this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2024
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Can we have good action flicks that aren't at the expense of good stories? It seems like the only reason to use the IP at that point is for cynically bankable nostalgia.
Nostalgia for what, though? It was a 'duo go into a tower and kill everyone' movie that happened to be called Dredd. I liked it for what it was and I didn't go in with any nostalgia. I feel your anxiety, but, I wonder if action movies by their nature can't really be deep meditations on the human condition. What story can be told at the muzzle of a gun or the end of a fist that hasn't already been told?
I kind of feel like action movies are at their best when they operate in a space that is far away from the frontal cortex, invite us to a more libidinal place. Even 'thinker' action movies like The Matrix, kind of strike me as philosophically shallow harangues interspersed with cool fights.
I donno, maybe I'm wrong, or not steeped enough in the genre, or just have normie preferences. Out of curiosity, what action movies have a good story & are worth checking out, in your opinion?
If I call a movie Animaniacs and it happens to be a heartfelt tear-jerker about a 1600s Russian peasant, would you say the same thing? Nevertheless, the original Dredd was a fun action film in its own right, you can definitely do both. I don't know what we're supposed to gain by expecting less.
To answer your question (did I miss that or was it edited in?) I'd recommend Fury Road straight away if you've not seen it, then going back for Ip Man, Guns Akimbo, Kung Fu Hustle, Psycho Goreman, Black Magic M-66, and of course the original action film, Seven Samurai. Not all pure "action" flicks, but all are examples of action packed cinema that don't leave any storytelling by the wayside.
Kurosawa is a good counterpoint for sure. Haven't seen Guns Akimbo, Psycho Goreman, or Black Magic M-66. I'll keep my eye out for those. Thanks!