When Action Movies Had Real Heroes

If cool had a drawl, it would sound like Kurt Russell. From Escape from New York to Big Trouble in Little China, he gave antiheroes their swagger back. Russell could flip between irony and sincerity in a heartbeat. Working often with John Carpenter, he made the genre feel punk, sweaty, and alive. Decades later, his smirk still feels like a secret the audience gets to share. He remains a legend, but these days he’s taking on more serious and dramatic roles.