmer music?

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[Gianakin_]

Me, me!

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

My theory is they want the theme to feel simply part of what is going on as opposed to being an adrenaline pumping hero theme that perhaps overrides what is going on, onscreen.

But I feel like the hero theme is what some of the movies need. I think some of these movies could only have benefitted from it.

 

[Edguy]

God, I hope so. Just keep releasing Expendables, then we can have all the generic action stars, awkward oneliners and senseless action sequences in on film.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

God, I hope so. Just keep releasing Expendables, then we can have all the generic action stars, awkward oneliners and senseless action sequences in on film.

That's the spirit!