Summer Blockbuster Cast-a-thon


John of Hitchcock's World is hosting a blogathon! Here is the scenario, as well as the rules:
Oh no! It seems the Prime Minister of Canada was on a flight to a very important U.N. conference when his plane was shot down somewhere over an isolated war-torn location and now he has been kidnapped by Neo-Nazi communist hippy ninjas. We received a message from them demanding that the United Nations deliver Belgium's top-secret nuclear launch codes by May 31 or they will kill the Prime Minister. Oh, it's a catastrophe. Whatever shall we do? If the Prime Minister doesn't make it to the conference in time for his speech and fails to present the contents of his top-secret briefcase it could mean the end of civilization as we know it!
It seems the only thing we can do is find the toughest men and women available and put them together as a ragtag force of crack commandos who can get in there, find the Prime Minister, take out the enemy, and bring him back in time for the conference. Are you a bad enough dude (or dudette) to organize this team and rescue the Prime Minister? 
Rules:
1. Select a group of 12-15 characters from action movies. They are not required to be military, but they should be tough enough to look after themselves when things inevitably go wrong.
2. For each character you choose, include a few words on why you selected him/her and what skills they have that could contribute to saving the Prime Minister of Canada.
3. Much like my Voyage to the Stars Blogathon, there must be gender and/or racial diversity. Ideally, I would prefer it if you could manage both but one or the other is acceptable. If possible, national and sexual diversity is also greatly encouraged (but not required). Either way, I do not want to see any all-white, all-male squads. Doing so means an automatic disqualification.
4. There are no restrictions regarding the era in which your chosen characters originated or their nationality. You could in theory assign Vazquez from Aliens with Nantz from Battle: Los Angeles and Dutch from Predator.
5. You cannot include two or more characters from the same film.
6. I would like you to include the above banner in your post. However, if you want, you may design your own provided it contains the title of the blogathon and imagery that fits.
It took some fiddling around, but I finally found a team dynamic I liked. I decided to add a bit more to the scenario so the line-up would make sense. I've arranged it from the people who are doing the actual rescuing, to those working the surroundings. I am in no way knowledgeable about ranking so my picks are based on impression (not position title) alone. Here are my choices for the mission:

ON THE FIELD: FRONT RUNNERS

James Bond, Skyfall
James Bond has been through an array of challenges, so facing off with the Neo-Nazi communist hippy ninjas wouldn't be a problem for him. He's the person to talk to when one wants to have a final conversation - particularly before all the final fighting start. He knows how to handle a weapon and has some nifty gadgets on hand. He's also used to trying to save people, so this wouldn't be a problem for him.

Sergeant Rita Vrataski, Edge of Tomorrow
As Angel of Verdun, she’s pretty much handy in weaponry and acts quickly when faced with a dilemma that has no other viable solution. She’s determined enough to finish the job, and doesn't put emotions and feelings in line with her professional work.

Ethan Hunt, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
He's not afraid to scale buildings, and would wing it in case things don't go according to plan - rescuing the prime minister wouldn't be so much of a challenge. He's also good with weapons and creating distractions. He's a good strategist, and wouldn't mind getting his hands dirty for the good of mankind.

Robert McCall, The Equalizer
He's pretty resourceful with creating weapons beyond the usual tools. He would make the environment work to their favor. He's also determined to finish the job; he wouldn't do anything to compromise their mission.

Rama, The Raid
Besides his knowledge on how to handle weaponry, his biggest asset is his skills in physical combat, disarming the ninjas with his own set of ninja skills.

Alex Munday, Charlie's Angels
Her skills are similar with Rama, but her being technologically savvy can be useful in the field. She can be setting up satellite connections (for tracking, etc.) or arming explosions to further entrap the ninjas.

ON THE FIELD: SUPPORT

Victoria Winslow, Red


Even if the location is secured on foot, it's also important to have back-up gunners. This is where Victoria Winslow comes in. She's a fantastic marksman and works quickly on her feet. She'll be shooting people off before they even know what hit them. In a worst case scenario (that she gets thrown in the middle of the mission with the others), she definitely know how to handle her weapons.

The Professor, The Bourne Identity
Having one sniper might not be enough so it's nice to have a back-up. The Professor is also an excellent marksman and assassin. He works quietly and usually disappears in the shadows. He's beneficial for scouting and his sniping skills are on point. He doesn't usually work on a team, so having someone on the outside might be good for the team.

Sam Wilson/Falcon, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Rescue victims usually need medical care. As a pararescueman with military training, Sam Wilson will know how to handle the prime minister once they're out of harm's way. He can even aid in the infiltration of the location using his aerial combat knowledge.

Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock, The A-Team
A rescue mission needs a getaway. This is where Murdock comes in. He's a bit on the eccentric/crazy side, but with the personalities of his team mates, his quirky personality would help diffuse mission tension. Plus, he will get the job done and fly them in and out as soon as possible.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Deputy US Marshall Samuel Gerard, The Fugitive
Samuel Gerard may be used to working the field, but he can definitely assimilate behind the scenes and bark orders. His authoritative demeanor will demand respect from his co-workers. He is also quite persistent at getting the job done.

Merlin, Kingsman: The Secret Service
He might not be on the field so much but he's someone whose both knowledgeable on the field and the other details entailed to ensure the mission as success. He's the one to relay both field operation and intelligence on both his boss and his team members. Since he's an agent trainer, he knows the statistics of each member, including their strengths and weaknesses. 

7 comments:

  1. I got the biggest smile possible when I saw Rama from The Raid. Fantastic pick. Love the whole team, actually. Meant to do mine last weekend. I'm getting there. Great entry.

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  2. Awesome, I've been waiting for somebody to join in on the fun. I actually had considered James Bond as an option on my own list, but ultimately decided Evelyn Salt would be better at the undercover work and sabotaging the Neo-Nazi communist hippy ninjas' operation from within. Rama also seems like a smart move. I'd expected that someone might bring in a martial artist, but an actual ninja makes perfect sense for a job like this. Also I'll have to admit that I am impressed you managed to bring a less obvious choice like that one into the mix. With hindsight, Rita Vrataski would also have been a good choice for my own list as well.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for hosting the blogathon. It was fun! It had me thinking about who to put and leave out, trying to find the best mix from the names I've initially listed down.

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  3. So many awesome picks! I love seeing Bond, Rita and Ethan as the front runners working together. I'd love to see that movie.

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  4. You have John all the diversity he wanted!!!

    I really need to do this. UGH...I will, I will!

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