Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Stallone Vs. Austin

I had the chance to watch The Expendables tonight on DVD. As it was in the theater, it was a fun throwback to classic '80s action with the top stars of the last 20 years of the action genre. As usual, any detailed plot analysis is pointless.

But one aspect deserves some analysis. While watching the climactic fight between Sly and Steve Austin, it looked like Stone Cold might be forgetting the art of taking it to the safe edge and cutting, a standard action-movie practice. And a look at the Making Of featurette proved me right. With Stallone nursing a torn knee ligament, there's Steve bragging to the documentary crew that "that's no big deal in the wrestling ring...this movie stuff is b.s.". All this as we see Sly go to a Louisiana knee specialist who practically begs him to shut down the film and get it fixed. Cast commitments being what they are, he can't. So a cortisone injection has to suffice. I have new respect for Stallone as my contempt for Austin grows.

I can only hope that Austin's only comfort down the line isn't stone cold icepacks as his macho redneck swagger renders him a physically broken man like Mick Foley.

MTMG

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