every once and a while, hollywood receives its share of movie badasses, the rebels without a cause who represent the pinnacle of manliness. there were those like Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Clint Eastwood were able to showcase their acting chops to go along with their brute nature. and there were those like Stallone or Schwarzennegar who could kick ass and looked good infront of a bluescreen explosion. they werent necessarily good actors, but they were entertaining.

unfortunately, like most things in hollywood, they were too good to be true.

most of these actors took the road most traveled and decided to soften down to appeal to a broader audience or to put some money in the bank. there were RARE exceptions, such as Academy Award winner Joe Pesci in the first two Home Alone movies, where the change has been treated with a positive outlook from either fans or critics. however, the general consensus has proven to be negative.

take Arnold Schwarzenneger for example.

a former bodybuilding champion, an actor whose been in classic favorites such as The Terminator 1&2, Predator, and Conan the Barbarian, Arnold was a man's man. that's why it was heartbreaking to see him in films of this nature:

these films dont represent the Arnold we all know and loved. they only show Arnold making a complete ass of himself by making a funny face into the camera or beating up unfunny black comedians just to buy a toy. but, for all their badness, they do offer some of the most unintentionally funny catchphrases of all time (search "put dat cookie down" or "its not a tumor" on youtube).

And what about Sylvester Stallone? he may not be Lawrence Olivier, but he is a fantastic writer, giving us memorable characters like Rocky Balboa or John Rambo. Total badass. that is, until you consider these films:

i saw this film years ago on television when i was a kid. the only thing i understood was that it was Sly Stallone as a cop. sounded reasonable. when i got older, i saw this and was SHOCKED at how horrible this was. why would anyone make a movie starring John Rambo and a Golden Girl and think it was gonna be a hit? the good thing is, Stallone has apologized for this film on several occasions, which is more than i can say about some people (cough, Steven Segal). As for his role in Spy Kids 3, im not even gonna dignify that with a response.

my next example really puts a tear to my eye: Ray Liotta. i understand that he's not the most talked about badass, but in the beginning of his career, he really pulled out some fantastic movies, including the best mobster movie of all time, Goodfellas. in my opinion, that role alone solidifies him as a badass. but in recent years, he's hidden into obscurity, appearing in films i never knew he appeared in. In the Name of the King (you must really need money to star in an Uwe Boll film), Take the Lead, Bee Movie, and two shitty Tim Allen movies:

You KNOW you've sold out when you star in a Tim Allen movie

my last example is more recent, but otherwise an important staple in Tough Guys Gone Soft

anyone who watched wrestling in the late 90s knows who The Rock is. he was a charismatic force in the profession who could entertain the fans like no one else. and, as far as wrestling skill goes, he was pretty damn good. he and several members of his family were/are active wrestlers and he is notable for being the first African American to win the WWF Championship. but The Rock always had aspirations to star in film, and his appearance in The Rundown gave enough promise that he could be the new action hero. which is why it's such a surprise that he churned out these abominations of cinema:

do i even have to say anything? now, i have an unfair bias over live action Disney comedies, so i shouldnt be that unfair to The Game Plan (even though it really is a bad film). but why the fuck is The Ro--im sorry, its Dwayne, isnt it, playin a white guy in Planet 51? He's a half black, half samoan motherfuckin wrestler, not a pasty-faced Glen Beck lookin astronaut! and i assumed THIS was his worst movie (besides Doom). i thought it couldnt be worse than Planet 51. that is, until The Tooth Fairy came out. THAT film made Santa with Muscles look like Citizen Kane. i mean, Dwayne Johnson in a tutu is the most immasculating sight i have ever seen. and in the words of the great Bill Hicks, "if money had a dick, then he'd be a flaming faggot."

i understand that im missing a few people in this post, but some of those people have done enough remarkable things in their careers for me to leave them out (Robert DeNiro, Jackie Chan). and some of them have made the mistake only once (Vin Diesel). but, i want you to understand the moral of this tale: sometimes, even the biggest men can be broken down by the tease of a dollar.