History Main / HollywoodActionHero

The movies of the TurnOfTheMillenium have instead produced the ActionSurvivor who, rather than being a MartyStu, is more akin to a SelfInsertFic where HilarityEnsues. Occasionally both are teamed up as an ActionDuo. Contrast the NerdActionHero.

The movies of TheTurnOfTheMillenium have instead produced the ActionSurvivor who, rather than being a MartyStu, is more akin to a SelfInsertFic where HilarityEnsues. Occasionally both are teamed up as an ActionDuo. Contrast the NerdActionHero.

The phrase "action heroes" appeared early in the 1960s, used to describe the Creator/CharltonComics protagonists (later the inspiration for the characters in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''). This phrase, coined by Dick Giordiano, applied to their mostly non-metahuman adventurers such as ComicBook/TheQuestion and [[ComicBook/BlueBeetle Ted Kord]]. The era with the biggest bunch of Action Heroes was the '80s and '90s, with big name stars like Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger, Creator/BruceWillis, and many, ''many'' others starring in a half dozen {{Summer Blockbuster}}s every year. TheAhnold is a subtrope specifically referring to parodies of these guys. There was also a big action movie scene in Hong Kong, with stars such as Creator/BruceLee, Creator/ChowYunFat, Creator/JackieChan, and Creator/JetLi kicking serious ass with kung fu (or GunFu, in the case of Chow Yun-Fat).

The movies of the 2000s have instead produced the ActionSurvivor who, rather than being a MartyStu, is more akin to a SelfInsertFic where HilarityEnsues. Occasionally both are teamed up as an ActionDuo. Contrast the NerdActionHero.

* ''Film/PointBreak''

->''"Hey, look at me''\\
''Casually''\\
''Walking away like Action Movie Hero Boy,''\\
''In slow-mo,''\\
''Everything glowing and blowing to bits''\\
''Right behind me!"''

* ''Film/TheKiller''

* ''Film/ThePatriot''

* ''Film/{{Cyborg 1989}}''

* ''Franchise/JohnWick''.

* ''Film/GhostRider''

* ''Martial Ability:''' They'll of course be MadeOfIron or just plain ''made'' of hit points, soaking up tons of damage without stopping. They'll rarely fight with anything more complex than GoodOldFisticuffs and a trusty {{BFG}} or HandCannon. Some may use a big blade if it's personal.

* '''[[AC: Personality:]]''' Usually a Hollywood Action Hero is either [[TheStoic stoic]] and [[DeadpanSnarker glib]] or wisecracking and jolly.
* '''[[AC: Intellect:]]''' Usually BookDumb but deadly practical with weapons and vehicles of all types.
* '''[[AC: Morality:]]''' A few are {{Anti Hero}}es but most are plain old heroes who are morally upright. That doesn't stop them from killing mooks, but causes them to deliberate a bit before killing villains.
* '''[[AC: Aesthetics:]]''' Usually rugged and [[PermaStubble unshaven]], often [[HeroicBuild muscular]], and usually [[GoodScarsEvilScars scarred.]]
* '''[[AC: Martial Ability:]]''' They'll of course be MadeOfIron or just plain ''made'' of hit points, soaking up tons of damage without stopping. They'll rarely fight with anything more complex than GoodOldFisticuffs and a trusty {{BFG}} or HandCannon. Some may use a big blade if it's personal.

* '''[[AC: Aesthetics:]]''' Usually rugged and [[PermaStubble unshaven]], often [[TheBigGuy muscular]], and usually [[GoodScarsEvilScars scarred.]]

* '''[[AC: Intellect:]]''' Usually BookDumb but deadly practical.
* '''[[AC: Morality:]]''' A few are {{Anti Hero}}es but most are plain old heroes who are morally upright. That doesn't stop them from killing mooks, but causes them to deliberate a bit with villains.

* '''[[AC: Martial Ability:]]''' They'll of course be MadeOfIron or just plain ''made'' of hit points, soaking up tons of damage without stopping. They'll rarely fight with anything more complex than GoodOldFisticuffs and a trusty {{BFG}} or HandCannon.

* ''Film/{{War}}''

* ''Film/{{War}}''

* ''Film/RawDeal''