How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or...?
 

How do you like your action? I'll try and think of famous examples and recent action movies that are still fresh in our memories. You can vote for as many choices as you want.


Choreographed and/or slo-mo: Matrix, Gladiator, Spidermans, Hero, Lord of the Rings, Blades, Watchmen, Wanted, Avatar, Gamer, Zombieland, Max Payne, Red Cliff, Book of Eli, Kick-Ass

Quick-cut mayhem and/or shaky cam: Bourne sequels, Miami Vice, Cloverfield, Star Trek, Public Enemies, Quantum of Solace, Prince of Persia, Clash of the Titans, A-Team

Classic-filmed and/or brutal style: Arnold, Stallone, Willis action films, Indiana Jones, They Live, Mummies, Batmans, Doomsday, Casino Royale, Taken, Punisher War Zone, Edge of Darkness

Combination of all styles: Transformers, Cranks, Transporters, Iron Mans, X-Mens, Death Race, G.I. Joe, The Hurt Locker

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

Point and shoot. James Cameron does it. Michael Mann did it (up until The Insider got so much acclaim). Chris Nolan does it. John McTiernan does it. Make the action cool, make what's happening on screen matter, and then just shoot it and get your coverage.

If I had to choose out of that list, I'd say "Choreographed and/or slo-mo".

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

I guess I'm more classic, or combo of all styles. Quick cuts on fight scenes annoy the hell out of me. But that may be cause I watch so many Martial Arts films, where they just sit the camera on the floor and let them go.

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

depends on the movie. what works in some (Bourne Trilogy) works well and would not work in others (Matrix Trilogy). and i like both series. i like one style in one movie, whatever that may be, as long as the movie warrants it, has a good story with good characters that make it all work cohesively.

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

Point and shoot. just keep the camera still and or with minimum movement and just watch 2 guys beat the hell out of each other

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

So something like the 5 minute long fight scene between Roddy Piper and Keith David in They Live?

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

that, the hammer fight in Oldboy, many of the fights in IP Man

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

I want to understand what is going on and for it to match the style of the film. As long as it works, I don't care how it's shot.

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

Great poll!

I prefer the classic style. I really want to see what's happening during the fight. Slo-mo can be OK in movies in fantastical settings if not overdone.

I kind of hate the quick cut style. I can deal with it in action sequences, like car chases but during fight scenes it just takes away from the experience.

Batman Begins was more quick cut, I'd say with The Dark Knight being a much improved style. It was still a little frenetic, but I could make out the actual impacts better.

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

Classic-filmed, Sam!

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

Yep, all depends on the film...

Re: How do you like your action served: choreographed/slo-mo, quick cuts/shaky cam or
 

I don't think the quick-cut shaky-cam is inherently bad, but directors need to realize that just because they as the director understand the shot doesn't mean the audience will. If some of this kind of action was shot just a few steps back and with a touch less shakiness, it would capture the intended aesthetic feel and not be nauseating.