Guilty pleasures? Not necessarily.

Wow, it's been some time since I last wrote a blog entry. But you know, I've been busy - mainly promoting my film, Grey Shadows, here in Peru - we've already had two showings - and making the DVD, which will be officially released this week. And well, I've also got university - tons of work, a lot to read and less time to do - or write - anything related to this blog and the Star Reviews website.

But don't worry. Star Reviews will always be alive.

Anyway, this time I wanted to talk about something very specific: action flicks. Many people consider action flicks to be the man's equivalent of romantic comedies: frequently mediocre films that are nevertheless always enjoyed by almost every man who seems them. And why not? They are full of testosterone, macho behaviour and LOTS of violence. Action flicks aren't for sissies.

But why frequently mediocre? Why can't action flicks be actually good movies? Take Die Hard, for example. That's actually considered a really good movie, a classic among the action genre. And why? Well, action flicks can't be judged the same as other films. One doesn't expect deep characterization, thought-provoking themes or drama from these kinds of movies. Die Hard is a great motion picture because it provides with what all action movies should provide: tension, a lead character worth rooting for, exciting, creative and adrenalinic action sequences and lots (and I mean lots) of tension.

Basically, in order to be good, an action movies has to be tense, exciting and have a likeable protagonist with a personality. That's what Die Hard's got, and that's why it's a classic.

But that's not the only enjoyable kind of action flick. There's another kind, a type of movie that isn't appreciated by every action movie fan - only by some. It is the action movie that mocks itself without being a full comedy, the action film that's cheesy by nature, over-the-top, and completely lacking in tension, but that it's ridiculously entertaining - "ridiculously" being the key word - because everything's so damn exaggerated.

Take Commando, an 80s Schwarzenegger action film. I just love that movie because everything about it is so damn exaggerated. The one-liners ("let off some steam!"), the action scenes (Schwarzenegger lifting phone booths with people inside them), the explosions (the Governator exploding an entire military base with a couple of mini bombs), and the fact that John Matrix (awesome name!) is so damn invincible. This is why the movie lacks tension - because we know Schwarzy will never die, no matter how many enemies try to confront him, but it's also why it's so much fun: because it's over-the-top. Even the music is ridiculously good, and some scenes are played all for laughs.

This, of course, can have a negative effect when not done right. Not every cheesy action movie is like Commando. Take John Cena's (the WWE wrestler) action movies, The Marine and the other one that was released a couple of months ago in USA theatres. Those are really laughable action movies because they lack tension and excitement, but are also super-serious, and therefore cannot be enjoyed as camp. Additionally, unlike Arnie, Cena likes charisma, so what the audience is left with are films that take themselves too seriously, but that are cheesy as hell at the same time. If there's no sense of camp, but not excitement either, then how can said movies work?

If there's something that I'm sure of, is that action movies will never die. When done right, they're just too damn entertaining and fun (when they're done right), and no matter how much special effects and CGI advance, we'll always need charismatic heroes and real-life (meaning, not digital) explosions in order for them to work. Movies like Wanted are a perfect example of this: they're the action movies of the digital age, and although they look slicker and more sofisticated than the Stallone, Van Damme and Schwarzenneger flicks of the 80s, they're not particularly different: Wanted is as over-the-top, silly, unbelievable, exciting and fun as any of those old-school films.

As much as I like a good drama flick, a great comedy, a thought-provoking motion picture or a fantasy movie, I just can't get enough action movies. I'm one of those guys who actually like romantic comedies - I think this is pretty evident if you read my reviews -, but if you come to me and say something like "let's watch Commando" or "wanna go and see Die Hard"... what do you think I'll answer?

Action flicks aren't Shakespeare. But they don't have to be bad movies either. If you don't believe me, watch a movie like The Marine back-to-back with Die Hard. There's a whole world of differences.