Sylvester Stallone has gathered an all-star action cast for his latest throwback. Most of these stars are known for their gravitas in the action genre long before The Expendables existed. While this may not be true for Steve Austin, Randy Couture or Terry Crews (Little Man aside), we have compiled our ten favorites films from Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke and Arnold Schwarzenegger with an emphasis on action. Check it out below and comment with your favorites.
10. Demolition Man (Stallone) (1993) (dir. Marco Brambilla)
One of the better efforts of his career, in a decent year for Sly (1993 provided this and Cliffhanger, the years surrounding contained Oscar, Stop or My Mom… and Judge Dredd among others), Demolition Man is an actioner that is, above all else, fun. The plot is ambitious, as wronged-but-prone-to-destruction (hence the nickname that provides the film’s title) police officer John Spartan (Stallone) is released from cryogenic imprisonment nearly 40 years in the future to catch the demented Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes on top form), who in turn has been engineered and let loose in order to catch a petty criminal who is blighting the current way of life, as the law enforcement of the future can’t even handle a handshake let alone a psychopath. A kind of ‘tiger-to-catch-the-snake-to-catch-the-rat’ kinda thing. Even though it presents a HORRIFYING vision of the future (those tunics, “Be well”, BLEURGH!), every one of the sterling cast (Bullock! Gunton! Hawthorne! Leary! Uh… Schneider?) is there to enjoy themselves, whether watching buildings topple and bodies pile up, or singing along to “classic” jingles. And I bet you still wonder just how the hell you use the three seashells… – Paul C.
9. The Transporter (Statham) (2002) (dir. Louis Leterrier & Corey Yuen)
In Statham’s breakout action role, he proved to be a star worth watching. Inspired by BMW Films The Hire shorts, Luc Besson wrote the story that proved to be Louis Leterrier‘s directorial debut. Like, Leterrier many other people went on to have huge careers in the industry. Cinematographer Pierre Morel had his directorial leap with District B13 and later, the highly successful Taken. Of course Statham went on to become one of the leading action stars of our generation and show the other heavyweights on this list that its not all about massive muscles in this genre. – Jordan R.
8. Year of the Dragon (Rourke) (1985) (dir. Michael Cimino)
Better known for being stigmatized after creating one of the biggest box office bombs in movie history with the overtly pretentious Heaven’s Gate (following an Oscar win for The Deer Hunter) Michael Cimino’s career became a cautionary Hollywood tale. He worked on Footloose for four months, then was fired and co-write with Oliver Stone the script for Year of the Dragon, a hugely ambitious tale of drugs, gangs, ethnicity and racism. The film stars Mickey Rourke as Stanley White, decorated police Captain and Vietnam vet, who makes it his personal vendetta to come down hard on the Chinese triad. The film released to polarizing reviews, criticizing the screenplay as derogatory and chock full of negative Chinese stereotypes. Still, there’s no denying the pace, excitement and brilliant ending shootout which is why it has become a cult classic with action buffs such as Quentin Tarantino citing it as one of his favorite films. – Raffi A.
7. Universal Soldier (Lundgren) (2002) (dir. Roland Emmerich)
Before there was Independence Day, disaster fetish director Ronald Emmerich brought us a bleak and dreary story of two soldiers who kill each other and then become re-animated into working together as part of a futuristic group of ‘Universal Soldiers’ or UniSols. Dolph Lundgren plays the psychotic Sergeant Andrew Scott who after going insane mutilates innocent villagers and members of his own squad. His counter part is Private Luc Devereaux played by Jean Claude Van Damme tries to stop him ending in both of them shooting the other to death. As universal soldiers, their memories are wiped and they are forced to work together until eventually Deveeaux realizes the truth about the Universal Soldier program. The story is wacky and the action brutal but one thing is for sure, Dolph Lundgren can play one mean villain. – Raffi A.
6. Predator (Schwarzenegger) (1987) (dir. John McTiernan)
1987’s Predator brought the action star of the decade, Arnold Schwarzenegger, into the limelight in a different way. In the first installment of the franchise, we’re introduced to a new race of aliens that come to earth simply to hunt the human race for sport. Descending upon a group of unsuspecting commandos in the Central American jungle, the extra-terrestrial warrior stalks the group picking off the members one by one. Predator gives us the ultimate face off between two unique warriors from two very different worlds. – Josh B.
5. Once Upon a Time in China (Li) (1991) (dir. Tsui Hark)
Once Upon A Time in China is a film that spawned a franchise and launched its star Jet Li into the limelight. It centers around the popular legend of kung-fu master and medicine practitioner Wong Fei Hung and the negative effects Western imperialism had on China. The series of the films (6 in total) are probably the most popular set to come out of the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema and was embraced for its depiction of Chinese nationalism. And while the story elements may seem preachy in a critical sense, the real attraction that makes these films so popular is the masterful fusion of fight choreography and camera work mixed with flashes of wit from its star Jet Li. – Raffi A.
4. Crank (Statham) (2006) (dir. Neveldine/Taylor)
Crank, for want of a better description, is nuttier than squirrel shit. It’s a 90-minute, fuck-you-in-the-face-before-you-know-what’s-happened thrill, and it’s utterly fantastic. Proving once-and-for-all that Jason Statham is up for absolutely anything, it is highest-high-concept: assassin given poison which slows heart, assassin has to keep heart going in any way possible – from energy drinks to shocks from defibrillators via sex in public. Neveldine/Taylor exploded onto the scene with this, bringing with them an uncontrollable energy and innovative direction which actually manages to put you in the shoes of Chev Chelios (Statham) rather than just allowing you to watch all the nonsense go by. It is to be applauded for it’s balls and it’s panache. – Paul C.
3. Commando (Schwarzenegger) (1985) (dir. Mark. L. Lester)
If you were to poll people on which film highlights the excesses of the 80s actioner best, Commando will come out on top. By a landslide. Of dead bodies. I’m trying to remember the plot as I type this, but in all honesty it doesn’t really matter. Arnie has been wronged. Arnie is out for revenge. There is a small country of faceless henchmen in his way. And he has a rocket launcher. Cue mass genocide. If you think that The Simpsons parody ‘McBain’ is ridiculous, then watch this and be amazed. There are the henchman and the explosions and then there are the wisecracks in the wake of senseless violence (“He’s DEAD tired” and the king, “Let off some steam Bennett!”). Commando is pure action wish-fulfillment and, endearingly, it doesn’t pretend to be anything else. – Paul C.
2. Rambo: First Blood (Stallone) (1982) (dir. Ted Kotcheff)
First Blood is one of the first action/thriller films that dealt intelligently with the psychological effects faced by veterans in a post-Vietnam war America. Sylvester Stallone, in one of his standout early roles, plays John Rambo a misunderstand Vietnam vet who is searching for one of his friends from his unit in the small town of Hope, Washington. He faces off against Brian Dennehy who plays the town sheriff and wants Rambo and his drifting ways out of the town. What ensues is maybe of the one of the most thrilling games of cat and mouse as Rambo single handily outsmarts and maneuvers his opposition using guerrilla tactics. What makes First Blood so interesting is the lack of gore and over the top violence that the Rambo sequels would glorify and become trademark for the franchise. – Raffi A.
1. Die Hard (Willis) (1988) (dir. John McTiernan)
Die Hard is likely to forever be considered the best action film of all time. Ironically, given the relationship between the film’s star, Bruce Willis, and his forebears Schwarzenegger and Stallone, Die Hard was almost the anti-actioner. It set out to prove you could have a fallible hero, continuing in the Indiana Jones mould, who didn’t have to be a demi-God who could shake off a bullet to the chest with a glib remark. Sure, John McClane still cracks wise, but you feel it’s to keep him sane rather than to laugh at the deaths of the puny humans beneath him. Willis, the most charismatic he’s ever been, carries the film with aplomb but just in case he needed help, along comes Alan Rickman as super-smooth bad guy Hans Gruber, oozing charm and ruthlessness in equal measure. Surround them with exploding skyscrapers, asshole Feds, comic police chiefs, realistic marital problems, and heart – so often missing, and you have a masterpiece. Not just within the action genre. Die Hard has set the bar so high that it has only been grazed in the two decades since it’s release. Yippee-ki-yay… – Paul C.
What are your favorites? Will The Expendables live up to them?