Sylvester Stallone’snext action movieAlarumcan redeem a truly dire run of action movies - with a little help from one ofReacher’sbiggest breakouts. Most of the bigSylvester Stallone action franchiseshave ended in recent years, though the star has found new life on TV thanks toTulsa King. 2024 hasn’t been a great year for the screen icon in terms of movies, withStallone’s latest action filmArmorreceiving 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless, he has more STV movies coming in 2025, includingNever Too Old to Dieand the spy action thrillerAlarum.
In stark contrast to the chintzy and humorlessArmor,Alarum’strailer makes it look like Stallone’s most promising action vehicle in years. It casts him in a supporting role as a CIA assassin sent to kill two rogue spies who quit the business and ran off together. Scott Eastwood isAlarum’smale lead, and the trailer sees Stallone and Eastwood gunning down waves of assassins with AA-12 shotguns - as deployed with devastating effect by Terry Crews' character inThe Expendablesmovies- and exchanging quips.
Sylvester Stallone’s 5 Movie Cameos Explained
Sylvester Stallone cameos are incredibly rare, with the screen legend having only guest-starred in a handful of very eccentric projects.
Action Thriller Alarum Unites Sylvester Stallone & Reacher’s Willa Fitzgerald
Alarum’s cast should elevate it above the typical STV action fare
The last decade has seen a rise in the so-called “geezer teaser” genre, where name actors like Stallone or Nic Cage are well paid to work on low-budget movies for a day or two; the film then promotesthemas the leads - even though their roles amount to cameos.Armordid the same thing with Stallone, but whileAlarumfollows a similar formula, it looks like a major improvement on the star’s last offering. In addition to Scott Eastwood,Alarum’scast also includes Mike Colter (Plane) andReacherbreakout Willa Fitzgerald.
Eastwood and Fitzgerald are the movie’s actual leads, with the trailer making it feel like a buddy cop movie - but one where the partners happen to be married. The movie also feels like it has had actual money spent on it, withAlarum’spreview showing off various shootouts and fight sequences for all the stars. It doesn’t feel like it will reinvent the action genre, butit’s nice to see a new Stallone project that looks like the people making it are engaged by the material.
Despite reports linking him to a role inThe Expendables 3, Scott’s father Clint Eastwood and Sylvester Stallone have never acted together.
Alarum Can Break Stallone’s Terrible Action Movie Run
Expendables 4 ended the Stallone franchise on a sour note
Stallone has often had fallow periods, where a run of box office hits is followed by some duds. Sadly, Stallone is in such a slump right now, with the last five years seeing a streak of turkeys likeEscape Plan: The ExtractorsandRambo: Last Blood. 2023’sThe Expendables 4was a box-office disaster and received roundly terrible reviews. Combined with the 0% ratingArmorattracted,Alarumhas pressure on it to remind viewers why they like Stallone’s work in the first place.
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Armor(2024)
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The star’s most recent action effort was 2021’sThe Suicide Squad, but his role as King Shark was a voice over only. With the star having exited bothCliffhanger 2and theCreedfranchise - in addition toThe Expendablesending so abruptly after the fourth film bombed - he needs to dust himself off with a genuine hit.Alarumdoesn’t have a high bar to climb in this regard, but after years of disappointments, fans deserve at least a solid three-star outingfrom the star.
Willa Fitzgerald’s Reacher Role Makes Alarum More Exciting
Fitzgerald has been on a roll since Reacher season 1
Reachermade Alan Ritchson a star, but it introduced many viewers to Willa Fitzgerald too. In many ways, Fitzgerald’s Roscoe stole the season, being both a strong and likable co-lead while having great chemistry with Ritchson.Roscoe is unlikely to return for another season ofReacher, but Fitzgerald has shown great taste in projects since leavingthe show. She received acclaim for her turn in 2024’s dark thrillerStrange Darlingand was intensely menacing as the younger Madeline Usher in Netflix’sThe Fall of the House of Usher.
Alarum’s trailer makes the film appear to be a zippy, action-packed spy thriller with Scott Eastwood and Willa Fitzgerald appearing to have some spiky romantic chemistry.
On the surface, her latest appears like any number of lower-budget action thrillers that end up going straight to digital, butFitzgerald must have seensomethinginAlarum’sscript that made her sign on. Again, the trailer makes the film appear to be a zippy, action-packed spy thriller, with Eastwood and Fitzgerald appearing to have some spiky romantic chemistry. Even Stallone appears engaged, which is a good sign after his autopilot villain performance inArmor.
Having performers like Fitzgerald or Mike Colter gives hope thatAlarumwill stand out from a sea of STV dreck. Stallone used to be dependable when it came to action movies, but that hasn’t proven the case for years now.Alarumis looking promising thus far, and if nothing else, it will give Willa Fitzgerald a chance to show off her action skills.
