Action Jackson (1988)

Simply Perfect

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Always a likable supporting player in films such as 'Predator', 'Death Hunt' and 'Rocky', this film was an attempt to turn Carl Weathers into a leading action star and he delivers well here, but it is no surprise to discover that the film failed to propel his career. In addition to Weathers, the supporting cast is bursting with talent from the likes of Robert Davi, Thomas F. Wilson and Sharon Stone, but the plot is very second rate and always comes second to over-the-top stunts such as Weathers somersaulting over the top of a speeding car (!). Craig T. Nelson feels a tad miscast as the chief antagonist too, never all that charismatic, villainous or foreboding, though the film's biggest drawback is its fusion of comedy within the action plot. At the best of times, the film is laugh-out-loud funny with a particularly memorable scene in which a drunken Vanity keeps making quips with sexual innuendo as she takes a nighttime drive with Weathers, not to mention a petty thief who amusingly keeps fainting in the opening few minutes, but the comedy side of the film too often takes a back-seat to the rather formulaic weeding out corruption angle with Nelson. Weathers does get some great one-liners though and there is a very neat scene transition between Weathers commenting a barbecue, blowing a bad guy away and a barbecue firing up in the very next scene. More cleverness like this would have helped the film along. 'Action Jackson' is, however, highly watchable as it is as long as one does not think too much about the unrealistic stunts and by-the-numbers plot.

I've just read about Vanity's death a few days ago aged only 57.So sad to discover this news.She was never a BIG STAR Actress but it's amazing how many actresses like her had an effect on us kids of the 1980's.I first became aware of her in "The Last Dragon" not a bad film but not really great either but she clearly stood out.She really only made 3 films of note (the above one) "52 Pick Up" which for obvious reasons had VHS Tapes being worn out in the late 80's, check it out, it has a GREAT cast and I have always been a fan Roy Scheider's but this film also included as well as Vanity (who's role was small but sexy) a certain Kelly Preston whom 1980's teenagers will be FOREVER grateful for :-) So two OK films but then came this one..."ACTION JACKSON" has so much over-the-top machismo that you can't help but smile and enjoy the wave of 80's action.Carl Weathers is BRILLIANT...he really is! he knows what kind of film this is and I love how he plays it (tongue firmly set in cheek) he's also super cool in the Rocky films, Predator and he was even in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (one of my all-time favourite films) BLINK and you'll miss him though.This has an EPIC 1980's cast...Carl, Craig T Nelson(so incredibly good in the first two Poltergeist movies), Bill Duke (one of his buddies from Predator), Robert Davi (007 Baddie from LTK) add in Sharon Stone in an early role and the even more beautiful Vanity and you have what is really something of a secret 'cult' 1980's action movie.Straight from the get go this sprints off the line...Great lines for Carl (I won't spoil 'em for you...go discover them yourself) And yet whilst it's without a doubt Carl's film...VANITY as his squeeze is just joyful and brings a smile to your face every time she's on the screen, unlike Miss Stone who although clearly beautiful is (at least for me)not a match for Vanity (it's funny who makes it BIG and who doesn't sometimes...as I would have gone with Vanity to be the breakaway star after this!) This was her BIG TIME Film and she owns it along with Carl Weathers (WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE GET THIS FANTASTIC ACTION GUY from the 1980's THAT WE LOVE...BACK in the MOVIES!) GOD BLESS Vanity...And family & friends know this... There are a number of teenagers from the 1980's that will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS...Remember her."ACTION JACKSON" is simply a film the likes of which you just don't see made thesedays and that's kinda SAD.They'll be future viewers of this film that fall for the charms of Vanity in the future and this is the film in which there is a twinkle in her eye.

I'm sorry but this is a complete disaster from cool to laughable and made me quit watching the film because of Reanu's crappy writing of killing Sharon off of the film, what a dick. I first thought that Sharon would be the main villain but no it was The Incredible's Craig T. Nelson as the main villain, in which he frames Jackson (Carl Weathers) by Nelson killing his wife (played by Sharon Stone. This was something that got me interested when I was 7 or 8, until now, it was just so horrible, I'm taking this quote from Frank Yablans on the Electric Boogaloo: The Wild untold story of Cannon Films documentary how to describe "Action Jackson". "It was dry as a Saharan desert, it was awful". I liked Lorimar for Full House TV series, but this is just awful for giving us nothing but junk. What a piece of crap that it should've been owned by Sony not WB, and really, why did the DVD and Blu-ray covers of this film has Sharon stone in the background, she is killed early in the film, you dicks at Warner Brothers, you should've put Craig T Nelson in it. What such a dumb f**k

Action Jackson (1988) is a throwback to the days of Blackpolitation. All the nasty characters are white power hungry bigots. Carl Weathers (of Rocky fame), plays the title character. He has been demoted from Lieutenant to Sergeant, due to pulling the arm off of someone "he had a spare" says Jackson, to his boss. Jackson sets involved in trying to stop a big wig crime lord setting up one of his people to run for high office and control government. On the way there is lots of fist fighting and violent action. Best thing about this is the stunning Vanity, playing a junkie singer, and she is not really know for her acting prowess. I just found the story to be confusing and rather boring and I found it hard to engage with the film. Most people seem to like it so I am in the minority.