Action Movies Don't Have to Suck

"Old-school action has emerged from its coma & is retraining itself." Hallelujah to that! @Expendables2 gets it right: "focused on stunt work & fight choreography"

The extreme closeup/short chop editing is nothing but a cheat dragged over from 90s and 00s music videos.  Actors don't need to train as much, punches thrown as hard, cars driven as fast, or choreography be as precise.  Its a headache inducing cop out and should die a quick death.... but it won't.  Because it's easy, cheap, and younger audiences are used to half paying attention anyways, so they don't care.

* I'm heading back to my front porch now to yell at some kids walking on my lawn*

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I work with a bunch of stunt guys and filmmakers in the Bay Area who are working to rectify the exact problem you've specified. We just made a film called Death Grip that combines Korean, Hong Kong, and 80s American sensibilities - here's a little taste for anyone who wishes to check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuWMnZugFzU

Jim Emerson has an excellent take on this - but he looks at Salt as a post-Action movie that actually has a lot of coherent, "traditional" action direction elements.  As opposed to The Dark Knight...

http://blogs.indiewire.com/pressplay/IN_THE_CUT_Salt_by_Phillip_Noyce_#

@SamWitwer Except for the newest one the Bourne trilogy is top-notch.

@SamWitwer Action movies kinda suck. Witwer movies are amazing.

@SamWitwer agree !

@SamWitwer so what you are saying is you're a chic flick kinda guy?

@SamWitwer I know you feel me on this

@SamWitwer No matter the genre, solid writing is what actors, directors, set designers, camera peeps & editors build upon. #BasicDramaRules

@SamWitwer So disappointed you aren't going to be at Dragon*Con this year. What about New York Comic Con?

@SamWitwer Here's a thought - how about we try dramaturgy? U know, support directors, actors, & yes WRITERS who make this stuff? #JustSayin

@SamWitwer Ummm... aside from being a sequel!

@SamWitwer What about the last Mission Impossible film, that was cool and new!

@SamWitwer I couldn't help but notice how that article didn't comment on The Matrix. The first movie. Because the other two don't exist.

@SamWitwer But they killed all the writers in Hollywood, then wonder why they spend a gazillion on FX and still the movie blows chunks.

@SamWitwer Yeah, those movies had a little something we writers like 2 call "coherent plot" & "good dialogue" & generally just good WRITING.

@SamWitwer we knew what ya meant. #secondtweetnotneeded

Post-Action movies make me sad.  Long live the tripod, and especially the steadicam.  

Vern's right about Universal Soldier: Regeneration.  It's bloody great.  

@outlawvern Excellent, excellent piece.

Deserved and overdue. More, please. RT @outlawvern: Hey, look at me, I'm in the Village Voice. http://t.co/4z4FW7g4

@outlawvern Congratulations, brother!

@davefranklin @outlawvern @studiesincrap My mate accepted Expendables 2 to be terrible with, 'It was never going to be good, was it?' Urgh