Bad Ass is a 2012 revenge drama/action/comedy film starring Danny Trejo, Ron Perlman and Charles S. Dutton very loosely based on Epic Beard Man, but expands greatly on this subject matter into areas Tom Bruso wouldn't even dream of.
Frank Vega (Trejo) is a Vietnam vet living in Los Angeles who finds himself on a bus one day when a couple of skinheads jump on and start harassing a senior citizen. Frank's protection of the man with his impressive moves earns him the respect of the media and city; he just wants to be left alone and go on with his quiet life, but...
Seems his old war buddy Klondike has something he shouldn't, which results in tragedy... Cue Vega going on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge throughout L.A.
Provides Examples Of:
- Advertised Extra: Ron Perlman as the mayor only features in a couple very short scenes.
- Ascended Meme: The whole point of the movie, right down to Panther saying at the end after Vega beats him up: "Somebody... send amberlamps!".
- Beware the Nice Ones: Frank is incredibly nice and helpful to just about everyone, and he even gives people who want to fight him at least one chance to back down before the inevitable Curb-Stomp Battle ensues.
- Bond One-Liner: Not after someone has died, but after the Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique below: "Got a message from your wife. She told you to go fuck yourself! Hope you're right-handed."
- Bumbling Henchmen Duo: The skinheads from the bus. They reappear twice, and both times they completely fail to even scratch Frank, and he was tired and bleeding from a kukri slash to the leg the third time!
- Combat Pragmatist: Frank's fighting style, which catches everyone save Panther completely off guard.
- Famed In-Story: Frank is famous because of YouTube recording what he did to the skinheads.
- Hate Sink: The skinheads from the bus are nothing short of despicable. First, they almost beat up an innocent man for not giving up his seat. Then they turn their attention to Frank and try to fight him for intervening, resulting in Frank kicking both their asses and later attempt to murder him in retaliation.
- 100% Heroism Rating: Frank beats a bunch of people up, indirectly gets a woman shot, blows up a garage, probably killing two guys in the process, smashes a statue, several cars and parking meters, an entire glass lobby and wrecks a city bus, and what does he get? Why, he gets made an honorary police officer!
- Humble Hero: Frank dismisses the attention he gets when he becomes the focus of praise.
- Idiot Ball: At least two attractive women in LA leave their back doors open at night!
- I Just Shot Marvin in the Face: Happens point blank in the chest to shady Ms. Fanservice Tatiana, while Frank is searching for a lead from her blinded Mook boyfriend, while likely dead, her fate is ultimately left to Uncertain Doom.
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: Used on a Mook and later on, on Vega himself
- Denser and Wackier: While the first movie was light on camp the sequels that followed cranked up the camp factor.
- Disproportionate Retribution: After indulging vigorously in cocaine and sex with her Mook boyfriend, Tatiana recives an accidental bullet to the chest from her boyfriend, (in the exact same area of the chest Klondike was shot earlier in the film.) during a confrontation between her boyfriend and Frank.
- Memetic Badass: An in-universe example! Millions of people see the "YouView" video of Frank beating up the skinheads, lending him internet fame and a few favors- including a city bus. He's even sporting a meme-worthy I AM A MOTHERFUCKER T-shirt.
- Rated M for Manly: This whole movie's existence wouldn't even hold water without this trope.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: They killed the only family he had left. They just fucked with the wrong Mexican.
- Theme Music Power-Up: In with the film's name, whenever you hear the "Bad Ass" theme song, someone's in for a world of hurt.
