Dr. Harvey O'Brien is a lecturer in Film Studies at University College Dublin. He has published on topics including Irish Studies, history and the media, horror, science fiction, and documentary film. He is the author of The Real Ireland: The Evolution of Ireland in Documentary Film (2004) and co-editor of Keeping it Real: Irish Film and Television (2004).
This smart, short introduction to the action film tackles the history, aesthetics and politics of an American genre that remains both extraordinarily visible and yet unexplored. It provides readers with a deftly argued account of the genre's distinctive aesthetic and its complex involvement in cultural themes of trauma, violence, and redemption. -- Yvonne Tasker, University of East Anglia A good source for better understanding action cinema, its evolution, and connection with the real world. * Film Matters *