Mount Rushmore of Action Stars

     Crafting a Mount Rushmore is somewhat of a cultural touchstone. When completed in 1941, I am sure naysayers arose over if those four presidents were the ones most deserving of being immortalized. Since only four people can make up the mountain, endless debate can arise from the controversy. Countless hours have been spent on sports radio discussing who makes up the four greatest NBA players. Playlists after playlists give a voice to those who want to decide on the greatest in the rap game. But today I have taken on the unenviable task of deciding who belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Action Movie Stars.
     I would say 1980 begins the era of action movies. That year is when the schlock and gore really began to amp up and create the legends we know today. On a side note, this Mount has no honorable mentions. Mount Rushmore has four presidents and this list will have four actors. Below you will find the list in no particular order.

Keanu Reeves

     Point Break alone reserves Keanu a spot on this list. From his bromance with Patrick Swayze to the iconic heists, this film highlights what makes Reeves such a great action movie star. Is he a great actor? Maybe, maybe not. But the roles he chooses are magnetic and full of dumb fun. While Point Break established Reeves as an action movie actor, The Matrix may be what makes him a full on action movie star. Smarter than your typical action film, The Matrix still delivers on fight scenes and classic lines. But let's just forget about those sequels. The resurgence of Keanu with John Wick cements his place on my Mount. Turning what could have been another throwaway action movie with an aging star into one of the best action films of this century hinged on the lead role. And Reeves most definitely delivers. And I didn't even mention Speed.

Tom Cruise

     Cruise is perhaps the most versatile actor on this Mount. And probably the best. Although his action films are a bit more serious, that does not make them any less fun. He has quite a diverse filmography, which makes the action films he chooses all the more interesting. Top Gun is his most campy, but still delivers on the emotion. The Mission Impossible franchise alone would probably get Cruise a spot on this list. The set pieces are big and brash, yet Cruise is able to bring a human side to them. This century, Cruise has focused more on science fiction action films, and has delivered time and again in Minority Report, Edge of Tomorrow, and War of the Worlds. Even some of his more serious movie, like Collateral, still give Cruise a chance to show off his action side.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

     Arnold is perhaps the most obvious choice. His name is attached to classic franchise after classic franchise, and it is hard to see anyone else pull of the roles that he does. Even though he seems to only deliver the muscles, he often conjures up genuine emotion, however subtle it may be. As the years have passed by, his stone may be beggineng to crack, but his spot is still well deserved from Terminator, Predator, Total Recall, The Running Man, Commando, Conan the Barbarian, Last Action Hero, True Lies, Escape Plan, and the Expendables franchise. Looking at it now I do not know if he will ever leave this list.

Nicolas Cage

     My Mount Rushmore would feel incomplete without the addition of Nicolas Cage. The path his career has taken is something that should be studied in colleges. When discussing the greatest movie trilogies of all time, one of my personal picks would be the unofficial trilogy of The Rock, Con Air, and Face/Off. These three movies epitomize the action genre and each one sees Cage front and center. His manic facial expressions and over the top movement helps to heighten the action on display and humanize some of the more intense moments of the films. And who doesn't love National Treasure?

So this is my list of Mount Rushmore Action Movie stars. It could possibly change but right now it is set in stone. Let me know who you would have on your list.