Big Dumb American Action Films • Non-Gaming • Film • Eurogamer.net

MrWorf 20 Dec 2011 11:39:51 64,187 posts
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Can anyone recommend me some? I watched Clash of the Titans last night and, surprisingly, loved it. Yes, it's not the snarpest knife in the drawer but it was bloody epic.

I've got GI Joe and The Expendables on the way.

I'm trying to remember a film I saw a trailer of a couple years ago, about experiemtnal fighter jets called blade or steel or something. Anyone?

L_Franko Moderator 20 Dec 2011 11:45:41 9,695 posts
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I think this is the film your thinking of.

Tom_Servo 20 Dec 2011 11:46:12 18,079 posts
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G.I. Joe is seriously terrible. I had to turn it off after half an hour.

I watched Drive Angry again last night, which I think is really entertaining. Gets it all right. Nic Cage, cars, comic-book violence, William Finchtner hamming it up wonderfully, and all with its tongue firmly in its cheek.

Day 20 Dec 2011 11:46:36 319 posts
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Stealth? Never watched it myself so could be wrong, but it came free with something or other we bought a few years back...

edit: beaten to it already!

Edited by Day at 11:47:17 20-12-2011

Gambit1977 20 Dec 2011 11:47:32 10,398 posts
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Tom_Servo wrote:
G.I. Joe is seriously terrible. I had to turn it off after half an hour.

I watched Drive Angry again last night, which I think is really entertaining. Gets it all right. Nic Cage, cars, comic-book violence, William Finchtner hamming it up wonderfully, and all with its tongue firmly in its cheek.

This! It's like Crank gone mad! Really enjoyed it.
Shoot-em-up is another great 'mad' action flick..

Avoid Stealth, it's shit.

FWB 20 Dec 2011 11:49:09 56,369 posts
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Transformers 3 - Shit. So shit that I came very close to walking out. Would have done if I hadn't been with others. Not as bad as Skyline though, which was horrendous. Also awful was Battle Los Angeles. G.I Joe was pretty bad too. I didn't switch it off though, as it was playing in the background while I was surfing.

Edited by FWB at 11:49:33 20-12-2011

Tom_Servo 20 Dec 2011 11:54:25 18,079 posts
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I find a good rule of thumb is avoiding action films that take themselves seriously, which seems to be an unfortunately common theme nowadays. Not enough of them are just a good laugh, and that's where something like Drive Angry wins for me.

FWB 20 Dec 2011 11:55:14 56,369 posts
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Watch Total Recall with Arnie's commentary. There are clips on the net. Quality stuff.

Tom_Servo 20 Dec 2011 11:56:21 18,079 posts
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"Oh I love this scene"

FWB 20 Dec 2011 11:59:00 56,369 posts
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Can't tell if his analysis of his character's motivation is sincere or a piss take.

TheSaint 20 Dec 2011 11:59:45 20,950 posts
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The Rock, Con Air or True Lies.

If you like fighter jets then probably best just to stick with Top Gun or maybe Broken Arrow.

4gate 20 Dec 2011 12:00:48 362 posts
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Independence Day. Saw this in a cinema in Atlanta, and at the end, the audience got up, cheered, and started singing Star Spangled whatever. Despite the whole thing being as ludicrous as, well, the US.

Topped only by Armageddon - bigger, dumber and Americanier than anything else, as Bruce Willis tries to save humanity and his daughters boyfriend AT THE SAME TIME.

Tom_Servo 20 Dec 2011 12:01:31 18,079 posts
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The Conan one is fantastic as well, although that's been doing the rounds a bit longer than the Total Recall one, AFAIK.

After listening to them, I was even more terrified that Arnie was in a position of power.

Genji 20 Dec 2011 12:02:47 19,682 posts
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Delta Force is pretty big and dumb. Red Dawn is great too, if you somehow haven't seen it yet. Worth it for the "AVENGE MEEEEEEEEE" scene alone.

I didn't mind GI Joe at all, actually. It was silly and OTT, yes, but was quite a bit of fun in that regard. And unlike, say, Bay films, it wasn't like three hours long. Dumb action films should not be longer than two.

MrWorf 20 Dec 2011 12:03:16 64,187 posts
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L_Franko wrote:
I think this is the film your thinking of.

that's the cont! Cheers

4gate 20 Dec 2011 12:06:59 362 posts
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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092997/

Extreme Prejudice

Nick Nolte & Rip Torn vs Powers Boothe vs Michael Ironside & Clancy Brown with Maria Conchita Alonso as cheerleader, in a modern day Wild Bunch remake. Should have won Oscars.

Edited by 4gate at 12:12:45 20-12-2011

MrWorf 20 Dec 2011 12:12:11 64,187 posts
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So many new films to watch, Drive Angry, Conan, Extreme Prejudice and Red Dawn are on the list. I've seen all the others, cheers.

What's Die Hard 4 like? I've only heard opinions from people that usually watch serious stuff.

oceanmotion 20 Dec 2011 12:15:08 17,358 posts
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Executive Decision.

If you hate Steven Segal, you'll love this.

Tonka 20 Dec 2011 12:15:19 31,979 posts
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Sideways, The Station Agent, Lives of Others, Betty Blue or Kes.

oceanmotion 20 Dec 2011 12:16:01 17,358 posts
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Die Hard 4.0 is actually quite fun and better than I thought it was going to be.

disusedgenius 20 Dec 2011 12:16:25 10,677 posts
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Die Hard 4 was fine but not great for me. Suffered a little from being shoehorned into the franchise but it has enough going for it to be worth seeing.

Rusty_M 20 Dec 2011 12:17:36 7,172 posts
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oceanmotion wrote:
Die Hard 4.0 is actually quite fun and better than I thought it was going to be.

I was just about to get annoyed that nobody had yet mentioned the Die Hard films!

The transporter films are good silly fun too.

tombo 20 Dec 2011 12:17:43 2,170 posts
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Razz wrote:

What's Die Hard 4 like? I've only heard opinions from people that usually watch serious stuff.

The baddie is a bit naff and the dialogue with Willis and Long is pretty much inaudible. But there are some good set pieces and yeah, it doesn't take itself too seriously.

disusedgenius 20 Dec 2011 12:19:09 10,677 posts
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Oh yeah, it's one of the most underwhelming bad guys in action film history. Just pretend he's actually Alan Rickman or something...

4gate 20 Dec 2011 12:19:21 362 posts
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Die Hard 4.0 reminded me of an old Viz movie advert spoof, entitled 'Bruce Willis in a Vest XVII'. Says it all.

1 > 2 > 3 > 4 to my mind, but 4 does do big silly American in spades.

Cappy 20 Dec 2011 12:54:10 14,393 posts
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Has anybody mentioned Predator or Commando yet?

Just watch the entire Schwarzenegger film back catalogue. If you still hunger for more then move onto Stallone and Rambo etc. I particularly recommend the abysmal Cobra, it's remarkably stupid.

AcidSnake 20 Dec 2011 12:55:07 8,461 posts
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No-one mentioned Commando?!...For shame...

EDIT: Except Cappy...

Edited by AcidSnake at 12:57:18 20-12-2011

Genji 20 Dec 2011 12:59:44 19,682 posts
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I would have mentioned Commando, but it seemed so obvious that it wasn't really worth it.

GiarcYekrub 20 Dec 2011 13:11:56 4,760 posts
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Under Siege ... Tommy Lee Jones, Steven Segal, the nutter that is Gary Busey and I haven't even mentioned Erika Eleniak yet