Worst Action Movie Cliches
Dirty Tricks We've Seen Again and Again (and Again)

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9. Never Trust The Man

We've seen it so many times: The trusted government bigwig -- the one who's been so helpful to our hero, or so we thought -- turns out to be a traitor. When asked why he committed treason against the country he's supposed to be protecting, he acts as though his actions were a necessary evil, defiantly proclaiming, 'I love my country! I am a true patriot!" Thanks, action movies -- as if we weren't skeptical enough about the U.S. government already.
Appears in: 'The Bourne Supremacy,' 'Clear and Present Danger,' 'Dirty Harry,' 'Enemy of the State,' 'Minority Report,' 'Unforgiven'

10. Restricted Access Is for Sissies

"Do Not Enter" signs and barriers mean nothing to an intrepid hero in hot pursuit of a villain or The Truth. And if you're in a hurry, it doesn't take a faked-up ID or passwords to gain access to a restricted area. All you have to do is hightail it straight past the security guard -- keep going, don't even slow down -- at which point the guard's head will swivel in your direction, he'll say, "Hey, you can't --" ... and voila, you're in! Try this the next time you're trying to get into the VIP section of a U2 concert. Trust us, it works.
Appears in: 'The Bourne Ultimatum,' 'The Matrix,' 'War Games'

11. Jack Bauer Syndrome

Some men are not like the rest of us: They emerge from any beating fresh as a daisy, miraculously revived by an Ace bandage. Take super-agent James Bond. In virtually every movie he's shaken, stirred and knocked around, and STILL the man rocks a tuxedo like nobody's business. Hell, in 'Casino Royale,' Bond runs out to his car, restarts his own heart with a shot of adrenaline, then buttons up his dress shirt and goes back to the poker game. Now that's a man. Even Jack Bauer would be impressed.
Also appears in: Any 'Bourne' film, 'Demolition Man,' 'Kill Bill Vol. 1,' 'Predator,' 'Pulp Fiction'

12. The Sliding Doors

Are you an action hero on the run? Is there a cold-blooded killer hot on your trail? Or a live bomb only seconds from detonating? No problem, just run as fast as you can in the opposite direction and eventually you'll come across a large steel garage door swiftly closing. Slide feet-first under said door at the very last second possible, and be careful of caught clothing or other extremities. Closing doors can also be slid under when you're chasing someone else -- they're pretty handy that way.
Appears in: 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' 'Rush Hour 3,' 'Terminator 3,' any film set on a spaceship

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