Hollywood Action Hero: Difference between revisions

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[[File:mcbain.jpg|link=The Simpsons|frame|''[[Say My Name|MENDOOOOOZAAAA!!!]]'']]
[[File:mcbain.jpg|link=The Simpsons|frame|''[[Say My Name|MENDOOOOOZAAAA!!!]]'']]


{{quote|''Hey, look at me''<br />
{{quote|''Hey, look at me''
''[[Unflinching Walk|Casually]]''<br />
''[[Unflinching Walk|Casually]]''
''Walking away like Action Movie Hero Boy,''<br />
''Walking away like Action Movie Hero Boy,''
''[[Power Walk|In slow-mo]],''<br />
''[[Power Walk|In slow-mo]],''
''Everything [[Pre-Explosion Glow|glowing]] and [[Stuff Blowing Up|blowing to bits]]''<br />
''Everything [[Pre-Explosion Glow|glowing]] and [[Stuff Blowing Up|blowing to bits]]''
''Right behind me!''|'''[[Lemon Demon]]''', "Action Movie Hero Boy"}}
''Right behind me!''
|'''[[Lemon Demon]]''', "Action Movie Hero Boy"}}


A subtrope of the [[Action Hero]], a [[Hollywood Action Hero]] is [[The Hero]] of a [[Summer Blockbuster]] [[Action Adventure]] Movie. He (and it's [[Always Male|almost always a he)]] is usually defined by a few specific traits that separate him from other types of heroes:
A subtrope of the [[Action Hero]], a [[Hollywood Action Hero]] is [[The Hero]] of a [[Summer Blockbuster]] [[Action Adventure]] Movie. He (and it's [[Always Male|almost always a he)]] is usually defined by a few specific traits that separate him from other types of heroes:


* '''{{smallcaps| Personality:}}''' Usually a Hollywood Action Hero is [[The Stoic|stoic]] and [[Deadpan Snarker|glib]] or wisecracking and jolly. Usually he's either creative or [[The Determinator|determined.]] This last one usually combines with [[Made of Iron]] to form [[Implacable Man]].
* '''Personality:''' Usually a Hollywood Action Hero is [[The Stoic|stoic]] and [[Deadpan Snarker|glib]] or wisecracking and jolly. Usually he's either creative or [[The Determinator|determined.]] This last one usually combines with [[Made of Iron]] to form [[Implacable Man]].
* '''{{smallcaps| Intellect:}}''' Usually [[Book Dumb]] but deadly practical, sometimes unusually smart.
* '''Intellect:''' Usually [[Book Dumb]] but deadly practical, sometimes unusually smart.
* '''{{smallcaps| Morality:}}''' A few are [[Anti-Hero|Anti Heroes]] but most are plain old heroes who are morally upright. That doesn't stop them from killing mooks yet deliberating a bit with villains though.
* '''Morality:''' A few are [[Anti-Hero|Anti Heroes]] but most are plain old heroes who are morally upright. That doesn't stop them from killing mooks yet deliberating a bit with villains though.
* '''{{smallcaps| Aesthetics:}}''' Usually rugged and [[Perma Stubble|unshaven]], often [[The Big Guy|muscular]], and usually [[Good Scars, Evil Scars|scarred.]]
* '''Aesthetics:''' Usually rugged and [[Perma-Stubble|unshaven]], often [[The Big Guy|muscular]], and usually [[Good Scars, Evil Scars|scarred.]]
* '''{{smallcaps| Martial Ability:}}''' They'll of course be [[Made of Iron]] or just plain ''made'' of hit points, soaking up tons of damage without stopping. They'll rarely fight with anything more complex than [[Good Old Fisticuffs]] and a trusty [[BFG]] or [[Hand Cannon]]. A recent trend among [[Action Hero|Action Heroes]] is to take a page from [[John Woo|the Book of Woo]] and use [[Guns Akimbo]].
* '''Martial Ability:''' They'll of course be [[Made of Iron]] or just plain ''made'' of hit points, soaking up tons of damage without stopping. They'll rarely fight with anything more complex than [[Good Old Fisticuffs]] and a trusty [[Big Freaking Gun]] or [[Hand Cannon]]. A recent trend among [[Action Hero]]es is to take a page from [[John Woo|the Book of Woo]] and use [[Guns Akimbo]].


Now compare the above to [[Common Mary Sue Traits]].
Now compare the above to [[Common Mary Sue Traits]].


Unsurprisingly, these types can fall to [[Invincible Hero]] if done poorly, especially when you consider your typical Action Hero wastes a [[wikipedia:Avogadrochr(27)s number|mole]] of mooks by movies' end. When it's averted, expect it to result in the hero bloody, bruised, and hurt badly by the end. He may be a [[Badass Normal]], but he still ''worked'' for that victory. Speaking of normal, Hollywood Action Heroes rarely have [[Stock Super Powers|super Powers]], perhaps because they tend to fit a male viewers "fantasy" of their ideal self, a strong warrior [[Ubermensch]] type who kills bad guys, does good, and gets the girl.
Unsurprisingly, these types can fall to [[Invincible Hero]] if done poorly, especially when you consider your typical Hollywood Action Hero wastes a [[wikipedia:Avogadro constant|mole]] of mooks by movies' end. When it's averted, expect it to result in the hero bloody, bruised, and hurt badly by the end. He may be a [[Badass Normal]], but he still ''worked'' for that victory. Speaking of normal, Hollywood Action Heroes rarely have [[Stock Super Powers|super Powers]], perhaps because they tend to fit a male viewers "fantasy" of their ideal self, a strong warrior [[Ubermensch]] type who kills bad guys, does good, and gets the girl.


The phrase "action heroes" appeared early in the 1960's, used to describe the [[Charlton Comics]] protagonists (later the inspiration for the characters in ''[[Watchmen]]''). This phrase, coined by Dick Giordiano, applied to their mostly non-metahuman adventurers such as [[The Question]] and [[Blue Beetle|Ted Kord]]. The era with the biggest affluence of Action Heroes are probably the 80's and 90's, with big name stars like Stallone, Schwarzeneger, Bruce Willis, and many, ''many'' others starring in a half dozen [[Summer Blockbuster|Summer Blockbusters]] every year. Many film critics lament that the current generation of actors has failed to produce a viable crop of Action Heroes, with only a few actors fitting the "classical" model like [[Jason Statham]], [[Vin Diesel]], and [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]]. There was also a big action movie scene in Hong Kong, with stars such as Bruce Lee, Chow Yun-Fat, Jackie Chan and Jet Li kicking serious ass with kung fu (or gun fu, in the case of Chow Yun-Fat).
The phrase "action heroes" appeared early in the 1960s, used to describe the [[Charlton Comics]] protagonists (later the inspiration for the characters in ''[[Watchmen]]''). This phrase, coined by Dick Giordiano, applied to their mostly non-metahuman adventurers such as [[The Question]] and [[Blue Beetle|Ted Kord]]. The era with the biggest affluence of Action Heroes are probably the 80's and 90's, with big name stars like Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and many, ''many'' others starring in a half dozen [[Summer Blockbuster]]s every year. Many film critics lament that the current generation of actors has failed to produce a viable crop of Action Heroes, with only a few actors fitting the "classical" model like [[Jason Statham]], [[Vin Diesel]], and [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]]. There was also a big action movie scene in Hong Kong, with stars such as Bruce Lee, Chow Yun-Fat, Jackie Chan and Jet Li kicking serious ass with kung fu (or gun fu, in the case of Chow Yun-Fat).


The movies of the 2000s have instead produced the [[Action Survivor]] who, rather than being a [[Marty Stu]], is more akin to a [[Self-Insert Fic]] where [[Hilarity Ensues]]. Occasionally both are teamed up as an [[Action Duo]]. Contrast the [[Nerd Action Hero]].
The movies of the 2000s have instead produced the [[Action Survivor]] who, rather than being a [[Marty Stu]], is more akin to a [[Self-Insert Fic]] where [[Hilarity Ensues]]. Occasionally both are teamed up as an [[Action Duo]]. Contrast the [[Nerd Action Hero]].
{{examples|Examples of Action Heroes:}}


{{examples|suf=es}}
== [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] ==
== [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] ==
* ''[[The 6th Day]]''
* ''[[The 6th Day]]''
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* ''[[Way of the Dragon]]''
* ''[[Way of the Dragon]]''


== [[Bruce Willis (Creator)]] ==
== [[Bruce Willis]] ==
* ''[[Die Hard]]'' and its sequels.
* ''[[Die Hard]]'' and its sequels.
* ''[[The Last Boy Scout]]''
* ''[[The Last Boy Scout]]''
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* ''[[Where Eagles Dare]]''
* ''[[Where Eagles Dare]]''
* ''[[The Rookie]]''
* ''[[The Rookie]]''
* ''[[Pale Rider]]''
* ''[[Pale Rider]]''


== [[Chuck Norris]] ==
== [[Chuck Norris]] ==
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* ''Bridge of Dragons''
* ''Bridge of Dragons''
* ''[[The Expendables]]''
* ''[[The Expendables]]''
* ''[[I Come in Peace (Film)|I Come in Peace]]''
* ''[[I Come in Peace (film)|I Come in Peace]]''
* ''[[Red Scorpion]]''
* ''[[Red Scorpion]]''
* ''Showdown in Little Tokyo''
* ''Showdown in Little Tokyo''
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* ''[[War]]''
* ''[[War]]''


== [[Jean Claude Van Damme]] ==
== [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]] ==
* ''[[Bloodsport]]''
* ''[[Bloodsport]]''
* ''[[Cyborg (film)|Cyborg]]''
* ''[[Cyborg (film)|Cyborg]]''
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* ''[[Executive Decision]]''
* ''[[Executive Decision]]''
* ''[[Soldier]]''
* ''[[Soldier]]''
* ''[[Tango and Cash]]''
* ''[[Tango and Cash]]''


== [[Mel Gibson]] ==
== [[Mel Gibson]] ==
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* ''[[Con Air]]''
* ''[[Con Air]]''
* ''[[Kick-Ass]]''
* ''[[Kick-Ass]]''
* ''[[Ghost Rider]]''
* ''[[Ghost Rider]]''


== [[Sean Connery]] ==
== [[Sean Connery]] ==
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
⚫
[[Category:Hollywood Action Hero]]
[[Category:Pages needing more categories]]
[[Category:Pages needing more categories]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
⚫
[[Category:Hollywood Style]]
[[Category:Hero Tropes]]

Latest revision as of 11:27, 22 October 2023

MENDOOOOOZAAAA!!!

Hey, look at me
Casually
Walking away like Action Movie Hero Boy,
In slow-mo,
Everything glowing and blowing to bits
Right behind me!

—Lemon Demon, "Action Movie Hero Boy"

A subtrope of the Action Hero, a Hollywood Action Hero is The Hero of a Summer Blockbuster Action Adventure Movie. He (and it's almost always a he) is usually defined by a few specific traits that separate him from other types of heroes:

Now compare the above to Common Mary Sue Traits.

Unsurprisingly, these types can fall to Invincible Hero if done poorly, especially when you consider your typical Hollywood Action Hero wastes a mole of mooks by movies' end. When it's averted, expect it to result in the hero bloody, bruised, and hurt badly by the end. He may be a Badass Normal, but he still worked for that victory. Speaking of normal, Hollywood Action Heroes rarely have super Powers, perhaps because they tend to fit a male viewers "fantasy" of their ideal self, a strong warrior Ubermensch type who kills bad guys, does good, and gets the girl.

The phrase "action heroes" appeared early in the 1960s, used to describe the Charlton Comics protagonists (later the inspiration for the characters in Watchmen). This phrase, coined by Dick Giordiano, applied to their mostly non-metahuman adventurers such as The Question and Ted Kord. The era with the biggest affluence of Action Heroes are probably the 80's and 90's, with big name stars like Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and many, many others starring in a half dozen Summer Blockbusters every year. Many film critics lament that the current generation of actors has failed to produce a viable crop of Action Heroes, with only a few actors fitting the "classical" model like Jason Statham, Vin Diesel, and The Rock. There was also a big action movie scene in Hong Kong, with stars such as Bruce Lee, Chow Yun-Fat, Jackie Chan and Jet Li kicking serious ass with kung fu (or gun fu, in the case of Chow Yun-Fat).

The movies of the 2000s have instead produced the Action Survivor who, rather than being a Marty Stu, is more akin to a Self-Insert Fic where Hilarity Ensues. Occasionally both are teamed up as an Action Duo. Contrast the Nerd Action Hero.

Examples of Hollywood Action Heroes include:

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Bruce Lee

Bruce Willis

Chow Yun-Fat

Clint Eastwood

Chuck Norris

Dolph Lundgren

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Errol Flynn

Harrison Ford

Humphrey Bogart

Jackie Chan

Jason Statham

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jet Li

Kurt Russell

Mel Gibson

Nicolas Cage

Sean Connery

Steven Seagal

Sylvester Stallone

Tony Jaa

Vin Diesel

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