5. Most Wanted
6. Missing in Action
Day 3 of the new year is another random pick night. I'm a bit disappointed in myself for only getting in two. I got out of work at 10am so by my normal standards, I should have squeezed in a couple more. Serves me right for a)falling asleep on the couch and b)getting restless enough to constantly keep checking the internet. Anyway, let's get on with it.
Most Wanted is a late 90's action flick starring Keenen Ivory Wayans. This was around the time that he was seemingly trying to become an action hero. This was the last attempt at it and pretty much his last leading role. It's too bad because I think he pulls it off pretty well. The plot in this one is nothing new. It had been seen prior to this and has been seen countless times since. A convict gets a second chance only to be double crossed and set up by shady folks.
*yawn*
The cast is engaging enough to make it work though. Alongside Wayans, you've got Jill Hennessy and Simon Baker in some pretty early roles, Jon Voight, Robert Culp, Paul Sorvino and Eric Roberts. Not all big names but certainly recognizable enough. There is a fairly cool scene here where Wayans is on the run with a huge bounty on his head. He's walking down the street, attempting to keep a low profile when suddenly he's spotted by someone. This turns into a big foot chase scene with dozens of folks chasing after him in an attempt to get some of that reward money. This actually leads to a large action set piece with crashing cars and people being struck by vehicles. Actually a pretty good scene.
Missing in Action is one of Chuck Norris' (seemingly)18,000 1980s action flicks. It's a solid one, as were most of them. It's tough to go wrong with the bearded one in an ass-kicking role. Here he plays Colonel James Braddock, a retired Army vet and a former prisoner of war. He knows that Vietnam is still holding Americans prisoner years after the war and decides to go in and set them free. Basically, he kills people with grenades, knives, guns and his hands. It's pretty much one of the quintessential action movies of the 80s and a concrete evidence of Norris' star power back during this time frame.
2 comments:
I forgot that Keenan Ivory Wayans wanted to be an action star at one point. I vaguely remember it now, though. We have a dearth of good action heroes these days. we could use more action movies that are actually worth watching.
Yeah, he had 3 in a row. There was A Low Down Dirty Shame, The Glimmer Man and then Most Wanted. To me, he had somewhat of an Eddie Murphy vibe where he was convincing with the action but funny at the same time.
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