BY RICARDO LUJAN
Action movies are plentiful in the film industry. Some might even say they are the definition of a Hollywood blockbuster. For this week, the Tri-Movie Marathon is going full-on action. The following three movies may not be the best action movies of all time, but they are definitely worth a watch as they are still good flicks.
Starting off this week’s marathon, we have the Netflix original, Extraction. Extraction was a movie I went into with high expectations. Not all of those expectations were met as the story of Extraction is pretty forgettable and full of cliches quite often seen in action movies.
There are some moments where the story seemly tries to diverge and do something you don’t expect, but then instantly backtracks on the decision and plays the safe route. While the story was disappointing, the action saves the movie’s watchability.
The action was full of excitement and will keep your eyes glued to the screen. Melee combat in this film was quite superb as well with plenty of exciting and brutal moves thrown in to the choreography. One of the set action pieces is a one-shot that clocks in around eleven minutes which is super impressive.
It’s not a true one-shot due to the hidden cuts, but it is still a mighty impressive feat to pull off. The stunt coordinator and team deserve all the praise for what they did in this movie. Extraction is currently available to stream only on Netflix.
Second on this week’s list is the Netflix Original 6 Underground. The director of 6 Underground is none other than action-juggernaut Michael Bay. If you have seen any of his previous work, you will be able to instantly pick up on his signature on this movie.
Bay instilled his iconic color grading onto 6 Underground which gives the movie a very colorful look due to the increased saturation in the color grade. The color grading works quite well with the overall feeling that Michael Bay is instilling into the movie. The brighter, colorful look plays well with the comedic aspect of the film on top of making all the action look even better. Action in this film is quite remarkable due to many factors.
The different locales really help diversify each set piece and how the action is played out. Each of the main characters has their own personalities and while they can be somewhat cliché, they are still enjoyable to watch.
The development of each character is also done quite well. 6 Underground is a surprisingly good movie to watch and has earned itself a place on my favorite movie list. You can find 6 Underground currently streaming on Netflix.
The last movie in this week’s action-packed marathon is Homefront. This movie is about Jason Statham just being the coolest dude on the planet. On a serious note, the movie is actually about a former secret agent trying to live a normal life with his daughter in a new town. Jason Statham does a good job of acting in this movie especially when it comes to the demeanor.
He is just so cool and stoic. The action in this movie is really well done and rather brutal. What sets this movie apart from the other two action movies in the marathon is that it is a lot more grounded. The story doesn’t become ridiculous or overambitious with the action at any point which is a nice change of pace.
The main character and his daughter are a great addition to this film due to the connection between the two and the heartfelt moments that they share together. Homefront is definitely worth watching at least once, but it is still an enjoyable movie on a rewatch as well. You can find Homefront streaming on Netflix or available to purchase or rent on Amazon.