Top Action Sci Fi of all time? (AVATAR DISCUSSION)

[Ed Hocken]

The man had no time to pick up nice pants. He was on the run from the moment he dropped into LA circa '84 nude as the day god made him.

[Abraham Smashington]

Top 5 Action Scifi (no order and off top of head)

Terminator
D9
Blade Runner (this is iffy, not so much action in my opinion)
Predator (in case Blade runner doesnt' count)
Total Recall
Serenity (yep, I'm prepared for the hate, but I really enjoy this fucking movie, and the last space battle is better than anything Lucas tried to do with the fucking prequels)


NEW LIST:

Terminator
Starship Troopers
Predator
Serenity
Total Recall

[Abraham Smashington]

Also, action sci-fi is hard to just pick 5. I have at least 15 more on my mind.

[Matt]

I honestly don't consider 'Blade Runner' to be an action sci-fi film, though. Otherwise, I'd have added that and possibly 'Dark City' to my list.

I'd probably swap out 'Rollerball' with 'RoboCop', though.

[Abraham Smashington]

See, I don't consider Robocop to be sci-fi. I know, I know, he's a goddamn half robot, half machine. Also, fucking Starship Troopers. Goddammit. I need to edit my list.

[Abraham Smashington]

Fuck I swear, I fail right now hard. I need to come back to this thread when my mind is straight. Having just Action scifi fucks me up.

[Captain Russ]

I honestly don't consider 'Blade Runner' to be an action sci-fi film, though. Otherwise, I'd have added that and possibly 'Dark City' to my list.

I'd probably swap out 'Rollerball' with 'RoboCop', though.

If anything, Blade Runner is more of a crime film than an actioner.

[Abraham Smashington]

And Metropolis isn't action really is it? I dont' really remember it being all actiony.

[Captain Russ]

I don't see the action qualifier in the thread heading, so I am sticking to my pants-deflating choice.

[Matt]

I don't see the action qualifier in the thread heading, so I am sticking to my pants-deflating choice.

It's in the first post, though.

so there.

[Captain Russ]

It's in the first post, though.

so there.

I don't start from the beginning. I'm a maverick.

[Captain Russ]

Top 5 ACTION SCI FI from the Cagebot:

The Terminator
Robocop
District 9
Aliens
Predator/Starship Troopers. They're both hilarious in their subtextual readings, and just flat out entertaining to boot.

[Ed Hocken]

Didn't it realize it was ACTION sci-fi. MOON is not action Sci-Fi.

[goober8008]

I'm back, had to head to work. Wanted to reply. First, I want to defend Avatar's writing against all the haters. I did so earlier on Reddit perfectly (you could call it my "Avatar" of arguments) so I'll just cut and paste here. If you don't want to read a long ass argument just skip to my next post, wanted to modify my list and say a couple of things.

Hater Sez:


"Sorry, the second you agree that the 3 hour story can be figured out in the first 5 minutes, I don't understand how you can argue that the story was awesome. It may succeed in entertaining you--as I said it did me--but it is not an awesome story.
No part of the dialogue was particular interesting or exciting. The acting was pretty good overall. Can't say I was "moved" by the moving parts but that's in no small part because the story was so painfully predictable.
What does it mean to have an awesome story/writing, if a young child could have written or at least predicted it entirely?"


My Response:


"I disagree with you entirely. First, I didn't have the whole story figured out in the first five minutes, other than "Good guy joins the natives, gets the girl, wins the fight against bad guys." But I pretty much know that much any time I sit down to watch an action movie. I knew Neo was going to discover he was "The One" and destroy the bad guys when I watched the Matrix, still a spectacular sci fi movie. I knew Luke was going to use the force and defeat the Empire, the star wars trilogy still rocked.



The basic story formula is obvious any time you watch an action sci fi movie, doesn't mean their aren't dozens of variations and innovations to make for an original story. By your standard, if you know a story is going to follow a 3 act formula involving setup, conflict, and resolution, then it can't be good writing? That's a little harsh don't you think? I feel sorry if you felt the dialogue wasn't interesting or exciting, but the allusions to the technology was fascinating to me, the romance was better than average (When he sees her with his human eyes at the end I found powerful and more than I would expect from just about any other sci fi movie). The motherly relationship that develops between Weaver and Worthington is well shown, when she's forcing him to eat and drink his food before heading into his Avatar, or taking care of him during the 2nd act, was nice development. I laughed more than once ("SHUT UP AND FLY STRAIGHT!" or "I'm a warrior...from the...jarhead clan.") Memorable, funny lines that aren't as formulaic as you get from your Michael Bay or Bruckheimer garbage that dominates Hollywood that will typically rely on racial stereotypes or gross out jokes to get a laugh.



I think people are being too critical out of some sense that Cameron was obligated to make the story as ground breaking as the technology. This was an epic sci fi action movie, not a deep nuanced exploration of a complex topic. This genre of film, if it has a moral or a point, tends to be obvious and straightforward, as it should be. This movie had a point, an obvious one, that I agreed with, I liked.


Though you may assert that you knew what would eventually happen, you didn't know the beasts breathed through some genetically superior direct-to-lung jet engine biology. You didn't know the girl would ride the awesome menacing beast from the 1st act into battle at the end against the Colonel. You didn't know Weaver was going to die, or that ultimately the female protagonist would save the male protagonist in the final battle, instead of the other way around, as in most action movies. The movie was VERY creative, avoided plenty of cliches while doing others in fun new ways. Also, I doubt a child could utilize narrative schemes in brilliant ways to maintain cohesion, pacing, and tension in the ways Avatar has. Stop for a moment to consider how the story begins being told in the 1st person past-tense. This is very effective for providing information and creating mood, but to provide the kind of tension and immediacy that a great action movie needs during it's later parts you need to have 3rd person present tense. The movie snaps to this narrative style instantly and seamlessly, when you realize he's talking to a recorder. Watch it again, drop the cynicism, and appreciate Cameron for the storytelling genius he is."

[goober8008]

I saw someone mentioned Robocop in their top 5. I loved Robocop and say it deserves honorable mention, but my favorite? You're all gonnna really hate this: ROBOCOP 2. CAIN was so menacing and badass, the last action scene rocked, and the funny over the top stuff from the first one was continued well, like the commercials, or the head of the corporation being a callous, raging dick (and likeable at the same time "Beeeeeehave yourselves!")

Movies I can't get behind: Starship Troopers. I think me and Rob almost stopped being friends over this one. He seemed to appreciate it for the hammed up comic-booky feel, while I just couldn't stand the actors, the action, or the humor, it was lost on me. Anyway, I think Robocop counts, and I liked Robocop 2 best. But as I look at my top five, no way it beats original Terminator. But I stand behind T2 being a better movie. More fun, more action, better dialogue. As a kid I saw it in the theater 5 times!

And why is T2 all the way up there for me? The same reason Cameron dominates my top 5 list: ACT 3 ACT 3 ACT 3!!!!!!! He builds movies to a climax, and then delivers 20 to 30 minutes of pure awesomeness! He became a master of this at Aliens, and does it again in T2, True Lies, Titanic, and best of all Avatar.

Come on Guys, when the Colonol leaps into his Robo-Suit and comes crashing down with his ship crashing behind him, menacingly gets up and walks off, you know, you just know, things are gonna get fucking crazy.