The Top Five Best (And Worst) Action Films of 2015

2015, much like 2014, was a fairly disappointing year for action in terms of quantity. However, about two or three action films were near bonafide action masterpieces, with one immediately cementing itself as one of the greatest action films ever made. Therefore, this year was more about quality than it was quantity. 

I also missed out on several action films this year, so I may have simply been watching the wrong films altogether. I wanted to see Skin Trade, Ant-Man, The Man From UNCLE, Hitman: Agent 47, SPL II, Wild City, Wolf Warrior, and The Gunman, but simply never got around too them. And while I will get to those films eventually and probably review them sometime within 2016, I now present my five favorite and least favorite action films of 2015.

The Five Worst

5) Blackhat (Michael Mann, 2015) - Michael Mann used to be one of the premiere directors of dramatic crime cinema with such masterpieces as Heat and Collateral. However, the mighty have most certainly fallen, with Mann's previous three films being complete bores. His latest, Blackhat, is arguably his most boring film to date. Every character is written especially flat and performed so robotic, which is a surprise given the pedigree of A-list actors Chris Hemsworth and Viola Davis. Much like Mann's previous failures, Miami Vice and Public Enemies, Blackhat features some particularly astounding action sequences that unfortunately don't have a great film to go with. This is yet another example of a boring film with forgetful characters that slightly redeems itself due to some great action. However, that simply isn't enough, and Mann needs to learn better in order to deliver a greater product next time.

4) Taken 3 (Olivier Megaton, 2015) - Neeson's action dominance seems to have been on a steady decline as of recently. Ever since Neeson broke out onto the action scene with Taken, few of his action films have been particularly great. Taken 2 is a mediocre sequel, Non-Stop is an entertaining yet lukewarm action thriller, and A Walk Among the Tombstones is an immensely boring noir. Which brings us to Taken 3, easily the worst action film of Neeson's career and proof that the actor should stick to dramas. Megaton's latest entry in the series is an utter joke of a studio actioner, featuring nausea inducing editing and horrendous photography. While the poster clearly states that this is the end, I hope so for our and Neeson's sakes. Check out my review here. 

3) Pound of Flesh (Ernie Barbarash, 2015) - I am embarrassed to admit this, but I was extremely excited for Jean Claude Van Damme's latest direct to video actioner, Pound of Flesh, at the beginning of 2015. Imagine if Liam Neeson's kidney was taken from him instead of his daughter, and you have Pound of Flesh, more or less Van Damme's attempt at a Taken-esque thriller. Unfortunately, the film is exactly everything that is terrible about direct to video cinema. Not only does the film feature some hilariously bad editing, but it also utilizes some horrendous green screen in scenes that clearly weren't finished. One especially bad scene involves Van Damme fighting in front of a computer generated background that reduced me to tears of laughter. I admire Van Damme's attempt at an old fashioned actioner reliant upon fists and gun fights, but Pound of Flesh is a complete joke of an action film. It's worth checking out for a good laugh, but also for an honest watch as to see one of Darren Shahlavi's last performances, may he rest in peace.

2) Zero Tolerance (Wych Kaosayananda, 2015) - Zero Tolerance was a career first for me because it was the first advanced screener that I ever got to watch and review for cityonfire.com. And while I will always remember it as a career first, I will most likely never watch this atrocious film again as long as I live. Poor Kaosayananda was forced to reshoot and re-edit his dramatic film, Angels, into more of a streamlined actioner in order to market it better, especially with the inclusion of Scott Adkins. However, all that did was further confound an already immensely confounding action drama that sucked in the first place. Not only is the plot overly complicated, but all of the characters are practically emotionless. The few action scenes there are, while mildly entertaining and particularly brutal, are edited quite bizarrely too. The film is utterly fascinating to watch though for those who want to try and figure out which scenes were reshoots and which weren't. Far from being "so bad it's good," but worth recommending for those who are willing to do some research in order to fully understand the mess that is Zero Tolerance. Check out my review here.

1) Terminator: Genisys (Alan Taylor, 2015) - To be honest, Zero Tolerance and Pound of Flesh are honestly worse films. However, no other film that came out this year was as insulting as Terminator: Genisys, and for that, it takes the number one spot. This terrible reboot-quel is everything that is wrong with contemporary blockbuster cinema. It doesn't know whether or not it wants to be a reboot or a sequel, contains laughably bad computer graphics, features an overly complicated plot, and rips all of the tension out its video game-esque action sequences. Talk about how to waste a great cast and a once great franchise. This film is proof that studios and Arnold Schwarzenegger don't know good content from bad, and will simply participate in anything as long as it has the Terminator franchise name on it. Congratulations Alan Taylor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Paramount, you made the worst action film of 2015! There's a special realm in Hell for where you guys will be residing. Check out my review here.

The Five Best

5) Close Range (Isaac Florentine, 2015) - This was another career first for me, as I not only got to review an advance screener of the film but also star Scott Adkins himself. It was an awesome opportunity and the only way that I was able to check out the film far before its VOD release. While plagued with more DTV trappings than I'd like to admit, Close Range features some hard hitting action courtesy of Florentine's graceful eye for action. Both he and performer Adkins give their A-game in one of the better direct to video films in recent years. While far from a great action film, Close Range gives you exactly what you want, brutal and memorable showdowns coupled with shootouts to boot. Check out my review here.

4) No Tears for the Dead (Lee Jeong-beom, 2015) - Lee Jeong-beom came onto my radar when I discovered his 2010 masterpiece, The Man From Nowhere. It's easily one of the best action films in recent years thanks to both its tragic story and immensely bloody action. Therefore, I had to check out his latest, No Tears for the Dead, with the hope that the man would bring the goods once again. While far away from being nearly as masterful his previous effort, No Tears for the Dead continues Lee Jeong-beom's streak of exploring morally ambiguous assassins. The film is extremely reminiscent of other South Korean actioners such as A Company Man and, in my opinion, the all time greatest South Korean actioner, A Bittersweet Life, for its exploration of the assassin mindset and his diversion from his bosses and previously ingrained morals. Unlike The Man From Nowhere, No Tears for the Dead's resolution is more about emotion and theme than it is entertainment or audience satisfaction. Thankfully, Jeong delivers the action goods once again, with an unforgettable 10 minute long melee fight/shootout in an apartment complex that makes for one hell of a set piece.

3) Kingsman: The Secret Service (Matthew Vaughn, 2015) - Vaughn's hard R pastique of the spy genre was one of the year's best films purely for its high octane energy and mean spirited violence. Previous Vaughn joins like Kick-Ass left a sour taste in my mouth because it put a child front and center to the violence. However, Kingsman blends the over the top violence of comic book writer Mark Millar with Vaughn's stylistic tendencies for their best collaboration yet. The film also features an excellent cast, with Colin Firth giving one of the year's most bad ass performances. Newcomer Taron Egerton gives a star making performance as the spy in training, while the rest of the supporting cast does great work as well. It's wild, funny, and excessively violent, but fun from start to finish and one of the year's biggest surprises. Check out my review here.

2) Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (Christopher McQuarrie, 2015) - The latest M:I entry was an absolute blast and one of the best big budget sequels to come along in awhile. Badass auteur Chris McQuarrie knocked it out of the park, delivering a sequel that both fans of the series and newcomers could enjoy alike. With the recent announcement that McQuarrie will be returning for the sixth installment, M:I fans should be happier than ever before, as the franchise seems tailor made for McQuarrie. 

1) Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller) - It's rare that a film comes out and immediately registers on your radar as a bonafide masterpiece. Miller's reboot of his iconic Mad Max series was exactly that, a cinematic masterpiece in every sense of the word. It's a brutal, epic, violent, and extremely emotional film that both thrilled and choked me up during my first viewing. This will be one that action fans find themselves constantly returning to year after year. Regardless of whether a sequel is ever made, Fury Road will always stand as one of the greats. Check out my review here.

Honorable Mentions

And that's that! Here's to 2016, hopefully a much superior year for action!

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Collin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong

Country: United Kingdom / United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 129 minutes

Note: Reviewed at time of theatrical release.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is a breath of bad ass fresh air in early 2015 after the dismal Taken 3 and Blackhat. Matthew Vaughn's latest action film is a fun, violent, and comedic send up of spy movie tropes and genre cliches. The film marks the second time that Vaughn has adapted a graphic novel written by Mark Millar, a man known for his darkly comedic comics that combine blood with laughs. Vaughn and Millar's first collaboration was 2010's Kick-Ass, an energetic but overly mean spirited film that left a bad taste in my mouth. I couldn't find any enjoyment in watching a twelve year old girl violently murder people and spout expletives. I love myself a violent action film, but not one that does it with a vulgar twelve year old girl; it's just not my type of humor or entertainment.

With Kingsman though, it seems that Vaughn has found the perfect balance between his overly violent side and restrained side. I don't know if the source material, 20th Century Fox, or Vaughn's experience directing X-Men: First Class had anything to do with it, but Kingsman represents a much more accomplished director hitting all of the right notes. Even though the film's first two acts are mostly routine, the final act delivers some of the most violent and highly energetic action I have ever seen from a studio film before. You won't believe your eyes or ears when you see Collin Firth massacre an entire church full of people set to "Free Bird" in one of the most violent action scenes in movie history. This scene alone earns my recommendation. However, there is more to the film and it would be unfair if I judged it based on one scene alone. But what a one scene it is.

Collin Firth shows some pub attendees a thing or two with one awesome umbrella.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is about a secret spy organization who makes it their goal to protect the world without receiving credit for anything. With the recent death of one of their members, the Kingsmen set out to find a new recruit. The story focuses on Harry Hart (Collin Firth), a veteran agent who chooses a young man named Eggsy (played by newcomer Taron Egerton) to become the next Kingsmen agent. As Eggsy undergoes his training, Harry discovers that rich billionaire Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) plans on using cell phone SIM cards to send out a deadly signal that will cause all of society to kill one another. His plan is to preserve a select amount of humans and kill off all of the rest in order to reset the Earth's population before we destroy Earth itself. It's truly a ridiculous plot, but befitting of a film where Collin Firth takes an axe to a churchgoer's head. It is than up to Harry, Eggsy, and Kingsman agent Merlin (Mark Strong) to stop Valentine and essentially save the world.

Kingsman reminds the viewer of a time when studio actioners were fun. Too many of today's studio action films are deadly serious and lack any sense of excitement or energy. However, Vaughn lets audiences know right away that they are in for a fun time as the film opens up with an action scene set to "I Want My MTV" and follows it soon after with a character getting sliced in half down the middle. Kingsman is ultimately a pastiche of spy movies in which reality is amped to such an absurd extreme that you can't help but laugh along with the film.

I typically don't find mean spirited and ultra violent films like this to be funny or entertaining. However, Kingsman's high octane energy and lampooning of society's concern with global warming struck a chord with me. The film also embraces its absurdity by never opting to explain its ridiculous elements. Why does a character have sword like legs for prosthetics? Why does such an evil villain played by Samuel L. Jackson have such a silly lisp and hatred for violence? And why does a church full of church dwellers have to be horribly massacred in such brutal ways? Matthew Vaughn would probably respond with, "Who cares! But isn't it fun though?" Kingsman is a violent blast of fun in an overly tame world of blockbusters that do nothing but hold the audiences hand and deliver tame action that we have seen time and time again.

Egerton makes for a nice mini-Collin Firth.

If I had to fault Kingsman for anything, it would be that its second act in which the new Kingsmen recruits train to become future agents is nothing but routine and predictable. As the recruits are put through numerous challenges that test their physical and mental abilities, the lessons or morals behind each challenge becomes fairly predictable. Oh no, a character is kidnapped by a shady character and told to confess the location of the Kingsmen training ground? I sure hope this suspicious situation is a test and not reality! Predictable scenes like this do nothing but hamper an otherwise energetic film. The film also ends on an incredibly sexist joke that easily could have been cut from the film otherwise. In a film full of violent humor and exploding heads, this is the one cruel moment that should have been axed from the film altogether or kept as a deleted scene on a future Blu-ray Disc.

Performances in the film are uniformly excellent. Newcomer Taron Egerton brings a sense of energy and confidence to the film's semi-lead role and earns himself the right as the franchise's future star. Veteran supporting players Michael Caine, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, and Mark Hamill are also a lot of fun because they understand the kind of film that they are in. However, it is none other than Collin Firth who owns the film and easily turns in one of the most bad ass performances in recent memory. I am so happy to see an actor like Firth, typically seen in period dramas, kick so much ass in a ridiculously violent action film like Kingsman.

I am dead serious when I say that Firth kicks more ass in one single scene than current action star Liam Neeson has in his entire career. While a majority of the film's action scenes are fun, energetic, and exciting, nothing can compare to the film's unforgettable church fight scene. Collin Firth's character takes on a horde of crazed church goers with a gun, a bible, a spear, a blow torch, and even an axe. This action scene is so hilarious and over the top that it easily lands Kingsman a spot on my Top 10 Action Films of 2015 unless something else amazing comes along and dethrones it. I also want to applaud Vaughn for once again assembling a perfect selection of well known songs to back up his action scenes. Composer Henry Jackman is also to be applauded for scoring some exciting tunes that also complement Vaughn's action scenes. Jackman and Vaughn previously collaborated on X-Men: First Class, which also had an excellent score. Therefore, I hope the duo continue to work with one another.

This Southern Baptist Church is going down.

Kingsman is a fun and exciting spy comedy that properly understands what kind of film it wants to be. Even though the film is filled with humor, it still exists within a world with real danger and serious stakes that remind the viewer that the film is not all fun and games. If I had to compare Kingsman: The Secret Service to any other comedic action films, I would state that Vaughn's own Kick-Ass (flaws aside) and Kim Jee Woon's The Good, the Bad, the Weird make for great complements because they deftly blend humor and violence with gleeful energy. This is a definite recommendation and an action film worth checking out in the theater while it is still out. Support the film and let the studios know that we want violent and fun franchises like this!

Rating: 8/10 - Despite some predictability here and there, Kingsman: The Secret Service is a fun and violent action film that hopefully jumpstarts a new franchise.