I've been asked for movie recommendations many times, and I am always happy to point eager viewers in the right
direction. It is only one (vastly respected, often imitated but never duplicated) opinion, but I am glad to point one in the
direction of great actors, great performances and great films (or terrible films, performances and actors, of course).
A list of the greatest action films is one thing. You can't go wrong with the Terminators, the Rambos, the Rockys and the Dirty
Harrys. They stand as undisputed action classics. But what are the most underrated action films of all time?
Here are the FIRST FIVE of ten films that may have slipped under your radar that deserve a second look (or a first glance if
they were before your time or you missed them the first time around).
OVER THE TOP (1987) a.k.a. MEET ME HALFWAY
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Robert Loggia, Rick Zumwalt, David Mendenhall
Sylvester Stallone was the master of the underdog, whether it was a boxer (Rocky) or a traumatized war veteran (first
blood). And he brought that same mastery to this quickly forgotten film that made an even quicker exit from theatres...
But the production and formula that worked exceptionally well for Rocky 3 and Rocky 4 is implemented very nicely here
as Stallone brings us into the world of competitive armwrestling. It sounds as improbable as a good tennis movie
(Wimbledon) or a good movie about gay cowboys but what we have here is tangible proof that armwrestling can be the
subject of an engaging and exciting film.
Robert Loggia is excellent (as usual) as the antagonist in Stallone's family life, while real-life armwrestling legend Rick Zumwalt plays the Apollo Creed of armwrestling. If you can put up with a really annoying performance by Stallone's kid (a la Rocky 5), then you are in for a well=paced ride with a sharp soundtrack and one of the truly great 80s action montages of all time.
BLUE STEEL (1990)
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Ron Silver, Clancy Brown, Philip Bosco, Louise Fletcher
This movie made $8 million. Usually that is not a good sign, and the 1990 Oscar committee will not be filled with regret
for neglecting this film, but it is pretty solid. It is made largely so by Ron Silver's excellent performance as a socially
maladjusted murderer, just as he was reaching his peak as an actor in the early 1990s.
This was the film that established him as a notable and capable Hollywood villain. Jamie Lee Curtis does a fine job with her role, and the supporting cast is strong, with appearances by Louie Fletcher (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), Philip Bosco (Working Girl), Tom Sizemore (Heat) and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption).
THE RUNNING MAN (1987)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Dawson, Jesse Ventura, Yaphet Kotto, MIck Fleetwood
Somewhat overshadowed by the success of Predator, another Schwarzeneggerfilm released almost simultaneously, the
stratified villains, charismatic cast and good visual adaptation of this Stephen King story make for an action film that truly
holds up quite nicely over the passage of time.
You get your heavy dose of super-Schwarzenegger with some cheesy one-liners, crisp production, variety in characters and some pretty cool supporting appearances by Richard Dawson (host of Family Feud) as a psychopathic game show producer and Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) as the leader of a rebel resistance.
DEATH WISH (1970)
Starring: Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia, Jeff Goldblum
This film almost doesn't qualify, because it is recognized as a bona fide action classic. However, it has been largely
forgotten and relegated to the ranks of nameless and faceless pre-Stallone, pre-Schwarzenegger action films.
This may largely be due to a lengthy series of dismal sequels (much in the way that Jason and Freddy movies besmirched the character of the originals). It may also be due to the steady decline of Charles Bronson in the intervening years from a cinema megastar to (in the minds of some) an historical footnote. However, this film created a truly enduring character and stands as the definitive vigilante movie.
Not only does it lay the cinematic groundwork for everything from The Punisher to Batman Begins, but it stands up almost 40 years later as a thoroughly compelling film. And definitely watch for a very young Jeff Goldblum's first noteworthy role. You'll know it when you see it.
LAST ACTION HERO (1993)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Charles Dance, Robert Prosky, Mercedes Ruehl, Anthony Quinn
This movie was the box office bomb that showed Arnold Schwarzenegger to be merely human. After an unprecedented string of smash hits, the world watched in awe as audiences stayed away from this film.
But the funny thing was, it shouldn't have been the film that ended the run. It stands today as quite a clever satire of the action film formula and the shortcuts in realism the genre takes. "Die Hard" director John McTiernan does quite a masterful job of commandeering an ensemble cast through a well-crafted plot (minus magic movie tickets) that weaves seamlessly between the real world and the fantasy life of action heroes.
