Johnny Lunchbox said:
I've always seen them classed as 'Martial Arts Action Films', more of a subgenre rather than fully fledged action films. The same as 'Action Adventure'. Indeed, in recent times, western films like The Transporter have incorporated martial arts. Overall, like many thrillers, are often considered to have specific elements of action films, but are not quite. Therefore, a slightly different kettle of fish.
By the way, where did I mention anything about special effects or explosions? Action films are generally films with a variety of, and a high emphasis, on action-eque scenarios. Fair play, this does tend to mean lots of guns and explosions, but the point is that they tend not to degrade into detracting from the main story (good ones, anyway). Or in a martial art movie's case even, stopping the story dead in its tracks, to add pointless scenes of people doing girlie dancing whilst *****-slapping each other for the best part of 10 minutes.
Regarding the spelling of Jet Li's name, my whole comment was a bit of fun. But if I lose credibility to you, then fair enough. But I'm afraid I may lose sleep at night over this.
No, Bruce Lee isn't 'The Man'. He can't act for shit (from what I've seen of his films in the past). His martial arts are enough to give him iconic status, but people like Schwarzenegger and Willis, or Jackie Chan for that matter, are entertaining, charismatic, can act, and play a variety of roles convincingly.
Yes, maybe you could blame Hollywood for not allowing him to spread his wings further, or because at the time the action film was only coming into its own in West, but it still stands he just isn't very good in any scene that doesn't require him to spin around like a merry-go-round whilst frantically squealing.
If my above opinion makes Stathem a martial arts star, then so be it. I've already pointed out he isn't very good. Reason being, he has the charisma of a goldfish dying in the Sahara Desert. Although I will admit there are glimmers of character in The Expendables films. It was because of them that I decided to watch other films of his in the hope of something more. But overall, he just doesn't come off as very likeable in him films.
I can't speak for the world, but pretty much everybody here in the UK that I've spoken to doesn't like him or his films either (although I'm sure he's a nice guy in real life). Perhaps it's his 'foreign accent', according to Americans, that makes him so popular(?).
Anyway, fingers crossed, if he continues to become more successful, he'll choose to take on roles that are more than him just growling and lookin' 'ard. If not, he'll probably fall into the same obscurity as Steven Seagal.