"You see, you're only five words into your multi-paragraph post and you've already gone and fucked up.
I am inclined to agree with you on Iron Eagle, but Top Gun is a genuine classic. Tony Scott was firing on all cylinders when he made that one."
Top Gun is not only cheesy, but it features a bunch of smug characters who look like Sears catalog models, and cringeworthy dialog ("I am dangerous"). It's good for a laugh, but it isn't a good movie.
"I'd say Die Hard and Predator are just as iconic as Commando and Rambo II, if not more so. And both are more fun."
Die Hard? You mean that movie starring that balding, no-muscles guy from that shitty TV show, Moonlighting? I never bought him as an action star; not when I was 13 when that movie came out, and not now.
Predator is a great movie, but it's not a pure action movie, i.e., it is action/sci-fi.
"Commando is a little too goofy and Rambo II simply isn't very good. Give me Die Hard, Predator, The Terminator, Robocop, Lethal Weapon or The Running Man over either of those two any day of the week."
The Terminator is the best movie in that list, and one of the best movies of all time, but again, it isn't a pure action movie (it's action/sci-fi/horror). Robocop is a great movie too, but it's action/sci-fi. The Running Man wasn't very good, and is also action/sci-fi. Lethal Weapon wasn't bad, but in terms of "buddy cop" movies, I'd rather watch 48 Hrs. or Red Heat.
Commando was a pure action movie featuring the biggest action star of the '80s, and the best one-liners from the king of one-liners. It was also released right square in the middle of the 1980s, which gives it the best possible separation from both the 1970s and the 1990s.
In an episode of Family Ties (it was Nick's first appearance on the show I think), Malory and Nick came home from watching a movie, and someone asked them how the movie was. Nick said something to the effect of, "It was okay, but not enough action." When asked what movie it was, Malory said, "Commando with Arnold Schwarzenegger." The joke worked because, in reality, Commando exemplified action movies, i.e., it was the most action-packed movie the writers could think of.
"The Bottom Line is that Top Gun is recognizable to a lot more people than Iron Eagle is."
That may be true in general, but it only matters if it's true for the Cobra Kai demographic. If the demographic is primarily people who watched the Karate Kid movies in the 1980s when they were kids (like I did), then I would expect most of them to be familiar with Iron Eagle.
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PrimeMinisterX (8314)
5 years ago
"Top Gun is not only cheesy, but it features a bunch of smug characters who look like Sears catalog models, and cringeworthy dialog ('I am dangerous'). It's good for a laugh, but it isn't a good movie."
I will agree to disagree, and simply say that I think Top Gun is a great fucking movie. Not only a lot of fun, but also very well made. The upcoming sequel is easily my most anticipated film of 2020.
"Die Hard? You mean that movie starring that balding, no-muscles guy from that shitty TV show, Moonlighting? I never bought him as an action star; not when I was 13 when that movie came out, and not now."
Eh, he didn't have the physique of an Arnold or a Sly, but he was in pretty good shape for what was supposed to be a common man. I remember my mom was into him back in the day.
"The Terminator is the best movie in that list, and one of the best movies of all time, but again, it isn't a pure action movie (it's action/sci-fi/horror). Robocop is a great movie too, but it's action/sci-fi. The Running Man wasn't very good, and is also action/sci-fi. Lethal Weapon wasn't bad, but in terms of "buddy cop" movies, I'd rather watch 48 Hrs. or Red Heat."
I think you're being a little too restrictive in your definition of "action movie." If you toss out all the films that have sci-fi elements, you're excluding a shitload of great action films, including what some think is the best action film of all time: T2.
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PrimeMinisterX (8314)
5 years ago
"Commando was a pure action movie featuring the biggest action star of the '80s, and the best one-liners from the king of one-liners. It was also released right square in the middle of the 1980s, which gives it the best possible separation from both the 1970s and the 1990s."
I really think you're giving Commando too much credit.
Yeah, it had Arnold, but it's not a film that I personally ever feel much desire to revisit and it also wasn't a big box office hit. It made $57 million at the box office. Die Hard, in comparison, made $141 million. Lethal Weapon made $120 million. I also think Commando just doesn't have the kind of cultural footprint that either of those films have.
Is it a good action film? Sure. Is it the "quintessential 80s action film" that you claim? I don't really think so.
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