Action movies often get the most love in the summer, when their breezy fast-paced nature are best suited for the carefree months of June, July and August. This year is no different, with many buzz-worthy films making us fans hungry to settle in and be transported to another world, courtesy of Hollywood magic.
Here is my list of the top five action movies I look forward to seeing this summer, with the trailer for each following the explanation why I’ll be waiting in the box-office line along with other silver screen fans:
The Amazing Spider-Man
Release date: July 3, 2012
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen
Call it a reboot of the classic comic-book tale of a boy with heroic superpowers. Now we see Garfield in the title role, which could be a nice break from the Tobey Maguire frenzy of the Spider-Man flicks of the 2000s. The 2002 version wowed many Spider-Man geeks, but 10 years later the CGI looks more eye-popping and the origin story touches on emotional issues Peter Parker didn’t face in the 2002 film. If the trailer is any indication, this will be everyone’s second favourite comic-book adaptation of summer 2012.
The Dark Knight Rises
Release date: July 20
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Liam Neeson
And as expected, the most anticipated comic-book adaptation belongs to Batman film believed to be Christopher Nolan’s last. While the plot is still sketchy, the trailer tells us Bruce Wayne faces a formidable foe in Bane (Tom Hardy) and must once again instill hope in Gotham residents who seemingly forgot him. The blockbuster should live up to expectations, thanks to Nolan’s deft hand, but can Bane trump The Joker’s frightening turn as the main villain in the last Dark Knight film? And will Hathaway move beyond her bland acting to give fans a Catwoman that will make us forget Michelle Pfeiffer’s comical take in Batman Returns?
The Bourne Legacy
Release date: August 3
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Ed Norton, Rachel Weisz
I’ve always admired how each Bourne film keeps the action going without fail, and the pace rarely slows for drawn-out exposition. It’ll be interesting to see how Renner takes over for Matt Damon, but if there’s any star worth positioning as the next action star, it’s Renner. Let’s hope the Bourne series doesn’t run out of steam and Renner finds new life as a physically dominating CIA agent whose every move outwits his enemies.
Total Recall
Release date: August 3
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Bryan Cranston, Jessica Biel
A star-studded cast leads the remake of the Schwarzenegger classic sci-fi film. Shot in Toronto, this Total Recall riffs off the original as a factory worker begins to suspect that he’s a spy, but he is unaware which side of the fight he’s on. The trailer looks promising, especially for fans of futuristic playgrounds, so fingers crossed the director doesn’t mangle the core of what made Total Recall such a compelling movie: a good story.
Gangster Squad
Release date: September 7
Starring: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin
Stone and Gosling reunite after last year’s rom-com Crazy, Stupid, Love but expect fewer flirtations and more bullets. Gangster Squad tells the story of the LAPD’s fight to keep East Coast Mafia players out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s. One of the more original summer action movies (not based on older films or comic books), it has all the features of a Hollywood hit: the “it” guy of the moment in Gosling, a well-known footnote of a gritty era in L.A. history, and the directorial hand of Ruben Fleischer, known for making Zombieland one of the more entertaining movies about zombies. But can Gangster Squad escape the shadow of other similar flicks such as Public Enemies and create a new voice for Mafia movies in 2012?
Will you check out any of these movies? What other summer films are you looking forward to in 2012? Have your say in the comment section below!
