Alright, grab your Jolt Cola and settle in, because we're dusting off a tape that practically screams "Late 80s Action!" Remember Jericho Jackson? No? Well, you certainly remember the title: Action Jackson. This 1988 slice of high-octane cheese was producer Joel Silver’s attempt to launch Carl Weathers into the stratosphere as the next big action hero, right after Weathers got gloriously sidelined in Predator (1987). And let me tell you, pulling this faded clamshell case off the rental shelf felt like grabbing pure, unadulterated awesome back in the day.
### He's Got the Moves
The premise is pure 80s gold: Sergeant Jericho Jackson, a Detroit cop demoted for getting too close to exposing powerful auto magnate Peter Dellaplane (Craig T. Nelson, delivering peak smug villainy), finds himself framed and fighting to clear his name while taking down Dellaplane's brutal syndicate. It's a familiar setup, sure, but the execution? That's where the fun begins. Carl Weathers is Action Jackson. Forget Apollo Creed, forget Dillon – here, Weathers unleashes a potent mix of Harvard-educated wit (yes, really), imposing physicality, and genuine movie star charisma. He was reportedly heavily involved in developing the character, wanting a more sophisticated black action lead than typically seen, and it shows. He commands the screen, looking impossibly cool whether he's cracking wise, dodging explosions, or leaping a sports car over another vehicle.
### Real Stunts, Real Sweat
Let's talk action, because that's the name on the marquee. This film was the directorial debut of Craig R. Baxley, a legendary stunt coordinator and second-unit director who orchestrated mayhem on classics like The Warriors (1979) and Predator. His pedigree is stamped all over this movie. The action isn't just plentiful; it feels dangerous. Remember those car chases that ended with actual metal crunching, not just digital sparks? That's what you get here. One particular highlight involves Jackson commandeering a little Pontiac Fiero (remember those?) and engaging in some truly inventive vehicular combat through Detroit. It feels grounded and gritty, even when utterly preposterous.
And the hand-to-hand stuff? Forget shaky-cam quick cuts. Baxley stages fights where you see the hits connect, where stunt performers are visibly putting themselves on the line. There's a raw, tangible quality to the explosions and shootouts that feels leagues away from today's smoother, often more sanitized, CGI spectacles. Weathers himself, ever the athlete, performed many of his own stunts, adding to that sense of authenticity. You feel the effort, the impact – it’s the kind of practical effects work that made 80s action films feel so visceral, even viewed through the glorious fuzz of a well-worn VHS tape on a CRT screen. Weren't those moments where you saw the actual car flip or the real fire just more thrilling somehow?
### Peak 80s Aesthetics and Ambition
Beyond the action, Action Jackson is an absolute time capsule. We've got the smoky pool halls, the impossibly luxurious villain lairs, the shoulder pads that could double as flotation devices, and a pulsing, synth-heavy score co-composed by the legendary Herbie Hancock. Vanity smolders as Sydney Ash, Dellaplane's drug-addicted mistress who finds herself drawn to Jackson, bringing a tragic glamour to the role. And keep an eye out for a pre-superstardom Sharon Stone as Patrice Dellaplane, playing the tycoon's calculating wife with icy precision – a small but memorable turn.
The film operates with a swagger that borders on ludicrous, but it does so with infectious energy. Dellaplane’s methods are cartoonishly evil, involving assassins known only as "The Invisible Men" and plots involving union leaders. It’s gloriously over-the-top, a prime example of the era’s excess bleeding onto the screen. Made for around $7 million, it pulled in about $20 million domestically – respectable, but perhaps not the franchise-launching blockbuster Silver might have envisioned. Critical reception at the time was decidedly mixed, often dismissing it as derivative, but audiences seeking pure adrenaline found plenty to enjoy.
### Still Got the Punch?
Watching Action Jackson today is a blast. Yes, the plot has holes you could drive a truck through, and some of the dialogue is pure B-movie poetry ("How do you like your ribs?"). But the commitment is undeniable. Carl Weathers deservedly gets his moment to shine as the lead, Craig T. Nelson makes for a hateably effective foil, and Craig R. Baxley directs the action with a veteran stuntman’s eye for impact and clarity. It's loud, it's proud, and it knows exactly what it wants to be: a showcase for its star and a delivery system for bone-crunching, practically achieved mayhem. I distinctly remember the cool cover art beckoning from the shelves of 'Video Palace' back home, promising exactly this kind of explosive fun.
Rating: 7/10
Justification: While the script isn't groundbreaking and it leans heavily into 80s tropes, Action Jackson delivers wholeheartedly on its promise of action. Carl Weathers is magnetic, the practical stunt work orchestrated by Craig R. Baxley is genuinely impressive and holds up remarkably well, and Craig T. Nelson is a superb villain. It loses points for plot predictability and some dated elements, but gains them back for sheer energy, charisma, and its status as a prime example of visceral, pre-CGI action filmmaking.
Final Thought: Forget subtlety; this is 80s action served straight up, no chaser – a glorious relic from the days when heroes were impossibly tough, villains were deliciously evil, and explosions felt satisfyingly real. Definitely worth rewinding.