Liam Neeson, a man known for his dramatic turns in films like Schindler's List and Rob Roy, has managed to create a fall-back position as a gruff, aging action hero. Ever since Star Wars: Episode I “ The Phantom Menace he has picked up roles as a take-charge action veteran and he has never been more impressive than in Taken. Inspired by an idea by Luc Besson, who also acts as … [Read more...]
Review: Lockout (2012)
A Luc Besson-produced, action thriller, set in the future, and space, with an A-List Hollywood star having to protect an innocent and untrained woman. No it's not The Fifth Element, but rather the new Guy Pearce vehicle Lockout. He plays a wise-cracking, wrongly imprisoned bad ass called Snow, and for reasons best ignored is sent up to a floating maximum security prison in … [Read more...]
Review: Road House (1989)
In the late 1980s action films were the main consumption for the male demographic. Before comic book films and endless big-budget, 3D fantasy battles cornered the market, these shots of pure testosterone-fuelled adrenaline were king. Whether it Arnie in The Terminator, or Sly Stallone in Rambo, large muscle-bound actors saw huge box office returns simply for driving cars fast, … [Read more...]
Review: Con Air (1997)
[pullquote cite="" type="left, right"][amazon text=Amazon&template=carousel&chan=that film guy&asin=B000PI3UEK][/pullquote] The late 1990s was an interesting time for the action film sub-genre. Mainstays of the genre were getting older and actors like Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Willis were trying their hand at different styles of film. The world needed someone new … [Read more...]
Review: Commando (1985)
The ex-Governor of California has many personas that the entire globe now recognise. From bodybuilding to acting, Arnie, as we know him, moulded himself into a Hollywood Star after leaving his home country of Austria. With willpower and determination he formed a career that is one and the same where Action films are concerned. Commando (1985) remains one of his most well known … [Read more...]
Review: The Fugitive (1993)
In the 1960s, the television show The Fugitive was hugely popular. This lead to a rather nostalgic modernisation in 1993, when Harrison Ford took on the role of the eponymous fugitive, Dr. Richard Kimble. After seeing Under Siege, Ford decided that he wanted to work with the director Andrew Davis, who he thought could bring the thrilling action film to life. This proved a … [Read more...]
Review: Under Siege (1992)
When you think of action films, the first names to pop in your head are probably Schwarzenegger, Willis and Stallone. Then if you think a little harder you probably come across Snipes, Chan, Van Damme and the king of the ˜straight-to-DVD Bargain Bin' action film, Steven Seagal. Now a man better known for his expanding wasteline than his explosive moves, it wasn't always the way … [Read more...]
Review: Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
Highlander II: The Quickening is a pretty much perfect example of how to take a good idea and a good film and throw it all in the bin. Highlander's tagline was There can be only one, and by the end of the film, there was only one Immortal left, so where could a sequel possibly go? Why would we want one? And yet, for some inexplicable reason, here we are. … [Read more...]
Review: Headhunters (2012, Norway)
Scandinavian thrillers are massive at the moment, be it in book form, on television or in cinemas. The phenomenon seemed to begin with Steig Larsson's Millennium trilogy, and was followed up by Henning Mankell's Inspector Wallander novels, which were adapted into TV dramas in both their native Swedish and an English version starring Kenneth Branagh. Norwegian crime novelist Jo … [Read more...]
Review: Rush Hour (1998)
Brett Ratner is a director with a reputation. Sadly for him, it's not a particularly good reputation. He is thought of as someone who makes his living producing sub-standard films and seems to have no eye for detail, character or storyline. In regard to his filmography, this criticism seems a little misguided. Sure he nearly killed a franchise with the atrocious X-Men: Last … [Read more...]