Best movies of the New Generation of American Action Stars?

[DeathFuMaster]

With so many direct-to-dvd releases these days, its hard to wade through the crap to find the good stuff. What are some of the greatest films with Mark Dacascos, Johnny Young Bosch, Scott Adkins, Jason Statham, etc? I'm looking for good American action/martial arts films that have been released recently, it doesn't have to be big budget. I've seen Broken Path, Ninja, Undisputed 2 & 3, and the Transporter films. I have also heard that Drive with Dacascos is good.

Any suggestions would be great!

[Reel Power Stunts]

"Drive" is better than good. It's a must see. If you enjoyed "Undisputed 2 & 3" & "Ninja", then you might like some of director Isaac Florentine's other films. I personally really enjoyed "US Seals 2" and "Special Forces".

[Drunken Monk]

Dacascos is very great in "Brotherhood of the Wolf" but it certainly isn't a martial arts film at all. It's bloody good though.

Scott Adkins has a small turn in "The Tournament." While it had very mixed reviews, I personally enjoyed it as a solid action flick.

Also, check out "Blood and Bone" with Michael Jai White. It's a competent little US martial arts film. Oh and "Black Dynamite" is great for the comedy and the flares of action.

[DeathFuMaster]

"Drive" is better than good. It's a must see. If you enjoyed "Undisputed 2 & 3" & "Ninja", then you might like some of director Isaac Florentine's other films. I personally really enjoyed "US Seals 2" and "Special Forces".

Yeah but Drive is kinda hard to get too. I already tried to find Special Forces, but as you can imagine their are a lot of movies with that title. Do you have a link to the one you're talking about?

Dacascos is very great in "Brotherhood of the Wolf" but it certainly isn't a martial arts film at all. It's bloody good though.

Scott Adkins has a small turn in "The Tournament." While it had very mixed reviews, I personally enjoyed it as a solid action flick.

Also, check out "Blood and Bone" with Michael Jai White. It's a competent little US martial arts film. Oh and "Black Dynamite" is great for the comedy and the flares of action.

Thanks for those suggestions. I will definately check those out, Blood and Bone definitely seems like what Im looking for. I have Black Dynamite and its great

[Reel Power Stunts]

Are you based in the US? If so - the Special Forces I'm on about can be bought here: http://www.amazon.com/Special-Forces-DVD-American-Heroes/dp/B000MS0VXQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1281981467&sr=1-4

second hand for 72cents!

If youre in the UK, "Drive" seems to always be avail on ebay & amazon.co.uk

[DeathFuMaster]

Im in the US and I found a copy of Drive. Thanks for the link to Special Forces, for that price Im all over it.

[GazzO]

If you like Dacascos then it's prob a good idea to check out Only the Strong - it's a film about Capoeira, and as always, Mark is awesome in it. It's not that recent, but it's still worth watching.

Try and get a hold of Contour too, that's amazing, it's really funny too.

[slinky]

I liked Instinct to Kill with Mark also on top of what others said.:

[blue_skies]

Contour, Drive, Extreme Heist (aka wicked game with Johnny Yong Bosch), I also really like Crying Freeman with Mark Dacascos but not as good as the others I named.

btw don't limit your choices with US movies there's tons of great foreign action movies:wink:

oh yeah you have to get the UK DVD you don't want the US cut

another thing Jason Stratham is Engish!

[DeathFuMaster]

Contour, Drive, Extreme Heist (aka wicked game with Johnny Yong Bosch), I also really like Crying Freeman with Mark Dacascos but not as good as the others I named.

btw don't limit your choices with US movies there's tons of great foreign action movies:wink:

oh yeah you have to get the UK DVD you don't want the US cut

another thing Jason Stratham is Engish!

I'm only asking for US recommendations because Im interested in finding some good ones. Obviously I would know about other foreign action films or else I wouldn't even be a member of this site I honestly hope you don't think that Im not into HK, mainland, korean, thailand, etc action films lol. But I truly do appreciate the recommendations.

Ok you mentioned the UK DVD instead of the US cut, but not the actual movie title. Im interested to know which movie you were talking about.

And yes I know Jason STATHAM:angel: is English(and Scott Adkins is as well), but he(as well as Adkins) is a huge action star in American films.

[One Armed Boxer]

Ok you mentioned the UK DVD instead of the US cut, but not the actual movie title. Im interested to know which movie you were talking about.

blue_skies is talking about 'Drive'....and he's absolutely right, stay away from the US DVD, number 1 it's cut, and number 2 it lacks any kind of special features, whereas the region 2 comes loaded with an outstanding making of documentary and a whole host of other stuff.

And yes I know Jason STATHAM is English(and Scott Adkins is as well), but he(as well as Adkins) is a huge action star in American films.

Ha ha...maybe you should change the wording of the thread name to "Best American movies of the New Generation of Foreign Action Stars?"

Personally, although it's not an American movie it does contain a whole heap of new foreign blood, I'd check out 'Bangkok Adrenalin'...it's already out in the UK & I hear it's heading to region 1 soon as well.

Apart from the ones already mentioned 'Detective Story' by the Stunt People and featuring Eric Jacobus in the lead is worthy of a look, and if you like Jason Statham in 'the Transporter' movies I'd also check out the 'Crank' movies (no martial arts but completely hilarious and fun), and although I risk being hung, drawn, and quartered by some members on this forum, I'd also check out Rain in 'Ninja Assassin', a movie I enjoyed a lot....worth getting the Korean DVD for a documentary on Rain's martial arts training.

[DeathFuMaster]

blue_skies is talking about 'Drive'....and he's absolutely right, stay away from the US DVD, number 1 it's cut, and number 2 it lacks any kind of special features, whereas the region 2 comes loaded with an outstanding making of documentary and a whole host of other stuff.

Ha ha...maybe you should change the wording of the thread name to "Best American movies of the New Generation of Foreign Action Stars?"

Personally, although it's not an American movie it does contain a whole heap of new foreign blood, I'd check out 'Bangkok Adrenalin'...it's already out in the UK & I hear it's heading to region 1 soon as well.

Apart from the ones already mentioned 'Detective Story' by the Stunt People and featuring Eric Jacobus in the lead is worthy of a look, and if you like Jason Statham in 'the Transporter' movies I'd also check out the 'Crank' movies (no martial arts but completely hilarious and fun), and although I risk being hung, drawn, and quartered by some members on this forum, I'd also check out Rain in 'Ninja Assassin', a movie I enjoyed a lot....worth getting the Korean DVD for a documentary on Rain's martial arts training.

I got this version of Drive, its supposed to be uncut

http://www.dvdasian.com/_e/United_States/product/39789/Drive_Crying_Freeman_2_DVDs_.htm

I'll definitely check all of those out and consider the thread title change lol. I have seen Ninja Assassin(in theaters and from a Red Box rental) and I thought it was decent. I have also seen the Crank films, I liked the first, but the second was like soft core porn.

The Detective Story and Bangkok Andrenaline seem right up my ally. As a matter of fact, I haven't watched any of The Stunt People's films, but I will definitely check them out.

[One Armed Boxer]

Good stuff...just for your reference this is the DVD of 'Drive' that is being referred to in the thread, as I mentioned it's worth it for the documenary which clocks in at almost an hour -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00004SPGP/sr=1-1/qid=1282020458/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1282020458&sr=1-1&seller=

For me 'Crying Freeman' was a damp squib of a movie, unexciting choreography and a poorly developed plot, both 'Dragon From Russia' and 'Killer's Romance' are better adaptions of the 'Crying Freeman' story...although admittedly not by much.

As for the Stunt People, the first movie you check out should be 'Contour'....it is pure martial arts bliss despite next to no budget, if you like that then check out 'Detective Story' next.

[Guest Yi-Long]

For me 'Crying Freeman' was a damp squib of a movie, unexciting choreography and a poorly developed plot, both 'Dragon From Russia' and 'Killer's Romance' are better adaptions of the 'Crying Freeman' story...although admittedly not by much.

.

Dragon from Russia is one of the very worst movies I've EVER seen. It was just absolutely HORRIBLE, with poor performances, poor fights, poor editing, etc etc etc. Just everything was straight-out BAD about this movie. I had heard some positive things about it, so I actually watched it all to the end, hoping that somehow it would all still get better or something.... but man, it stinks!

I'm not a huge fan of Crying Freeman either (it's OK), but compared to Dragon from Russia, it's a fucking masterpiece of cinema!

Anyway, going back on-topic: I quite like Michael J. White as the new american action-star. Haven't seen many of his movies yet, but he seems to have the right combination of actual martial arts talents, combined with a 80's style physique and bad-ass attitude to pull it all off. Scott Adkins is very talented as well.

Never liked Statham though. He's never impressed me as a martial artist, and can only 'impress' as an actor in minor roles in good movies. In most movies he just sucks, and pretty much always gives exactly the same performance. He's horrible.

I find it a shame that a talented guy like Joe Eigo hasn't really gotten any good roles (yet?). I wonder why that is. Maybe he's horrible acting-wise or maybe he's a dick off-screen or something!? He's certainly got the mad skill to do a lot better than he's doing now, I know that.

[One Armed Boxer]

Dragon from Russia is one of the very worst movies I've EVER seen. It was just absolutely HORRIBLE, with poor performances, poor fights, poor editing, etc etc etc. Just everything was straight-out BAD about this movie. I had heard some positive things about it, so I actually watched it all to the end, hoping that somehow it would all still get better or something.... but man, it stinks!

I'm not a huge fan of Crying Freeman either (it's OK), but compared to Dragon from Russia, it's a fucking masterpiece of cinema!

Fair enough...but I would still rather watch Sam Hui swinging around a pair of nunchucks blindfolded than Mark Dacascos hiding in a room naked.

[Battousai]

As far as I remeber the fight with the ninja in the subway was pretty impressive from a choreography stand point and the end fight had some good stuff too but agreed its a terrible film.

[DeathFuMaster]

Fair enough...but I would still rather watch Sam Hui swinging around a pair of nunchucks blindfolded than Mark Dacascos hiding in a room naked.

Well I only got it because it came with Drive, and I got them cheaper(at least in the US)together so I'll probably watch it once then shelf it, although from the looks of it....I will be viewing Drive multiple times.

I just made a big order and I barely spent any money, gotta love these cheap American flicks!!! Here's the ones I got so far based on suggestions:

The Tournament

Drive

Only The Strong

Special Forces

I ordered tons more but they dont have anything to do with this thread so they will be in the General Discussion forum:bigsmile:

[blue_skies]

I'm only asking for US recommendations because Im interested in finding some good ones. Obviously I would know about other foreign action films or else I wouldn't even be a member of this site I honestly hope you don't think that Im not into HK, mainland, korean, thailand, etc action films lol. But I truly do appreciate the recommendations.

Ok you mentioned the UK DVD instead of the US cut, but not the actual movie title. Im interested to know which movie you were talking about.

And yes I know Jason STATHAM:angel: is English(and Scott Adkins is as well), but he(as well as Adkins) is a huge action star in American films.

sorry mate, thought you were a newbee didn't notice you'd been around for so long.

I meant the UK cut of Drive:bigsmile:

Personally, although it's not an American movie it does contain a whole heap of new foreign blood, I'd check out 'Bangkok Adrenalin'...it's already out in the UK & I hear it's heading to region 1 soon as well.

SECONDED!!! very good MA action movie!