UAMC Review: ‘In Search of the Last Action Heroes’ Documentary

An ultimate documentary about ultimate action movies!

After being introduced as Indiegogo project a year ago, we here at the Ultimate Action Movie Club have been highly interested and very supportive of the ultimate and awesome documentary project – In Search of the Last Action Heroes. Which is basically “Ultimate Action Movie Club – The Movie” as far as we’re concerned. So, it’s with great honor that we get a chance to review the feature as it is finally set to premiere (and ship for all those who supported it).

And, after having seen a screening, I gotta say, In Search of the Last Action Heroes has EVERYTHING an ultimate action movie fan wants to see! I’ve watched it twice now and I pretty much just want to have it on at all times. Just pump it into my veins!! It’s fast-paced interviews and segments covering pretty much the entirety of action movie cinema.

All the Ultimate Action Classics

And while we do start with an exploration of the roots of “action” and the genres which led into its rise, the majority of the doc focuses on the “golden era of action” (as defined by UAMC) in the 80s and 90s. It’d probably be impossible to list every movie covered in the doc because they do cover a ton – including all of our favorite UAMC classics.

Off the top of my head from viewing and taking some notes (we’ll have more to say on this doc later I’m sure), In Search of the Last Action Heroes features segments on:

  • Die Hard
  • Bloodsport
  • Predator
  • Terminator (1 & 2)
  • Rambo (1 – 3)
  • Best of the Best
  • Total Recall
  • Lethal Weapon (1 & 2)
  • Commando
  • Tango & Cash
  • Missing in Action
  • Mad Max
  • And tons more!

And just great stories and interviews about the big UAMC stars including:

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger
  • Bruce Willis
  • Charles Bronson
  • Chuck Norris
  • Cynthia Rothrock
  • Sylvester Stallone
  • Jackie Chan
  • Jean-Claude Van Damme
  • And, again, tons more!

Ultimate and In-Depth Interviews

For fans of UAMC and the 80s/90s action movie genre, In Search of the Last Action Heroes also serves as a who’s-who of great interviews from tons of the key players from some of the biggest films and franchises. While Arnold and Van Damme might not have sat down, pretty much everyone else did – and in some ways it makes it that much more interesting.

As a person who appreciates the art of filmmaking as well, it was particularly cool to hear so much behind-the-scenes information and stories about the writing, directing and shooting of all of these action classics. From Scott Adkins to Paul Veerhoven there’s a great lineup of interviews including:

  • Shane Black
  • Bill Duke
  • Cynthia Rothrock
  • Eric Roberts
  • Michael Jai White
  • Steven de Souza
  • Philip Rhee
  • Zak Penn
  • Sam Firstenberg
  • Sheldon Lettich
  • And, of course, more!

A Perfect Gift for Ultimate Action Movie Fans!

Not to make this an advert or anything, I personally feel like In Search of the Last Action Heroes was very much the ultimate documentary about ultimate action movies. If you’re a fan of the genre and love re-watching, re-visiting and hearing new stories about so many of your favorites, I highly recommend checking it out.

If you didn’t get a chance to check out the Indiegogo the first time around, you can still pre-order and support the project as it wraps up and is set to release here soon. Stay tuned for more details!

Is ‘Boondock Saints’ a Good Movie?

A look back at the unexpected cult classic Boondock Saints.

I can’t say for sure, but I believe the last time I saw Boondock Saints was probably 15 years ago when I was 16 or 17. I probably saw it four or five times in high school. We even watched it in class a few times when we convinced a substitute that it was part of our English curriculum. The sub, by the way, really enjoyed it – especially the cat scene for some reason.

Originally released in 1999 by writer and directed Troy Duffy and starring the iconic Irish MacManus brother duo of Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus and a truly beautiful performance by Willem Dafoe, the film was not considered to be much of any note when it was first released.

Yet, I can say that for a teenage period I probably listed it as one of my favorite films – along with Fight Club and Pulp Fiction – as a shining example of superb auteur filmmaking. Now, 15 years later and with the cynical eye of a film degree and probably another thousand films viewings under my belt, I can’t say it’s THAT good. But it also isn’t all THAT bad either. 

But, for the purposes of an Ultimate Action Movie Club article on the film, I have to really ask myself pointedly – is it ultimate?

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The Rags to Riches Story of Troy Duffy

The story of Boondock Saints very much is the story of Duffy. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Connecticut-born Duffy – who moved to Los Angeles as a musician – wrote the script for Boondock Saints on a rented computer and almost immediately launched a bidding war between studios.

This was back in 1996, and the influences and similarities of Quentin Tarantino’s stylish and brutal indie hit Reservoir Dogs might have been in the back of producers’ minds. In fact, Harvey Weinstein was even negotiated to provide a $15 million budget. Duffy took $450,000 from Miramax to write and direct the film, but would eventually lose some of it back when the project would eventually stall out.

Many names were attached to the project, and in what would have probably been the most ultimate version of the film would have seen Stephen Dorff and Mark Wahlberg as the MacManus brothers with either Sylvester Stallone or Patrick Swayze as FBI Special Agent Paul Smecker (the role that eventually went to Dafoe).

However, in parts which one could image might be due to Duffy’s inexperience (as well as reported abrasive behavior), the project was dropped by Miramax before being re-picked up by a smaller indie studio which was able to finally cast Flanery, Reedus and Dafoe and shoot on a $6 million budget in Toronto.

Boondock Saints would go on to be a major box office flop, but mostly due to a limited release of only five theaters. However, as most probably everyone has seen it, Boondock Saints found its home on the shelves of Blockbuster video –  where it became a cult classic sensation and is reported to have earned over $50 million in home video sales and rentals.

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Boondock Saints 20 Years Later

I will also say that after 15 years between viewings the film feels really fresh. There’s something about the split and intersecting narratives with the MacManus brothers and their mission from god and the procedule teachings of Smecker’s investigation that is really fun and keeps the plot and pacing from ever getting stale.

Dafoe gets to eat the scenery in the role and he almost seems aware of just how undefined the movie is, so he lets himself play around with several different styles in every scene. Flanery and Reedus are just fine too, although it’s a shame that Reedus was the one to have arguably the better career with his Walking Dead success.

We also have David Della Rocco as David Della Rocco (aka “The Funny Man”) who supplies a good deal of the Tarantino-esque rambling dialogue and many of the film’s most memorable lines. Although I’m split on whether this is a great role or if it’s just too odd to qualify because it’s so much different from what you would expect any sort of movie performance to be.

Thoughts on Bruce Lee’s Portrayal in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’

Boondock Saints as an Ultimate Action Movie

As an ultimate action movie watching experience, Boondock Saints checks a good number of the boxes, but I wouldn’t say all of them. It doesn’t have a true singular leading character, instead it kind of has three. We have Connor and Murphy MacManus – who I wouldn’t categorize as buddies, rather pretty much as one character – and we have Dafoe’s Smecker as the FBI agent who-dunit detective.

We do have plenty of action though, which is great. And Duffy to his credit really loves his action. It’s kind of fun to watch the film through the lens of just a guy who might not have his own singular vision for a film, but just really loves Tarantino, Scorsese, Fincher, Michael Bay and Tony Scott. 

And not to say that you can even really pick out any scenes, sequences or shots that seem to be lifted or homaged from other filmmakers, but it definitely feels like it’s a collage project of some of his favorite modern movie moments.

Perhaps to the astonishment of 16-year-old me, Boondock Saints has not gone on to be Duffy’s Reservoir Dogs. And in watching it again now, it’s pretty obvious to see that it’s not a movie on that same tier. And while it launched a couple of sequels, it didn’t start its own line of quickly produced similar movies that ramp up the action the same way you might have seen back in the 80s.

Boondock Saints might have just been a film at the right place at the right time to succeed in a way that no film did before – or certainly could after.

Why Isn’t Scott Adkins Playing Batman?

Scott Adkins Would Be the Most Ultimate Action Batman!

Scott Adkins. Got your attention immediately, didn’t I? Just the mere mention of his name is enough. Adkins has been the top action star of this generation for years now. Turning out classic after classic such as Undisputed 2, 3 & 4, Accident Man, and my personal favorite of his, Ninja 2: Shadow of a Tear. But, as one of his biggest fans, I’ve known for a while that this man deserves to be the biggest action star in the world.

And I’m not the only one. Every single one of his fans always wonder out loud “Why isn’t he in bigger movies??” Everything from James Bond to The Punisher, we’ve all questioned why isn’t he playing that part. But one specific role always sticks out from the rest. The one that EVERYBODY brings up: the role of Batman.

When Christian Bale exited the role, and WB put the word out in around 2013 that they were looking for a new Caped Crusader, we clamored “SCOTT ADKINS!!!” And when they finally made the announcement as to who they chose, we waited in anticipation to hear his name. And the name they announced?? Ben Affleck.

Wait, what?

Ben Affleck?? The star of Pearl Harbor?? Are you serious?? Now, I say all of that as I genuinely feel he made an exceptional Batman in the 2 out of 3 times he played him (the less said about Justice League, the better). But we all knew it should’ve been Adkins. So when Affleck exited the role, and they started looking for yet another actor to portray him, of course, we all called for Adkins. And who did they announce as the new Batman?? Robert Pattinson.

WHAT. THE. F**K??

What is in the water over there?? Are they on drugs?? How could they not notice the immense potential that this man carries with him in everything he does and cast him as the world’s greatest detective?? Is he not perfectly suited for it?? I mean, look at the guy! There’s gotta be a 100 reasons why he should be playing Bruce Wayne/Batman, but I only need a couple to showcase it. And here they are…

Top 10 Scott Adkins Action Movies

1) He doesn’t need a stunt double to do his action

To play Batman, you’re often saddled with numerous stunt doubles to do various things. One for fighting, one for jumping, one for flipping, etc. Adkins can do it all. So, if they would’ve hired him, they would’ve gotten it all within one man. Morons. Above is an example of his Batman-like exact abilities.

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2) He’s an amazing actor

His role in this year’s Avengement truly showcased what a great actor he can be when given the right material to work with, so he’s more than capable of handling the moral complexity that is the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman. Better yet, here’s his more than awesome audition for the role of Batman in Batman v. Superman (above).

Scott Adkins Finds His Ultimate Form in ‘Boyka: Undisputed’ (2016)

3) He looks just like Bruce Wayne

Look at this. Just look at it! How could they not see it?!

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. But you know what really grinds my gears? It’s not just the refusal to cast him as Batman that has me in a foul mood. It’s the refusal to cast him in a big budget blockbuster period. The reasons I just listed to cast him as Batman should double as reasons to cast him in any Hollywood action flick. Like what is the problem? I love these guys, but what do guys like Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Tom Cruise and Gerard Butler have that Adkins doesn’t? Charisma? Check. Good looks? Check. Physical prowess? CHEEEEEEECCCCCCKKKKKKKK!!!

10 Ultimate Reasons to Watch Scott Adkins’ ‘Avengement’

The worst part about it is to hear him talk about the lack of offers to star in big budget features. He KNOWS he deserves a starring role in a big blockbuster, and yet Hollywood isn’t calling for anything other than small roles.

Unbelievable. I want nothing more than to see this man headline a multi-billion dollar grossing franchise for a big Hollywood studio, so the whole world can see what us fans have known for over 15 years: the man is a force of nature. But regardless, if he gets a big franchise or not, he’s still the best action star out now, and one of the greatest action stars ever in my book.

In Adkins We Trust.

James Bond: Ultimate Thoughts on the ‘No Time To Die’ First Trailer

‘No Time To Die’ First Look: Betrayal, men who play God, Blofeld and Bond.

Photo credits © Danjaq, MGM and Universal Pictures. Poster by Empire Design.

Few promotions have kept us in the darkness as much as the No Time To Die ones. Browsing through every James Bond forum out there looked like a battlefield, as well as Twitter timelines or Facebook comments. As of yesterday, we knew nothing. And we’re still quite in the shadows regarding many plot points as it should be until the movie is released, but when we saw in October a rather minimalistic teaser poster drop and a trailer didn’t accompany it for nearly two months, we were a bit worried.

What was EON Productions playing to? Isn’t the teaser trailer supposed to come shortly after the poster? In this case, it wasn’t and so many of us turned our eyes to the tabloids, who knew little more than us and we have yet to see how trusty is the information they shared from the insiders who spoke more frequently and louder than EON. With every tabloid article, fans showed their approval and disapproval, and that caused some distress regarding the quality of the film – is this going to be an improvised one? Why no trailer yet?

But, fortunately, many “Focuses of the Week” later from the @007 Twitter account, we got the No Time To Die trailer early this morning (afternoon or evening, depending on your time zone). So, what can we surmise of the film as some of the enigmas are starting to break apart?

James Bond: ‘No Time to Die’, but Plenty to Guess

Thoughts on ‘No Time To Die’

Most of my thoughts of this very much awaited first look will appear on my upcoming book, titled A View To A Thrill: A Closer Look At The James Bond Trailers and coming up around Christmas (feel free to follow its progress on Facebook and Instagram), but I’m going to share more personal thoughts over here.

First of all, I’ve been fascinated by the trailer overall. The result may turn out to be different, but judging from the look of it, I saw a lot of fan service. While the story seems to deal once more with someone’s past and Bond out of duty (Craig’s trademark), the action scenes and the cinematography really look promising and the overall tone of the trailer is indeed Bondian.

I must say I’m very happy to see that Rami Malek’s villain Safin appears to be a megalomaniac in the vein of Karl Stromberg or Hugo Drax (Curt Jurgens and Michael Londsale, respectively, in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker). Someone who attempts to leave his mark in the world, probably destroying it along with human race. Someone who looks powerful and greedy of conquest that would require everyone to join forces to finally defeat him. “History isn’t kind to men who play God”, Bond tells him.

If things turn out this way, we may have a fascinating old-school villain empowered with today’s technology. Le Chiffre and Dominic Greene (Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, respectively) were minions of their organization. With great charisma but easily killed by their own people. Silva (Skyfall) seemed to be more independent but his only dream was to kill an old lady. As for the rebooted version of Ernst Stavro Blofeld (SPECTRE), he devised a modern and technological way to achieve world domination but got carried away too much with fraternal jealousy.

It appears that Safin has a connection with Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux, returning from SPECTRE) and that again makes the thing personal. But, hopefully, he’s a man chasing his own dream outside his involvement with the daughter of Mr. White, whom Bond formed an attachment with in the very last scene of the previous film.

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The Enticing Madeleine Swann

Madeleine is the second aspect of the trailer that got my interest. The character was well explored and her romance with 007 was cleverly believable in early SPECTRE drafts, but tragically maimed in the final film, where it looked like there wasn’t really a reason for him to fall for her and vice versa, other than experiencing danger together. The first scene of the trailer has Bond and Dr. Swann riding on a battered Aston Martin DB5 through the roadways of Matera. “Why would I betray you?!” she asks. “We all have our secrets, we haven’t get to yours yet!”, replies an angry Bond as the couple is being pursued by heavily armed enforcers.

We are harkened back to an aspect dealt in Casino Royale where Bond was betrayed by Vesper Lynd and this is once more having an effect on him. The betrayal angle could be cleverly used: in the John Gardner 007 novels, written between 1981 and 1996, the web of betrayal abounds and we have characters playing a triple game where their loyalty is questioned until the very last chapters when it’s finally revealed on which side they are – a primary example is Icebreaker from 1983, where Bond teams up with three agents (a Russian, a Finnish and an American) in order to defeat a neo-Nazi leader and none of these people is what it seems to be.

Later, Bond interrogates an imprisoned Blofeld (Christoph Waltz return is finally confirmed with his appearance), who warns Bond that when Madeleine’s secret comes to light, he will die. The only inference we have of Madeleine’s secret is her opening a box with a broken white mask, worn by the villain Safin in what seems to be a flashback scene.

This could also share a link with Martin Campbell’s film The Legend of Zorro, where Elena De La Vega (Catherine Zeta Jones) was threatened by Pinkerton agents to act as a spy for them, blackmailing her with revealing the identity of Zorro, Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas), and part of the plan consists in divorcing him. Questioning Madeleine’s loyalty (and love) to Bond throughout the story could also be an interesting way to make this character more relevant than what she was in SPECTRE, plus adding a little of the espionage thriller feeling that has been lacking for some time in the series.

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How Ultimate Will It Be?

I have a few shenanigans: I got the impression that Lashana Lynch’s Nomi is yet another version of Die Another Day’s Jinx, played by Halle Berry. Nothing against the actresses, of course, but I felt what distanced Jinx from being a female equal to Bond was her street attitude (“He did you, I didn’t know he was that desperate”, read more in The Bond of The Millennium) and the way she “threatened” Bond felt a little bit cocky and somewhat street.

Apart from that, I’m a bit worried about the shot at the end, where he walks and fires his gun through a tunnel. It is fantastic, I’m not denying it, but I just hope they won’t turn that on a gunbarrel sequence. The best thing that has happened in SPECTRE was bringing the gunbarrel back at the beginning, and I don’t think they have a good excuse to place it somewhere else. I, particularly, didn’t buy the reasons to place the gunbarrels of Quantum of Solace and Skyfall before the end credits.

But other than that, I’m extremely pleased and excited for this film. The action looks incredible, from the sunning bike jump to an improvised bungee jump from a tall bridge that harkens-back to GoldenEye in a way. Likewise, I’m happy to see hints of what it looks like a climactic battle on a forest and with everyone employing heavy guns. Apparently, they have learned the lesson of Mission: Impossible – Fallout in bringing back that feeling of entertainment and pyrotechnics so proper of the Pierce Brosnan blockbusters.

Just bring it on!

‘Raw Deal’ is Arnold’s Quintessential Action Flick

Another example of how Arnie wrote the book on making ultimate action movies!

Arnold Schwarzenegger has a reputation as the biggest body in any movie and his movie credits supply an incredible resume. Sandwich somewhere in between The Terminator and Predator you’ll find one of the staples of 80’s action movies: Raw Deal.

Here Arnold drops his eponymous one-liners to the tune of killing gangsters in Chiacgo’s mob scene. He’s at his most “Schwarzenegger-ness” throughout the flick chewing up scenery and beating up bad guys.

Raw Deal delivers on everything you expect from an action flick: machismo, one-liners, and bullets galore to deliver something of a perfect time capsule into the Ultimate Action Cinema style.

The 10 Best Arnold Schwarzenegger Ultimate Action Movies!

Arnold Doing What He Does Best

Schwarzenegger plays Max Kaminski, a disgraced former FBI agent. When an old colleague shows up and offers him a chance to get back in the Agency with an off-the-books mission he willingly accepts. First, he fakes his own death. Second, he buys a bunch of nice suits. Third, he integrates himself with the mafia, Yojimbo-style. Fourth, he takes them all down. Justice is served.

Everything about this conveys the idea of action cinema. Arnold’s costars Sam Wanamaker, Paul Shenar, Robert Davi, et al serve up some classic gangsters. The kind who decide to rob the police to steal back all the money and dope they impounded from prior crime scenes.

Arnold just smiles and quips his way through them all. His come up in the criminal world surprises maybe only the gangsters he’s trying to impress as he bashes goons left and right while never splitting a seam on his suits.

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The Quintessential Action Hero

He’s a wholesome hero though since he never kills innocents (only roughs them up a bit.) When faced with the temptation of a woman who’s not his wife he feigns sleep, extricating himself from a morally complicated situation with ease.

Everyone here plays their part and plays it gleefully. The villains are evil, the heroes are good, and the dame gets out from the criminal world. The movie sticks it’s landing as a pitch perfect crime-action flick.

Instead the action really lands in this one. It’s a chance to truly appreciate practical stunt work. Arnold punches and hurls full bodied men across the room like they were nothing. Gangsters blow each other way with submachine guns.

The car chases (even an opening chase scene) thrive with rapid edits and impressive choreography. The movie delivers on all the things expected of it even giving us a short sequence of Arnold loading several machine guns into bags.

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A Simple and Ultimate Actioner

It’s a macho film and easier to digest because it’s relegated to what Arnold Schwarzenegger does best. Ignore his feigned attempts at heart and dig deeper into his humor and his stunt work.

This movie dials up the action, dials down the drama, and jokes around enough to really get at the heart of Ultimate Action Cinema. Were I to introduce someone to the niche of Ultimate Action Cinema I would start here.

Top 5 tough Latinas from action movies

Maria Conchita Alonso in Predator 2

While the movie did not hit the critical or financial heights of its predecessor, Predator 2 was still a kick-ass sci-fi sequel and partly responsible for introducing the world to the feisty Maria Conchita Alonso. As Detective Leon Cantrell, she was part of a small team sent by the Los Angele Police Department to invest severe gang violence in the city. Through her work with the Alvarado Precinct, she crossed paths with the fearsome Predator alien, which was hunting the same gangs for fun. Was she scared by this terrifying beast? Was she hell!

Jennifer Lopez in Money Train

It takes a great actress to hold their own alongside the likes of Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Robert Blake, and Chris Cooper, but Jennifer Lopez did just that in the hit action-thriller Money Train. Lopes appears as Grace Santiago, a decoy transit officer in this awesome movie about a vengeful NYC cop who decides to steal a trainload of subway fares. He is aided by his foster brother – but things soon take a turn for the worse.

Eva Mendes in 2 Fast 2 Furious

The Fast and Furious franchise has grown into one of the biggest movie series in the world, thanks to the likes of Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. You may recognize Michelle Rodriguez as a beautiful and bad-ass Latina, but the second in the series also featured the stunning Eva Mendes. She plays Monica Fuentes, a U.S. Customs agent who is sent to work undercover as an assistant to the shady drug lord, Carter Verone.

Elizabeth Peña in Rush Hour

Rush Hour may have been the movie to launch Jackie Chan’s career in the States, but it also featured the beautiful Elizabeth Peña in a stand-out role as Tania Johnson. She plays the partner of a reluctant Chris Tucker, proving that, in this series, it’s not only men who get to kick butt – and she looks great doing it as well.

Elizabeth Peña sadly passed away in recent times, but she was an ever-feisty and formidable Latina actress in every role she took on.

Michelle Rodriguez in Resident Evil

Before the world fell in love with her in hit movies like Avatar, Fast and Furious, and Machete, Michelle Rodriguez was busy slaying zombies left, right, and center in the super-popular Resident Evil horror franchise. Based on the hit game series of the same name.  Starring as Rain, she appeared alongside Milla Jovovich’s Alice as two members of an elite commando team who are tasked with destroying hordes of ravenous zombies who are being controlled by a malevolent supercomputer inside a high-tech genetic research facility. They don’t get more kick-ass than this!

Latinas in Life and Cinema

If you have ever met a Latina girl in real life, you know just how feisty they can be. The Latin people are hot-blooded, beautiful, and definitely not the sort of chick you should cross in a hurry. Whether we are talking about reality or fiction, there’s nothing quite like a bad-ass Latina. Thanks to actresses like Eva Mendes and Michelle Rodriguez, the rest of the world can finally see what it is that makes these women so formidable – not to mention, so damn attractive.

How to Find Your Michelle Rodriguez.

Many people ask us – where can we find our own Michelle Rodriguez? If she got your blood pumping in movies such as Avatar and Machete, you need to make sure you know some of the best Latino dating sites on the internet. However, it’s not just Michelle Rodriguez, who sets tongues wagging with her action movie exploits. Check out some of the hottest Latina action stars working today above!

Action Movies 2020: What Is Better to Watch Staying at Home

Birds of Prey

Suicide Squad was, in every definition, an absolute dud. The film was hugely anticipated and let down fans across the globe. However, there was one stand-out performance that made that movie just about watchable – Margot Robbie’s interpretation of the Joker’s deranged and tempestuous girlfriend, Harley Quinn. Birds of Prey sees Robbie return to the role (this time as the main character) and once again knock it out of the park. The film follows Quinn as she assembles a team of anti-heroes to take down a devilish crime lord, played to perfection by Star Wars alum, Ewan McGregor. Not only is this a great girl-power movie, but it’s also full of action and intrigue and humor, making it a great pick for a first date night.

Time to Hunt

Korean cinema has seen a huge boost in popularity this year thanks to the success of the genius Parasite during awards season, so you should not be surprised to see Time to Hunt wind up on our list. Set in the near future, the movie takes place in a dystopian Korea, where the economy has collapsed. We follow a group of thieves, who, after a previous heist, realize their loot is now practically worthless. They come up with a new plan in a bid to steal valuable US dollars instead and escape their miserable existence. But they soon attract the attention of a vicious killer. There are plenty of twists and turns in this one, as well as plenty of food for thought. This makes Time to Hunt an intriguing yet enjoyable choice for any first date.

Bad Boys for Life

The Bad Boys franchise is one of the most beloved in the history of action movies. While original director Michael Bay may have vacated the hot seat this time around, the insanely charismatic duo of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence once again return to crack wise and bring down baddies with gusto. Bad Boys for Life sees detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett team up with Miami Police Department’s special division to take on yet another bad guy with a grand plan – this time, the antagonist aims to kill Mike, as instructed by his mother. With plenty of jokes and great set pieces, this film is more than capable of getting pulses racing on your next stay-at-home date.

Lost Bullet

They say French is the language of love. If Lost Bullet is anything to go by, it is also the language of awesome action movies for you and your date to enjoy on the couch. Described as the French Training Day, Lost Bullet follows a small-time crook turned mechanic for a special police task force, who finds himself trying to prove his innocence when dirty cops murder his mentor. If you like visceral movies that’ll get the adrenaline coursing through your veins, this is definitely one to check out when it comes to your next date night.

Watch Films with Someone Special

Let’s face it, 2020 has not been the best year to get into online dating and meeting new people. All the usual avenues for first dates are closed, which means you’re going to have to get inventive if you want romance to blossom any time soon. Usually, the best course for a first date is dinner and a movie. But how do you do that in this year of all years?

During this time of mass self-isolation, with cinemas closing and films getting pushed back on the release calendar, there are plenty of films (especially in the action genre) finding new life on streaming platforms. So if you’re preparing for a new date with a girl on AskMe4Date – you might want to check out one of these great flicks for a cozy night in.

The Bad Pack: Meet the 90s B-Action ‘Expendables’

A “who’s who” of ultimate B-movie action stars!

The Bad Pack. Cool title. Cool cast. Going in, I expected this to be a 90s b-action version of The Expendables. While it did have elements of it with the general story, this left me with a bit of an underwhelming feeling. Especially with the finale. We’ll get to that later.

It certainly did not match up to the tagline boasted on the cover, saying it blows Con Air off the screen! But somehow, I still enjoyed it, thanks to the cast who rose above the lower budget they were given. Let’s dive in…

Gary Daniels’ DTV Christmas Action Classic ‘Riot’ (1996)

Robert Davi and the bad pack

The Bad Pack centers around a small town on the border of Mexico and Texas. A town that is being attacked, terrorized and ruled by a large militia group led by Marshall R. Teague (Road House/Armageddon/The Cutter).

The townspeople finally have had enough and want to fight back, but don’t have the means to. So a couple of them go on a quest to Los Angeles in search of some help. They get info on this former green beret who might be able to help. The problem is, they have no idea what he looks like. They are at a diner, contemplating turning back, when a group of masked thugs come in to rob the place.

In one of the cooler scenes of the movie, the one and only Robert Davi is introduced as he takes out the thugs. They then realize, this must be our guy! You can guess how the story goes from then on, after some convincing, Davi decides to help them.

Before we go any further, what can I say about the great Robert Davi (License to Kill/Action Jackson/Raw Deal/Expendables 3). So underrated as an actor! He has always had that old school, Clint Eastwood style persona to him and he brings it here in a rare turn as the hero of the film. Yes he had smaller roles in Die Hard and No Contest, but seeing him take on lead good guy duties was different and he pulled it off.

Michael Dudikoff Delivers Comedy and Blows in ‘Bounty Hunters’

The Rest of the Rowdy Crew

Before making it down south, we see Davi recruit his old buddies. Wrestling legend turned DTV action star ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper (They Live/Back In Action) is introduced as a burned out race car driver. The Schwarzenegger look and sound-alike Ralf Moeller (Best of the Best 2/Universal Soldier/Cyborg) now earning chump change as an underground fighter.

They break a straight-jacket sporting Patrick Dollaghan (Kill Slade/Under Surveillance) out of a literal looney bin. Larry B. Scott (Revenge of the Nerds/The Karate Kid) is the “can do” man for the group as he hooks them up with intel and a plane ride there. The beautiful Shawn Huff (100 Mile Rule/TVs Martial Law) is a ‘cleaner’. She is also the real-life wife of the film’s director and writer Brent Huff.

On the other side of things, joining Teague is Brent Huff (9 Deaths of a Ninja/Scorpio One/Hijack) himself, who is actually revealed as an undercover agent. Teague and company leave him for dead and he eventually is found by our band of heroes and joins in on the fight for good.

A couple other cameos I have to mention – Vernon Wells (Commando/Stranglehold)! He didn’t really get to blow off too much steam or screen time here, aside from one scene as a biker. Still, always awesome to see pop up. And then we get veteran stuntman and martial artist Jeff Pruitt (Sword of Honor/Mission of Justice) throwing a few kicks in a beatdown against Mr. Huff.

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But How Ultimate is it?

Let me just say I did enjoy the movie for the most part, I enjoyed the build up and each of the actors that you would want to watch the movie for were fun and likable. But the finale – oh the finale, could have been so much better! It seems like everyone besides Davi weren’t given a ton do in the action department…aside from some shooting and aside from Shawn Huff getting a solid enough fight where she got to show off some nice moves and kicks.

Davi did build up a decent kill count, but the showdown with Teague was very quick and cut short, hand to hand wise. He just ends up shooting him a few times, before the place blew up. I will say I did like the Davi/Teague scene at a bar earlier on in the film. Teague asked him why he is doing this, why he is sticking up for these people… to which Davi replies, “I just got really bored with my day job”. Good scene.

All in all, The Bad Pack is not as terrible as some say, while not as great as the cover boasts. Still, The Bad Pack has that 90s action charm to it that I love. That certain magic that is gone from most films these days.

What’s So Wrong With ‘Universal Soldier: The Return’?

It’s Jean-Claude Van Damme vs. Michael Jai White! C’mon people!

I don’t remember if I’ve ever stated this (I probably have, more than once), but Jean-Claude Van Damme is my hero. Just putting it out there. Has been ever since I was a kid. I also have a huge love of Dolph Lundgren and his movies. Those two guys and their movies were my entire childhood. So when I first saw the trailer for Universal Soldier, I went berserk! These 2 titans of action were gonna fight it out in a movie?? I’M THERE!

And as you all know, it was epic. One of the best action movies to ever come out of the 90s. End of discussion. What? You thought I was gonna talk about Universal Soldier? I mean, I’d love to, but that isn’t my quest. Oh no. I’m here to talk about the sequel. No, not the 2 showtime sequels. We don’t count those (what a waste of Jeff Wincott too). No, I mean Universal Soldier: The Return! One of the greatest action movies ever made! 

What? Why are you looking at me like that? It is. Oh hush you, this movie rules!

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Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)

Luc Deveraux must team up with the whole army, as well as a plucky news reporter, to stop the new and improved breed of universal soldiers when the supercomputer SETH goes haywire.

I LOOOVE this movie. I really do. Call it crappy taste in movies all you want, but I see no problems with this ultimate piece of badassery. Just 82 minutes of karate fights, shootouts, explosions, chases, and thundering heavy metal. What more could you want from a loud, dumb action movie? 

For starters, let’s look at our cast: the Muscles from Brussels returns to one of his most memorable roles as Luc, the original universal soldier, who is now perfectly human again because… the script said so. But enough sarcasm, this is truly one of his better performances. When we find Luc in this one, he is happily human again, raising his daughter Hillary, but with a deep sadness after the death of his wife (it isn’t stated outright, but it is believed to be Veronica from the first one). 

JCVD has always shown himself to be more emotionally available than a lot of his counterparts (*cough* Steven Seagal *cough*), and his performance here is no different. The scene where he cries himself to sleep in the dark while holding a picture of his late wife is so beautifully profound for a movie that features an extended gratuitous brawl in a strip club. Bravo, JCVD.

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Michael Jai White and Crew

The supporting players are great as well. WCW legend Bill Goldberg chews the scenery and spits it out as Romeo, the resident bad boy of the new unisol crew. Heidi Schanz is up to par as the new love interest. Kiara Tom holds her own as Luc’s sidekick, and genre veterans Xander Berkeley, Daniel von Bargen, and an underutilized James Black all round out a very impressive B-movie action cast.

But as you can see, I left out a pretty important member of the cast, because they say you should save the best for last (hey, that rhymes). I’m talking about the Black Dragon himself, Michael Jai White as the living embodiment of SETH. MJW 100% walks off with the movie with his epic portrayal of ultimate action badassness in the role of super villain SETH. 

While he had minor roles in action movies before, including a blink and you’ll miss him part in the opening scene of the original Universal Soldier, I believe this is the role that cemented him as the force in ultimate action movie history that he is today. Even people who don’t like this movie readily admit “Well, at least MJW was awesome in it.” 

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JCVD is the Fred Astaire of Martial Arts!

And speaking of awesome, how undeniably awesome is the final fight between him and JCVD?? This monumental battle is to this day one of my all time favorite movie fights. The level of badass karate on display here borders on pure sorcery. It’s like the Fred Astaire of martial arts did a scene with Gene Kelly. Absolutely phenomenal! I can’t recommend it enough!

Any issues? Well, the movie IS pretty dumb. Like dumber than a bag of wash rags. The plot seems more suitable for a SyFy original movie. But we don’t watch movies like this for its plot, so who cares? Also, did the movie have to end so abruptly? The movie literally ends not even 15 seconds after the final explosion.

Like damn, that’s it? We couldn’t get a fade out? Just straight cut to black? Ok. And is it just me, or does the movie look significantly cheaper, yet costing nearly double the amount to produce than the original?? Maybe most of the money ended up as JCVD’s paycheck? Who knows what happened, because that money sure as hell didn’t end up on screen.

But with that being said, this is a fun time that I think people are entirely too hard on. It knows exactly what it is, and doesn’t try to be anything else than what it is: a loud, dumb rock ’em, sock ’em action flick. And what’s so wrong about that?

Gary Daniels’ DTV Christmas Action Classic ‘Riot’ (1996)

Another Martial Arts Actioner from the Ultimate DTV King Gary Daniels!

Ladies and gentlemen, UAMC readers, I now have another worthy candidate to watch right alongside Die Hard around Christmas time….and that is RIOT! This movie is like a gift from Santa Claus himself, by way of PM Entertainment.

Martial arts expert and DTV king Gary Daniels stars in this theater-worthy actioner as a decorated SAS officer that is stateside to help train the troops here. His best buddy is played by boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard and they are in the middle of some of the worst city-wide riots and mayhem you could imagine.

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Gary Daniels and Sugar Ray Leonard

 

It is all happening on Christmas eve. The one and only Charles Napier (Rambo II/Hard Justice) plays a British ambassador whose daughter is kidnapped by a very large gang in the middle of all the chaos. It goes way deeper and is more personal as the movie goes along, lets just say. Of course Napier recruits Daniels to be the guy to go in with a briefcase filled with $2 million in exchange for the ambassador’s daughter and her friend.

One of the movie’s first scenes shows Daniels saving a couple of stupid neighborhood kids who were left home alone and tried to cook a pizza in the oven, while it was still in the box. He kicks down the door and saves the day. Later on he gets a call from his old Army buddy played by Sugar Ray Leonard to shoot some pool at this bar.

What ensues is one hell of an epic bar fight. While watching, I was thinking to myself, this is worth the price of admission alone! Watching Daniels and Sugar Ray fight side by side…and what’s crazy, is the film only gets better from there!

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Ultimate Action, Explosions, Chases and Stunts!

The action never lets up and the many fight sequences are absolutely fantastic. Like I mentioned earlier, this was a direct to video offering of course, but the numerous set pieces, explosions, chases and stunts really make you think you are watching a bigger budget theater blockbuster.

From Daniels getting chased through the city streets by goons in full hockey gear, to getting chased some more later in the movie by baddies on dirt bikes. The stairway fight, the junkyard extravaganza. I could go on and on. Daniels really gets to let loose and get creative – some truly memorable sequences.

As I said, as the movie goes, the plot thickens when we find out who is really behind the kidnapping, not just some street gang as the movie makes you think for a while. We finally get to see Robert Kilpatrick’s IRA terrorist character and his crew of commandos.

What a presence Kilpatrick has, from his iconic role as the Sandman in Death Warrant, to Under Siege 2, to Open Fire, to Eraser and to this one, he is definitely a genre staple.

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Another PM Entertainment Classic

Sugar Ray Leonard did well with what turned out to be a limited role, while the rest of the cast was solid as well. The Elizabeth Berkley look-a-like Paige Rowland as Gary’s ex-fiancee. Veteran actor Kenneth Tigar (Lethal Weapon 2 &3) as a reporter, who also played a very similar character in another Daniels flick, Rage. Thom Barry (The Fast & Furious/Space Jam/Independence Day) as a reluctant family man who takes Daniels and Rowland in and helps them out.

90s action connoisseurs like myself, know PM Entertainment very well. Giving us countless underrated action classics. So when I say that Riot is now my favorite PM movie, it is a big statement! I will also say that this is now the definitive Gary Daniels movie in my eyes!

Die Hard at Christmas time. Now Riot at Christmas time. Make it an annual tradition as well! Riot is an ultimate action classic.