by Tom Doolan

Created on: April 29, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Action Heroes Assembled

Looking strictly at film as a model, the anatomy of an Action Hero is both simple and complex. At his or her core, and Action Hero is someone who is willing to take a problem and handle it in a physical manner, usually when nothing else has worked. To that end, one can define certain traits that most, if not all, Action Heroes have in common. Putting these traits together is almost a recipe for an good Action Hero.

First, he has to be able to fight. That's what action is. Confronting conflict with violence. And this starts with his own two fists, and possibly his feet, elbows, head and anything else he can hit someone with. In the early years of Hollywood, the only real fighting art known was boxing. Even today, with all of the slick, high-flying martial arts epics, and the rise in popularity of the Hong Kong Wuxia cinema, nothing beats a good old fashioned brawl with tough guys (and gals) slugging it out in a visceral contest of strength, stamina and grit. This concept also leads into weapons. Swords, knives, spears, clubs, chairs, trash cans, these are all part and parcel of a good melee. Unless the film is set in a pre-industrial setting, there will usually be guns too. A good Action Hero will know how to use them. And use them well. Right handed, left handed, both handed, an Action Hero will often take down foes in droves with flying lead. Pistols, rifles, submachine guns, anti-aircraft guns. In short, any method an Action Hero can find to do harm to the bad guys is fair game.

But fighting isn't the only thing that makes action. You have to get to the action. And Action Heroes excel at that. Driving is a key skill, and any good Hero will know how to make his vehicle do whatever he wants it to in a high-speed chase. Whether it just be maneuvering through heavy traffic, or running the bad guys off the road, the vehicle is an extension of the Hero's will. The same applies to all manner of vehicles. Boats, planes, and motorcycles are also fair game in the action genre. And a good Action hero can handle it all.

A good Action Hero will also be well-versed in daredevil stunts. Performing feats of agility and bravery that make us mere mortals cringe. Jumping from one speeding vehicle to another, diving through a window to avoid an explosion, swinging across an alligator-filled pit and dodging spears and arrows, an Action hero has to be willing to throw caution to the wind and trust in his own, exceptional abilities.

Assuming someone has all of

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