Kaboom. These are the guys that toss a lit cigarette at a gas station.

Here are the biggest and best action movies, 2013.

– JANUARY –
The Last Stand
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville
Director: Kim Jee-Woon
Released: January 18, 2013

A notorious drug cartel leader (Norieg) escapes a FBI prisoner convoy and speeds to the Mexico border with his gang, where the only thing in his path is a sheriff (Schwarzenegger) and his inexperienced staff. This is the English language debut of impressive Korean director Kim Jee-Woon (‘I Saw the Devil’, ‘A Tale Of Two Sisters’), and his cinematographer. A curious mix to be sure. While the stand itself is a little underwhelming, the build-up is tense, the supporting cast is full of great character actors, and it’s fun to watch Schwarzenegger’s first leading man role in 10 years. [Critics (via Rotten Tomatoes): 60%] [Public (via IMDB): 6.4] – Decent

Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Released: January 25, 2013

Tonally similar to ‘Evil Dead II’, this has siblings Hansel (Renner) and Gretel (Arterton), 15 years after the gingerbread house incident, working as badass witch hunters. The director of ‘Dead Snow’ makes his US debut mixing a steampunk vibe with a Goth edge and hyper-cartoon violence/R-rate gore. This is part of an odd recent Hollywood trend for taking children’s stories and turning them into horror/thriller/action movies. Critics felt it didn’t work as an adventure or a parody but the public generally liked it. International box office numbers mean a sequel is in the works. [Critics: 15%] [Public: 6.1] – Mixed Reaction

– FEBRUARY –
Bullet To The Head
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Jason Momoa
Director: Walter Hill
Released: February 1, 2013

Adaptation of French graphic novel ‘Du Plomb Dans La Tete’. After watching their respective partners die, a hitman (Stallone) teams with a young NYPD detective (Kang – Han from ‘Fast Five’) for a high-stakes investigation into that leads from the dingy back alleys to the power corridors of New Orleans. The unlikely duo are willing to sacrifice everything to exact revenge. Jason Momoa, aka Conan The Barbarian, plays the main villain. With Walter Hill (‘The Warriors’, ’48 Hours’) returning to action after a long break, and Christian Slater in a major role, this is old school action in every way. Critics and the public had generally good things to say, even though it flopped at the box office. [Critics: 47%] [Public: 5.7] – Mediocre

Jack The Giant Slayer
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci
Director: Bryan Singer
Released: March 22, 2013

Fantasy/adventure film based loosely on the beanstalk fairy tale. A young farmhand (Hoult) unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants thought only to exist in legend. Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost. Jack must fight for the kingdom, and the love of a brave princess. Tucci plays the villain, an adviser to the king (McShane) with designs on usurping power. Bill Nighy plays one of two heads on a giant. Like Snow White and Red Riding Hood, this is part of a recent trend for turning children’s stories into action/thriller pictures. Director Singer was looking to redeem his box office fortunes after ‘Superman Returns’ and ‘Valkyrie’, but it underperformed financially. Critics and the public liked it though, calling it an exciting, humorous, occasionally intense pantomime. [Critics: 52%] [Public: 6.3] – Decent

A Good Day To Die Hard
Starring: Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, Sebastian Koch, Cole Hauser, Yuliya Snigir
Director: John Moore
Released: February 14, 2013

‘Die Hard 5’ sees McClane go international, when his estranged son (played by relative unknown Jai Courtney) is caught up in the daring prison escape of a rogue Russian leader. Now father and son must work together to keep each other alive and keep the world safe for democracy. Sebastian Koch (‘The Lives Of Others’) plays the villain, a disgraced Russian general who plots the assassination of the visiting U.S. President. Mary Elizabeth Winstead makes a brief appearance. The mediocre director of ‘Max Payne’ is at the helm. The team from BBC’s ‘Top Gear’ designed the car chase. Critics and fans have mauled it for its cliched and confusing plot, over-reliance on poor cgi, and mishandling of the Die Hard brand (John McClane is not superhuman). [Critics: 14%] [Public: 5.3] – Avoid

– MARCH –
Olympus Has Fallen
Starring; Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Released: March 22, 2013

A disgraced former Presidential guard (Butler) puts himself back inside the White House when it’s attacked by North Korean terrorists. Using his inside knowledge, he works with national security to try and rescue the President (Eckhart) from the kidnappers and avert a global disaster. From capable director Antoine Fuqua (‘Training Day’, ‘Shooter’), this is rated R, and benefits from a strong supporting cast including Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, Dylan McDermott, Melissa Leo, Radha Mitchell, and Ashley Judd. It’s almost identical to ‘White House Down’ but takes itself more seriously, which is a good thing. In fact it’s surprisingly vicious (see Butler’s interrogation of two Koreans) but that gives it a much-needed edge. This is a highly entertaining ‘Die Hard’-style actioner. You just have to see past Gerard Butler’s awful rom-com baggage. [Critics: 47%] [Public: 6.4] – Decent

More 2013 Action Movies (MARCH) >

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