UAMC honors Al Matthews aka Sergeant Apone from ‘Aliens’ (1986).
Actor Al Matthews, most famous for playing the hard-as-nails Sergeant Apone in James Cameron’sAliens has died, aged 75. Matthews, who was also a singer, enjoyed a steady career as an actor and entertainer working in the US and UK. He was found dead at his retirement home in the Costa Blanca resort of La Zenia in Spain on Sunday morning (September 23rd).
A Man of Authority
Often cast in authority roles, Matthews played a fire chief in Superman III, General Tudor in The Fifth Element and a Master Sergeant in the James Bond outing Tomorrow Never Dies. Prior to acting, Matthews served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He spent a total of six years in the Marines and held 13 combat awards and decorations, including two purple hearts.
Breaking Barriers
Matthews was the first black Marine in the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam to be meritoriously promoted to the rank of sergeant. Born in Brooklyn, New York, back on November 21st 1942, his role in Aliens may have amounted to limited screen time but was nevertheless essential to the success of the film. Cameron keen to create an atmosphere of organisation and camaraderie among the colonial marines and, Matthews was crucial to creating an air of authenticity to proceedings.
RIP Sergeant Apone
His experience and on-screen performance not only helped get the best out of co-stars like Bill Paxton and Michael Biehn but also underpinned much of what Cameron was trying to convey to audiences. Best remembered for barking orders while chomping on a stubby cigar, Matthews’ Sergeant Apone remains one of the enduring images of Cameron’s classic sci-fi sequel.
Though he may be gone, his legacy will live on through his work.
What are your thoughts on this lost UAMC legend Al Matthews? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Specifically on the backs of such strong and intense performances by the entire ensemble cast which bristle with tension and suspense for action which, as an arthouse thriller, leaves you wondering what could be possible as a big budget actioner.
Here’s our ultimate action movie review of The Standoff at Sparrow Creek and its ultimate action potential.
James Badge Dale and Crew
James Badge Dale gets the honors of calling himself the leading man in Sparrow Creek, but the movie is very much an ensemble vehicle. Dale plays Gannon, a former cop who has gone off the grid and is part of a small militia deep in the woods somewhere in the midwest.
We join Gannon on the night of a rogue shooting at a police funeral, which sends the militia scrambling to get together and figure out who might have done it, and how they should move forward.
Originally tilted Militia, director Henry Dunham’s script has been a well-known secret in Hollywood for several years. It’s been featured on the Black List recognizing the best unproduced scripts since 2015. Yet with only a short film director’s credit to his name, Dunham got his chance to bring his story to life and did well with such strong material.
Think Reservoir Dogs but done by David Fincher. The characters are deep, dark and broody while the story punches along as Gannon is tasked with interrogating the rest of the militia to figure out who might be the gunman.
The scenes are tense and the dialogue sharp and on-point. As the story builds, the ensuing standoff looms large as the stakes always seem to find a clever way to raise the narrative.
Ultimate Action Potential
From an ultimate action perspective, Sparrow Creek only delivers the goods with one fiery conclusion. However, Sparrow Creek is not an action movie by traditional standards. It’s very much a noir-thriller which was made for arthouse couches, not blockbuster arena seating. Yet, it shows so much potential for both Dunham and the Badge Dale led cast. You don’t find many modern action movies with such fine narrative control and crisp dialogue.
The cinematography is also a very dark contrast to traditional action standards, but the minimal lighting and stark silhouettes add depth and sophistication which would do well if the film were to cross genres to action. It appears that Dunham wanted to make Sparrow Creek on his terms, rather than let it fall up to the hands of a more seasoned but less capable director, yet if it had, it might have forced the producers to add some more flash and fights.
However, as it stands, The Standoff at Sparrow Creekis a gritty look at possibly new voice in noir-thriller cinema and hopefully a glimpse into its action genre ultimate potential in the future.
Let us know your thoughts on The Standoff at Sparrow Creek in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Keep an Eye Out for a Van Damme Easter Egg in The Predator (2018).
As any Predator fan worth their salt knows, Jean-Claude Van Damme was originally cast as the titular alien hunter in the 1987 original. However, a combination of his attitude and the shoddy design of the original alien suit saw the Muscles from Brussels depart the project after just a couple of days (read the full story about JCVD’s short-lived involvement here).
Some Van Damme Predator History
Those early designs for the suit and, in particular, the red version the Belgian had to wear for the scenes in which the Predator used its cloaking device, are the source of much mirth today.
And though it probably didn’t feel like it at the time, Van Damme’s exit proved to be a blessing in disguise, with Jean-Claude going on to bag his breakthrough role in the Cannon Films’ classic Bloodsport. Predator, meanwhile, was a huge box office success spawning countless sequels including the latest installment, The Predator.
Now, The Predator’s cinematographer, Larry Fong, has taken to Twitter to reveal that the film contains a subtle nod to Van Damme’s ridiculous red suit from the early days of the first movie.
“Anyone knows what this has to do with the original Predator? … and what the related Easter egg is in the new Predator?” he wrote on Twitter.
For a couple of days, most fans were stumped, save for the fact they knew of Van Damme’s involvement.
The Van Damme Easter Egg
@larryfong Spotted your #ThePredator Easter Egg on second viewing! When Rory is first out trick-or-treating, someone walks by dressed as the infamous red suit design!
But when Fong returned to find out if anyone had worked out the reference, he finally got his answer. @Mrwill_jones worked it out first, tweeting: “Yes! When Rory first goes trick-or-treating, there’s a guy dressed as this infamous outfit for Halloween that walks past him.” For those who haven’t seen The Predator, Rory is the name of Jacob Tremblay’s character in the film. To say anymore would probably result in some serious spoilers.
So while Van Damme may not have made it on to the screen as the Predator, his legacy lives on.
What are your thoughts on Van Damme’s ultimate easter egg? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
UAMC Heavyweights Jackie Chan and Chuck Norris to introduce US audiences to Tiger Shroff.
The 29-year-old Tiger Shroff is best known for his work in Hindi films like Baaghi(aka Rebel), where his chiseled good looks and penchant for gravity-defying action sequences have seen him become a household name in India. Shroff is already set to star in the Hindi remake of Sylvester Stallone’sRambo – but there could be even better to come.
Tiger Shroff Goes Hollywood
According to a report from the Mumbai Mirror, the actor is being lined up to star in a full-blown Hollywood action movie. A source close to the project told the newspaper Shroff has been holding secret meetings with top Hollywood producer Lawrence Kasanoff, whose credits include Terminator 2: Judgement Day and Mortal Kombat.
“Along with Larry, a big studio head, some of their associates and Emmy Award-winning writer Sean Catherine Derek of the Batman series had also flown to India. Sanjay Grover, who has been a part of the project for the last one year, was also present at the meetings,” the source said.
“Larry shared the script of his film with Sanjay who suggested they bring on board a fresh new face to play the lead and strongly recommended his childhood buddy Tiger with whom he had studied in school, to play the lead. Larry and his team were impressed with Tiger who they felt has an international look, is trained in martial arts, has a large fan following and has age on his side.”
Jackie Chan and Chuck Norris
According to the source, Shroff could be going up against Jackie Chan and Chuck Norris in the unnamed project. More interestingly still, the film may also feature Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee. With Hollywood studios increasingly eager to release films catering to the global, rather than the US domestic market, Schroff represents the ideal choice.
Though there’s still some way to go before the Baaghi actor is starring in the biggest and best action movies out there, this could prove to the first step towards Hollywood movie stardom.
What are your thoughts on Tiger Shroff and his reported new project? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s legacy will live on as Calum Von Moger in Bigger (2018).
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ascent from bodybuilder to one of the biggest stars in the world is being chronicled in a new movie – and they’ve found the perfect guy to play Arnie. Bigger stars Tyler Hoechlin and Aneurin Barnard as brothers Joe andBen Weider, the men who discovered and helped make Schwarzenegger the household name he is today.
The new film, directed by George Gallo, focuses on the Weider brothers and the story of how they were able to create a business empire from nothing, while facing abject poverty and anti-Semitism.
Arnold’s Legacy Grows Bigger
Hoeclin, who is known for his work on Teen Wolf and Supergirl takes centre stage as Joe, the former bodybuilder and co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB).
Joe and Ben would go on to create the Mr. Olympia contest that made Schwarzenegger famous and went on to publish several bodybuilding and fitness magazines including Muscle & Fitness, Flex, Men’s Fitness and Shape.
However, it’s real-life Australian bodybuilder Calum Von Moger who has grabbed the headlines around Bigger so far. Cast in the role of the youngSchwarzenegger, he certainly possesses the necessary muscle power, and undoubtedly bears a passing resemblance to the man himself.
Von Moger doesn’t have much in the way of experience when it comes to film work. He appeared in the bodybuilding documentary Generation Iron 2prior to landing the part of the Young Arnie.
The Australian is a popular figure on social media though, with an impressive 2.8 million followers on Instagram alone. You can check his Instagram page here, or read up more about him on his personal website or Youtube channel.
Bigger arrives in cinemas on October 12th.
Let us know your thoughts on Calum Von Moger as Young Arnie in Bigger in the comments or on our Facebook page!
The world simply wasn’t ready for Lyle Alzado and the slasher classic Destroyer (1988).
In 1988, a low-budget horror, action, slasher movie starring Lyle Alzado called Destroyer made its debut and the world largely went unfazed. While it’s still to this day not well known or appreciated, it does perhaps have the most ultimate VHS cover of all time. So what’s the story behind this forgotten masterpiece? Who is Lyle Alzado and what the heck is he going to do with that giant drill gun? Well, let’s find out.
Remembering Lyle Alzado
Once the face of the tough-mouthed National Football League in the 1980s, Lyle Alzado’s life and career was a mesmerizing burnout that captivated fans and sparked a national discussion on steroid use and its devastating effects. A literal Hulk-of-a-man, Alzado tried – rather unsuccessfully – to turn his American football career into Hollywood fame.
Destroyer (1988) is perhaps the greatest example of his potential, and showcases his outlandish frame and strength and his manic-at-best facial acting.
A Film Within a Horror Film
The premises of Destroyer is actually pretty complex, especially for 80s standards. The story takes place in an abandoned prison that is now the set for a women-in-prison exploitation flick being filmed.
The prison was apparently notorious for its unethical treatment of its prisoners – the most notable being the infamous Ivan Moser (Lyle Alzado).
Even after watching it all the way through, it’s a little fuzzy how all the characters fit in. You have the prima-donna feature star, an arrogant writer, and a stunt woman who has recurring dreams of Moser’s fateful failed execution.
Less Action, More Slashin’
In an oddity of 1980s pop culture, Destroyer is part of a short cycle of quickly made horror films about failed prison executions by the electric chair: Prison (1987), The Horror Show (1989), and Shocker (1989) being the other 3.
And while the Ultimate Action Movie Club focuses on Action Movies, Destroyer is kind of a let down in that department as it is pretty much straight slasher horror. What promising action sequences Destroyer presents, are often left off-screen used more for suspense and implied violence.
Lyle Alzado’s Action Potential
Sadly, Lyle Alzado passed away in 1992 at the young age of 43. Towards the end of his life, he regressed quickly due to a brain tumor, which he very outspokenly blamed on his steroid use which was prolific throughout his career.
His case became the poster child for steroid abuse, which was probably partly true, but also probably partly the football CTE issues which are more known today. Either way, from his on-the-field style of play to his short Hollywood career, he certainly had action movie charisma and a good sense of humor to possibly be an action lead had he lived longer to see it out.
Destroyer showcases a little of that in the movie, but a lot of it on that VHS cover. You can’t walk past it in a video store (or browse past it if it ever makes its way to a streaming service) because it just looks that insanely awesome. If you can find it, it’s definitely worth a watch to see what could have been for ol’ Lyle Alzado.
What are your thoughts on Lyle Alzado and the slasher/horror hybrid Destroyer (1988)? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Meet “Predatorroonopsin” the Spider Named After Predator (1987).
A newly-discovered spider, bearing a striking resemblance to the alien hunter from the Predator franchise, has been named in honour of the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic. According to Newsweek, arachnologists surveying a section of forest in Sao Paulo uncovered a new type of goblin spider, noticing a similarity between it and the iconic sci-fi movie villain.
Predatorroonopsin Spider
LEFT: NIALL CARSON/PA IMAGES/GETTY; RIGHT: COURTESY OF AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY (via Newsweek)
The group of goblin spiders was dubbed the Predatorroonopsin reference to the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic. “We named the genus and the species in honor of the participants and the peculiarities of the film,” arachnologist Antonio Brescovit, from Sao Paulo’s Butantan Institute explained.
The name came after the research team took a closer look at the spiders under an electron microscope and quickly noticed claws on the tip of the spiders’ legs and fangs hanging from the front of their mouths.
So far, so Predator – but it gets better.
All told, the team uncovered 17 different species of Predatoroonops spiders, so decided to name them after the various US Special Army Forces soldier that end up getting killed in the movie. There’s the Predatoroonops “Dutch” named after Schwarzenegger’s character and Predatoroonops “Dillon” for the Carl Weathers‘ Dillon.
Some of the other names pay tribute to the film’s director John McTiernan (P. mctiernani) and the entirely fictional country where Predator takes place (P. valverde). “I looked at the film about 10 times, to ensure that the nomenclature was correct and that all were honored,” Brescovit added.
Jesse Ventura Gets One Too!
Detailed in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History along with subspecies like the P. billy from a P. peterhalli, Brescovitand his colleagues study includes amusing references to spiders like P. blain which “refers to Blain Cooper, played by Jesse Ventura in the original Predator; he often chews tobacco and wears a battered, old slouch hat.”
Keen to raise awareness of the fact that new species are being discovered even now, while countless acres of forest are destroyed, Brescovit is hoping he, and other scientists like him will get to “stick around” rather than “get to the chopper.”
For more articles on Arnold’s classic Predator (1987), check out a few below. And let us know your thoughts on the Predator Spider in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Predator doesn’t even enter the conversation. Mainly because it’s not a Van Damme movie. Or, at least, it didn’t end up being one. Yet the fact of the matter is that, for a time at least, Van Damme was set to star alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in John McTiernan’s sci-fi horror story about a crack team of commandos facing an unseen alien force in the South American jungle.
Then it all went wrong. Very wrong.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
In order to fully understand why Van Damme came and went from the project it’s important to appreciate that Predator was a forever-evolving entity. Originally titled Hunter, brothers Jim andJohn Thomas penned the original screenplay after hearing jokes about a potential fifth Rocky Balboa movie pitting the Italian Stallion against an extraterrestrial being. Picking up on the idea of a musclebound hero going toe-to-toe with an alien fighter, the result was a pulpy science fiction tale that was eventually picked up by Joel Silver over at 20th Century Fox in 1985.
Quickly seeing the script’s potential as a big budget action effort, Silver switched things up, casting Schwarzenegger in the starring role, while the name was changed to Predator. His version of movie required a special kind of actor to play the film’s alien foe though. Someone with the necessary acrobatic athleticism and physicality the script called for. Fortunately, he had already met someone exactly like that. Van Damme was a jobbing actor around the time he met Silver.
Already highly skilled in karate, kickboxing and ballet, the Muscles from Brussels had arrived in Hollywood in 1982 with ambitions of making it big. It hadn’t quite happened yet though, with Van Damme restricted to small roles, stunt works and menial jobs in between. Van Damme hadn’t lost sight of his dream though and was still willing to do anything to ensure the important people took notice – especially high kicks.
The Predator’s Introduction
Seasoned stunt coordinator Craig Baxley remembers Van Damme’s introduction to Silver well in an article on Geektyrant: “Joel and I were walking down the hallway of the hotel together and Jean-Claude was walking toward us with his assistant. And Jean-Claude walked up and said, ‘Are you Joel Silver?’ And he said yeah. And Jean said, ‘Well look at this!’ And he jumped up in the air, I swear to God, did the splits with his legs straight out and his crotch was at eye level — and I’m 6 feet tall.”
It may have been a little on the nose, but when it came time to cast Predator’s stealthy, ninja-like alien, Silver immediately thought of the Belgian. Van Damme took the role with relish, viewing it as the perfect chance to showcase his talents, with the script calling for an agile alien capable of jumping and kicking his way out of trouble. Speaking in a 1989 interview with Starlog Magazine, he even outlined how the part had been sold to him: “They said I would be in a tight leotard with half-human, half-animal makeup on my face.” Like so much behind the scenes on Predator, however, the look and design of the film’s central alien adversary was subject to change.
When makeup effects supervisor Steve Johnson joined the film, the Predator was an altogether different beast, combining insect and reptile anatomy on a noticeably slimmer frame. This posed problems for the production. “What they needed was a character with backward bent reptilian legs, extended arms and a head that was out here,” Johnson said. “They wanted to shoot on the muddy slopes of Mexico in the real jungles. It was virtually physically impossible to do. I told them it wouldn’t work.”
Check out some more ultimate coverage of Predator and JCVD here!
To make matters worse, it soon became apparent that the part had been grossly miss-sold to Van Damme. During a costume fitting for the red suit that helped bring the Predator’s cloaking scenes to life, the Belgian’s mistake became apparent to Johnson. “Jean-Claude comes in and we’re fitting him in this red suit and just assuming, like the slaves that we are, that the higher ups have told him exactly what’s going on,” Johnson said. “But he thought this was actually the real look of the monster in the movie, and he was, ‘I hate this. I hate this. I hate it. I look like a superhero.’ He was so angry.”
When Johnson explained to Van Damme that he would be invisible for much of the movie, the Belgian’s mood worsened. Robbed of the chance to show his skills off in a combat scene against Schwarzenegger that could have been the launch pad to bigger and better things, the Belgian was far from happy. He wasn’t the only one though. Difficult filming conditions with cast and crew members suffering bouts of illness were further compounded when, try as they might, the suit just didn’t look right on camera. As Schwarzenegger put it in the Hollywood Reporter, the Predator “looked like guy in a lizard suit with the head of a duck” and he wasn’t wrong, with test shots from those early days on set backing up his claims.
Van Damme, already unhappy with the reduced visibility of his role in the film, didn’t do much to appease the situation either, with Schwarzenegger branding him a “relentless complainer.” With production shut down while McTiernan, Silver and Co. sought a solution to their alien predicament, producer Lawrence Gordon successfully lobbied for more money from the studio. The extra funding allowed them to hire the much sought after practical special effects guru Stan Winston. Out went the previous Predator suit in favour of a new design inspired by Winston’s friend James Cameron, who had sketched ideas for an alien with mandible jaws.
Van Damme Van Done
What happened to Van Damme next is subject to debate. The Belgian, for his part, has always suggested he decided to leave the production over health concerns. “The costume took about 20 minutes to put on,” he once told Starlog.
“It was thick rubber and I couldn’t see anything, there was just a small piece to breathe through. I needed cables to move my jaw and head, and it was hard to keep my balance. They wanted me to make a big jump, and I told them, ‘It’s impossible [from that height]. I know my limitations, and I’ll break my legs.’”
Special effects supervisor Joel Hynek relayed a slightly more colourful version of events to The Hollywood Reporter though: “I was in Joel Silver’s trailer, and he had called for Jean-Claude to come see him. And he comes in the trailer and Joel starts saying, ‘You gotta stop kickboxing!’ — because [Jean-Claude] wanted to kickbox — and he was telling him, ‘Look, the Predator is not a kickboxer.’ And Van Damme was like (Van Damme voice), ‘I must do that; that’s how I see the Predator.’ And Joel said, ‘Well, you’re fired. Get out of here.’ And Van Damme says, ‘Kiss my balls!’ and walks out, and that was the end of that.”
In any case, Van Damme was out with the 7ft 2in tall Kevin Peter Hall brought in for a new look Predator, who brought a more oppressive physical presence to the screen. The Belgian spent a total of just two days on the set.
He bounced back soon enough though, eventually securing a life-changing meeting with Menahem Golan, the head honcho at low budget movie production powerhouse Cannon Films. Captivated by the same high-kick routine the Belgian had once snared Silver with, Golan either didn’t know about Van Damme’s difficulties on Predator or simply didn’t care.
A year later, the Belgian hit the big time with Bloodsport and the whole experience as largely forgotten. Predator, meanwhile, debuted to rave reviews with the film’s alien design earning particular plaudits. Van Damme’s exit ending up being a blessing in disguise for everyone involved. In the cutthroat world of Hollywood, there ended up being a happy ending for everyone involved. How often can you say that?
What are your thoughts on Van Damme’s short-lived involvement as the original Predator? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
UAMC looks into the mind of Nicolas Cage when Nicolas Cage goes “full Nicolas Cage”
Nicolas Cage has been a fixture of action movies far and wide since the golden era of the late ‘90s when he made The Rock, Con Air and Face/Off (also known as the Beige Volvo Trilogy – read up on them here!) in the space of less than two years, Cage has been busy honing his own particular brand of ‘crazy’ ever since. Which, to say the least, we at the Ultimate Action Movie Club are huge fans of the Cage-ster going Cage-crazy.
Nicolas Cage Losing It
So much so, in fact, that a video entitled simply ‘Nicolas Cage losing his s**t’ has racked up an impressive 368,000 views on YouTube. No one does crazy quite like Cage – but have you ever wondered about the method behind his madness? What it takes to truly go ‘full Nicolas Cage’?
Nicolas Cage goes Full Nicolas Cage
Matt Miller over at Esquire has and he was lucky enough to get a chance to ask the man himself during an exclusive interview with the action movie legend. Cage didn’t disappoint either, offering up a lengthy explanation of the process that’s every bit as out there as you might have expected.
Rather than pick and choose excerpts to try and offer up the gist of what was said, here’s Cage’s entire, lengthy, explanation as to how it works and how it helps him hone his craft as an actor:
“The process is an interesting one that has kind of been developing over many years now. It’s one that requires a bit of imagination, but in this case possibly more feeling of going internal and prepping by kind of trying to plunge my own internal body, if you will, or whatever worlds I can go towards of memory and life experience. And then I’ll sort of get something, find something that breaks my heart, and I won’t share it with anybody. It’s a secret that only I have. It’s a secret that’s gonna be shared with the audience, and hopefully everyone in the audience will have individual connection to it. It’s not something that I can easily describe.
“But it is something that I surf with. I feel it throughout the day, knowing we’re getting to that point. Knowing we’re getting closer to, let’s call it 5:30 PMin Belgium, and I know in about 30 minutes, Panos is gonna call, “Action,” and now I’m 10 minutes into it and now I’m surfing the emotion again and I feel it in my fingertips and I feel it in my throat and then I let it go, because I don’t want to leave it in the locker room. Now we’re 10 minutes out, and then we’re five minutes out, and then I go into a trance, and then it’s very, very quiet and I don’t let anyone get in my face, and I go somewhere in a corner or wherever it is and I start psyching up. Now we’re two minutes out. Now we’re one minute out and we’re going, we’re going, going.
“And then it’s time, and it’s, “Action!” And then it’s just like out the gate, here it goes, whatever happens, happens. It’s on. And I’m not thinking about it, it’s just like a feeling, a lightning rod, a rush, and I don’t know where I am and I know that I’m not faking it and I know that it’s embarrassing and I know it’s naked and I know it’s uncomfortable, but it’s coming out. That usually has something to do with some kind of heartbreak somewhere in my past.”
Nicolas Cage keeps Nicolas Cage-ing
Cage’s latest film, Mandy, has been earning rave reviews thanks to a suitably manic performance from the man itself. It comes as part of a renaissance of sorts for the actor, who earned rave reviews for his turn in the similarly bonkers Mom and Dad alongside Selma Blair. Cage will be returning to more familiar action movie territory with his next movie, Running with The Devil.
Written and directed by ex-Navy SEAL Jason Cabell and inspired by his own real-life experiences, the film sees Cage team up with Lawrence Fishburne as two Cartel heavies tasked with investigating the company’s drug supply chain after a cocaine shipment is compromised.
UAMC Explores How Action Crosses Over Into Other Movie Genres…
Since the advent of cinema, viewers have been engaging in debates pertaining to what they’ve seen on-screen. Among them include:
Who is the prettiest actress/most handsome actor?
Which movie sequels surpassed the quality of the original?
When did a series “jump the shark”?
Which movie has the best lines?
What is the best “buddy cop” movie?
Has an actor/actress who replaced another actor/actress better in the role than the replaced person?
And on and on … But when it comes to cinema, we here at The Ultimate Action Movie Club care about one thing and one thing only: action movies! (The website URL should have clued you in to that.)
Lately, however, I’ve been pondering something that I’d like to ask the reading audience: What defines an action movie?
Action Movie Genre Origins
Back when we were kids, genres were pretty well-defined. If you walked into a video rental store (remember them?) without looking at any area titles within the store, just be looking at movie covers you knew what constituted horror films, drama films, romance films, comedies, and of course, action films.
But nowadays there seems to be a gray area. What I mean by that is that it seems action movies increasingly have been crossing over into other genres. It’s becoming rare to see a full-blown, old-school action movie get greenlit anymore.
I’d argue that Scott Adkins seems to be the torch bearer for the genre, but cases could certainly be made for Jason Statham among others.
The Main Action Cross Genres
If an action movie has a sci-fi element (Predator; Robocop; Timecop; Megalodon), is it still an action movie? How about a disaster film (Poseidon Adventure; Armageddon)? Martial arts tournament (Bloodsport; Raze; American Samurai; The Quest)? And with the ubiquity of comic book movies being released practically every other month, do you think they’re considered action movies? While they certainly have a lot of action in them, they’re no Rambo, Commando, American Ninja, Road House or Missing in Action — movies that are inarguably action films.
When Action Cross-Overs Are Acceptable
Thus, I ask thee, good readers: Must an action movie be completely devoted to the genre to be considered as such, or is an amount of genre cross-over acceptable? And if so, how much?
I know how I’d respond, but I’d like to hear your esteemed opinions on the matter. Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
