I sorta swiped this idea from one of the many Heath threads.

When I was growing up action movies starred Arnold, Sly, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, or even Clint Eastwood. Now Arnold mostly makes embarassing family fare (even his action movies), Sly disappeared, Clint's last 18 movies have centered around what an old fart he is, and Mel and Harri aren't quite Indy and Mad Max anymore.

Where's the new crop of action superstars? Bruce Willis I think played that role in the early nineties but he's showing his age. Some folks say Keanu and I say "fuck off." Is Brad Pitt and action hero because of fight club? Are they gonna try to give Leo de Caprio some scruff and send him off to fight bad guys? Is Lorenzo Lammas gonna make a big comeback? Who's gonna save the world now?

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

Answers

Buffy.

I'm sorry, but the answer to your question is "Buffy." When that show is at its best, it's taken the action hero concept and turned it onto its ass. And put it in a miniskirt, too.

Buffy.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

But Buffy is a television show. The movie itself was great but lacked ass-kicking (and came out in the early nineties). Plus it starred Kristie Swanson, not Twiggy McWhatsherface.

It's too bad that there aren't more action movies with real female protagonists (rather than female love interests). The only good two I can think of over the past several years are The Long Kiss Goodnight and G.I. Jane. I didn't see Charlie's Angels so I dunno about that one.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

Wesley Snipes.

Yumsters.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

What about Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon?" The action superstar genre is still alive and kicking in Hong Kong, and many of those films feature women prominently, like my all- time favorite action movie "The Heroic Trio."

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

Brad Pitt? Ick.

Female, hmmmmm. What about Angelina Jolie? Maybe she's going to kick some serious ass when "Tomb Raider" comes out.

I still have to go with Buffy like Beth though, television or no.

Something about imagining Leo DeCreepio being an action star just makes me giggle uncontrollably.

I think Bruce Willis is still holding up. And maybe Ben Affleck will have a shot now that he's playing Jack Ryan in lieu of Harrison Ford in the new upcoming Tom Clancy story. Forget which one it is. All i know is it's being filmed partly in Montreal and i'm pretty damn disappointed that i haven't seen Ben Affleck around anywhere. *Drool*

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

Angelina Joile is definitely being billed as the female Indy, and there's a lot of hope that it scores with the tyro through 18 year olds, especially the boys, as it will pave the way for more Tomb Raider films as well as more films with female protagonists who rock. Brendan Frazier might have been considered a possible hero iconic status, but he does enough off-beat weird stuff that he hasn't quite garnered the "iconic" part of that... although The Mummy Returns pulling in a whopping 70 million on opening weekend didn't hurt his reputation terribly. (Special effects, lots of bad guys, who knows what importance he was to the combination which gets the people in the door, but it didn't hurt him.) Afleck could easily be the next biggie, especially with doing the Jack Ryan thing as someone here said, but then again, the Ryan series would really need to have some real punch to the next script not to feel like too much been there/done that, which could easily diminish Afleck's perceived status as hero material. Don't forget Hugh Jackman as Wolverine -- he's gaining a big following (drool) and while you don't care for Keanu, there's still Carrie Ann Moss in the next Matrix films, which continues the winning streak of female action stars. (And, speaking of, I think there are going to be more and more female action stars in films since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon did so well at the box office... producers will definitely be trying to capitalize on girl power.) Some people keep saying that Tobey Maguire is so buff for the Spiderman film that we're not going to recognize him, and I'd say we'd better not if we're to believe that one. (And whoever said they would giggle if someone tried to make Leo an action hero? Goes double, here. He's such a Ken doll, in spite of the gritty roles he's played in a couple of films.)

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

Buffy? Hell no. I'm proud to say I've never seen a single episode. I suppose that might have something to do with the fact I never get away from cbs, abc, nbc, or fox. Still.. What's so great about her?

I think Jessica Alba could kick her booty. Sarah is way to skimpy to be a hero. Watch "Dark Angel", get some pointers. Am I the only one who watches that show? I think I have my first girl crush there. Jessica Alba kicks ASS.

Can you watch "Dark Angel" and "Buffy"? Or are there time conflicts. "Dark Angel" is on Tuesdays at 9pm.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001

"Dark Angel" intensely pisses me off, not because I don't think it's a good show (I do), but because of the way James Cameron (he's the producer -- he gets the blame) ripped off the concept.

Some of you will remember the lawsuit involving Harlan Ellison (with whom I actually have a passing acquaintance) and "Terminator." "Dark Angel," I am telling you, is a DIRECt and SHAMELESS rip-off of a Japanese comic book, or "manga," called "Battle Angel Alita" by Yukito Kishiro.

Known as "Gunnm" in Japan (the name is a pun of sorts on the word for "gun" and "dream" [gan + mu]), an independent producer -- or someone claiming to be one -- reportedly approached the U.S. publisher of the series at San Diego Comic Con a few years ago and gave his "pitch": "I'm thinking Christina Ricci, or maybe someone else...I'm thinking New York City."

As we know now, "Angel" is set in Seattle...not the "Scrapyard" of Kishiro's city. However, one quick look at Alba and her "Doc Ito," Michael Weatherly, will convince you more quickly than anything anyone could tell you. Do a quick search on Google, if nothing else; see what Alita looks like, and compare Alba's "Max." (Ito and Weatherly are also dead-ringers.)

How producers manage to get away with this kind of thing is beyond me. I have no idea why the original series' creator, Kishiro, didn't sue. Unless...nah. I've never seen his name in the credits. Have you?

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001