The summer is here and what better time than to watch some action flicks. You know the ones with the bad ass cops chasing the ruthless bad guys; the outrageous and over-the-top explosions and fist-cuffs; the high octane car chases; the sexy girls; the rocking music; all those things required to make a great action film. So for the rest of the summer I plan to watch at least one action movie a day and post my review. Such films like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Gladiator, Escape From New York, Point Break, Bad Boys, Beverly Hills Cop, Speed, The Last Boy Scout, Bullitt, Cobra, Goldeneye, Romancing The Stone and tons more.
I will kick off things with Demolition Man, the sci-fi action flick from 1993 that starred Slyvester Stallone as super cop John Spartan who battles his crazy nemesis Simon Phoenix (played by Wesley Snipes). The two wage war in modern day LA but then are placed in suspended animation until the year 2032 when Phoenix is accidentally freed and the only person who can stop him is Spartan. You see Spartan was tried and wrongfully convicted of killing some innocent bystanders in the crossfire between him and Phoenix. So now Spartan gets payback. Co-starring Sandra Bullock as Officer Lenina Huxley, a cop who longs for the good old days of busting skulls and shoot-outs. Demolition Man is a cool action flick that really does throw everything at you. Stallone and Snipes make a good hero/villain dynamic. And there are tons of fist fights, car chases and shoot-outs galore.
B
Once again hostile aliens attack Earth. This time for our water. And while it is a worldwide strike on the major cities, this film focuses on one city in particular: Los Angeles. And one squad of marines go behind battle lines to rescue some civilians, led by a green lietenuant (played by Ramon Rodriguez). He is supported by the tough Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz (played by Aaron Eckhart). The film opens up with the aliens opening salvo which catches everyone by surprise. They are mistaken for a cluster of meteors. Soon all out war is on and the screen is filled with non-stop action as our marines, who are outgunned and outmanned give it all they have. Michelle Rodriguez filters in about 30 minutes in as an Air Force tech officer who has a theory on how to take out the main alien control center. Battle: Los Angeles is one rock 'em, sock'em action film that doesn't take 3 hours to get going and tell it's story.
It's immediately in your face and along the way fills in the aliens agenda as the movie goes along. These handful of marines who each have their own personality lock and load and kick major ass. While they lose quite a few members, and face impossible odds, they never give up. The visual effects are effective and the aliens are encased in metal covering their bodies with their weapons actually attached to their arms. The pacing is good as the film logs in just under 2 hours. A good way to describe this film would be a mix of District 9, Blackhawk Down and the video game Call Of Duty. There is so much ordance being fired, that you find yourself thinking this is war. Humans against aliens. And it doesn't look good for the home team. But we bring that never say die attitude in full effect. BOOM BOOM! I enjoyed it immensely.
B
