Post by Derrick on Dec 12, 2010 0:32:17 GMT -5
For those of you who have been listening regularly, you know that Tom and I have been touting 2010 as the year when we saw an awful lot of movies that revived a sub-genre of action movies: the team of specialists/experts/mercenaries gathered together to take on a mission impossible that has almost no chance of them succeeding. But somehow they pull it off in grand and great style. Some of these movies were good (THE LOSERS, RED) some were great (THE A-TEAM, THE EXPENDABLES) and one was downright mollyfoggin’ brilliant (INCEPTION) but one thing nagged at both me and Tom: If they were pitted against each other, which would be the Last Team Standing?
To refresh your memory:
INCEPTION:
What their deal is: A team of experts who can go inside your dreams and steal all of your secrets, no matter how deep they are. They are so good that they can even implant ideas in your dreams that affect your waking life.
The members: Dominic Cobb (The Extractor) He knows how to infiltrate your dreams and either steal or implant whatever he wants. Arthur (The Point Man) researches the targets and finds out everything the team needs to know. As his designation implies, he takes the ‘point’ in all the jobs. Ariadne (The Architect) constructs the various dreamscapes the team needs to operate in. Eames (The Forger) Once inside the target’s dream, he can take the form of others and subtly shape and control the dreamer from within the dream itself. Yusef (The Chemist) crafts specific, custom made drugs to maintain the dream state.
THE A-TEAM:
What their deal is: A crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The A-Team.
The members: Colonel John (Hannibal) Smith, master strategist, small arms weapons expert and brilliant military historian. Captain H.M. (Howlin’ Mad) Murdock, the team pilot who can fly anything and who may be insane. Lt. Templeton (Faceman) Peck, con-man and the team’s procurer. Master Sergeant Bosco Albert (“B.A.” which also stands for Bad Attitude) Baracus, the team’s mechanic and muscle.
THE EXPENDABLES:
What their deal is: A team of elite mercenaries who are short on planning but big on blowing shit up.
The members: Team Leader Barney Ross. Former SAS and knife expert Lee Christmas. Martial arts expert Yin Yang. Master sniper Gunnar Jensen. Weapons specialist Hale Caesar. Demolitions expert Toll Road.
THE LOSERS:
What their deal is: An elite Special Forces Unit, they were betrayed by the U.S. government and presumed dead. Eventually they found out who betrayed them and cleared their name.
The members: Team Leader Franklin Clay. Second in Command and knife expert Roque. The loose cannon Aisha. The hacker Jensen. The master pilot Pooch. The cowboy hat wearing sniper Cougar.
RED:
What their deal is: RED stand for Retired, Extremely Dangerous. The members of this team were formerly part of a Black Ops CIA team. They were all forcibly retired against their will. They are all brought back together because somebody began assassinating members the team.
Members: Frank Moses, Joe Matheson, Marvin Boggs, Victoria. It can also be said due to the events of the movie “Red” that customer service agent Sarah Ross and retired Russian secret agent Ivan Simanov are part of the team as well.
All of the members are trained in a multitude of Black Ops skills: small and major weapons, disguise, computer hacking, sniping, infiltration, hand-to-hand, torture…you name it, they can do it. The phrase “jack of all trades; master of none” could well apply to them. They’re not specialists in any one field but they know a hell of a lot about a hell of a LOT.
So there are your teams. You’ve seen the movies. You know what they can do. When all the bullets have stopped flying, who is The Last Team Standing?
To refresh your memory:
INCEPTION:
What their deal is: A team of experts who can go inside your dreams and steal all of your secrets, no matter how deep they are. They are so good that they can even implant ideas in your dreams that affect your waking life.
The members: Dominic Cobb (The Extractor) He knows how to infiltrate your dreams and either steal or implant whatever he wants. Arthur (The Point Man) researches the targets and finds out everything the team needs to know. As his designation implies, he takes the ‘point’ in all the jobs. Ariadne (The Architect) constructs the various dreamscapes the team needs to operate in. Eames (The Forger) Once inside the target’s dream, he can take the form of others and subtly shape and control the dreamer from within the dream itself. Yusef (The Chemist) crafts specific, custom made drugs to maintain the dream state.
THE A-TEAM:
What their deal is: A crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The A-Team.
The members: Colonel John (Hannibal) Smith, master strategist, small arms weapons expert and brilliant military historian. Captain H.M. (Howlin’ Mad) Murdock, the team pilot who can fly anything and who may be insane. Lt. Templeton (Faceman) Peck, con-man and the team’s procurer. Master Sergeant Bosco Albert (“B.A.” which also stands for Bad Attitude) Baracus, the team’s mechanic and muscle.
THE EXPENDABLES:
What their deal is: A team of elite mercenaries who are short on planning but big on blowing shit up.
The members: Team Leader Barney Ross. Former SAS and knife expert Lee Christmas. Martial arts expert Yin Yang. Master sniper Gunnar Jensen. Weapons specialist Hale Caesar. Demolitions expert Toll Road.
THE LOSERS:
What their deal is: An elite Special Forces Unit, they were betrayed by the U.S. government and presumed dead. Eventually they found out who betrayed them and cleared their name.
The members: Team Leader Franklin Clay. Second in Command and knife expert Roque. The loose cannon Aisha. The hacker Jensen. The master pilot Pooch. The cowboy hat wearing sniper Cougar.
RED:
What their deal is: RED stand for Retired, Extremely Dangerous. The members of this team were formerly part of a Black Ops CIA team. They were all forcibly retired against their will. They are all brought back together because somebody began assassinating members the team.
Members: Frank Moses, Joe Matheson, Marvin Boggs, Victoria. It can also be said due to the events of the movie “Red” that customer service agent Sarah Ross and retired Russian secret agent Ivan Simanov are part of the team as well.
All of the members are trained in a multitude of Black Ops skills: small and major weapons, disguise, computer hacking, sniping, infiltration, hand-to-hand, torture…you name it, they can do it. The phrase “jack of all trades; master of none” could well apply to them. They’re not specialists in any one field but they know a hell of a lot about a hell of a LOT.
So there are your teams. You’ve seen the movies. You know what they can do. When all the bullets have stopped flying, who is The Last Team Standing?