Although the action genre is traditionally associated with younger stars who are at the peak of their physicality, the most successful action films of the 21st century have been those that feature older heroes.
Movie stars like Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, and Harrison Ford have dominated the action genre, despite being slightly past their prime.
Two stars who have dominated action cinema this century are Denzel Washington and Liam Neeson, and their career arcs are very similar.
Both actors first established themselves in the late 1980s as sensitive, bold dramatic actors, and earned a series of accolades for their success.
It was surprising to see someone like Washington, who is more closely associated with more grounded stories, take on an epic action film at a late stage in his career when he starred in 2004’s Man on Fire; likewise, Neeson caught viewers by surprise when he popped up…
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