Top Five: Action Trailers From The 2000’s

I believe that this movie came early enough in the 2000’s to err cautiously to the retro side of things, or at least it did with the trailer.  The movie isn’t actually too bad either, as John Moore is a better director of action than he’s given credit for, even though he’s kind of a yes-man.  The trailer is better than the movie though, and in this list we’re discussing trailers rather than the movies themselves.  This would be the last movie like this that Gene Hackman would star in.  And in fact his third last movie overall.  Nice use of the Don LaFontaine-style narration and old-school graphical text here.  Good action trailer.

4) The Fast & The Furious (2001) – Theatrical Trailer

The first Fast & Furious and, in my opinion, the best Fast & Furious, also happens to have the best trailer from the series.  The action and tone seemed to have been more grounded and in line with older action movies under the direction of Rob Cohen than its many sequels.  Action itself was also a key point in getting people’s attention with this trailer, as opposed to the huge weaponry in terms of casting easily available for the later movies (The Rock will sell ice cubes to Eskimos), we didn’t know who Diesel or Walker were, so they had to try harder.  Back in the day, there was also a lot of controversy surrounding this movie.  The charge was that it was glorifying street racing.  And to be fair, it was!  But it certainly did the movies more favours than anything else.  There is no denying that this is an aggressive yet slickly cut action trailer.  I wonder if the trailer for the seventh movie, due this coming week, can top it…?

3) Gladiator (2000) – Theatrical Trailer

For my money, this is both the manliest movie and best movie over all of the 2000’s, so it’s not surprising that the trailer for Gladiator finds its way on here.  Back in the day, I can say with honesty that I did not know who Russell Crowe was.  But I didn’t care.  I, and everyone I knew, had to see this movie.  Mostly because of this trailer but also because of how well it was promoted.  You have to remember that nobody had done a movie like this in a while, at least not on that scale.  So the appetite was strong and we weren’t aware of it.  It’s well edited, damned beautiful and lures us with the prospect of vengeance, that most manly of subject matters.  Gladiator spawned a renaissance of the sword and sandals movie for about half a decade, but none of the movies that followed were really even in the same league.

2) Rambo (2008) – Theatrical Trailer

I still remember the day Sylvester Stallone dropped a 3 minute orgy of death and killing onto Harry Knowles’ website AintItCool, from his new Rambo movie.  People were cynical in the run up, see, because they’d just seen the fourth Die Hard movie, and it was really soft and disappointing.  Stallone must have been aware of the negative undercurrent when he let rip with that reveal, practically a snuff movie.  The more primitive social media of the time blew up.  But that wasn’t a trailer per se,  this was.  It’s not quite as good, but shit, it is the real deal.  If there is doubt about Rambo V, all Stallone has to do is repeat what he did six years ago.  Film a good movie, then follow up with a riotous preview and a trailer like this.  Rambo really was one of the best action movies of the 2000’s and this was one of the best trailers.

1) Taken (2008) – Theatrical Trailer

Behold the best action trailer of the 2000’s.  The blunt directness of its manliness is what makes this one king.  Vigilantism, brutality and revenge.  Liam Neeson hadn’t really done this type of thing before, but all it took was one trailer to kick that part of his career off.  Let’s be honest, it’s that basic (extended) one liner that worked wonders for the promotion of this movie.  It’s easy to remember good movies, but it’s hard to remember trailers.  I will always remember this trailer, simply because of Liam Neeson’s telephone threat.  I feel sorry for Americans though.  Not only did they have to wait a further year to see the movie, they also got a PG-13 version.  The European theatrical cut was harder.