America’s Film Legacy
America’s Film Legacy 2009-2010
Category Archives: Action
The Fatal Raid review: Old-school gunplay
Released in 2019, The Fatal Raid was originally intended as a sequel to 2016’s Special Female Force. A couple of that film’s performers reappear, notably Jade Leung as Wong, an undercover cop. But The Fatal Raid is essentially a standalone … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, Streaming
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Marvel’s Black Widow: So Much Money
Delayed by COVID-19, Black Widow arrives in theaters and online July 9 carrying the weight of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on its shoulders. No one could have anticipated that a pandemic would disrupt the movie industry for the past 16 … Continue reading
Posted in Action, New Releases
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The Vault: a bank heist in Madrid
A professionally executed heist movie that still misses the mark, The Vault is smoothly entertaining but curiously low on suspense. The goal — break into the Bank of Spain’s impregnable basement vault — is intriguing, the plan just this side … Continue reading
Posted in Action, On demand, Streaming
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Foiling terrorists in SAS: Red Notice
In spy parlance, a “red notice” gives agents legal authority to find and arrest suspects. Adapted from a novel by former special forces operator Andy McNab, SAS: Red Notice takes that one step further, sending vacationing agent Tom Buckingham (Sam … Continue reading
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Dante Lam’s action spectacle The Rescue: review
Director Dante Lam built his reputation on gritty action films like Beast Cops and The Viral Factor, works marked by relentless drive and exceptional action sequences. His last two films, Operation Mekong and Operation Red Sea, were huge hits in … Continue reading
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Bella Thorne out for revenge in Girl
Shot on a bare-bones budget, Girl is a stripped-down revenge thriller with just enough plot to exceed expectations. Uniformly good performances help writer and director Chad Faust fashion a credible modern-day film noir that will not disappoint genre fans. Faust … Continue reading
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Jackie Chan returns in Vanguard: review
Thirty years ago Jackie Chan was the biggest movie star in the world. After conquering Asian markets, he embraced Hollywood in vehicles that tried to reproduce the action and humor of his Hong Kong movies. In recent years he has … Continue reading
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Greyhound review: Action in the North Atlantic
A World War II thriller set in the North Atlantic, Greyhound sits right in the middle of the war genre, complete with diverse crew, demonized villains, and escalating battles. It’s been slammed by some “top critics” as “old-fashioned,” “perfunctory,” and … Continue reading
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The Outpost: Restaging the Battle of Kamdesh
An intense account of a harrowing Taliban attack in 2003, The Outpost treats its characters with reverence. Adapting Jake Tapper’s nonfiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, director Rod Lurie aims for authenticity as well, adding some … Continue reading
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My Spy review: Dave Bautista is better than his new action-comedy
Ten years ago Dave Bautista transitioned from wrestling to acting, appearing as assorted thugs and heavies (“Brass Body,” Drug Dealer #1,” etc.) before nailing his role as Drax in four Marvel blockbusters. Since then he’s followed a route taken by … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Comedy, New Releases, Streaming
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