The 2010 film The Expendables paid tribute to the action film of the 80s and 90s and starred many action heroes from that era including Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film filled the action movie void that seems to be present these days. Sure some people will point to movie stars such as Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson as proof that the action movie is still around but let's face it, there are fewer bankable action movie stars nowadays when compared to the past few decades. There is one actor however who has reinvented himself somewhat and although this might surprise some people, I believe the most successful action movie star of the past few years is a 59-year-old Liam Neeson.
It should seem absurd that an almost 60-year-old Neeson - an amateur boxer in his younger days - is so convincing in the action hero role as he is not ripped up like Stallone nor does he have the history of starring in these types of films which somebody like Bruce Willis has but the combination of Neeson's manly beard and pissed off demeanor make him the perfect hero in action movies. The question is at what point did Neeson become such a badass? Even though Neeson did star in 1990's Darkman, prior to becoming a present day action star, Neeson was primarily known for his dramatic roles in Schindler's List or Rob Roy. Neeson seems to have begun the transformation to full fledged leading Hollywood action star when he starred as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, in director George Lucas' Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Neeson would then star in action movies such as Batman Begins and The A-Team before cementing his action movie legacy by kicking ass in recent movies such as Taken, Unknown and the upcoming The Grey. In Neeson's action movie career he has gone from fighting somewhat serious threats such as terrorists and killers to more absurd ones like wolves in the thoroughly enjoyable trailer of The Grey. If there is one thing that every successful action movie in any era has it's that (mostly) men love to watch the lead actor fight and beat insurmountable odds. Whether it is Neeson beating up half of Europe with a tape recorder in Taken or fighting hostile wolf packs with his bare hands, Neeson's movies have quickly become must-see for almost every action movie loving guy out there.
I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you. I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.-- Neeson's epic line in Taken
The reinvention of Liam Neeson as an action movie star at age 60 has helped fill a void in a film industry lacking a strong lead actor for those action films that were so prevalent and successful in the 80s and 90s. When I was a kid (and even now), I loved watching absurd action movies. You know what is a winning proposition for this guy (point at self)? How about a movie that deals with a child custody battle in between an arm wrestling competition? Stallone starred in that wonderful movie Over the Top back in 1987. And there was a point back in the early-2000s where it seemed like we went a decade without seeing a good movie that had a scene involving a sleeveless Arnold blowing shit up and killing 200 people while walking around unscathed with two big ass guns. Yea the action movie was going the way of the dinosaur and sadly becoming extinct but thankfully along came Neeson in Taken beating up baddies with his vaunted chops to the throat. Neeson should be remembered for single handily saving the action movie genre in the 2000s and finally giving the 10-year-old boy in all of us movies that we can enjoy. Neeson is fighting wolves in his next movie and yes that is absurd but oddly enough to me, it is also brilliant and so much fun. Back in 2009 I dedicated an entire post to the greatness that is Stallone and wrote "For the man that has given us so much, I vote Stallone. For what? For anything... whether it is president, pope, the next captain of the Enterprise, the hobbit to carry Sauron's ring to Mordor or the new leader of the galaxy. There just has to be some way to honor him properly." I feel very strongly that Liam Neeson should also be honored in a similar manner. Now let's see him fight some wolves!
