Action films... In particular, films about martial arts... Well, who doesn’t remember the scene when Tong Po hits the column from which the whitewash is crumbling? How terrible he seemed in those distant years! And how worried you were about Van Damme’s hero, who had to fight such a monster. A similar genre of films has developed in the USA, as well as in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan and a little in South Korea. But probably every heterosexual man dreamed not only of being like Jean-Claude Van Damme or Sonny Tiebout, but also to have your own national hero. Whether Argentinean, German, New Zealander or Khmer.
If demand creates supply, then they should have appeared here too. True, with varying degrees of success: some did not rise above a small-town star, some simply did not have enough passion, and in some cases fate worked out in the most unusual way, so in this review I want to talk not about action films or films with combat arts filmed in the post-Soviet space, namely about actors with a very cursory glance at the filmography.
Talgat Nigmatulin
Probably the most famous actor in the USSR who practices martial arts. The person, in my opinion, was truly unlucky to be born in the wrong era. He failed to realize his potential as a film actor, and neither did he succeed as an actor. Apparently, the film directors did not see any serious significance in him, so Talgat literally had several significant roles in his twenty-year film career. He has a daughter, Linda, by the way, a very nice Asian lady, but for some reason she also rarely appears in films. I really wanted to watch films with Talgat after documentaries about his truly tragic fate were shown on TV. There they demonstrated some karatesh blows performed by him, which gave the (erroneous) impression that it was ours Bruce Lee.
When the opportunity arose to find and watch all these films, it turned out that Talgat Kadyrovich literally takes a couple of shots and that’s it. Literally EVERYTHING is the maximum. In one movie he destroys a house of cards (like that's cool, how's that Benny Urkides в "Diner on Wheels" put out the candles), in another he performs kata... And fights? And the horseradish was floating there - there are no fights, there are individual blows inflicted by a talented actor. By the way, the most interesting ones that I remember from the time of the documentary about him are from the 3rd part of the film by the Belarusfilm studio "State Border" (1981). Even as a lover of Soviet films, I couldn’t watch this hat - it’s such squalor, in my opinion. But there Talgat made more than a hit - an achievement.
The horrific tragic death of an actor who was carried away by schizoterism put an end to a potentially interesting action hero, but, nevertheless, the actor’s images are even small, in the same "Pirates of the 20th Century" (1979), where he dragged Nikolay Eremenkowill be with us forever.
Alexander Inshakov
At one time I had a cassette with a film recorded from TV "Crusader" (1995) - I dragged myself through it like a boa constrictor on glass wool, I liked it so much, especially these wonderful explosions. As a child, I considered an action movie a priori to be bad if nothing exploded in it. IN "Crusader" That's okay, but the rest... Jesus Christ, this is crap! It’s true what they say: where you were happy, don’t go back there... and don’t rewatch films that seemed good in childhood. Because this is rare trash, just rare, which is even an awesome, super-charismatic actor, one of my favorites - Valery Priemykhov, cannot save (by the way, one of the few advantages of this, ahem, film). Fight in "Crusader", actually, with Gulkin’s penis - Sasha Inshakov knocked on another Sasha (the more talented Peskov) and waved his arm and leg a couple of times - that’s all.
Other films with his participation "Rat Corner" (1992) - a perestroika action movie with a lot of fights and where Inshakov’s standard opponent is present - a tough judoka Yuri Slobodenyuk, unfortunately, has a very unpleasant appearance, and therefore receives invariably from the more photogenic Inshakov. Another "masterpiece" of cinema - "Maltese cross" (2008). A rare hat in terms of plot, but... But he played in it Yuri Solomin and he played well, but he was a villain Oleg Taktarov. Oddly enough, he tried too. The end result was a completely convincing bastard. This is the film where Inshakov started cosplaying Steven Seagal, namely, to use predominantly aikido in battles. At the same time, with age, Sasha, alas, like Stephen, began to look very overweight. I feel some awkwardness criticizing a person who starred in action films at a time when they didn’t know how to make them at all... I would have said to myself, but there was her - "Brigade: Heir" (2012)
As much as I've watched a lot of crap, this masterpiece of trash is, by any standards, a terrifying, nightmarish film, beyond the bounds of any decency. Everything about it is very bad, but since we are talking about action, there is one full-fledged battle scene where Inshakov deals with killers (and one of them is a woman), throws knives a couple of times and says a couple of stupid phrases. Oh yes, he is also the screenwriter and producer of this “masterpiece”. Well done, Alexander - he wrote his name in history, although not quite as planned. What else I remember is gurgling to the side Sergei Bezrukov - they say, he’s become a star, he doesn’t want to participate in the sequel of the film that made him famous... be-be-be. Well done, well done Bezrukov! "Brigade Heir" - one of the worst films I have ever seen, without exaggeration! And the aikido of the producer of this shit, Inshakov, does not save the situation, but makes it worse. In general, Alexander is an excellent stuntman, but a very passable actor with a crappy filmography, alas.
Vladimir Epifantsev
The personality, of course, is specific, one might say - a little over the top, but I like him extremely much: both as a person and as an actor. And as an action actor, he’s just a naturally unopened lotus. Everything is there: charisma, EXCELLENT (probably among Russian actors) top physical shape, very strong acting skills, knowledge of martial arts, and the result... zilch. And this is also the fault of Vladimir, who, like Mickey Rourke likes to say “I acted here for the money.” Well done, handsome, honest, but what next? Nothing. In Epifantsev’s filmography there are a lot of abstract “tough guy” roles, but in a DAY that you don’t even want to watch in the background.
There are, of course, exceptions. Firstly, this is an excellent ironic action movie "Invincible" (2008), where they tried to play up the brutality of Epifantsev, along with all the cliches of action films, in a funny and cool way, and not in a serious way. The film will also please anti-Semites, because the hero simply terribly and monstrously trolls the oligarch Shering on ethnic grounds. There are fights in the film, but it feels like they were inserted as an addition to the shootouts, but nothing more, although the final fight with Vladimir Turchinsky remembered.
"Flint" (2012) - Epifantsev’s television magnum opus. The first part is almost a frame-by-frame remake of the first "Rambo" (1982), but very good. The second part is an arthouse action movie (so to speak), where the hero kills about 200 people, and in the most unrealistic way possible, as if in a crazy dream. There are fights... well, like fights, Volodya throws a boot or an elbow into the enemy’s mug, after which she realizes how sleepy she is and lies down. Then Epifan takes (or snatches from someone’s hands) a barrel, kills about 20 people, then we hear the “magnificent” poems of his ex-wife in the background - well, ok. In general, Vladimir, I will repeat it a hundred times, is a very good actor. A bright personality, charisma, excellent physique - all this could make him a super-action actor, but he just acts in all sorts of crap, without even hiding it - stupidly because they pay.
Mikhail Porechenkov
This is the most controversial of the actors being reviewed: some are unbearably infuriated by him, including due to some of his civic positions, while others like him. As for me, I’ll be honest: as an actor, Porechenkov DOESN’T suit me. Plus, he starred and unfortunately made an ultra-crappy film, I just don’t even know how to say it without swearing "D-Day" (2008) - remake "Commando" (1985) with Schwartz, but if you haven’t seen it, don’t even think about watching it! The only plus of this masterpiece of sludge is the acting Mikhail Trukhin, who worked off his fee in this viper, authored by his friend Porechenkov.
Porechenkov’s other work is a disgusting, stupid shit series "National Security Agent" (1999-2000), where Mikhail plays the role of “allegedly FSB officer” Lekha Nikolaev - a drunk, a degenerate, a complete scum, a son of a bitch and in general a person who should not exist in this universe. Almost every episode is not complete without watching this brute (no wonder everyone in the series calls him a piece of trash - hey, Lekha, damn!) poking the next lady with his chandelier, then guzzling vodka, then (like a real man, of course) dominating physically and mentally weaker partner Krasnov, performed by the wonderful and now deceased Andrey Krasko. Well, in the finale, this fucking scarecrow reveals a universal conspiracy. If SUCH people are guarding national security, I don’t really want to live in such a country. In general, Mikhail Porechenkov is a pretty bad actor, as for me - many times worse than Epifantsev. And the spruce is suitable for the role of an action hero. Although Mikhail himself seemed to be involved in boxing and wushu sanda.
Vladislav Demin
My number two favorite after Epifantsev. Firstly, he is a good actor, and secondly, he is an excellent film actor. A man is 187 cm tall and weighs 105 kg. and above - can perform somersaults no worse Scott Adkins. This is one of the most fucked up talents in Russian cinema. Vlad is wonderful in all the roles he played, even if it is a stereotypical SS man in "Chief Caliber" (2006). Anton Sladko in the series "Fighter" (2004) is actually one of my favorites, such a bright character. Series "SOBR" (2011-2012) and "Panther" (2007) - he is beautiful everywhere. The last time I saw him was in a Wagnerian film "Hell's Finest" (2022). There he looked simply hellish, incredibly brutal, but the role was not combat - he stood on the side and that’s it.
Vlad’s plus is precisely the spectacular cinematic technique with a frightening brutal appearance, with the necessary staging of fights he is simply magnificent. The only thing Vlad was unlucky with was his voice. From a person with his build and appearance, you expect either a deep baritone or a very low base, but Demin’s “native” voice makes you smile - he’s so... sweet.
Jamal Azhigirey
The child of Dagestan should, in theory, appear as a huge wrestler - hairy, over 100 kg. weight and so that the slanting fathoms in the shoulders. Jamal looks more like a stereotypical monk from Hong Kong kung fu films - small and wise. I remember it extremely (EXTREMELY) "Lotus Strike" (2001) - it was shown on TV more than once. And the movie "Monk" (1999) - I always got excited about advertising. Want to know what it sounded like? "Invincible, like Bruce Lee. Cool, like Chuck Norris. Courageous, like Van Damme." Yes, this is about the hero Jamal, although he doesn’t look like any of the ones described above, but he’s a very cool guy, it’s a pity he doesn’t act more.
By the way, there is a suspicion that the film’s producer is to blame. "Path" (2009). When I first watched it, I noticed that Jamal was using strange, uncharacteristic techniques similar to aikido. And so it turned out - wushu player Azhigirey was forced to use martial arts in the cinema, in which he didn’t have a foot in the world. That's all you need to know about the shit movie "Path". By the way, I even rewatched it relatively recently, so I want to say that for such a montage as in it, one must literally, in the literal sense, kill, because it is beyond good and evil.
Well, let's probably close on a positive note. What do you think: who is the coolest Soviet actor who did the scissors move? Yes - wonderful, amazing, indescribably cool Nikolay Karachentsov. Not a fighter? Yes, but I fought in movies often - "The Man from Boulevard des Capucines" (1987), where he tried to somersault so that his face was visible - yes, it’s me, Kolya Karachentsov, not the understudy. And also "Adventures of Electronics" (1979) "Criminal Quartet" (1989) "The Lion's Share" (2001) and sort of like a TV series "DDD: Detective Dubrovsky's File" (1999). Nikolai Petrovich is pushed into the TOP out of respect, but it cannot be denied that he was COOL when he had to be cool in the movies!
In general, there are a whole bunch of cool actors, but they were noted for one or two roles in action films, so I did not include them in the list, although I really like many of them or they were simply great in the roles of action heroes. In general, the list, of course, is very limited - I can squeeze in another 10 people, but that’s it for now. Evgeny Sidikhin, Sergey Vorobiev, Oleg Stefanko, Maxim Drozd, Dmitry Pevtsov, yes even Gosha Kutsenko - here are those whom I still remembered, but did not mention in the review. And you offer your options.
Oleg MapintasBangis Chernenko
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Tags: Alexander Inshakov, Vladimir Epifantsev, Vladislav Demin, Jamal Azhigirey, Mikhail Porechenkov, Nikolay Karachentsov, Oleg Taktarov, Talgat Nigmatulin
Tags: Alexander Inshakov, Vladimir Epifantsev, Vladislav Demin, Jamal Azhigirey, Mikhail Porechenkov, Nikolay Karachentsov, Oleg Taktarov, Talgat Nigmatulin
Damn, why can’t you see the comments???
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Hello! Well, I registered on this site and couldn’t stand it. And where exactly did you forget Roman Kurtsyn? He is also an excellent action actor and stuntman, but the fact that he appears in many pass-through projects is not his fault.
And in general, the last normal, competently staged fight film (after “Strike of the Lotus”) is “Russian Raid”. Damn, I hope the title wasn’t deliberately chosen with a reference to Garrett Evans? I think so (my personal opinion not imposed on anyone) that if Roma were offered a beautiful fighting game project with fights with the same Demin or Mineev, he would probably be with both hands in favor. As for filming in slag, everything depends not on the actors, but on the director and stage managers. (I always hated movies in which hand-to-hand fighters shot more often than fought, like “Inferno” or “Nowhere to Run”) Actors are people too and they also need to feed their families, and if they cannot be offered films or TV series where they can fully realize their potential, they are removed where they pay. and we get a dull rant like the new “Mortal Kombat” (wow, why didn’t Tancharoen get money for a feature film). By the way, there is a proposal, like MAKE A REVIEW, who could be involved, and for what role in the feature film if Mortal Kombat were still directed by Tancharoen? (and maybe replace someone)? And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to do such a review on TEKEN either (don’t touch Daniels - he’s perfect in the role of Brian). Congratulations to all the fans and don’t let your pants come apart at the seams during the turntable!
Objectively, I agree with everything. I myself vote for Demin. I was surprised to see him in the Korean Big Match, and in such a prominent role. Demina would like to go to Hollywood, of course. Could play with Adkins.
Or at least to Asia, yes