Bruce Willis' best action movie

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux) 03/11/2019 at 16:20 • Filed to: None

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Were I to take a poll, Die Hard would be at the top of many/most people’s list of best Bruce Willis action flicks. Unbreakable isn’t really an action movie, but it certainly would deserve to be considered. My choice is neither of those.

No, the true best Bruce Willis action movie is !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Before the MCU really kicked into gear, DC Comics released a film I’d happily watch over and over (and do so at least twice a year), and it doesn’t star Christian Bale.

RED featured several legendary actors apparently having fun with their roles: Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Dreyfuss. (I don’t know whether you can call Karl Urban “legendary” yet, but he certainly does a commendable job here.)

Perhaps most entertaining is Brian Cox, finally liberated from playing officious, amoral bureaucrats. (I don’t see a lot of movies, so basically his entire repertoire in my universe was as Ward Abbott from the Bourne films.)

This movie combines so many familiar tropes with glorious panache: road trip, fish out of water, rom-com, all-star team-up, good guy on the wrong side who struggles with his conscience and figures it out in time. The dialog is marvelous, the characters well fleshed-out.

If you haven’t seen RED yet, do yourself a favor. (Also do yourself another favor and don’t bother with the sequel, an utterly uncharming effort.)

(Side note: I stumbled across !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! from Willis and Kevin Smith about each other after they tried working together. I have no reason to believe they’re fictional, but I find it incomprehensible that two seemingly intelligent men can be so vicious towards each other in public. Crazy.)

(Side side note: if you see mentions of Fight Club in the comments, just know that I’m an idiot and wrote this late at night without fact checking.)

MarquetteLa > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:25

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Yep, this is a very fun movie. Malkovich steals the show whenever he’s in a scene .

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:26

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RED is wonderfully fun. Everyone is clearly just goofing off with their roles and simply enjoying being silly.

Just Jeepin' > MarquetteLa 03/11/2019 at 16:27

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Agreed. He’s a great actor, doesn’t seem to show up often enough for my tastes. Being John Malkovich was such a hoot.

Just Jeepin' > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 03/11/2019 at 16:28

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I wonder whether there’s any behind the scenes footage/outtakes. Surely someone has a bloopers reel.

The Ghost of Oppo > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:31

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Bruce Willis isn’t in Fight Club, am I missing a joke?

HammerheadFistpunch > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:32

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I do enjoy RED a lot and Willis roll in it.  

ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:32

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Wait, what? I don’t at all remember Bruce Willis being in Fight Club.

lone_liberal > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:33

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RED is fantastic and a huge amount of fun, and Helen Mirren is perfection, but there’s no way it’s better than Die Hard. Better than the Die Hard sequels, sure, but not the original.

Just Jeepin' > The Ghost of Oppo 03/11/2019 at 16:33

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Nope, that’s why I issued the disclaimer “I hear”. I thought I saw he was, but I may have been hallucinating.

Just Jeepin' > ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy 03/11/2019 at 16:33

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Got it wrong, will remove.

The Ghost of Oppo > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:35

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More like Just Chiefin’

Just Jeepin' > lone_liberal 03/11/2019 at 16:36

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Like I said, Die Hard would be at the top of a lot of lists. You’re all wrong, but that’s an argument I don’t expect to win.

I’m just glad Die Hard was such a spectacular success. Imagine if we had been deprived of Bruce Willis, movie/action star, over the last couple of decades.

Just Jeepin' > The Ghost of Oppo 03/11/2019 at 16:37

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Spaceball-Two > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:41

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But but but but

AestheticsInMotion > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:42

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I loved red. I forgot his name, but I've liked just about every role the guy from That 70's Show has been in recently 

Just Jeepin' > Spaceball-Two 03/11/2019 at 16:43

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I’ll have to watch it someday. I was vaguely aware it exists, but that’s about it.

Spaceball-Two > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:44

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It’s so cheesy and campy it’s awesome!

lone_liberal > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:44

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H e really started humanizing action heros, unlike Stallone and Arnold his heroes got hurt and scared and were willing to step back when they thought it was ok and I really liked that. Ironically, his character in RED is more of a throw back to a more superhero-ish type but he’s still not Schwarzenegger. 

Just Jeepin' > lone_liberal 03/11/2019 at 16:47

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Good point. I suppose if you were going to find someone to play an indestructible hero in 1988, you wouldn’t pick the lead from Moonlighting .

For Sweden > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:49

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I will not permit this disrespect against The Whole Nine Yards

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > lone_liberal 03/11/2019 at 16:50

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Helen Mirren IS perfection. And a badass in that movie.

Just Jeepin' > lone_liberal 03/11/2019 at 16:52

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How about this compromise: Bruce’s best action role was Die Hard . His best action movie was RED .

Just Jeepin' > For Sweden 03/11/2019 at 16:54

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What part of “I don’t see a lot of movies” eludes y’all?

That’s why I gave up on Netflix with the latest price increase: I’d love to hear about a movie and go watch it, but their catalog is so spotty it’s only useful for “I want to watch something good”, not  “I want to watch something specific.”

wafflesnfalafel > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 16:58

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I really liked 5th Element...

Just Jeepin' > wafflesnfalafel 03/11/2019 at 16:59

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That seems to be a recurring but nonetheless uncommon sentiment.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 17:18

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Red and Red 2 are fantastic movies. As much as I love Fifth Element or most of the Diehard movies, I fully support this post.

Just Jeepin' > Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) 03/11/2019 at 17:24

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I have to disagree with you on Red 2 ; I found it a major letdown. Just didn’t have the same sense of fun.

shop-teacher > For Sweden 03/11/2019 at 17:29

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That movie is a guilty pleasure of mine.  It’s bad.  It’s really bad.  I can’t help but like it anyways.

shop-teacher > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 17:33

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I love the movie Red, it’s in regular rotation at my house . I hesitate to call it an action movie though. It has action in it, for sure, and it’s good action. It’s at least as much of a comedy as it is an action movie though.  I dunno, it’s a great movie.  Anybody that hasn’t seen it, should.  I hear Red 2 is a real turd though, so I never watched it.

I’m embarrassed that I never realize Brian Cox played the Russian in that!

shop-teacher > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 17:37

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I just read that set of quotes between Willis and Kevin Smith ... wow. I knew they didn’t get along, but damn.

“I worry about Kevin. Whatever he had, he’s lost it.” – Willis (Esquire)

That one, I definitely agree with.  I tried listening to his podcast.  All he does is get high and make Star Wars references.

For Sweden > shop-teacher 03/11/2019 at 17:51

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Matthew Perry is Doug DeMuro

Change my mind

Future Heap Owner > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 18:06

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Uncommon? Huh, seems like all my friends like that movie. (I like it a whole lot myself.)

Just Jeepin' > Future Heap Owner 03/11/2019 at 18:13

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I have to admit I hang out with the wrong people.

Khalbali > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 18:18

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I liked both a lot and rewatch them on occasion.

wafflesnfalafel > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 18:50

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yeah - I think it’s one of those where 85% don’t really like it/get it and that’s ok....

The Compromiser > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 18:55

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I saw Kevin Smith in Concert. He talked about Bruce Willis. They are not friends....

shop-teacher > For Sweden 03/11/2019 at 19:02

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Hmmmmm ... Well, I've never seen them both at the same time ...

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 19:19

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...and here I was ready to watch The Expendables 3....

My bird IS the word > Just Jeepin' 03/11/2019 at 20:01

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For one that isn’t mainstream: Last Man Standing

cream wobbly > wafflesnfalafel 03/11/2019 at 20:14

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Nah, the Fifth Element was boron

Just Jeepin' > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 03/11/2019 at 20:49

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Don’t let me stop you!

Just Jeepin' > My bird IS the word 03/11/2019 at 21:24

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I’ll have to check that out. 

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > Just Jeepin' 03/12/2019 at 09:08

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Amusing timing: I just came across RED last night and enjoyed watching it, not recalling having ever heard of it before. And now this morning I see your post.

It was followed by RED 2 which I recorded. I’m going to watch that eventually despite your disappointment.

Just Jeepin' > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 03/12/2019 at 09:42

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It’s not terrible, just doesn’t live up to the first one for me.

Glad you found the movies . Enjoy. 

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Just Jeepin' 03/12/2019 at 10:29

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RED is so good!!! 

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Just Jeepin' 03/12/2019 at 12:04

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I see what you’re saying, it had perhaps a little less levity to it. I still really enjoyed it though.