What I Want From Sly & Arnold

Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger have taken some criticism in recent years on their career choices, including from this site.  But even though their careers aren’t exactly going the way of Clint Eastwood’s, I think there is still plenty of gas left in the tank for both.  I think they could round out their careers with respect, if they choose…

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

I’ve been disappointed with Arnold lately, for a long time even.  But while he hasn’t kept his career in as good a shape as Sylvester Stallone, at least I get the feeling that Arnold at least somewhat gives a fuck, unlike, say, Bruce Willis.

I would like Schwarzenegger to finish up his career like he started, with a respectable bang.  I think there is room for one, final push.

He should focus all of his energy on The Legend of Conan.  It should be an epilogue for his otherwise brilliant career and for this he needs to find the correct script, director and production ingredients. Arnold, forget those shitty mobile adverts, forget cynical hatchet jobs like Terminator: Genisys.

The entire focus should be Conan.  And, if he was to be really bold, he could even make it his last movie if it’s really good, go out with dignity.  Or at the very least, consider every now project wisely.

I think Arnold could also do with some perception management.  He needs to realize that fans aren’t going to eat up any old shit simply because it was once a big brand, or because he’s in it.  Certainly, I felt he’s been out of touch with his ‘core’ fan base for a while.

SYLVESTER STALLONE

While Arnold appears to be somewhat bull-headed with regards to fan satisfaction, I think Stallone is more savvy on this front.  Therefore, I expect even better for him.  I think Stallone will have better opportunities in the near future because of this, for example, a role in the new Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

But I don’t think he should abuse it.

I would like to see Stallone stick with his bread and butter, manly movies.  Not necessarily Rambo: Last Stand either.  Don’t you think Rambo (2008) was a nice ending to the series and that a fifth movie may be over reaching and threaten a perfect record of four good movies?  Few franchises managed that, Lethal Weapon was one.

Dare I say it, I think putting The Expendables to bed, with the express exception being that he wants to right the wrongs he created in that franchise, but I doubt it.

For Stallone, I would like to see him go the way of the great Gene Hackman or Charles Bronson.  Sturdy (if small) thrillers, with perhaps a bold action scene here or there.  It would be his way of finally giving two fingers to his critics over the years with a see, I could act all along, screw you.