The field has been cut in half, now only 32 teams remain. Starting today, you will vote for matchups in the Michael Corleone and John McClane regions. You have until midnight on Wednesday to vote for your choices in those regions. Popular vote will determine which movie advances, and in the case of a tie in voting, the tiebreak score will determine who moves forward. I will do a brief rundown of each matchup that includes my vote in that matchup under a spoiler warning, and then the matchups will be listed again at the bottom for easier copy/pasting.
#1 seed Raiders of the Lost Ark
#9 seed From Russia With Love
This is definitely a heavyweight matchup when it comes to action heroes: Indiana Jones vs. James Bond. It’s also interesting because it’s Indiana Jones vs. his father. From Russia With Love is the lone 007 representative to make the round of 32, thanks in large part to Sean Connery’s iconic portrayal of the most famous character in the spy game. Raiders of the Lost Ark is arguably the most iconic film in the region, led by Harrison Ford’s charisma as the world’s premiere archeologist-adventurer.
#4 seed The Dark Knight
#5 seed Unforgiven
This might be the strongest directorial showdown in the region, with Christopher Nolan going head to head with Clint Eastwood with two examples that showcase each director at the top of their games. The Dark Knight has a lot going for it here, with a grounded approach to the residents of Gotham City; similarly, Unforgiven takes a very realistic approach to life in the old West, showing the lasting effects that life as a gunslinger has on its lead character.
#3 seed The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
#6 seed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
It’s Western vs. Western in this second round matchup. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is one of the pinnacles of the genre starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach as the titular trio. Paul Newman and Robert Redford pair as Butch and Sundance, one of several classic pairings of this legendary acting duo.
#2 seed Tombstone
#7 seed Die Hard
Coming into the tournament, I would have suspected that a matchup of Bruce Willis and Kurt Russell would have been between John McClane and Snake Plissken, but only one of those characters is present in this matchup. Instead, Russell’s turn as real life cowboy Wyatt Earp in Tombstone is here. Tombstone has every element in a western you could want: great characters, shootouts, and terrific dialogue. It’s fitting that it meets Die Hard since John McClane is a fan of the old cowboy movie. Die Hard laid the groundwork for countless modern action movies that have come after.
Matchups
#1 seed Raiders of the Lost Ark
#9 seed From Russia With Love
#4 seed The Dark Knight
#5 seed Unforgiven
#3 seed The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
#6 seed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
#2 seed Tombstone
#7 seed Die Hard
#1 seed Raiders of the Lost Ark
#9 seed From Russia With Love
This is definitely a heavyweight matchup when it comes to action heroes: Indiana Jones vs. James Bond. It’s also interesting because it’s Indiana Jones vs. his father. From Russia With Love is the lone 007 representative to make the round of 32, thanks in large part to Sean Connery’s iconic portrayal of the most famous character in the spy game. Raiders of the Lost Ark is arguably the most iconic film in the region, led by Harrison Ford’s charisma as the world’s premiere archeologist-adventurer.
This is a very tough call, but I have to go with Raiders of the Lost Ark.
#4 seed The Dark Knight
#5 seed Unforgiven
This might be the strongest directorial showdown in the region, with Christopher Nolan going head to head with Clint Eastwood with two examples that showcase each director at the top of their games. The Dark Knight has a lot going for it here, with a grounded approach to the residents of Gotham City; similarly, Unforgiven takes a very realistic approach to life in the old West, showing the lasting effects that life as a gunslinger has on its lead character.
You can’t go wrong with either of these movies, but for me, I’m going with The Dark Knight.
#3 seed The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
#6 seed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
It’s Western vs. Western in this second round matchup. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly is one of the pinnacles of the genre starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach as the titular trio. Paul Newman and Robert Redford pair as Butch and Sundance, one of several classic pairings of this legendary acting duo.
It’s a shame one of these movies has to be eliminated so early in the proceedings, but I’m going to vote for The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
#2 seed Tombstone
#7 seed Die Hard
Coming into the tournament, I would have suspected that a matchup of Bruce Willis and Kurt Russell would have been between John McClane and Snake Plissken, but only one of those characters is present in this matchup. Instead, Russell’s turn as real life cowboy Wyatt Earp in Tombstone is here. Tombstone has every element in a western you could want: great characters, shootouts, and terrific dialogue. It’s fitting that it meets Die Hard since John McClane is a fan of the old cowboy movie. Die Hard laid the groundwork for countless modern action movies that have come after.
Both of these are great movies, but I’m going to have to cast my vote for Die Hard.
Matchups
#1 seed Raiders of the Lost Ark
#9 seed From Russia With Love
#4 seed The Dark Knight
#5 seed Unforgiven
#3 seed The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
#6 seed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
#2 seed Tombstone
#7 seed Die Hard
