My Murals and Drawings Reviews

Action Jackson is pure '80s blaxploitation - plenty of savagery, sex and sinew with a predominantly African American cast. The crowd-pleasing meatloaf at the centre of this macho action film is neither Stallone nor Schwarzenegger, but their former sidekick Carl Weathers instead. If you're familiar with the movies of maverick '80s super-producer Joel Silver, you'd have an accurate idea of what to expect from Action Jackson: there are shootings, stabbings, flaming corpses, broken bones, explosions, careening vehicles, and a nourishing dose of humour in the form of snappy one-liners. Fans of '80s action romps are destined to enjoy it.

Jericho "Action" Jackson (Weathers) is a Detroit police sergeant with an apparent inability to control his actions during heated situations (hence his notorious moniker). Jackson is pitted against esteemed car magnate Peter Dellaplane (Nelson) who's suspected of masterminding a murder spree against local officials from the auto workers' union. In typical action film fashion, Jackson dashes from clue to clue, and is framed for murder. With Dellaplane's mistress Sydney (Vanity) in tow, Jackson sallies forth to prevent an assassination, vindicate himself and bring down Dellaplane, all the while facing plenty of opportunities to live up to his titular nickname.

One thing's for certain: Action Jackson wastes no time before pumping up the noise levels. Five minutes into the movie, a flaming corpse plummets from a high-rise and smashes through a glass ceiling. Alas, the action subsequently takes a backseat while the film focuses on plot and characters. Unfortunately, the plot is hackneyed and the characterisations remain one-note. Despite clocking at a mere 90 minutes, the film feels unusually bloated since quality action sequences are on the short side. There's a bit too much flab.

Make no mistake: Action Jackson is a no-brainer action film. It's overflowing with so many genre conventions that it's almost as if the screenwriter had a checklist beside him while penning the script. Utterly useless policemen? Check. Slipshod depiction of police procedures? Check. A few opportunities for the buff hero to remove his shirt and display his impressive physique? Check. Amusing one-liners just prior to the death of a bad guy? Check. The list is endless. This is a strictly by-the-numbers fare. Action movie enthusiasts will be able to predict every beat, and any casual movie-goer will be able to foresee the outcome for any conflict that arises. Action Jackson is also irretrievably unrealistic. The bad guys are unable to shoot straight, characters turn up at the most convenient time, and so on. It's all quite hopeless.

Gripes notwithstanding, Action Jackson is very enjoyable - it's a straightforward, brainless B-Movie blast of entertainment. One-time stunt maestro Craig R. Baxley's direction lacks the oomph to convincingly propel the movie out of the doldrums, but he gets the job done. As to be expected from a product of the '80s, a lot of the action is clichéd stuff (for instance cars just happen to run into trucks hauling flammable tanks which are just eager to burst into fiery goodness).

Carl Weathers had a single note to play as Jericho Jackson, and he plays it terrifically with all the necessary charisma. However Weathers lacks presence, and isn't intimidating enough. R&B singer Vanity is passable as Sydney, and she's given a few chances to prove that her singing skills outshine her acting abilities. Unfortunately, the budding romance between Sydney and Jackson feels obligatory and unnatural. Craig T. Nelson is a serviceable villain, though he's nothing remarkable. Sharon Stone also appears for a brief period, and she's there purely to look nice (a job she accomplishes well). There are a bunch of other actors who make cameo appearances, including two of Weathers' Predator co-stars (Bill Duke and Sonny Landham), an '80s James Bond villain (Robert Davi), and two actors who played terrorists in Die Hard (Dennis Hayden and a very recognisable Al Leong).

Action Jackson is an enjoyable guilty pleasure. It's packed with genuine '80s flair and dubious plot holes, in addition to explosions, stunts and special effects. It's a shame, then, that the film is only ever-so-slightly exciting.

5.9/10