So here we go, one face off away from the final and the chance to see which two action heroes are going to go head to head in search of the title of ‘Greatest Action Hero’

The last round again threw up a few surprises with Mel Gibson still the dark horse amoung sure fire favourites Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Van Damme.

Semi-Final

Jean Claude Van Damme Vs Mel Gibson

Take your pick guys, these two have been involved in more explosions, more gun fights and more carnage than most other actors. Each time they pick themselves back up and do it all again.

JCVD, as we have already covered, set the early 90s alight with an array of brilliant action films including Timecop, Hard Target and Sudden Death. But did stumble a little starring in some horrific films, and by horrific I don’t mean the genre.

He is though a very solid action film icon, he had the looks and the physique and as for his martial arts skills they were very much authentic. For me though his best film was Bloodsport, which was based on a true story of a martial arts fighter called Frank Dux. Dux trained harder than most in order to take part in the Kumite, one of the most vicious martial arts tournaments in the world.

The film depicts his life growing up, and a young Van Damme does a pretty good job of that. The fight scenes are for there time a little dated but you get the idea.

Gibson to be perfectly honest has thrown it all away in the last few years. Booze, arrests and worst of all, as if he couldn’t sink much lower…racist slurs. There was a time when he was Hollywood’s golden boy, one of the go to guys for big action or epic blockbusters, and its that Mel we shall focus on.

He’s a director now of sorts but he has starred in some pretty big grossing action films. I always go on about the Lethal Weapon franchise but for me that is still his best work. But it was Mad Max that really launched his career, and it spawned another two films as well.

Other notably and credible action films were Bird on a Wire, Payback and to some extent The Patriot. All this cannot mask the fact that he has somewhat shafted himself, and while he might have clawed some credibility back opposite Ray Winstone in Edge of Darkenss it’s not enough here.

Result: Van Damme, still churned out some of the best action films of the last two decades. And at least kept some of his dignity while doing it.

Sylvester Stallone Vs Arnold Schwarzenegger

Many people were probably expecting this to be the final show piece, but sadly one of the favourites is going to have to make way for the others walk to the final.

How do you even start to compare these two titans of the big screen. Both have made billions for the box office, and starred in some of the most defining films of recent years.

As we have already seen they have also been a part of some absolute shockers, but we’re not going to bring those up again, Estell Getty? Really Sly!?

Friends for many years but also fiercest rivals with one attempting to outdo the other. Rocky Vs The Terminator, Rambo Vs Conan the Barbarian, Stop Or My Mon Will Shoot Vs Junior, OK I said we weren’t going to rake up old graves. Either way they are pound for pound two of the greatest action heros ever to set foot onto a film set.

Stallone is a himself a writer and director having been nominated for best writing/screenplay for Rocky he also got behind the camera for Rambo. But he wrote screenplays for some real action classics such as Cobra, Cliffhanger and more recently in The Expendables. Despite what people say about his acting talents he’s been a work horse all the way through his career and that must be commended.

Schwarzenegger was Mr Universe, a man mountain of muscle and landed his first role in Hercules in New York as Hercules himself. It was for The Terminator though that his career really took off as he slowly developed into an action icon.

Schwarzenegger never wrote anything and the only most note worthy thing he directed was a piece for TV called Christmas in Connecticut, along with an episode for Tales from the Crypt. He won’t be best rememered I doubt for either of those. Acting wise he wasn’t the best, his slow Austrian drawl was at times laughable in some of the films he starred in.

But he was a character, a giant amongst men. His films have received cult status, and most fans can sometime or another quote from a long list, “I’ll be back!” and “Kill me I’m here!” to name a couple. A tough choice being two of the more popular action stars, but there always has to be one winner and one loser.

Result: Stallone, they both had a number of successful classics but Stallone’s writing talent (or lack of it if you’re a more hardened critic) have edged this one for him.

Check back here soon where we’ll reveal who claims the title of Greatest Action Hero!