Adrien Brody is no Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Oscar winning actor is pretty buff – witness his work in the new action thriller “Predators.”
But few actors can measure up to the former Mr. Olympia.
And back in the ’80s bicep size mattered.
Today, things have changed. Lithe actors like Tobey Maguire can be your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and Matt Damon, no giant he, can lord over an action franchise like the “Bourne” films.
But this summer we’re getting a throwback to the ’80s courtesy of “The Expendables.”
The new film feature muscle bound thesps like Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren and, yes, Schwarzenegger himself (in a cameo).
So who do you prefer – larger than life heroes or folks like Brody who look like the guy standing next to you in line for the movie?
(Photo: Battle-hardened mercenary Royce (Adrien Brody) squares off against his deadliest enemy ever – an alien Predator – in “Predators.” Photo credit: Rico Torres)
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I welcome the change although the 80’s action film will always have a warm spot in my heart. In reality though, this isn’t really new, Harrison Ford was an action star and he wasn’t built like Stallone or Arnold. Bruce Willis as well, neither was the super-human machine that Stallone or arnold were in their movies. To go a step further, Sigourney Weaver isn’t the first person I would picture in an action role, but she kicked ass in the Alien films.
I like to see Adrian Brody do this kind of stuff, he is a quality actor and it shows he isn’t too snobby. Kind of like Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man.
Brody is terrific in the new film – very commanding.
And I think it wasn’t just the size of the ’80s heroes … it was the attitude they brought to their films, too. Seagal was never huge (he is now, but in the wrong way) but he had ‘tude to spare.
Yeah, I will say I could do without the sensitivity that is brought to some of the modern action roles. Good point, sir.
I had my doubts about Brody as an action lead in King Kong but was pleasantly surprised so I don’t have any qualms about him in action films.
The success of the 80’s action films had as much to do with attitude as it did with the action.
Action heroes come in two varities – the ones you can live through vicariously, or the ones you can relate to. Bruce Willis captured aspects of both. Almost all of the big 80s stars were of the vicarious variety. I think heroes like Weaver, Liam Neeson, and Willis, when he’s on, do best when they are relatable.
Brody looks pretty darn good to me! I’d rather have a hero with smarts than one with all brawn and no brains.