The 1980s hold a special place in the hearts ofaction moviefans, for both its incredible star power and cheesy dialogue, as seen in franchises likeDie HardandRocky. While some of these movies managed to earn the respect of critics and audiences alike, others are simply too silly to earn acclaim, instead relying on the love of true action buffsto become cult films. With the genre currently in the process of a stylish renaissance, it’s fun to look back on the heyday of silly action.
The ’80s are practically synonymous with the silly side of Hollywood, thanks toits share of campy B movies, slapstick comedy, and zany buddy movies. The action genre became a way of bringing together fans of different genres, often blending mystery, humor, adventure and romance to mixed effect. Some of the decade’s best movies are so silly they become entertaining – while others are simply absurd.
Tango & Cash
Cast
Two rival Los Angeles cops are forced to team up when a drug lord implicates them in a crime they didn’t commit. They end up in jail and their only option is to escape in order to bring the real culprit to justice.
The ’80s tookthe buddy cop genreto new heights through the likes ofLethal WeaponandBeverly Hills Cop, maintaining a light tone against relatively serious stories. InTango & Cash, Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell were paired up as a couple of mismatched detectives working to clear their names after being framed. From the moment either character first appears on-screen, they’re shown to be cowboy cops so absurd that they make John McClane seem by-the-book.
It’s hard to pinpoint a single serious moment in the movie, with even the duo’s prison torture being undermined by banter and Brion James' hilariously bad accent.The film took the zany side of the buddy cop genre to its natural conclusion, almost feeling like a parody of its genre in some places. With one of the most over-the-top final battles of its kind paired with an almost cartoony dynamic between its heroes, the movie is practically action forLooney Tunesfans.
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon (1980) is a science fiction film directed by Mike Hodges, featuring Sam J. Jones as the titular hero. Flash, a football player, battles the evil Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow) who threatens Earth. Accompanied by Dale Arden (Melody Anderson) and Dr. Hans Zarkov (Topol), Flash navigates an intergalactic struggle. The film is noted for its vibrant visuals and a memorable score by Queen.
Based on the classic pulp comic strips,Flash Gordonwas brought to the big screen in 1980 in an adventure that channeled the best of is space-based fantasy adventure. Joined by his companions, Hans Zarkov and Dale Arden, he makes his way to the planet Mongo, where he challenges galactic tyrant Ming the Merciless. As fun as the movie is, it makes clear from the outset that it isn’t to be taken seriously.
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In its defense,Flash Gordonwears the fact it’s a B-movie on its sleeve, from its cheesy acting from the likes of Brian Blessed to its iconic Queen soundtrack. Rather than succumbing to the trap of its contemporaries, it accepts the comic-booky nature of its character and his story. While its self-awareness is commendable,it’s still one of the campiest, most over-acted movies ever made– but it earned its place at the top of B-cinema.
Commando
Commando is a 1985 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as John Matrix, a retired special forces soldier who sets out to rescue his daughter from a group of mercenaries. Alyssa Milano, Vernon Wells, Bill Duke, Rae Dawn Chong, and Dan Hedaya round out the rest of the cast.
After success inTerminatorandConan the Barbarian, Arnold Schwarzenegger became the de facto king of the action genre for the 1980s. As this reputation grew, however, the seriousness of his films declined, something particularly true ofCommando. Casting the star in the role of a retired special forces operative who sets out to rescue his daughter, the movie took cheesy action to its peak, beginning with the hero jumping from a passenger jet to the ground below.
The movie gave its star some of his best one-liners, but constantly defused the tension in every scene for something that pushed the audience beyond suspension of disbelief.
Commandois, without a doubt, the face of the one-man army action genre, and boy does it live up to it. From watching the hero carry around a rocket launcher like it’s nothing to effortlessly shooting his way through a small army, there’s never a moment the audience questions Matrix’s skills. The movie gave its star some of his best one-liners,but constantly defused the tension in every scene for something that pushed the audience beyond suspension of disbelief.
Road House
With a story and screenplay by David Lee Henry and direction from Rowdy Herrington, Road House is a 1989 Action release starring Patrick Swayze in the lead role. Swayze steps into the shoes of James Dalton, a bouncer that is hired by a club owner to provide security for the establishment.
When it comes to “so bad they’re good” ’80s movies, it’s almost impossible to avoid discussion of Patrick Swayze in Road House. Playing the role of a hard-boiled, martial arts expert club bouncer, the movie tries to pass its hero off as a thoughtful, philosophical protagonist – only to drop gems like “pain don’t hurt” and “be nice until it’s time to not be nice.” Virtually every effort to bring something serious to the film is an exercise in irony, with every deep though accentuated by a roundhouse kick.
Known today for its laughable premise and absurd dialogue,Road Househas effectively become a modern meme, in no small part thanks toFamily Guy’streatment of it. This reflects its shallow plot and style-over-substance approach, but that’s precisely what fans love about it. The film owns the excesses of the action genre, and delivers its audience one big assortment of dumb lines and rugged, over-acted justice replete with unadulterated violence.
Cobra
In Cobra, a genius mathematician turns vigilante and uses his intellect to execute intricate crimes while police attempt to apprehend him. As the story progresses, layers of mystery unravel, leading to a gripping narrative filled with suspense and intellectual duels.
As his career took off post-Rocky, Sylvester Stallone took the leading roles in a number of action movies, but few have remained as iconic asCobra. Casting the star in the role of Marion “Cobra” Cobretti, an elite detective charged with protecting a witness from a cult, the movie quickly became the poster child of one-man army cop movies. Despite being a fun movie, the film repeatedly tries to set a serious tone, only to fail each and every time.
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The most absurd thing aboutCobrais howit manages to feel simultaneously self-aware yet much too serious. The shots of Stallone looking steely-eyed off into the distance were likely made to convey the darker side of the movie, but it’s hard not to laugh at how silly they can feel. As iconic as it is, the film’s attempt at emulating George Miller’s firstMad Maxjust made for an almost comical use of its star, and the film rightly became the face of hilarious Hollywood machismo.
Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer is a fantasy action film directed by Richard Fleischer. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular character, the film follows Conan on a quest to retrieve a magical artifact, aided by a motley crew of allies. This sequel to Conan the Barbarian, released in 1982, continues the adventures of the iconic sword-wielding hero in a mystical world of peril and sorcery.
In 1982, Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped into the role of Robert E. Howard’s iconic dark fantasy hero Conan the Barbarian. After vanquishing Tulsa Doom, the hero returned in 1984’sConan the Destroyer, which follows his mission to protect a princess as he traverses the perilous landscape in search of a jewel. While the film has its strengths, it fails to capture what made its predecessor so great – with its flaws evident from the jump.
Conan the Destroyermight have captured the tone of some of the hero’s comic book adventures, but the actual execution bordered on camp. In particular,Conan’s battle with the Apeman is almost parody, and the constant, unending capture of the princess and her cries to Bombaata become incessant. By the time the hero finally confronts the dark god Dagoth, audiences are given a comically absurd monster design to cap off a disappointing sequel.
Kickboxer
Kickboxer, released in 1989, follows Kurt Sloane on his quest for vengeance in Thailand after his brother, American kickboxing champion Eric Sloane, is paralyzed by Thai champion Tong Po. This martial arts film explores themes of sibling loyalty and determination against formidable adversaries.
Throughhis expertise in martial arts, Jean-Claude Van Damme established himself as one of the rising stars of ’80s action cinema. One of his most enduring performances of the decade came inKickboxer, which cast him as a vengeful martial artist seeking justice for his gravely-injured brother – in the ring. In-keeping with other sports movies, the movie is, in effect, one feature-length training montage – and it’s glorious.
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Kickboxerearned Van Damme his praise from action fans, thanks to its embrace of the tropes that define the intersection of action and sport. Taking everything absurd about movies likeRocky IIIto extremes, the film effectively defined the star’s career for years to come.The film’s intense training sequences are brilliantly juxtaposed with its hilarious ‘80sisms, perfectly shown through the iconic drunken dance fight sequence, which stops short of being aNaked Gun-style slapstick sequence.
Hard Ticket to Hawaii
Hard Ticket to Hawaii follows a civilian pilot and an undercover DEA agent as they disrupt a diamond delivery intended for a druglord. Facing retaliation, they enlist the aid of agent Rowdy Abilene and kickboxing expert Jade to combat the ensuing assault.
Revolving around a pair of government agents going up against a drug smuggler,Hard Ticket to Hawaiiis one of those movies that, once you watch it, immediately makes you appreciate other action films. Throughout the movie, audiences are shown a cast that struggles to take their own performances seriously. If anything else, the inclusion of a mutated, radioactive snake as a threat should show any viewer that the film makes the likes ofTango & Cashseem like Oscar-bait in comparison.
If anything else, the inclusion of a mutated, radioactive snake as a threat should show any viewer that the film makes the likes ofRocky IIIseem like Oscar-bait in comparison.
Hard Ticket to Hawaiihas earned a strong cult following specifically because of just how absurd a movie it is, practically taking every action trope to cartoonish levels.With the production value and depth of aMagnum PIepisode, the film is a blast from the past that often goes overlooked, even by people who love its style of action. Over-acted, poorly-written and reliant on a cheesy gimmick, the movie is one of the best B movies of the ’80s.
Firewalker
Max Donigan and Leo Porter are two down-on-their-luck adventurers who stumble upon a map that promises hidden treasure. Teaming up with Patricia Goodwin, a spirited historian, they venture into the heart of Central America, where the adventure of a lifetime awaits them.
After Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford helped reinvigorate the adventure genre, a number of similar films followed in its footsteps. InFirewalker, audiences were effectively given a movie that can best be described as Indiana Jones meets buddy comedy. Casting Chuck Norris and Louis Gossett Jr as a pair of treasure hunters, the film channeled the heyday of pulpy ’50s adventure – but its unmistakably ’80s style makes it hard to take seriously.
Firewalkeris actually one of Chuck Norris’ more underrated and likable movies, in no small part thanks to the inclusion of Gossett Jr. However, unlike Indiana Jones,it puts little effort into weaving a compelling treasure hunt, instead playing on the action and humorous banter to keep people engaged. Like many of Norris' movies, the movie’s rugged machismo, low production value and absence of stakes makes for a silly, albeit charming, jungle adventure.
Iron Eagle
Iron Eagle is a 1986 action film centered around a young pilot, Doug Masters, who seeks the assistance of Colonel Chappy Sinclair to execute a daring mission. Together, they endeavor to rescue Doug’s father, an Air Force pilot, from captivity in a hostile Middle Eastern country.
In 1986, Tony Scott’sTop Gunhelped bring aviation movies back into the mainstream. Interestingly, it was released right alongsideIron Eagle, a movie that follows a young man teaming up with his dad’s old friend to fly a fighter jet into enemy territory and rescue his father. From the tagline alone, the movie is impossible to take seriously as it defies logic every step of the way.
As a buddy movie,Iron Eaglehas some good potential, andTop Gunproved the aviation genre a hot commodity. However, with such a laughable premise and non-stop ’80s cheese, the movie seemed all the more absurd in comparison to Scott’s movie. It’s worth a watch for its character relationships and star chemistry,but it’s been torn to shreds by anyone with the most basic understanding of aviation.
