Aaaah the late 80s
when:
The fact that a character's name is 'Action' Jackson didn't need to be justified. It just was. We take for granted that Action Jackson is scary and awe-inspiring as peripheral characters tell us so. Ditto the fact that his passion for his job and creative methods have resulted in him being demoted and his wife leaving him
The bad guy is identified early. Better still he is already Action Jackson's nemesis. Better still, still. The guy responsible for his demotion and wife leaving him. Unexpected and unnecessary nudity was both expected and necessary. The bad guy has a hot trophy wife (Sharon Stone) and a hot mistress (Vanity). Both of whom are more than willing to take their clothes off for little reason.
Furthermore
Women get out of the shower nude. Guys are wearing jeans. Performing in a club with a totally see through top isn't noticed by anyone in the club – but those of us watching at home
It doesn't matter if the hero doesn't actually say something funny or clever, as long as he and the other characters seem to think what he is saying is funny and/or clever. Post-kill quips still need work though, no "Hasta la vista Baby" or "Stick around here"
(though "How do you like your ribs" was OK. The answer is apparently 'exploded'.) Dangerous minions can time their hit and run assassination attempts to coincide with the came split second that their target walks through a door, despite traffic and the fact that they are hundreds of yards away with no possible way of knowing that this was the point he was to emerge
"I have to catch a cab' means a chase scene, with Jackson not only catching up but giving him a mouthful through the window of his speeding car
while still on foot! Leading to big explosions and certain civilian deaths, none of which are mentioned again. People get hit in the face and actually bleed. (Happens less on film nowadays than you think.) Cheesy pop music on the soundtrack is justifiable for the fact that it was the 80s, the spiritual home of cheesy pop music. Every character actor in the film is recognisable from another classic film of the era. In the first 10 minutes I saw minor roles filled with actors from Predator, Beverly Hills Cop, Red Heat, Back to the Future and seemingly half of the cast of Die Hard. We know the big showdown will be a fist fight when we see the Bad Guy training in hand to hand combat. A good body double can make you think that a 60 year old is a karate machine
why don't we ever manage to see his face while he pulling off these athletic moves
? Stunt men are plentiful and disposable, and unnecessary CGI is not needed. Movies were 80 minutes long and had a beginning, middle and end.
Final Rating – 6 / 10. None of the above things are bad. Action Jackson is not in the same league as Lethal Weapon, Die Hard and their peers, but it is a solid formula action comedy, which proves that Carl Weathers had genuine on screen likability.
