The Ultimate Bad Guys? Ranking the Top 5 Mission: Impossible Villains

By
Josephine Aulnois
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A good action franchise like Mission: Impossible needs not only one, but many memorable villains to make us feel like the threat persists over several movies. The upcoming Dead Reckoning will be featuring Esai Morales as Gabriel, a mysterious antagonist who has no qualms about putting Ethan Hunt and all of his teammates in danger. Morales’ fans were thrilled to see him land the role, and should Gabriel live up to the hype, he will be one more interesting villain in a saga full of cool antagonists. As we await the seventh installment, here is a ranking of Mission: Impossible’s five best villains. This list doesn’t include the sidekicks and secondary antagonists (they deserve their own ranking), or morally ambiguous characters like the White Widow – only the unabashedly evil masterminds belong here!

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5) Kurt Hendricks – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Kicking off the list is Ghost Protocol’s Kurt Hendricks, an over-the-top terrorist played by Michael Nyqvist: the perfect villain in what is arguably the franchise’s funniest episode (so far). The Swedish man known as Cobalt is a genius nuclear scientist, who also proves quite apt at designing complex plans. When he isn’t framing the IMF for his misdeeds, Kendricks enjoys negotiating his way out of any situation and dreaming about a worldwide nuclear conflict. Cobalt’s final fight against Ethan solidifies him as a strong antagonist, and it is only Ghost Protocol’s villainous overload which prevents Kurt Hendricks from being ranked higher on this top 5.

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4) August Walker/John Lark – Fallout (2018)

Having two main antagonists – a villainous hydra, if you will – in just one action film is no small challenge, and Fallout’s duo of bad guys deserves specific praise. Its first half is the traitorous anarchist August Walker, who was off to a good start with an actor like Henry Cavill. This moustachioed villain totally delivered: Cavill is excellent as Hunt’s doppelgänger, and his charisma and fighting skills make him a really unforgettable antagonist. His climatic fight against Ethan on the edge of a cliff, which involves machine guns, helicopters, and acid, is brutal perfection. Walker is even a great source of inspiration for memes (type “Fallout arms reload” in Google and see for yourself), and the only reason why he isn’t higher up on the list is because his betrayal seemed a tad too obvious.

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3) Owen Davian – Mission Impossible III (2006)

Entering the top 3 with a bang is Owen Davian (the brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman), an arms dealer with a sadistic streak, who faces Ethan in the third movie. Davian’s ruthlessness earns him a place in the pantheon of M: I villains: while he isn’t the only cold-hearted murderer of the franchise, he is definitely the one who takes the most pleasure in toying with his victims – and he enjoys taunting Hunt about the pain inflicted. Davian’s introductory scene is simply iconic, as he threatens Ethan’s wife Julia and categorically refuses to negotiate. While there is an even darker villain at the top of this list, Owen Davian still takes the cake as the most sadistic mastermind of the franchise, owing to his unmatched love of psychological torture.

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2) Jim Phelps/Job – Mission Impossible (1996)

Some great villains are even cooler in context: putting the first evil mastermind of the franchise high up on the list might seem obvious, but it is well-deserved. Turning Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) into a bad guy was an extremely bold move on the screenwriters’ part. Once the hero of the beloved series, Phelps was revealed to have offed his own teammates and even his wife after the end of the Cold War pushed him over the edge. Job’s real identity remains obscure for the two-thirds of the film, but Phelps’ final showdown against Hunt is worth the wait. Job isn’t the franchise’s most badass or impressive villain, but the extent of his betrayal and his former role as Ethan’s mentor make their brawl a lot more personal and interesting to watch. Phelps’ double-crossing is still iconic twenty-seven years after the film’s release, and since it’s unlikely that Cruise will betray the IMF in M: I Dead Reckoning, it remains the coolest plot twist in the franchise.

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1) Solomon Lane – Rogue Nation (2015) and Fallout (2018)

Unsurprisingly, the only returning antagonist of the franchise tops this list: Sean Harris, an actor mostly known for his roles in TV shows (and who had explicitly asked for his character to die in Rogue Nation!) is evil mastermind Solomon Lane, a deformed reflection of Ethan Hunt and leader of crime organisation The Syndicate. From a screenwriting perspective, a good villain needs to have a unique relationship with the hero: looking for the same MacGuffin is fine enough, but truly great antagonists are the ones who force heroes to question their own beliefs and perspectives.

As a former MI6 agent, Lane’s anarchist tendencies and his lack of respect for human life perfectly mirror Ethan’s blind dedication to his cause. His nihilistic views almost drive Hunt to madness, and their relationship in Fallout gets even more interesting: the mirror effect is reversed, and this time, it is Lane who has a personal grudge against the super spy who locked him up. Solomon Lane’s intelligence and ability to design plans which easily outmatch the IMF already made him worthy of the top 5. Coupled with Sean Harris’ creepy behaviour and sarcastic politeness, they really make Lane the franchise’s most memorable bad guy.

Ranking the Dungeons & Dragons Movies

By
Thomas Krebs
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The best D&D movies based on their ultimate action merits.

The Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game has evolved from a niche product into a global franchise. A world where adventure awaits around every corner is a great template for an excursion into the movie realm. Four films have been made to date, and despite some huge quality gaps between them they all are chock-full with action and excitement, so let’s have a look at our ranking of the D&D movies!

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4) Dungeons & Dragons (2000)

The first take on the franchise became a memorable experience for better or worse. The rogue Ridley and his companions take on a dangerous quest to retrieve a magic scepter that allows its bearer to control dragons. The evil archmage Profion (Jeremy Irons) sends his warlock Damodar (Bruce Payne) after the relic, and a dangerous race begins.

The film looks like a practice run for an actual movie. The quality of the sets oscillates between lavish and a Halloween store decoration, the same goes for the costumes. I’ve also heard that some people became blind after seeing the CGI. Jeremy Irons and Bruce Payne deliver total lunacy in their roles and are hugely entertaining, but the rest of the cast can’t keep up with them.

But where there’s shadow, there’s also some light. The film is colorful and action-packed with lots of fights and wizardry. In its best moments it evokes the spirit of classic Sword & Sorcery cheese like Hawk the Slayer. Dungeons and Dragons often feels improvised just like a typical D&D session, so maybe it actually is the most faithful adaptation of its source material? Decide for yourself if you dare! 

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3) Dungeons & Dragons: The Book of Vile Darkness (2012)

The third Dungeons & Dragons film is named after an infamous sourcebook about playing evil characters which was the final proof for many people that D&D is a satanic murderous cult indeed.  The priest Grayson joins a band of evil mercenaries that are trying to find the pages of the Book of Vile Darkness for the sorcerer Shathrax. Grayson seeks to get close to Shathrax so that he can free his father but his journey becomes a path into darkness.

We don’t often get a band of murderous psychos as main protagonists in a fantasy film, and while many of their mischievous undertakings come across as contrived, there are some interesting moments of unnecessary cruelty. There’s plenty of action of modest quality at best, and the variety of monsters and magic is a bit on the low side. The film has the unique selling point of featuring the fastest finale in movie history, the curtain falls abruptly after a thirty second showdown. The Book of Vile Darkness is DTV fodder, but D&D fans and Sword & Sorcery aficionados should not be disappointed.

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2) Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God (2005)

The first D&D film fortunately did not completely destroy the reputation of the franchise, and we got a second installment that dialed down the cheese factor drastically. The undead wizard Damodar (Bruce Payne) plans to awaken an ancient dragon god and destroy the kingdom of Izmir. His machinations are noticed by Lord Berek of Izmir, who assembles a party of heroes with the task of finding Damodar’s hideout and stop him.

This time more care was taken to create a consistent tone and visuals for a more immersive atmosphere. There’s some fun banter between our heroes as they travel through the beautiful forests and hills of Lithuania. Damodar’s underground fortress is a giant escape room with plenty of traps and puzzles. The fights look good with lots of different monsters, some of them made with atrocious CGI, however, like a foul echo of the first film. Wrath of the Dragon God is a quirky fantasy adventure that manages to capture the spirit of its source material.

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1) Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Welcome to the days of endless adventure! A D&D session should be full of excitement and plenty of laughter, and the 2023 revival of the franchise for the big screen delivers just that! Bard Edgin (Chris Pine) and his companions visit their old partner in crime Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant), who has become lord of the city of Neverwinter, and who keeps a relic in his vault that can bring Edgin’s wife back from the dead. Their reunion turns into betrayal, and the band of heroes must embark on an epic quest that will determine the fate of the city.

Honor Among Thieves jumps in at full speed and never relents. The jokes land, the world-building is done casually and the action rocks! Chris Pine is fantastic, and the whole cast brings their charming characters to life with energetic and sincere performances. Every five minutes there’s a fight or other perilous situation, and the many battles and brawls pack a serious punch. Honor Among Thieves is a crowd-pleaser in the best sense, and let’s hope that this is not the last we see from the fantastic world of Faerûn.

Why You Should See Bullet Train — an Ultimate Action Blockbuster

By
Josephine Aulnois
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As we await Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, this summer’s biggest action blockbuster, and while we’re still recovering from John Wick 4 (or Fast X, depending on your taste!), it’s time to revisit a film from last year: Bullet Train, starring Brad Pitt among many, many other actors. This 2022 American flick by David Leitch is adapted from the eponymous novel, and features Ladybug (Pitt), an overly sensitive assassin who finds himself stuck aboard a Japanese Shinkansen (bullet train) filled with badass killers. Think Train to Busan with mobsters instead of zombies! Bullet Train is no action masterpiece, which probably explains why many critics weren’t especially enthusiastic about it (some even called it brainless), but it is creative and fun. I see it as a nice amuse-bouche: it won’t satiate your hunger for action movies, but it is a perfect watch while awaiting the next big film.

Daniel Bernhardt in Sheldon Lettich’s ‘Perfect Target’ (1997)

Brad Pitt’s ultimate wild ride

Bullet Train’s premise is simple enough, but it offers to director David Leitch (known to action fans for Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2 and Hobbs and Shaws) an opportunity to deliver two hours of pure, unbridled chaos. The film’s unique setting makes it worth a watch: aboard the bullet train, everything is cute and weird all at once, starting with the Japanese remix of Stayin’ alive which blasts through the opening credits. The story also makes the most of some iconic aspects of Japanese culture, from the improbably adorable mascots to the fierce yakuza mobsters. The action scenes are just like the train itself: creative and fast-paced, a fairly good combination!

We follow Pitt’s Ladybug as he desperately tries to find his way in a foreign country, and represses his anxiety thanks to new age therapist Barry and his mysterious handler – who chats with him through an earpiece. Brad Pitt’s protagonist is quirky but competent, a successful combination that action fans already enjoyed in No Time to Die’s Paloma (Ana De Armas). The actor is definitely having fun on screen, and seeing his fearful character stuck on a train full of larger-than-life villains is nothing short of hilarious. Despite being freshly out of therapy, Ladybug hasn’t lost his combat skills, and he gets to use them against a wide range of bad guys – for our viewing pleasure. Brad Pitt is the film’s greatest asset, and even the director knows it. David Leitch makes the most of the star’s quiet energy, which provides the perfect contrast with all the craziness around. Pitt’s performance itself already makes Bullet Train worth a watch, but it isn’t the film’s only quality.

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Cool villains galore…

Some critics argued that the film has nothing interesting to offer, but I can safely disagree. The movie refuses to take part in a debate on whether style or substance matter more in action flicks: its style is its substance, and Bullet Train’s sole purpose is to be fun and enjoyable. As implied by the title, it brings viewers on a crazy ride without too many plot twists and turns, and allows us to just sit back and enjoy the show.

Of course, the film features an amazing cast of villains. A special mention goes to duo of British assassins Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry), one of whom is jaded while the other has a fairly unique obsession with kids TV show Thomas the Tank Engine. Deadpool fans will also recognise Zazie Beetz, here playing a foul-mouthed killer, the Hornet, who has a passion for both costumes and poisons – a lethal combination of interests. Another of the film’s more threatening antagonists is The Prince, a sociopathic, pink-wearing nightmare perfectly played by Joey King. While many bad guys are dispatched as soon as they get introduced, Bullet Train knows that their iconic looks and fighting styles will stay with us for long.

All of these cold blooded killers first seem like passengers who randomly stumbled upon each other aboard a Shinkansen, but as the film progresses, their hidden ties are revealed through some clever flashbacks. The movie sometimes looks like it has something to say about honour and family, but apart from a flashback highlighting Tangerine and Lemon’s brotherly bonds, these attempts at emotional complexity don’t last. This is probably for the best, because Leitch is more at ease with action scenes. When I called the movie an amuse-bouche, I actually meant it: Bullet Train can be watched in one go while enjoying its crazy plot and setting. The film isn’t a four courses action masterpiece, but it is perfect to keep you waiting for this summer’s upcoming action movies.

American Cyborg – Steel Warrior: An Ultimate Action Travel Documentary

By
Thomas Krebs
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A look back at another Cannon Studios classic.

American Ninja was a big success for the Cannon Studios in the 1980s. Not long before they closed shop, Cannon rediscovered their “American” prefix in 1993, but instead of ninjas, we got a cyborg. Just like all the other cyborg action flicks that were produced in the 1990s, American Cyborg: Steel Cyborg came after every relevant film about cyborgs ever made. But it had rising B-action star Joe Lara, and the feature that you could shuffle its title words around to create new awesome cyborg actioners such as American Warrior: Steel Cyborg or Cyborg Warrior: American Steel, so let’s have a look!

Humanity is at the brink of extinction after an AI started a nuclear war, and enslaved the survivors that were also rendered sterile. But human scientists clandestinely created a fetus, and Mary is tasked to bring the baby savior to the nearest harbor where a ship to Europe awaits (the only place where an incubator exists). A cyborg enforcer is sent to kill Mary and the embryo, but she is rescued by the mysterious loner Austin (Lara), and together they embark on the dangerous journey towards the coast.

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This Baby is Going to Europe to Start a New Race of Genetically Healthy Humans

Europe is destined to be the birthplace for the savior of the human race, and as a resident of that continent I approve this message. The film does not reveal why the malevolent AI has decided to enslave humans instead of just killing them all but thankfully we can ask its precursor ChatGPT nowadays to provide the answer. The plot revolves around the simple geometrical task to get from point A (underground lab) to point B (harbor) as fast as possible. Along the way, the film happily plunders the repository of its better genre peers, and you can even create a quiz out of the whole thing as you’ll be asking yourself every two minutes “Where have I seen this before?”.

The shooting locations and their presentation are a major asset of the film. The crew had whole blocks of ruined industrial buildings at their disposal with rubble and rusty metal in every shot. The scenery is constantly illuminated with an overkill of blue back-lighting, which must be a result of the radioactive fallout, I presume. On the audio track we’re listening to a cheap but cool dark synth score, which perfectly supplements the vibe. And thanks to solid production values (apart from a slightly disturbing stop-motion animation of the fetus in a jar) the film succeeds in creating a good sense of immersion into this post-apocalyptic cityscape.

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The late TV-Tarzan actor Joe Lara got his first shot as leading man in an action flick. He definitely had the looks and the physical statue needed for the role. His Austin is also man of many talents, among them sewing a cyborg arm to his shoulder after his own arm got ripped off. And what a campfire philosopher he is: “I’m a realist, the only thing real is me” and “Without dreams, there’s just reality”. Nicole Hansen as Mary also delivers her lines without mistakes, and the two make a perfect duo of pretty people wandering through the wasteland. On the enemy side, John Saint Ryan gives his best Terminator impression with a mighty mustache, and a very AI-untypical appetite for sadism.

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The Ultimate Hiking Trip Through a Post-Apocalyptic Cityscape 

American Cyborg: Steel Warrior can be enjoyed purely as a travel documentary through post-apocalyptic industrial ruins. Fortunately, lots of action is also thrown into the mix, with Austin and Mary encountering many unfriendly inhabitants of the wasteland and crossing paths with the enforcer multiple times. 

But the quality of the action sequences is modest at best. The fights and shootouts are delivered with a static cinematography and are not inventive. It’s all run of the mill stuff, but the many fights and shootouts at least keep coming almost non-stop. There is also a one-in-three chance that something hit by a bullet will explode. One remarkable aspect is that the movie embraces verticality in the action sequences with factory staircases, ladders and elevators often being the stage for mayhem. 

American Cyborg: Steel Warrior may be not an eternal classic of Sci-Fi action, but if you can’t get enough from watching a hiking trip through industrial ruins with frantic shootouts and a big cheese factor, you’re in for a lot of fun!

Exploring the Clever (and Ultimate) Ruse Behind ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre’

By
Josephine Aulnois
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Guy Ritchie has quite a lot of experience directing action films, but let’s be honest, not all of his recent movies have been hugely successful. While the Sherlock Holmes duology pleasantly surprised fans in 2009 and 2011, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. bombed at the box office four years later. This didn’t stop Ritchie, whose latest action comedy Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre was released in March – and is now available on Amazon Prime.

It was – you guessed it – a box office bomb, making less than $38 million against a budget of $50 million, and received pretty lukewarm critiques. Operation Fortune definitely wasn’t helped by its non-existent promotion (I only learnt about it after its release!), but did the film deserve the indifference that it got? Here are my thoughts on it:

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Fast-paced from the start

The movie follows a fairly unique team of spies, who are asked by British secret services to retrieve a strange MacGuffin known as “the Handle” – though its exact nature remains unclear. To do so, the agents led by wine-loving super-spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) enlist the help of clueless movie star Danny Franscesco (Josh Harnett), and attempt to get close to eccentric billionaire Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant).

Operation Fortune gets off to a flying start: viewers are immersed right away in the theft of the Handle, and our team of super-spies is assembled within the first 15 minutes. This fast-paced start is both a blessing and a curse: it avoids too much unnecessary exposition, but also means that no characters are really developed. They are mostly here to serve the plot and to trade jokes – some of which land, while others don’t.

The film’s biggest asset is definitely its pace: it never really stops or slow down, though there aren’t that many fights. In fact, Operation Fortune is more of a giant cat and mouse game, which allows Jason Statham, Hugh Grant and Cary Elwes as handler Nathan to deliver as many quips and punchlines as possible. The movie is presented as an action comedy, and it is indeed fun, all the way through its crazy end credits. For me, the visual gags work better than the sometimes forced jokes delivered by the cast. Hugh Grant is definitely a delight to watch as he chews up the scenery, and Statham does the job as an agent with a knack for fine wine and luxurious trips.

Similarly, the film features Danny Francesco, an in-universe superstar, and draws an interesting parallel between the work of actors and spies. As a fan of Bridget von Hammersmark and Inglourious Basterds, I was eager to see what this meta discourse would bring, but it ended up being only a pretext for more chases and quips.

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So many spies, so little time 

This is the film’s biggest flaw: Operation Fortune features far too many characters (to the point where you can play literal Guess Who with them!) and as many interchangeable villains. The movie wants to go in so many directions that it never digs beneath the surface – quite ironic for a film which mocks shallow billionaires and movie stars! The idea to have the mysterious Handle as the main MacGuffin could also have been interesting, but backfires: the Handle’s nature is only revealed halfway through the film, too late for viewers to care about it – and without any spoilers, it is not worth the wait! This undermines Operation Fortune’s stakes: the threat is so unclear that the urgency to find the Handle is never palpable, meaning the team’s investigation feels quite pointless.

To the film’s credit, it does have an entertaining universe where super-spies all seem to be on a first-name basis with each other. Yet Guy Richie’s filming, which was quite creative in the Sherlock Holmes saga, here feels a lot less inspired. Don’t get me wrong, everything is well-filmed, but much like the rest of the movie, the cinematography seems like a waste of potential. If you really liked The Man from U.N.C.L.E., then I recommend giving this film a try, otherwise, you will want to sit this mission out. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is pretty close to a ghost train, if all the scares were replaced by car chases and brawls. It is one of those films which allows you to seat back and enjoy the ride, but don’t start thinking about it too hard or the magic sure will wear off!

Why Brandon Lee’s ‘Rapid Fire’ is the Epitome of 1990s Action

By
Thomas Krebs
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It doesn’t get more ultimate (or fun) than Brandon Lee in Rapid Fire (1992).

Brandon Lee was destined to be the next action superstar, but died tragically while filming The Crow. He left actions fans a small legacy of ultimate classics, though. After landing a slam dunk with Showdown in Little Tokyo in 1991, he cranked up the action dial to the absolute maximum with Rapid Fire one year later, so let’s have a look!

Art student Jake (Lee) becomes witness to the murder of a drug baron by the local Chicago mafia. He is coerced by the police to support them in crushing the drug business, and his superior martial arts skills turn out to be an unexpected boon for the operation. An art student who happens to be martial arts and firearms master is forced by the police to be their undercover bait, admittedly this is an unlikely scenario but it’s not impossible! The simple plot is told without flaws and moves swiftly.

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Why don’t you take your fists of fury and get out of here?

In between the many great action set pieces the film fully embraces its cliched police thriller backdrop with sleazy villains and hard-ass cops. Rapid Fire also has that sweet early 1990s actioner vibe, not being too serious nor too complex, and fully focused on its main task to create as much spectacle and fun as possible for the audience. Director Dwight H. Little of Marked for Death renown is the perfect man for the job, and creates a swelter urban cityscape with glossy visuals, a touch of noir, and cheesy rock music.

Turning our attention to the characters we notice that it’s macho-time, all the time with an impressive assembly of alpha-males on all sides. Nick Mancuso delivers a charmingly exaggerated take on a sadistic mobster boss, with someone dying or beaten to a pulp whenever he shows up.  The great and late Powers Boothe is not given a demanding or even interesting role as police lieutenant, but he plays his one-dimensional character with lots of verve and also hams it up appropriately. 

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I’ll break your hands, then I’ll break your ribs, and then I’ll break your legs

But the center of gravity undoubtedly is Lee, who is just incredibly energetic and charismatic, and who shows us why he was the only actor at the time who could combine top level martial arts prowess with good acting skills. Together with Jeff Imada, Lee also developed the fight choreography, and what they came up with is on the high end of the scale for a 1990s US martial arts flick. Thanks to a relatively modest production budget there also was less need for a compromise to appeal to a wide audience, a very good prerequisite for an all-out action assault!

Lee does it all, Gun Fu, round-housing, and impaling goons with his motorcycle. He delivers a bunch of excellent fights that include some impressive stunts as well. Whenever there is mayhem the action crew just doesn’t know when to stop, the action just keeps coming until the whole set is torn to shreds. The shootouts are incredibly brutal with an enormous count of blood squibs. And thanks to a fine camerawork that avoids hectic cuts we get to enjoy each excess of violence in its full grandeur.

Rapid Fire is an epitome of 1990s action, a goodie bag filled with bullets, blood, and beatdowns! It is one of the best actioners the decade had to offer, and an essential part of Lee’s ultimate legacy to the genre.

5 Ultimate Reasons to Watch ‘The Gray Man’ Today

By
Josephine Aulnois
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This action thriller directed by the Russo Brothers was released last year and distributed by Netflix. While starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans and Ana De Armas seemed to guarantee positive reviews, The Gray Man’s reception was lukewarm at best.

Despite the cast’s best efforts, this story of a CIA operative (Ryan Gosling) who discovers inconvenient secrets about his agency and is subsequently hunted down by hitmen seemed too cliché for some critics. The film isn’t the most original action flick, but I found its reception a little harsh: The Gray Man knows what audiences want to see, and gives us just that, making it an ultimate action movie. Here are five good reasons to watch it: 

1) Chris Evans’ sadistic villain  

You know how it goes: a good action flick needs a good villain, and The Gray Man offers us Chris Evans as Lloyd Hansen. This former CIA agent now works as an assassin, and fully enjoys his role as sadistic torturer and killer – even happily gunning down his own men when they dare question his orders and authority. The Harvard-educated Hansen is absolutely brutal, and few recent villains are as gleefully sadistic. His introductory scene sets the tone: the man is “creatively” torturing a victim using a car battery. Hansen does not get any kinder throughout the film, and his brutality is appreciable in an era where more and more villains have a tragic backstory or some form of excuse for their misdeeds. I sometimes miss the bad guys who are pure, unabashed evil, and Lloyd Hansen is definitely one of those. Of course, it is Chris Evans’ gleeful performance which sells it, and watching an evil version of Captain America threaten to kill children is truly a sight to behold. 

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2) Ana de Armas plays (another) cool spy 

This will come as no surprise to Bond fans – and anyone who has seen No Time to Die – but having Ana De Armas play a spy in your action movie is a huge asset. She once again portrays a memorable character: here, De Armas is Dani Miranda, a Berlin-based spy with a taste for cool suits and an unbreakable spirit. The strong-willed operative is the first to support Ryan Gosling’s hero, and proves ready to put her career – and life – on the line to help the rogue agent. Shortly after being one of No Time to Die’s best parts, Ana De Armas is masterfully playing a spy once again: Dani is nothing short of a badass, and seeing her team up with Ryan Gosling in a hospital fight against Indian star Dhanush is an absolute delight. You can also count on Ana De Armas to bring a refreshing touch of humour to her secret agents. The headstrong Miranda, who doesn’t appreciate being handed an empty gun, is not exception! 

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3) Entertaining fight scenes 

The film’s fight scenes deliver: their choreographies are fluid and fairly brutal – the perfect combo – and Gosling sells it as a rogue operative ready to do anything to survive. Most of the fights are deliberately over-the-top, and make good use of smoke effects. They feature various weapons – though you will see a lot of guns – and The Gray Man’s protagonists also have a knack for fighting in the most improbable settings. On top of the aforementioned hospital brawl, other highlights include seeing Gosling take out an entire team of assassins on a burning plane, fighting his way out of a moving tram and coming face-to-face with Lloyd Hansen in a fountain. The Russo Brothers have fun shooting these fight scenes and do it pretty well – forget the shaky cams of the early 2010s, the film lets us enjoy the combat moves, and apart from a few chopped up shots during the tram sequence, the editing does these brawls justice. 

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4) A real fast pace 

A common criticism made to The Gray Man is that the film focuses too much on the combat scenes, and spends more time filming gunfights than setting up an actual story. While it is true that the plot isn’t groundbreaking (more on that below), the movie is generous with its action sequences, and this is a huge gift for fans of the genre. Its pace is resolutely fast, and the directors want to show us as many brawls as possible in two hours. If you are tired of waiting 45 minutes to get a mediocre, slow-paced fight, The Gray Man provides the perfect remedy! 

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5) It is the perfect film for a drinking game 

The Gray Man is filled to the brim with spy movie clichés. Yes, this means that its plot is not the most original, and did put off those who expected a stronger, less generic story. But if you are an action fan (after all, this is the UAMC) you can have fun counting the tropes of the genre. From the witty child who gets kidnapped by the main villain to the countless corrupt heads of the CIA, there are so many clichés that an actual drinking game could land you in hospital (while in there, watch out for Dhanush’s assassin!). The Gray Man does follow a “classic spy thriller” recipe. This is both a blessing and a curse: the movie is nothing revolutionary, but it is definitely entertaining. A sequel is in the works, which will hopefully offer a more original story. In the meantime, you can definitely give this ultimate action film a watch!

Top 10 Action Movies Based on Video Games

By
Thomas Krebs
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Ranking the action movies based on video games ever made!

Many of us enjoy being virtual action heroes on our computers and game consoles, and plenty of attempts were taken to do the reverse and bring the excitement of video games to the movies. Most video game adaptations are plagued by a mysterious curse, however, that seems to prevent them from transferring the appeal of the games onto the movie screen. Yet a few gems were made, and in this list we’ll present you the 10 best video game adaptations, so let’s have a look!

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10) Double Dragon (1994)

Early video game films were considered deeply flawed by snobbish reviewers, but we don’t care as long as they are fun, and Double Dragon delivers a healthy dose of cheesy action entertainment! The film version of the 1980s beat ‘em up classic tells the story of brothers Jimmy (Mark Dacascos) and Billy on their quest to prevent kingpin Shuko from obtaining two halves of an ancient medallion that grants its wielder infinite power.

L.A. looks like a kid’s fantasy of a post-apocalyptic landscape, the world-building is pretty much incomprehensible, and some of the action sequences are seriously wonky, but it’s never boring! Dacascos, just like the rest of the cast is tuned in properly with an upbeat performance, and Robert Patrick shines as master villain in Eurodance fashion and hairstyle. Double Dragon is a fun ride for the whole family. And it is oh so colorful, it’s the Mary Poppins of video game adaptations!

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9) Doom (2005)

The legendary first-person-shooter received a not so legendary conversion into movie form. There’s trouble on mars when a botched project on a research base turns people into hellish monsters. A squad of space marines is called in to clean house. The film serves us the standard “creepy space station” tropes and replicates the sober look of the mediocre Doom 3 instead of the visual shockwaves and brutal insanity of the first two games.

And even though no one stands “knee-deep in the dead” there are plenty of gruesome moments with some frantic shootouts towards the end, and a truly bad-ass sequence of FPS mayhem. Doom delivers gory fun, but is a missed opportunity to do justice to one of the greatest video games of all time.

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8) Mortal Kombat (2021)

The cult game returned to the big screen, and raised high expectations from gamers and action movie fans alike. Shang Tsung and his minions seek dominion over earth, and as always just need to win one more Mortal Kombat to achieve their goal. Thunder god Raiden assembles the best martial arts fighters earth has to offer and prepares them for the ultimate showdown. The opening sequence and final showdown are both freaking awesome, and deliver high-octane action.

All other fights suffer from choppy editing, and no surprises or originality are found in any of them. The fatalities keep coming at a good rate, though, and some of them are just as gory and over the top as we would hope for. Clunky dialogues and boring villains put even more brakes on the spectacle. Overall it’s mission accomplished, but just barely, and let’s hope the possible sequel can kick it up a notch.

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7) Street Fighter (1994)

One of the most popular game franchises at the time and a Jean-Claude Van Damme at the peak of his popularity, this should have been the foundation for an awesome fight flick. But the film was made in an era when video game adaptations meant maximum cheese, and what a glorious mess it became! The evil General M. Bison (Raul Julia) has captured humanitarian workers of the Allied Nations, and Colonel Guile (Van Damme) is sent into the country of Shadaloo to rescue them. He collects a few allies along the way to mount an attack on Bison’s fortress.

A chaotic story, JCVD on autopilot, and funky costumes are just some of the ingredients of this cinematic inferno. But maybe director Steven E. De Souza knew exactly what he was doing because the whole thing is highly entertaining and funny, if you can see past the amateurish execution of the action sequences. Street Fighter is a total failure as a fight flick but a full success as a goofy action comedy!

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6) Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

After a slew of many mediocre (or worse) video game adaptations in recent years, the icon of the glorious SEGA days of past hit audiences with lightning speed. Sonic is forced to flee from his home planet, and lands on Earth where he becomes friends with local town sheriff Tom. His arrival is noticed by the mad scientist Doctor Robotnik, who is interested in using Sonic’s superpowers to boost his army of robots.

The film has everything I expect from an action film: a crazy car chase, a time-bending bar fight, trigger-happy killer drones, and a good fart joke. Jim Carrey delivers a great throwback to his classic comedic performances as enthusiastic evil genius. Kids will love this charming action adventure, and I bet their parents will too!

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5) Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)

Paul W. S. Anderson’s take on the popular action horror game franchise resulted in a series of six films. Not all of them can be recommended, but the second installment delivered an exquisite display of chaos and mayhem. The T-virus escaped from the underground vault of the Umbrella Corporation, and Raccoon city is ravaged by hordes of zombies. Umbrella’s superhuman guinea pig Alice escapes from the facility and joins up with a group of humans who are trying to escape the sealed-off city.

Raccoon city becomes a stomping ground for all sorts of abominations courtesy of Umbrella that only get bigger and meaner as the film progresses. The humans have an infinite supply of ammunition, and their automatic rifles deliver head shots in triple digits. And neither zombie dogs, zombie hookers or zombie school children are a match for the ultra-bad-asses Alice and Jill Valentine. Resident Evil: Apocalypse is the ultimate sweet spot of the franchise and delivers relentless zombie action and thrills from start to finish!

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4) Hitman (2007)

The stealth-action game series about the assassin with a barcode on his neck was and still is hugely popular and received an excellent conversion into a feature film. Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant), a genetically engineered super-assassin, is hired to kill the Russian president. Things don’t turn out as planned, and he gets entrenched in a political conspiracy with Interpol and the Russian secret service closing in on him.

Hitman presents a conventional political conspiracy story and mostly uninspired characters but it all works well enough as a template for bloody and stylish shootouts. The action is awesome, a supreme bullet ballet at times shot in style with glossy visuals. Despite being given a character with limited depth, Timothy Oliphant delivers a fantastic performance as stone-cold killer, whose inhuman façade begins to crumble as the film progresses.  This film is his show from start to finish, and Agent 47 shows no remorse for anyone in this film.

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3) DOA: Dead Or Alive (2006)

Lightly clad girls duke it out in the adaptation of another successful 1990’s beat ‘em up franchise.  The world’s best fighters are invited to a tropical island to fight for big in the DOA tournament. But organizer Donovan (Eric Roberts) has a secret plan that puts everyone on the island in danger.  The film doesn’t ever bother with a sensible reason for holding the tournament and all character’s motives and interactions are pure nonsense. But the cast reigns in on the cheesy fun with lots of corny humor.

And finally, we got a film based on a fight game where the action sequences do the video game justice, and then some! Director and veteran fight choreographer Corey Yuen creates furious sequences of high-caliber martial arts action. Goofy special moves, a dose of Wu Xia and lots of roundhousing are delivered in a colorful and uplifting setting. DOA: Dead Or Alive fully embraces its cheerful stupidity, and becomes an ultimate guilty pleasure!

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2) Postal (2007)

In 2007, Uwe Boll redeemed himself with Postal, a film that was based on the second installment of the controversial video game series. The Postal Dude (Zack Ward) lives a miserable life plagued by unsuccessful job interviews, an unfaithful wife, and a futile attempt to apply for unemployment benefits. He joins his uncle and cult leader Dave to steal a shipment of the popular Krotchy dolls, but Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda also have taken interest in the merchandise.  You will know right from the start if this film was made for you after sitting through an incredibly tasteless yet arguably very funny opening sequence. 

Just like the game, Postal succeeds in offending everyone and everything US society holds dear. But even the most offensive incidents are delivered with a lighthearted vibe. The Postal dude’s encounters with Al-Qaeda, corrupt cops, and sex-addicted doomsday cultists lead to many eruptions of violence, and the body count increases exponentially during the film. Boll also does a bonkers cameo where he sets a record for how many tasteless comments you can make in 90 seconds before getting your balls shot off.

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1) Mortal Kombat (1995)

After trashfests like Super Mario Brothers and Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat set things right big time for the fledgling video game movie genre. Outworld sorcerer Shang Tsung seeks to conquer earth and just needs to win one more Mortal Kombat tournament. The mighty Lord Raiden (Christopher Lambert) assembles the best martial artists earth has to offer to defeat Shang Tsung and his champions. 

Mortal Kombat has everything you would want from a kick-ass action movie, good pacing, no drama, a legendary techno soundtrack, and pretty awesome fights that are relying on very earthly martial arts for the most part. Unlike in the games, there’s no gore, but that’s okay, back in the 1990s video game adaptations were mostly aimed at younger audiences. Casting Christopher Lambert as Raiden as Raiden is just priceless, a singular stroke of insanity in an otherwise well-balanced film. Up to this day, Mortal Kombat is the best video game adaptation for us here at the Ultimate Action Movie Club!

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Why Dolph Lundgern’s ‘The Punisher’ Doesn’t Deserve to be Left Behind

By
Ultimate Action Movies
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A look back at the ultimate action comic book movie that almost slipped through the cracks.

With it releasing between Tim Burton’s blockbuster hit Batman and Alex Proyas’s cult film The Crow it is no mystery as to how 1989’s The Punisher was the comic adaptation that slipped through the cracks of our collective memories. The film was released theatrically worldwide, but an unfortunate change of ownership forced it onto home video. From there, it’s destiny was to unjustly be a forgotten relic of an early comic book movie surge.

Directed by Mark Goldblatt, The Punisher stars Dolph Lundgren as Frank Castle/The Punisher, a former police detective who became a one-man army against the mafia after the murder of his family. Castle’s warpath weakened the Mafia so much that an even bigger and worse threat saw an opportunity to overtake the territory, the Yakuza. When The Punisher, The Mafia, and The Yakuza go to war, it becomes difficult to determine a clear winner.

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Liberties with The Punisher Character

The film does take some liberties with the character, for example they make Frank Castle a detective instead of a soldier. The other change that stands out is the absence of the iconic white skull symbol. What was once used in the comics as a way to draw gunfire to his body armor, has been reduced to a signature design on a knife pommel. At face value that can be a sign of trouble, but despite the integral piece of the character’s iconography missing and his background changed we still get an engaging take on the character.

Since I can remember, I would always compare The Punisher to a horror movie slasher. Dolph Lundgren’s Punisher is a hulking six foot five inch zombie, if you were to put a hockey mask he could have easily been mistaken for Jason Voorhees. Lundgren’s physicality lends a lot to his performance. With his towering stature and unbreakable stoicism, his body conveys everything he needs to say. In horror movie fashion, in our our first encounter with Castle we only get glimpses of  him as he goes through a mansion slaughtering the entourage of recently acquitted mafia boss Dino Moretti (Bryan Marshall).

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Classic Action Spread Throughout

As an editor, Director Mark Goldblatt worked on classic action films such as Commando, Rambo: First Blood Part 2,  and The Terminator. He even worked as second unit director on Paul Verhoven’s Robocop. It’s fair to say that he knows his way around an action scene. His set pieces have a nice rhythm within and they keep up with the excessiveness of the time. The gunfights are brutal, shotguns send people flying into the air. Whether it be a blade or harpoon, we get a close up of the vivtim being penetrated. In a Punisher comic book from that era, a still from any of the action scenes would fit perfectly. None of the exploitativeness from the comics is spared.

Goldblatt’s comic book adjacent action only works because of the world he creates around it. The film opens with a Robocop-like news report that features talks of Mafia bosses being released from prison and The Punisher’s responsibility for the murders of 125 criminals. In a way, the news report eases us into the world. As a result, we don’t question the naked Punisher meditating in his candle-lit sewer base, unhoused drunk thespians that quote Shakespeare, or Ninjas sliding down amusement park rides firing machine guns.

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But How Ultimate is it?

Punisher stories throughout the years have always given him some form of a relationship with the people hunting him. This film is no different. Detective Jake Berkowitz (Louis Gossett Jr.) has been looking for his ex-partner Frank Castle since his family was murdered, and all he has to show for it is a collection of knives the Punisher leaves behind. Once Berkowitz finally captures Castle and is forced to face him it turns into one of the best scenes in the film. With real pain in his voice, Berkowitz asks Castle why he never came to him for help if he was a live. The two men give the scene a sense of weight that sets it apart from the other dramatic points in the film. 

Despite the clear limitations of the budget, The Punisher manages to provide great action by extracting the explosiveness from the comics and putting it on the screen. As Punisher, Dolph Lundgren’s undead aura and his stature do the character justice, and he even does most of the stunt work himself.  Mark Goldblatt manages to constantly fill each frame with something entertaining, some wonderful shots manage to break through. But most importantly. The film understands that the animalistic wrath of Frank Castle needs to be contrasted by the human element that Louis Gossett Jr’s Berkowitz provides in the film, it binds everything together. It was tossed aside when it was released, but years later it still packs a punch and feels like a genuine comic book movie. It absolutely doesn’t deserve to be left behind.

Article By: Cameron Levins is a filmmaker, comic book lover and fight scene enthusiast. Ever since his dad showed him Bruce Lee as a kid, he became obsessed with action films. In his free time he’s either day dreaming about an action scene or researching fight choreographers. Follow Cameron on Twitter here.

The Nice Guys: A Forgotten Disco Action Flick

By
Josephine Aulnois
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Some box office failures are well-deserved, and others just seem hard to explain: when I saw The Nice Guys in 2016, my naive self believed that the film would get the attention it deserved. But life is sometimes unfair, and good action flicks like The Nice Guys can be ignored by the public.

On paper, this action comedy had everything needed to be successful: it is directed by Shane Black, has a 1970s Hollywood setting, a good dose of humour, positive reviews and of course, Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe in the leading roles. Gosling here plays a clumsy private investigator and single father, Holland March, who is desperately trying to make ends meet. He gets hired by the aunt of deceased porn star Misty Mountain, who is certain that her niece is still alive! March’s investigation leads him to cross paths with violent enforcer Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe).

The latter is looking for a woman called Amelia Kuttner (Margaret Qualley), who was working with Misty on an experimental film project. Yet Amelia soon goes missing, prompting the improbable duo of detectives to track her down through the hippie gatherings and porn sets of 1977 Los Angeles. Yes, The Nice Guys has a good plot, fun characters, a unique aesthetic, and it definitely deserves a retro review!

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A fun and violent buddy movie

The Nice Guys is best defined as an action comedy: the film is fun from beginning to end, and from its protagonists – a duo of down-on-their-luck losers – to its snappy dialogues, everything is as over-the-top as possible. The movie also has what a lot of action blockbusters lack: it is consistently funny, and nearly all of its jokes land, because they perfectly match the general craziness. Everything here has been turned up to eleven, from the stupidity of some characters to the craziness of Hollywood stars. 

The Nice Guys also strikes an excellent balance between humour and more touching moments – most of which include Angourie Rice as Gosling’s witty daughter who endured her share of traumas. These emotional scenes are few and far between, but they ensure that we enjoy following March and Healy all the way, especially as both have satisfying character arcs. The lead actors themselves make The Nice Guys worth a watch: Crowe and Gosling are having the time of their life. They reportedly agreed to take part in the film in order to work together, and Russell Crowe even praised his partner during several interviews. He mentioned that Ryan Gosling helped him to elaborate crazy scenarios, which then made it into the final product. Their on screen chemistry is palpable throughout the movie, and it really cements The Nice Guys as a buddy comedy.

Yet the film also works because it doesn’t verge too much into self-parody, instead offering action scenes which are both fun and fairly believable. Special mention to the short scene where the two protagonists run away from an enemy who is clearly too strong for them – which is hilarious and successfully subverts viewers’ expectations. In between the crude jokes and chats inside a toilet cubicle, The Nice Guys manages to sneak in a creepy assassin in the person of John Boy (Matt Bomer).

The picture perfect hitman can list wearing leather gloves and firing rounds of bullets at any moving target among his favourite hobbies. John Boy isn’t above harming kids, either, and his hilarious brutality makes his climatic fight against Healy a lot more tense and satisfying. Overall, the film does have some good brawls and even a few torture sequences, which help to make it more impactful.

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Action and disco music – the perfect mix

All of these elements already suffice to make The Nice Guys a solid action film, but it has even more to offer. The movie has a very unique setting (few recent action flicks take place in 1970s Hollywood, apart from the grittier Inherent Vice). The Nice Guys uses this to the fullest and develops its own universe: it features fun 70s costumes and an amazing set design, but of course, what really sticks with you after a viewing is its music. Throughout the movie, disco hits like Papa was a Rollin’ Stone and Boogie Wonderland will get you dancing, and the soundtrack also offers some of its own compositions, including an excellent main theme.

Whether through music or scenery, The Nice Guys does a perfect job at depicting the madness of 1977 L.A., where lascivious stars meet loser detectives – making the latter both hilariously out-of-place and reliable. The film can also boast a strong screenplay, with plenty of twists and revelations. It is both a proper investigation and an action flick, as not everyone is who they seem to be in the city of angels. This makes March and Healy’s journey a lot more entertaining, especially as despite their frequent screw-ups, the duo really does attempt to solve the case and find the missing women. 

This won’t come as a surprise, but I was sorely disappointed to see that The Nice Guys didn’t get the commercial success it deserved: the film is a great action flick, which mixes disco music with machine guns and will keep you on the edge of your seat for two hours. Fans were calling for a sequel, box-office results decided otherwise, but we can console ourselves with a rewatch of this groovy action film.

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