Everybody loves a good action flick. Just like the horror genre, a good action film can be a ton of fun to watch whether it leans more towards sincerity or camp. Either way, there’s just something about amazing stunts and killer explosions that makes action movies a ton of fun to catch on the big screen. Of course, there’s been one particular trope that has been making the rounds within the action film genre for quite some time now, and it might be safe to just go ahead and officially label it as an action sub-genre to save us the headache. I’m talking about the action hero with amnesia.
Variety has reported that Liam Hemsworth will be our latest forgetful badass, starring in the film Killerman about a money launderer who is involved in a deal that goes sideways leaving him without a lick of long-term memory.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with a good “amnesia thriller.” In fact, there are some great movies out there that center around an action hero with amnesia who has to uncover the secrets of his life before the accident. The Bourne Identity, Total Recall, and Dark City are all amazing movies and do the action genre proud.
But there is definitely such a thing as too much of a good thing, right? I mean, how many times can we watch some brand of an action hero wake up with no memory, and ass-kick his way through finding the truth about his past? I suppose if you’re someone who is so regularly engaged in hand-to-hand combat like these characters are, the threat of brain injury is a very real danger. So maybe this is a very important sub genre to emerge for the vigilante/assassin/secret agent community. But really, just because the Jason Bournes of the world have forgotten their past, it doesn’t mean we all have, too. We can look fondly back on the movies already made in utilizing this trope, and move on, right? Does the world really need another forgetful hero?
Apparently so, which is why I have officially decided that the “amnesia thriller” should be enshrined into its very own genre (if nothing else, a genre will make it easier for other mercenaries with amnesia to find these films as they work to learn the secrets of their own shadowy past).
In Killerman, Hemsworth must work to find the secret of his identity and his past while also staying alive. And while there aren’t many other details on the film, it’s safe to say that Hemsworth’s character will slide comfortably alongside the Jason Bournes, John Murdochs, and Doug Quaids of the world. And even though we all might feel a bit weary of this overused trope/genre, we can hope that Killerman does the genre-trope proud. After all, I can’t even remember the last time I watched a good amnesia thriller.
What do you think of Hemsworth’s new movie? Are you excited about it, or are you also a bit tired of the trope? Tell us what you think in the comments!
Feature Image: Lionsgate
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