Action movies once reigned supreme with films like Die Hard and The Terminator dominating the '80s and '90s, yet it seems like in the early 2000s the genre laid dormant. But now, it's making a comeback.
One could say action movies evolved with the times; the term has come to mean more than just explosions and fight scenes. Or, as Kellan Lutz puts it, "I don't think action movies ever went anywhere."
The actor was in town Wednesday along with The Expendables 3 co-star Antonio Banderas to throw the first pitch at the Marlins-Cardinals game. Cultist caught up with the pair at Marlins Park after their brief stint as professional athletes to talk shop.
See also: Joe Manganiello Takes Over the Action Genre in Sabotage with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Back in 2010, Stallone directed, co-wrote, and starred in The Expendables; two years later, he did it again, and finally, two years after that, he's at it once more with The Expendables 3. As the franchise progresses, Stallone keeps adding more and more A-list stars to the film's roster. The latest additions include Banderas and Lutz.
"I play John Smilee, ex-Navy Seal," says Lutz. "He's lost all of his boys in a fire-fight and he's mad at Uncle Sam [because of that], so he's a bit of a lone-wolf at this point and has authority issues." He goes on to explain how Kelsey Grammar's character, Bonaparte, recruits him to meet Barney (Stallone). When Smilee and Barney meet, they form an instant bond.
"[Barney] sees this essence in me, and when he speaks to me, he speaks my language. I'm just looking for pain in any way I can, but he gives me purpose again and allows me to join the team and be the leader of the young guns."
Banderas starts to nod his head at the words "looking for pain," and says, "It's interesting that he says 'looking for pain' because that's exactly the opposite of what my character [Galgo] is doing." The two friends share a laugh and Banderas continues, "He's trying to escape from something dramatic that happened to him - it's something we don't see in the film and he talks lightly about. He hides [his pain] with his compulsive behavior, this non-stop talking, non-stop moving, non-stop nothing."
"It becomes really, really annoying, but if he stops, he thinks; and if he thinks, he goes down."
Galgo is just another guy who's looking for a place to fit in, and Banderas thinks that could be with the expendables team. If Galago does return in the rumored fourth Expendables installment (a project he could neither confirm nor deny), he says, "He may not talk that much anymore."
Banderas seems to think that the reason fans react so positively to the films is because they are like heavy metal music. Curling his right fist and punching the air, he states how The Expendables is "full of power." Just as fans of heavy metal music are loyal to the sound, he says, fans of the movie are loyal to Stallone.
It's "heavy metal cinema," he adds with smile.
"I think people are not only going to enjoy the thrills, the pyrotechnics, the muscles, but the humor, too," Banderas continues. Instead of focusing on the stunts, Banderas paid more attention to the comedy aspect, saying it adds "a little color in this complex painting of stars," making this film a little different from the previous two. "But then again, [fans] are going to see a product that is pure, clear entertainment."
The Expendables 3 blends the best traits of the first two films, according to Lutz. "The first one [was] heavy on the action, the gore, the blood, and [Stallone] saw that it worked. Second one [was] more heavy with the humor; that worked, too. But," explains the heartthrob, "when you join the two together in the perfect balance, a concoction of the two formulas, you get something really special."
Basically, there's blood, explosions, fight scenes, car chases, helicopters, bro-humor, hot chicks, a hot chick who kicks asses, and a bunch of famous action stars. It's heavy metal cinema, man.
The Expendables 3 is now playing in theaters.
Send your story tips to Cultist at [email protected].
Follow Cultist on Facebook and Twitter @CultistMiami.
