Top Five Manly Films
Feeling a bit weedy? These epic man films will help you through it.
Feature
The Expendables
Many people wondered what would happen if you took every major action-film star from the last 20 years, threw in a few new, but equally badass, faces and made them shoot lots of guns. This film answered that question and the result was a film that oozes so much testosterone that watching it makes you want to grow a beard and reproduce whilst shooting a gun up in the air- and that's just after the first scene. Stallone's hard-hitting team of hero mercenaries are hired to take down a South American dictator, who himself is backed several familiar faces, by any means necessary. Fortunately their plan of action is guns, explosions, martial arts fights, and more guns. Plus there are cameos from Bruce Willis and Arnie to top it all off. Pure Mentertainment.
Rambo aka Rambo IV
What it may lack general plot direction, the fourth instalment of the Rambo films certainly makes up for in wanton violence. Armed with his trusty disembowelling knife and crossbow, Sly Stallone blasts a bloody swath through Burma as he attempts to rescue a group of kidnapped missionaries being held hostage by the brutal military regime. Rambo clocks up an impressive 236 kills during the film, which we worked out as a fatality every 23 seconds. Stallone proves that even after all these years, it ain't over 'til it's over.
Predator
Deep in a Central American jungle, a fearsome alien hunter is stalking its prey- an elite Special Forces team on a mission to rescue some hostages. Unfortunately for the creature this team is being led by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is armed with more firepower and one-liners than his character in Commando (another Arnie classic). As the Predator brutally picks off the soldiers one by one, it comes down to the Austrian Oak himself to suit up (in a suit made entirely of mud) and settle the score with a climactic rumble in the jungle. It definitely picked the wrong man to hunt.
300
Although the sound of 300 sweaty, muscle-bound men playing with swords may not sound completely masculine, don't be fooled. Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, Watchmen) brings the comic book story to life in all its gory glory as Gerard Butler's lone troop take on the Persian Empire, who seem to have enlisted the entire world into their evil army. With more six-packs than an off-license, more fights than Newcastle on a Friday night and a tirade of infamous one-liners, this is more than just a lads action film... THIS IS SPARTA.
Gladiator
This sword and sandals epic retells the story Maximus Decimus Meridius, betrayed Roman General, out for revenge against the Emperor who murdered his wife and son. Russell Crowe proves to be a juggernaut in gladiatorial combat, slicing and dicing those he is forced to battle for the entertainment of the crowds. Expect blood, sweat and tears, as well as a chilling performance from Joaquin Phoenix as the deranged Emperor who loves murder and his sister. ”Are we not entertained?“ Crowe asks. Yes we are.
Brendan Connolly
Many people wondered what would happen if you took every major action-film star from the last 20 years, threw in a few new, but equally badass, faces and made them shoot lots of guns. This film answered that question and the result was a film that oozes so much testosterone that watching it makes you want to grow a beard and reproduce whilst shooting a gun up in the air- and that's just after the first scene. Stallone's hard-hitting team of hero mercenaries are hired to take down a South American dictator, who himself is backed several familiar faces, by any means necessary. Fortunately their plan of action is guns, explosions, martial arts fights, and more guns. Plus there are cameos from Bruce Willis and Arnie to top it all off. Pure Mentertainment.
Rambo aka Rambo IV
What it may lack general plot direction, the fourth instalment of the Rambo films certainly makes up for in wanton violence. Armed with his trusty disembowelling knife and crossbow, Sly Stallone blasts a bloody swath through Burma as he attempts to rescue a group of kidnapped missionaries being held hostage by the brutal military regime. Rambo clocks up an impressive 236 kills during the film, which we worked out as a fatality every 23 seconds. Stallone proves that even after all these years, it ain't over 'til it's over.
Predator
Deep in a Central American jungle, a fearsome alien hunter is stalking its prey- an elite Special Forces team on a mission to rescue some hostages. Unfortunately for the creature this team is being led by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is armed with more firepower and one-liners than his character in Commando (another Arnie classic). As the Predator brutally picks off the soldiers one by one, it comes down to the Austrian Oak himself to suit up (in a suit made entirely of mud) and settle the score with a climactic rumble in the jungle. It definitely picked the wrong man to hunt.
300
Although the sound of 300 sweaty, muscle-bound men playing with swords may not sound completely masculine, don't be fooled. Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, Watchmen) brings the comic book story to life in all its gory glory as Gerard Butler's lone troop take on the Persian Empire, who seem to have enlisted the entire world into their evil army. With more six-packs than an off-license, more fights than Newcastle on a Friday night and a tirade of infamous one-liners, this is more than just a lads action film... THIS IS SPARTA.
Gladiator
This sword and sandals epic retells the story Maximus Decimus Meridius, betrayed Roman General, out for revenge against the Emperor who murdered his wife and son. Russell Crowe proves to be a juggernaut in gladiatorial combat, slicing and dicing those he is forced to battle for the entertainment of the crowds. Expect blood, sweat and tears, as well as a chilling performance from Joaquin Phoenix as the deranged Emperor who loves murder and his sister. ”Are we not entertained?“ Crowe asks. Yes we are.
Brendan Connolly
