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Best group of Mercs?

post #1 of 64
3/1/08 at 10:36pm
Thread Starter 
How many movies show special and elite soldiers doing the impossible missions?

Rarely this characters are good or more than 1 dimensional.

Predator comes to mind as a good example.

Recently? My vote goes to Tears of the Sun.

You can't beat having Cole Hauser, Johnny Messner and Nick Chinlund in your team.

Except for the Sniper, Rambo's sucked.

Thoughts?
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post #2 of 64
3/2/08 at 1:27am
Any group from Smokin Aces, as they are mercs, as they are hired for the job, but also assassins.
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post #3 of 64
3/2/08 at 1:34am
The team from Proof of Life for the rescue mission, kind of. I don't recall if they were specially hired for the mission, were doing it as a favor, or worked for David Caruso's company.

Edit: Though, technically, the guys in Tears of the Sun shouldn't be considered mercenaries. They were Navy Seals on an official mission for the most part until they went and did there own thing. It wasn't for pay though.
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post #4 of 64
3/2/08 at 6:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by neoolong View Post
The team from Proof of Life for the rescue mission, kind of. I don't recall if they were specially hired for the mission, were doing it as a favor, or worked for David Caruso's company.
Pretty sure they were working for Caruso, which makes them mercs. I started a thread about Proof of Life awhile ago, but it seems to have disappeared in the revamp. I absolutely love that scene at the end when they raid the camp in the mountains - it's the closest thing I've seen to a live action version of Rainbow Six (the book).

I remember Tears of the Sun getting average to negative reviews when it first came out, which kept me away from it until it hit DVD. Really liked it more than I thought I would...
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post #5 of 64
3/2/08 at 12:01pm
I havent see it in a while, but the crew from the Substitute
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post #6 of 64
3/2/08 at 3:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by WayDen View Post
Pretty sure they were working for Caruso, which makes them mercs. I started a thread about Proof of Life awhile ago, but it seems to have disappeared in the revamp. I absolutely love that scene at the end when they raid the camp in the mountains - it's the closest thing I've seen to a live action version of Rainbow Six (the book).
Another vote for that scene in Proof of Life here.

...And then for the whole movie as well.

ETA: Before Molti or anyone else at the Action B-movie Thread jumps in, Ironside's crew in Extreme Prejudice. Of course.
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post #7 of 64
3/2/08 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyZ View Post
I havent see it in a while, but the crew from the Substitute
That's a good squad. Berenger, Forsythe, Luis Guzman, Raymond Cruz, dude whose name escapes me. I like the evil merc, especially the highlight reel he put together in order to sell his talents.

MEN OF WAR has an interesting mix, and the fact that they split up into 2 camps and eventually wage war on each other is a plus.

Also, RONIN.
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post #8 of 64
3/2/08 at 4:30pm
Thread Starter 
Ronin is an interesting choice. Though i doubt if we dropped them into the jungle to extract hostages it would work out that well.
Stellan Skarsgar (fuck spelling) would be afraid of bugs.
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post #9 of 64
3/2/08 at 4:35pm
Aliens should come to mind as well.
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post #10 of 64
3/2/08 at 4:45pm
Stretching the boundaries of the thread's definition, I think, but they're definitely soldiers of fortune who accomplish some pretty spectacular things: Daniel Dravot and Peachey Carnehan, and their trusty companion Billy Fish, in The Man Who Would Be King.
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post #11 of 64
3/2/08 at 5:04pm
The Dirty Dozen were plucked from prison to kill German officers, and they would get "paid" by getting pardoned for their crimes. Mercenaries in my book.

So yeah, I vote for The Dirty Dozen. Among the dozen, Bronson, Jim Brown, a certifiable Telly Savalas, Sutherland. Led by Lee friggin' Marvin.
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post #12 of 64
3/2/08 at 5:17pm
McBain - Christopher Walken's hooked up with Michael Ironside, Steve James, Russel Dennis Baker, etc. all to help out Maria Conchita Alonso.
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post #13 of 64
3/2/08 at 6:32pm
I haven't seen them in action in 20 years so I can't recall if they were any good. But what about the crew from The Wild Geese?
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post #14 of 64
3/2/08 at 6:53pm
Is there even a question?

THE SEVEN SAMURAI.

Close second: THE A-TEAM.

Runner up: the badmen of Shadow Company (LETHAL WEAPON).
Good choice on RONIN, too.. Does the team from PREDATOR count?
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post #15 of 64
3/2/08 at 6:58pm
How about the Magnificent Seven?

Both the PREDATOR and ALIENS squads were awesome... but don't count, as they were official soldiers on duty. At least in the beginning.
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post #16 of 64
3/2/08 at 7:11pm
El Manojo Salvaje
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post #17 of 64
3/2/08 at 7:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Myers View Post
Both the PREDATOR and ALIENS squads were awesome... but don't count, as they were official soldiers on duty. At least in the beginning.
Actually, I think the guys in Predator are mercs. Dutch is able to pick and choose his missions, so it would seem like he isn't an official soldier. Remember, they had to come up with story to get Dutch to consider going. If he was a soldier, then they would only have needed to order him to do it. They might only work for the government, but still, they aren't officially soldiers.

And I would disagree with the guys in Ronin, mostly. One of the guys was mostly incompetent. Another was a traitor. The guys that pulled off the job were good, no question, but the fact that they almost all got killed because Stellan's character subsituted the box for a bomb, detracts from the group dynamic.
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post #18 of 64
3/2/08 at 7:57pm
Thread Starter 
I will allow the Predator guys, They are tough to beat.

Would love to include the Marines in Aliens, but they are soldiers.
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post #19 of 64
3/2/08 at 9:00pm
From a technical standpoint, could the team assembled in Munich be considered? They're technically hired by the Israeli government for the purposes of plausible deniability. As Avner has resigned from Mossad, the squad operates with no official ties to the Israeli government. Granted, their bomb maker was shit, and only two of members of the team survived in the end, but, hey, you can't make an omelet without having disturbing, post mission sex with your wife.
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post #20 of 64
3/2/08 at 9:21pm
The Munich crew includes Daniel Craig's great "Don't fuck with the Jews" joke.
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post #21 of 64
3/2/08 at 9:26pm
How about the Mercs from Deep Rising and Cliffhanger?

Are we limited to "good guy" Mercs?
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post #22 of 64
3/2/08 at 9:26pm
Thread Starter 
That group is an interesting choice. Though i doubt it could face some of the other groups mentioned.
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post #23 of 64
3/2/08 at 9:44pm
How can you NOT like a team that includes Djimon Hounsou, Wes Studi, Cliff Curtis, and Trevor Goddard?

In fact can we add the virtually identical team from Virus since Cliff Curtis is in both?
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post #24 of 64
3/2/08 at 9:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tati View Post
That group is an interesting choice. Though i doubt it could face some of the other groups mentioned.
Well, what are we talking here? Most interesting and developed group of characters or who could kill who the bestest and the fastest? Because if we are going by this:

Quote:
Rarely this characters are good or more than 1 dimensional.
..then I figured this was about which was the best written or acted group of mercenaries in a film. Because as much as I love the characters in Predator, I wouldn't say they are anything but 1 dimensional. Fun and memorable, sure, but not much depth to them. Seven Samurai wins if we are going simply by the definition of warriors, soldiers or specialists hired to accomplish a specific goal.
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post #25 of 64
3/2/08 at 9:55pm
Thread Starter 
I'm mostly going for Well developed and interesting.

But, if they can combine that with awesome killing power, the better.
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post #26 of 64
3/3/08 at 9:07am
Er...The Rock - Ed Harris, David Morse, Bookine Woodbine and Tony "I'm not a soldier, Major. The day we took hostages, we became... mercenaries. And mercenaries get paid. I want my FUCKING money." Todd and more....
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post #27 of 64
3/3/08 at 12:33pm
The bounty hunters in Empire Strikes Back........don't count, because they never worked together and only one of them got any screen time. But still...

The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad?
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post #28 of 64
3/3/08 at 3:15pm
Masters of the Universe had an interesting-looking crew. Loved that lizard guy that eventually didn't do much, but hey...

Would the Die Hard baddies qualify as such? They were not terrorists, that's for sure, and for a 20% they were good at what they did. Of course, I'm talking about The Original, not the slighty-less interesting Stuart Heavies, the even more generic (and seemingly infinite) Simon All-Star Team and the should've been much better Gabriel Boys.
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post #29 of 64
3/3/08 at 3:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PsycheOut00 View Post
Masters of the Universe had an interesting-looking crew. Loved that lizard guy that eventually didn't do much, but hey....
Damn you. That's the best one I've heard so far, and I'm kicking myself for not thinking of those guys.
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post #30 of 64
3/3/08 at 3:55pm
Thread Starter 
Now that we have them listed, we could start thinking of some interesting mash ups.

Would the Masters of the Universe gang beat the Munich Crew?
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post #31 of 64
3/3/08 at 8:41pm
Cry havoc and let slip... The Dogs of War!

(Walken, Berenger, Freeman, et al)
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post #32 of 64
3/3/08 at 10:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Syd View Post
The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad?
Definitely the best looking group, and contenders for the toughest. Surprised no one brought it up until now...
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post #33 of 64
3/3/08 at 11:06pm
I was going to mention the Masters of the Universe mercs, but figured they were too damn ineffective for all their flash (couldn't even catch some highschool girl? Beastman gets his ass handed to him by a bottle of fluid and crys like a baby at Skeletor's feet? Blade wusses out when he loses one of his swords? At least he was good with a laser whip.

I love those guys, but the least skilled group of badass looking mercs ever.

And Deadly Viper Assassination Squad wins the thread I think.
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post #34 of 64
3/4/08 at 12:55am
Once again, I rule.
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post #35 of 64
3/4/08 at 1:19am
The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad was pretty dysfunctional. I know we didn't see them in their prime but those issues had obviously been building for some time. Their commander sleeps with two of his underlings, his brother is part of the unit and an alcoholic? Imagine that kind of behavior with the Rambo, or the Predator crew.

The Professionals: Lee Marvin, Woody Strode, Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan. I vaguely remember it as a good movie and them as extremely tough.
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post #36 of 64
3/4/08 at 9:16am
Thread Starter 
I Agree, the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad could be a real threat on one to one combat and close quarters. But as unit against others? not so much.
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post #37 of 64
3/4/08 at 10:02am
This thread should begin and end with The Wild Geese. Every other choice pales in comparison.
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post #38 of 64
3/4/08 at 10:17am
Would Ghostbusters be considered as mercs in your parameters Tati?
Because nobody would take out them.
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post #39 of 64
3/4/08 at 10:24am
Thread Starter 
I would not include the Ghostbusters.

They are not guns for hire, they performed a job. They are more like a carpet cleaning service. Only that their services was hunting down ghosts.
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post #40 of 64
3/4/08 at 12:23pm
What about Walken's gang of whip-wielding heavies from The Rundown? I wouldn't say they are the "best", but they made for some pretty bad ass fights, but had the unfortunate luck to run into the elusive Action Movie Rock, not Family Comedy Rock
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post #41 of 64
3/4/08 at 1:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rene (Mr.Eko) View Post
The Dirty Dozen were plucked from prison to kill German officers, and they would get "paid" by getting pardoned for their crimes. Mercenaries in my book.

So yeah, I vote for The Dirty Dozen. Among the dozen, Bronson, Jim Brown, a certifiable Telly Savalas, Sutherland. Led by Lee friggin' Marvin.

I love you man, I really, really do but how can you omit John Cassavetes' Franco? My scary, unnatural love for The Dirty Dozen aside, it really is one of the most perfect films ever made.

I'm going to go old school: The Flying Tigers and the group led by Lee Marvin in The Professionals.

I'd like to see the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad do that pretty kung fu shit facing down strafing runs from a dozen P-40's led by John Wayne.
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post #42 of 64
3/4/08 at 9:28pm
You know, I was rather curious how the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad operated as a group, and how dysfunctional they might have been. I wondered so much that I was almost tempted to delve into...shudder...fan faction...
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post #43 of 64
7/30/08 at 12:43am
Gotta call foul on the Deadly Vipers... They were all either killed or disfigured for life by a single opponent (The Bride).

Cool and fun. But ultimately not enough of a threat.
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post #44 of 64
7/30/08 at 12:46am
Thread Starter 
Good point. I recently saw Aliens again and while the marines look and sound cool. They are mostly a bunch of idiots who die too easily.

So far i'm sticking with the Predator team and the Tears of the Sun team. Cole Hauser counts for something.
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post #45 of 64
7/30/08 at 12:59am
Even though they couldn't shoot for shit. How come no mention of......THE A-TEAM! (Cues theme song)
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post #46 of 64
7/30/08 at 1:02am
If only we could time warp the Mercs and the Predator to feudal Japan.
I'd love to see the Arnie and Seven Samurai team up... Or maybe warp them to our 1987 jungle.

Reverse-G.I. SAMURAI remake, anyone?
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post #47 of 64
7/30/08 at 1:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
Even though they couldn't shoot for shit. How come no mention of......THE A-TEAM! (Cues theme song)
Gotcha covered up in Post 14, Ed.
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post #48 of 64
7/30/08 at 1:10am
Shame on all of you.
Forget Clint. Forget Telly Savalas. Forget even Donald "Oddball" Sutherland. Show me another team that features Harry Dean Stanton, the Captain of the Love Boat and Don Fucking Rickles and we'll talk.
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post #49 of 64
7/30/08 at 1:18am
Nice McClane, I hadn't read every post so ya got me there. And Rickles ruled as Crapgame.
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post #50 of 64
7/30/08 at 1:39am
Do the guitar dudes from desperado count?
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