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Comment RSSAction Movies 2012 – Guide
1.01.12 # Action Movies # 29 CommentsGhost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds, Idris Elba, Christopher Lambert
Directors: Neveldine/Taylor
Out: 17th February 2012
Johnny Blaze (Cage) is in self-imposed exile in Eastern Europe, convinced that his powers are a curse. There he’s approached by a monk (Elba), seeking a protector for a mother and son who are being pursued by ‘Blackout’ (Whitworth) – someone with a detailed knowledge of the Ghost Rider and his different identities over the centuries. The filmmakers say they are shifting this toward horror, away from the 2007 movie. “He’s not really a superhero. His superpower is that he sucks out your soul.” Physically Ghost Rider will be more frightening this time, including a jacket that bubbles like tar, and a mouth that spews fire. From the directors of Crank, who also scripted the dire Jonah Hex, this could go either way – their shoot-from-the-hip style could either mean something fresh, or a lack of care and attention. Good to see Christopher Lambert back. [Critics: 18%] [Public: 4.4] – Avoid
John Carter
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Willem Dafoe, Lynn Collins, Mark Strong
Director: Andrew Stanton
Out: 9th March 2012
Civil War vet John Carter (Taylor Kitsch – Gambit in Wolverine) is transplanted to Mars, where he discovers a lush, wildly diverse planet whose main inhabitants are 12-foot tall green barbarians (one of whom is played by Willem Dafoe). Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter the ‘Princess of Helium’ who is in desperate need of a saviour. Based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel first published in 1912, this, astonishingly, went in pre-production in 1931 and has been in and out of development hell ever since. Directed by Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, Wall-E), it all sounds slightly Avatar. The trailers haven’t been too impressive. [Critics: 51%] [Public: 6.7] – Decent
The Raid: Redemption
Starring: Iko Uwais, Ananda George, Ray Sahetapy
Director: Gareth Evans
Out: 23rd March 2012
A SWAT team becomes trapped in a derelict apartment building run by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs, after their mission to arrest him goes awry. This is directed by a Welsh film director based in Indonesia, with an all Indonesian cast. Critics and fans at the Toronto Film Festival hailed it one of the best martial arts action films in years. The trailer has an exciting, kinetic energy, and suggests a string of inventive kills. [Critics: 84%] [Public: 7.7] – Excellent
Wrath Of The Titans
Starring: Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, Rosamund Pike
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Out: 30th March 2012
Perseus (Worthington) embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus (Neeson), who has been targeted for capture by his traitorous son, Ares (Édgar Ramírez), and his brother, Hades (Fiennes). Despite all round shoddiness, especially in the post-production 3D department, Clash of the Titans made $500 million worldwide and scored the 2nd largest April opening in history. This time, Gemma Arterton has gone, with Rosamund Pike, as warrior Queen Andromeda, taking leading lady status. Danny Huston will play Poseidon. The director gave us the terrible Battle: Los Angeles so expectations are low. [Critics: 26%] [Public: 5.8] – Mediocre
Lockout
Starring: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, Peter Stormare
Directors: James Mather, Stephen St. Leger
Out: 13th April 2012
A man wrongly convicted of committing espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president’s daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates. Yes, it’s the plot of the unproduced Escape From New York sequel Escape From Earth, borrowed and repackaged. Guy Pearce is a great leading man and this is rated R, which is a good sign. Lockout is the first feature for the directors, co-written by Luc Besson and produced by his Europa Corp who have been responsible for good, sometimes great, action titles like District B13, Taken and The Transporter. [Critics: 37%] [Public: 6.1] – Mixed Reaction
Safe
Starring: Jason Statham, Catherine Chan, James Hong, Reggie Lee
Director: Boaz Yakin
Out: 27th April 2012
A second rate cage fighter (Statham) in the mixed martial arts circuit blows a rigged fight, and has his life ruined by the Russian mafia. On the streets, on the edge of suicide, he encounters a 10 year-old Chinese math prodigy. She’s been abducted and sent to America by the Triads to help their extortion racquets by storing valuable numbers in her head. Although the plot has some interesting elements the trailer suggests a bog standard Statham movie, the young girl is no Natalie Portman, and the action is of the ‘ten mindless goons bursting through the door to be gunned down’ variety. Still Statham does still do action and line delivery like a pro. I wish he was given more top end material because he can own that too. This looks more Mercury Rising than Leon. [Critics: 57%] [Public: 6.5] – Decent
Okay, no joke, the Clash (Wrath, Bath, Math) of the Titans sequel look pretty damn fun. Can’t believe the sequel looks so much better than the original … though still not “good” in an objective sense.
The Lockout trailer rocks my balls off!
Holy crap.
LOOPER! I love that director, it’s going to rock.
Django, Skyfall … the list goes on. 2012 looks like a VERY good year for action adventure, all these movies look like a blast.
Let’s get real. The Avengers will be the best action movie of 2012. It’s all the stars of the most enjoyable action films of the last five years put into the same one. No brainer. The Dark Knight Rises can’t possibly live up the The Dark Knight. Bane is no Joker.
Dude, I believe you haven’t seen The Expendables 2 yet.
Nice list and some I’m actually looking forward to but whats with ‘The unfairly maligned McG’, really? he has a worse CV than Schumacher so i’m hoping that was a typo.
He became a figure of hate after Charlie’s Angels, now it doesn’t matter what he does, the fanboy community won’t give him a break. Terminator Salvation wasn’t half as bad as it was claimed to be.
Thats true but mostly justified, here is a guy who, regardless of quality still gets to spend millions of other peoples money when all we film watchers want is a good movie. Terminator Salvation wasn’t terrible but he had everything at his disposal to make it the film it should’ve been but he blew it. Until he makes a ‘Phone Booth’ he will continue to find himself vilified.
I am seriously looking forward to TDKR and Safe, if it lets Statham flex a little more than his biceps like you say
I think McG’s movies are average, not dreadful, is what I’m saying. He’s only directed 4 in his life and 3 of them were ok. Schumacher’s directed 23.
4! is that all? thank god for small mercies
2012 looks very good for action films, alot of these are pretty interesting. The last film that had ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Marilyn Manson playing in the trailer was one of the worst I’ve ever seen(Gamer) I dont have any high hopes for Wrath Of Titans..
Looks much better than the comedy selection, especially Safe House, Looper and Django Unchained.
The 2012 action movies I’m looking forward to most are Lockout, Total Recall and The Dark Knight Rises.
I think this time for the expendables, they have make it. With the coming of vanne damm and chuck norris means the best movie ever. Lets hope so
I’m so excited to watch this new spider man. It seems interesting
What? No The Raid: Redemption??? I’m outta here!
Have been meaning to add it. It’s there now.
I think the best action movie of 2012 was transformers 3 dark side of the moon
The best of trilogy
That one was last year.
i must say nice collection and nice work.
It’s not only a good year in movies, also in games.
I’m gonna spent al my money on all good games and movies that are gonna come this year!
The Expendables pile of crap, they must use a template for the story
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Post By Sheridan Passell
1st Jan
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