The Trailer Park: The Active Senior

Looking at the average age of contemporary action stars, it would seem being a senior citizen today is very different than it used to be. This year, some of our favorite actors prove that being old doesn’t just mean sitting on your porch and yelling at kids to stay off your lawn.

‘The Expendables 3’

After the success of the last two guilty pleasures, it’s no surprise that Sylvester Stallone will complete the franchise with one final entry. Or so it would seem. Nonetheless, I like the preview, particularly the opening with the whistled theme from ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’. It promises to be a self-aware but very much exciting action ride. I like that Schwarzenegger’s role has been expanded, and the inclusion of Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Harrison Ford and Kelsey Grammer makes the whole thing look like tons of fun. Plus, with Mel Gibson, who in my eyes is back in great form and slowly redeeming himself, as the next evil villain, the movie easily tempts me to see it in theaters.

‘A Walk Among the Tombstones’

What I really like about this trailer is the very slow, slightly gloomier version of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” It somehow complements the dark theme and subject matter of this adaptation to Lawrence Block’s best-selling crime novel, which is actually the tenth book in the P.I. Matt Scudder mystery series. As for the movie, it looks like it will definitely satisfy. Liam Neeson stars as a recovering alcoholic and former NYPD cop who tries to find personal redemption for a past mistake. What really has me itching to see this is that the film was written and directed by Scott Frank, the same writer who did ‘Out of Sight’, ‘Minority Report’, ‘Get Shorty’, ‘The Wolverine’ and ‘The Lookout’. I think that’s pretty impressive and leaves me hoping for the best.

‘The Equalizer’ (2014)

In the tradition of resurrecting old, sometimes long-forgotten properties comes yet another remake of a TV show that few are likely to remember. From what little I can recall, the show was actually pretty good. Here, Antoine Fuqua directs a still very fit and lively Denzel Washington as the everyman vigilante Robert McCall. Although it’s not clear if this version is meant to be the exact same character from the TV series, who was a former secret agent with a special set of skills, the concept remains faithful: A blue collar man frustrated at seeing people victimized every day takes justice into his own hands. Interestingly, he’s not contacted by people via a newspaper ad. Instead, it seems as if he jumps into action whenever he witnesses a crime nearby. However, for this plot, he avenges the abuse of Chloë Grace Moretz’s character and ends up annoying the wrong people. From the trailer, I will definitely watch this, though mostly likely on Blu-ray.

‘The November Man’

Just for fun, here’s a bonus trailer for an upcoming spy thriller also adapted from another book series. This one’s from writer Bill Granger. Pierce Brosnan once again dons his espionage cap as ex-CIA operative Peter Devereaux, who’s caught in the middle of a cat-and-mouse game involving the U.S. and a newly-elected Russian president. Of most interest is that the film comes from New Zealand director Roger Donaldson, best known for ‘No Way Out’, ‘Species’, ‘Thirteen Days’ and ‘Dante’s Peak’.

For more of the latest movie trailers, check out our trailers page.

11 comments

  1. Deaditelord

    I’d be more excited for Expendables III if not for the anticipated PG-13 rating. Some movies shouldn’t be watered down for mass consumption and I would argue that the Expendables III warrants that exception.

  2. Drew

    Here’s the bottom line, on this one:
    If you’re a fan of the series, you’re going to love this one. It’s definitely the least terrible, out of the four films. The over-the-top behavior is toned down, and the non-stop absurdity is kept in check. If you already hate the series, this film won’t change your mind at all. If you’re indifferent to the series, this one is worth seeing in the theatre, simply for the awe inspiring visual feast.

  3. Deaditelord

    I’ll admit the action scenes in the Expendables III look nice in the trailer and I do plan to see it in August. Having said that, Hollywood’s track record has repeatedly shown that when they attempt to sanitize something to appeal to a wider audience, the results are less than satisfactory. Even Live Free or Die Hard, arguably the best of these PG-13 sequels to R rated franchises, still doesn’t feel much like a Die Hard movie and the Unrated version proved that some (although not all) of this was due to the film being hamstrung by its PG-13 rating.

    Look, I don’t want every movie to be an R rated bloodbath with T&A galore and foul language. However, when a movie or series is designed for a certain audience, I just think it’s usually a good idea to play to that audience rather than alienate them.

  4. VIOZ

    What do you mean when you say “I’ll wait for the Blu-ray”? Is it because of ticket prices? Are some movies not worth the hassle of sitting in a theater? If I could I’d see every movie in the cinema (I have a cheap home theater so maybe I don’t know).

    • I think basically your second point is true – a movie that’s not worth the hassle of going to a crowed theater and dealing with all the distractions of other patrons (talking, cell phone use, screaming babies, unruly children, rude adults, etc.).

    • As Shannon pointed out, it’s largely due to the hassle. As much as I love the cinema experience, it’s not as exciting as it once was. Besides, I tend to enjoy movies better in my calibrated home theater and the picture and sound quality of Blu-ray definitely adds to the experience.

      Having said that, however, when I use the term “wait for the Blu-ray,” it’s somewhat sarcastic comment on the effectiveness of the preview because their primary goal to attract audiences into theaters, no matter the ticket price or the hassle. If I’d prefer waiting the couple months when the movie arrives on Blu-ray, then in my opinion, the trailer didn’t convince me to deal with the distractions of other patrons, but I might watch it at home.

  5. NJScorpio

    I’m very excited about ‘Expendables III’, mainly because of Gibson and Snipes, two of my FAVORITE action movie actors of the 1980’s. The inclusion of Banderas is a good idea, even though he drifted from his action movie status over the decades. ‘Desperado’ is still one of my favorite flicks. Grammer is a GREAT addition, as he can play a very menacing character without being muscular (hell, he is even menacing as Sideshow Bob!). Now Ford…I’m as big a Ford fan as anyone, but after the way he seemed to sleep through half of ‘Ender’s Game’ makes me think he is going down the road of Deniro (at his best now, he is 60% of what he used to be). It’s also with this concern that I’m apprehensive about a Han Solo-centric Star Wars entry. Unlike Gibson, or even Costner, Ford feels tired in his recent roles.

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