Kaboom. These are the guys who walk away from explosions without looking over their shoulder.

Here are the biggest and best action movies, 2011.

The Green Hornet
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Tom Wilkinson
Director: Michel Gondry
Release Date: 14 January 2011

A newspaper publisher (Seth Rogen) moonlights as a masked crimefighter nicknamed ‘The Green Hornet’ accompanied by his Asian valet, martial arts expert Kato. Despite his heroic intentions, he is considered so disreputable among law enforcement that he is able to talk casually with known criminals and even do business with them. Rogen says the movie’s not a comedy, despite his presence, and with the director being Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind) how this’ll turn out is anyone’s guess.

Ong Bak 3
Starring: Tony Jaa, Dan Chupong
Directors: Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai
Release Date: 14 January 2011

Guess who’s Bak? Picking up where the last movie left off, Tien (Tony Jass) is captured and almost beaten to death before he is saved and brought back to the mystical village. There he is taught meditation and how to deal with his Karma, but very soon his arch rival returns challenging him to a final duel. Ong Bak 3 actually premiered a month earlier on iTunes, Playstation, Xbox, Vudu, On Demand, and Amazon (as is increasingly the way with distributing smaller movies these days). But here’s your chance to see it on the big screen. Word is it’s a serious step-down from the previous two installments.

The Mechanic
Starring: Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Donald Sutherland, Christa Campbell
Director: Simon West
Release Date: 28 January 2011

Remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson cult classic about a hitman (Jason Statham) on the verge of retiring who agrees to train up a younger man (Ben Foster). But the new guy is the son of one of his handlers and may have more sinister motives. Jason Statham is not known for his versatility so we can already imagine every expression he’ll pull in this. Simon West (Con Air, Tomb Raider) is a so-so action director who’s not too strong on character and depth. Expect something passable.

The Eagle
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland, Mark Strong
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Release Date: 11 February 2011

The director of The Last King of Scotland adapts the classic 1954 adventure novel. A young Roman officer (Channing Tatum) sets out to discover the truth behind the disappearance of his father’s legion in the north of Britain. The main theme of the film is the “clash of cultures” between the Romans and the tribes beyond Hadrian’s Wall. All the Romans will be played by Americans. British actor Jamie Bell plays a slave. This is all sounding very political people.

I Am Number Four
Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron
Director: D.J. Caruso
Release Date: 18 February 2011

Michael Bay is producing a teen-action movie. Nine aliens who (conveniently) closely resemble humans, flee their home planet to hide on Earth. Evil aliens destroy their planet and follow them here to hunt them down, in numerical order. Each of the nine aliens is given a guardian and will develop superhuman powers as they become adults. From the director of Disturbia and Eagle Eye. Think bad guy aliens in long trenchcoats, and alien hunk in high school falling in love and developing X-Men powers. Nothing interesting here.

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