15 Action Movies That Are Unintentionally Hilarious
10. The Barbarians (1987)
Picture Charlie Sheens head on Arnold Schwarzeneggers shoulders, then duplicate the image and youve got David and Peter Paul, the bad boys of bodybuilding who were touted as action stars in the late 80s but are now best remembered for being cut out of Natural Born Killers. Next, picture these bozos slathered in olive oil and tearing limbs off rubber creatures in a cheaply made swords and sandals movie and youve got The Barbarians, to which the words shoddy and inept do not do justice. The seams begin to show early on when our heroes, introduced as children, suddenly transform into the Paul Brothers. They grew, says the helpful narrator, until they were men. But not ordinary men barbarians! The only cast members whove aged, the brothers display their charm as performers by grunting at each other in every scene. Whether facing the gallows or a 15 hooker gang bang, these two mesmerizingly awful screen presences dazzle us not with zingers but by impersonating seals. So much for comic relief.
Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'
