Action:A Failing Genre

Rating: Null/10 (31 January 2003)

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs
Gee,I don't know what's up with action flicks these days.Or rather,I tell a lie,I do know.In 1999,a film by the name of The Matrix starring Keanu Reeves was released,and it revolutionised action films and the way they were made,like one particular film will,say every 15-20 years or so.But this one unique film may not,in some peoples opinion,revolutionise it for the better.Dirty Harry,for instance,kick-started the cop-who-plays-by-his-own-rules movie,and Die Hard was the original one-man-must-take-on-the-terrorists-and-save-the-hostages flick which inspired many imitations.And in my opinion,a lot of the movies I've seen that have spun off from those two movies have been quite entertaining.But personally,I don't think The Matrix has had a very good influence on films.I think it's caused them to all be style-over-substance,as is definitely the case with The Transporter.One thing you certainly can't knock about the film is it's fight sequences.Cory Yeun is probably one of the best guys in the business to hire to chereograph these,as Kiss of the Dragon with Jet Li proved,so to have him as one of the directors as well is just fantastic for fight fanatics.Jason Statham pulls the fast kicks and knock-out punches off fantastically for,as far as I'm aware,a non-martial artist as well.But,if the story,characterization and dialogue aren't up to scratch,then these are but the faintest of praises in a giant sounding hallway of hollow whispers.In fact,I think it's time to take a stand right here.If movies like this and Vin Diesel's xXx are where action movies are headed nowadays,I think Hollywood screenwriters need to be made aware of their abundant shortcomings.**