Uncharted 2022
The new Tom Holland/Mark Wahlberg video-game adaptation that kicked off the conversation — Sean calls it a relic of an older kind of movie stardom.
The Big Picture · Discussion · Hall of Fame
The 21st Century Action Hero Hall of Fame
February 17, 2022/ 80 min/ Sean Fennessy · Shea Serrano
Uncharted has Sean wondering what an action hero even is anymore, so he calls in Shea Serrano to build a Hall of Fame for the post-Schwarzenegger era. Ten spots, two hosts, a lot of casualties.
107 films across 13 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
Uncharted and the state of action moviesthe framing question
Red Notice 2021
Shea's example of the old model failing: a movie built to be the biggest thing on the planet that barely registered. He liked it in the moment and forgot it in seven minutes.
The Night Comes for Us 2018
The counter-example — a smaller, more potent Netflix action movie that fans actively sought out, unlike Red Notice.
Are superhero movies action movies?Sean and Shea agree to disagree
The Batman 2022
Sean's test case for the genre line — a grounded, alien-free Batman movie that Shea still wouldn't call an action film, since 'we have watched Batman fight aliens' elsewhere.
Iko Uwaisthe first lock
The Raid 2011
The credibility voucher — Shea's shorthand for movie-nerd coolness, the equivalent of name-dropping MF DOOM to a rap fan.
The Raid 2 2014
The kitchen fight scene Shea cites as an instant-friendship test.
Snake Eyes 2021
The G.I. Joe spinoff where Uwais plays Hard Master and barely gets to fight — Shea's recurring complaint about how Hollywood wastes him.
Mile 22 2018
Another example of the waste: he's handcuffed to a hospital bed for the big fight scene, chopped into a hundred quick cuts instead of let loose.
Fistful of Vengeance 2022
New on Netflix that week. Sean calls it fun, not up to Raid standards.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnsonthe volume argument
The Rundown 2003
One of the cherry-picked best-of titles Sean cites for his top-level case.
Walking Tall 2004
Another of the pre-Fast best-of picks.
Fast Five 2011
Called an all-time great and the closest thing Johnson has to a signature, career-defining movie — though it's the fifth film in a franchise he joined late.
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 2012
A family favorite in Shea's house, Friday movie-night material.
Snitch 2013
The start of Johnson's five-movies-in-one-year stretch. Shea calls it a nifty little crime thriller.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation 2013
Thumbs down from both hosts.
Pain & Gain 2013
The controversial one. Both hosts like it.
Fast & Furious 6 2013
Part of the 2013 run.
Empire State 2013
The direct-to-video entry from that same stretch that neither host has seen.
San Andreas 2015
Sean saw it alone in an LA theater and clocked the moment Johnson actually tries to act — the helicopter scene with his ex-wife — and how the room just waited for the next set piece instead of feeling anything.
Baywatch 2017
Called funny, not good.
Rampage 2018
Bad, per both hosts.
Skyscraper 2018
Also bad — 'they ran out of stuff for you to fight... so he fought a building.'
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw 2019
Not great, but Sean likes the bit where he yanks a helicopter out of the sky with a chain.
Jason Stathamin almost purely on Crank
Snatch 2000
One of his Guy Ritchie credits.
The Italian Job 2003
Called a big one for him.
The Transporter 2002
The franchise that anchors his case.
Crank 2006
Shea's headline argument for inclusion.
Crank: High Voltage 2009
'The most Statham movie that's ever been,' per Shea.
The Bank Job 2008
Named as part of his resume.
The Mechanic 2011
A favorite pairing with Ben Foster, per Sean.
Parker 2013
One of his attempts at a franchise lead.
Spy 2015
Called hilarious as an over-eager spy.
The Meg 2018
Sean says it's one of the only movies he's wanted to walk out of; still went and paid for the IMAX upgrade for his family.
Wrath of Man 2021
Referenced as another Guy Ritchie collaboration — the score does more work than the movie, per Sean.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw 2019
Also part of his resume, alongside Johnson's.
The Expendables 2010
Cited in passing as part of his action pedigree.
Charlize Theron'fight confidence,' the term Shea coins for her
Æon Flux 2005
Flagged by Sean as an early, less-successful example of her doing physical work.
Hancock 2008
Where she first proved she could do the wire work, per Shea — though Sean flags it as arguably a superhero movie.
Mad Max: Fury Road 2015
The fight with Tom Hardy that convinced Shea she was for real.
Atomic Blonde 2017
The hotel fight scene both hosts cite as her clearest action-star case.
Liam Neesonthe flashpoint for the whole 'older guy with a particular set of skills' era
Taken 2008
The movie that made 'Liam Neeson action star' a sentence people said. Not a great fighter, per Shea, but carries scenes on pure gravity.
The Grey 2011
Called one of his best, alongside Taken.
Non-Stop 2014
Sean's favorite of the run — the one on the plane.
Blacklight 2022
His then-new release, noted as apparently not very good.
Michael Jai Whiteauto-green, per Shea
Spawn 1997
Cited as proof he can do the superhero thing too.
The Dark Knight 2008
His scene became a meme, per Shea — mentioned as evidence of his reach beyond niche action.
Black Dynamite 2009
The role that revealed the comedic range nobody knew he had.
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing 2006
The one Shea says people need to watch before they mock this pick.
Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown 2011
Named as one of his spotty-but-reliable direct-to-video run — White is top-billed in this sequel.
Never Back Down: No Surrender 2016
Another entry in that same run.
Undercover Brother 2 2019
A sequel Sean didn't know existed, and White wasn't even the original lead.
Tony Jaain on the strength of Ong-Bak alone
Ong-Bak 2003
The signature franchise Shea says is enough by itself.
Furious 7 2015
His U.S. breakout, fighting Paul Walker on a bus.
xXx: Return of Xander Cage 2017
Part of his run of American productions after Furious 7.
Master Z: Ip Man Legacy 2018
Also cited from that stretch.
Detective Chinatown 3 2021
Noted as barely released stateside but the highest-grossing R-rated movie in Chinese box-office history, at roughly $700 million.
Monster Hunter 2020
Watched by Sean with his youngest son; both hosts call it not great.
Michelle Rodriguezswapped in for Vin Diesel — 'she does what he does, but better'
Donnie YenShea's personal favorite of the group
Ip Man 2008
The series Shea calls 'so good,' and the source of the rapid-punch move he nicknames the Gatling gun.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016
Both hosts like how the film leans into his calm, blind-warrior stillness rather than flashy choreography.
Matt Damonthe last spot, and the only white American on the final list
The Bourne Supremacy 2004
The handheld, fast-camera style Sean credits as a genuine marking moment for the genre — the reason Shea ultimately can't leave him off.
The near missesargued for, then cut
Equilibrium 2002
Christian Bale's case for inclusion, and Shea's exhibit A against him — 'you look like you've never held a weapon.' Bale is out.
3:10 to Yuma 2007
Bale's western credential, conceded as great but not action.
Reign of Fire 2002
Sean's counter-argument for Bale, though Shea notes the trailer's iconic shot went to Matthew McConaughey instead.
Her 2013
Shea's joke nomination for Scarlett Johansson before making a real case for her. She's out.
The Island 2005
Cited as part of Johansson's actual action filmography.
Lucy 2014
Sean's pick for her — Shea says he'd 'karate kick him through the screen' for suggesting it. He doesn't like it.
U.S. Marshals 1998
Sean's case for Robert Downey Jr.; Shea says John Cusack would've been better in the role. RDJ is out.
Sherlock Holmes 2009
Downey Jr.'s stronger case, but Sean notes he'd need more than two of them.
Dolittle 2020
Sean's last, failed pitch for Downey Jr. — 'the only movie that ever made me dislike animals.'
Wanted 2008
Part of Angelina Jolie's case for inclusion.
Salt 2010
Also cited for Jolie.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 2001
Called fitting, since the whole episode started with Uncharted.
Gone in Sixty Seconds 2000
Noted along with Charlize Theron's Fury Road as the two hosts trade a bit about actresses with dreadlocks in movies.
Eternals 2021
Jolie's recent superhero credit — both hosts admit they didn't fully understand the movie, but liked her fight sequence.
Van Helsing 2004
Hugh Jackman's action case. Shea has watched the commentary track repeatedly but hasn't seen the actual movie.
Real Steel 2011
Called underrated by Sean, but not enough on its own.
Safe House 2012
Ryan Reynolds's grittier credit, opposite Denzel Washington.
Smokin' Aces 2006
Called Reynolds's best lane by Sean.
Free Guy 2021
Sean's family liked it; Shea calls it terrible.
Cowboys & Aliens 2011
Daniel Craig's non-Bond action credit, called not super successful but fun.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2011
Named as one of Craig's dramas with action elements, not a true action movie.
Defiance 2008
Also cited in that category for Craig, who's out despite a 'soft yes.'
Death on the Nile 2022
Gal Gadot's poorly received new release, cited as a sign 'the bloom is off the rose' for her.
Date Night 2010
Cited as an actual action role for Gadot, pre-Wonder Woman.
Knight and Day 2010
Also cited for Gadot's pre-superhero action work.
Extraction 2020
Chris Hemsworth's strongest action credit, called 'a perfect example' — but not enough on its own. He's out for now.
Blackhat 2015
Hemsworth as a physically imposing hacker.
Star Trek 2009
Noted as Hemsworth playing Kirk's father.
Spiderhead 2022
One of the three upcoming Hemsworth films the hosts say could tip him into the Hall next time.
Extraction 2 2023
The sequel both hosts are looking forward to.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 2024
The Mad Max prequel, then upcoming, cited as Hemsworth's biggest swing yet.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2000
Zhang Ziyi's headline credit, deemed a launch-year borderline case for the 2000 cutoff.
Hero 2002
Also cited for Zhang Ziyi.
House of Flying Daggers 2004
Also cited for Zhang Ziyi.
The Grandmaster 2013
Also cited for Zhang Ziyi, who ultimately doesn't make the final ten.
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing 2006
Scott Adkins's breakout as the heavy opposite Michael Jai White — the movie that got him his own spinoff.
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning 2012
Sean's first exposure to Adkins, alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren.
Unleashed 2005
Adkins's fight scene opposite Jet Li that Sean sought out afterward.
Bloodshot 2020
Vin Diesel's cited credit, before he's bumped from the list in favor of Michelle Rodriguez.
Saving Private Ryan 1998
Also cited for Diesel.
The Iron Giant 1999
Diesel's voice role, cited in passing.
The Pacifier 2005
Also cited for Diesel.
Resident Evil 2002
Milla Jovovich's signature franchise, called dependable B-grade action. She's out.
Ultraviolet 2006
Also cited for Jovovich.
Monster Hunter 2020
Also cited for Jovovich, who is married to director Paul W.S. Anderson.
Also mentioned raised along the way
The pre-2000s stars, ruled ineligible from the jump Point BreakThe MatrixSpeedJohn Wick
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Wu Assassins
Unreleased Mortal Kombat (leaked fan test footage with Michael Jai White as Jax, never made)
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