I
have been very much inspired by this movie. The childhood dream of watching all
the action heroes together coming to reality was too much for me. This is a
perfect example of a shitty story saved by the megastar cast. It proves that
old-timers like Arnold,
Sly, Bruce, Dolph, Chuck, JCVD can still kick ass. The good news is that E2
has managed to gather the A-list of all-time action-movie stars; the bad
news is that as a result, whether or not you liked the original Expendables, E2 will be far from the best action
flick in which the dudes in the film have starred. (Okay, except maybe Dolph.)
So
I was thinking of the best, ass-kicking action movies these guys have
individually worked in. and I came up with these.
Sylvester
Stallone
Rocky:
It’s the best underdog movie. Both on and behind the camera. I heard that it
was written by a nobody named Sylvester Stallone and the makers were not keen
on his insistence to do the lead role himself. They finally relented, and the
world was treated to the story of a goofy simpleton and middling club fighter
Rocky Balboa who stumbles into an unlikely chance to fight the heavyweight champion
of the world, Apollo Creed. Rocky doesn’t win, but he goes the
distance (15 rounds) with Creed after participating in the best training
montage ever put on film.
Runners
up: First Blood. When a small town dictatorial sheriff messes with a
peace-loving but troubled war veteran, things start to get messy for the
police. The action takes some time to come but it’s worth the wait.
Arnold Schwarzenneger
Predator:
there are so many Arnie movies that picking up from them is a difficult task.
My favorite is Predator. It triumphs over Judgment Day because of its cast. it
does an awesome job characterizing the bunch of misfit soldiers. Then there is
the arm-wresting match. The special effects were wonderful for those times and
hold up today also.
Runners
up: Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Period.
Bruce
Willis
Die
Hard: Termed as the greatest action movie ever made. Bruised, battered,
shoeless, and bleeding out, John McClane goes all Thor lightening on terrorists
at the Nakatomi Plaza. The movie has a tight script, a
classic bad guy in Hans Gruber — for a long amount of time the best
action-movie villain before being bettered by the Joker in Dark Knight — and
just the right amount of humor.
Runners
up: Pulp Fiction. In spite of all the blood and gore, it’s hard to call Pulp
Fiction an action movie. It’s a cult classic nonetheless.
Jason
Statham
Having
starred in numerous action movies in a non-central role, Statham got his chance
in The Transporter. One thing that this movie teaches us – never open another
person’s mail. Unless you dig asian chicks.
Runners
up: Crank. The sheer pace of this movie blows me off.
Jet
Li
Lethal
Weapon IV: I can’t remember the names of most of his movies. The first time I
saw him was in this one. Most of the time he remains quite, in the background.
But when he explodes, reminds us of a certain chap called Bruce Lee.
Runners
up: Romeo Must Die.
Dolph
Lundgren
Rocky
IV: Definitely. The process of “acting” takes a backseat in his movies. That’s
why I think Rocky IV was tailor-made for him. It was as if Rocky Balboa was fighting
The Terminator. But the defeat in the climax reminds us that he’s human.
Runners
up: The Expendables. Let’s be frank, he hasn’t worked in very many good movies.
Jean-Claude
Van Damme
Bloodsport:
Bloodsport is Van Damme at his
finest. It’s full of badass training and fighting montages, and Ogre from Revenge
of the Nerds plays JCVD’s sidekick. What else could you possibly want in a
80s action flick?
Runners
up: Hard Target, is not director John
Woo’s finest work, but there is a scene in which JCVD, sporting a mullet, a terrible creole accent, and Wilford Brimley as a
sidekick, punches out a snake. That’s right — he punches. out. a. snake.
Chuck Norris
Way of the Dragon: Not more than 15 minutes was his
total screen time in this movie. But there was this all time greatest duel in
the end. Probably the only time he lost. Unlike Rajnikant.
