The Rundownis one ofDwayne Johnson’s best action movies, but it also features a cameo from another action movie superstar.The Rundownwas the first movie Johnson made after stepping away from his career as a wrestler. Directed by Pete Berg, it stars “The Rock” as a bounty hunter who travels to Brazil to find a runaway treasure hunter (played by Seann William Scott). The movie was not a success at the box office, but the strong reviews highlighted Johnson’s performance as a leading man and solidified him as a new action movie star.
The positive response toThe Rundownled to Johnson starring in a number of action movie hits,likeSan Andreas, Rampage, andtheFast and Furiousfranchise. This helped make him arguablythe biggest action star in Hollywood. However, even thoughThe Rundownwas not a huge hit, it featured a clever hint at the career Johnson was about to embark upon, courtesy of a true Hollywood icon.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Has A Small Cameo In The Rundown
Schwarzenegger Appears For A Matter Of Seconds
Arnold Schwarzenegger appears inThe Rundownin a role that is so brief, it’s not hard to believe that a lot of fans missed it. Thecameo from Schwarzeneggercomes early in the movie as Dwayne Johnson’s character, Beck, is walking into a club to hunt down a target. As he is entering,Schwarzenegger walks past him on his way out of the club and tells Beck: “Have fun.”
The surprise from the audience at the unexpected appearance of Schwarzenegger is also shared by Beck, who does a double-take as the man walks past. The randomness of the cameo makes sense as it was not planned at all; Schwarzenegger happened to be near the set and dropped in to say hello to Johnson (viamovieweb.com). Director Peter Berg then asked Schwarzenegger if he would appear in the movie, with Schwarzenegger agreeing so long as it happened immediately.
The Cameo Was Meant Past The Action Star Torch To Dwayne Johnson
Schwarzenegger & Johnson Saw Their Careers Briefly Overlapping
While there is not a lot of substance or screen time for Schwarzenegger inThe Rundown, it is a symbolically important moment in the action movie genre. Schwarzenegger and Johnson literally crossing paths on screen inThe Rundowncame at a significant time for both actors. Schwarzenegger had enjoyed decades as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood withtheTerminatorfranchiseand movies likeEraser, True Lies, Predator, Commando, and more. However,whenThe Rundowncame out in 2003, Schwarzenegger was prepping for a new career.
The early 2000s saw Johnson only beginning his acting career, eventually reaching heights that rivaled Schwarzenegger’s time in the action genre.
In 2003, Schwarzenegger stepped away from Hollywood when he became the Governor of California. Meanwhile, the early 2000s saw Johnson only beginning his acting career, eventually reaching heights that rivaled Schwarzenegger’s time in the action genre.Schwarzenegger’s line to Johnson, “have fun,” was seen as a “passing of the torch” momentas Schwarzenegger left action movie stardom behind, welcoming a new generation of action heroes to take his place.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Continued To Make Action Movies After The Rundown
Schwarzenegger Continues To Star In Action Movies
Schwarzenegger’s nod to Johnson inThe Rundownwas a nice moment, but it didn’t necessarily mean Schwarzenegger was done with action movies.During his time as Governor of California, Schwarzenegger largely stayed away from movies, save for a couple of cameos,includingArnold the World in 80 Daysandthe first movie inThe Expendablesfranchise. Following the end of his political career in 2011, Schwarzenegger went back to making movies.
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His first lead role after returning was the neo-Western action movieThe Last Stand. While it was not a box office hit, critics noted that Schwarzenegger still had what it took as an action hero. While the actor also sought out more serious roles, likeMaggieandAftermath, he also stuck close to the action genre with the likes ofEscape Plan, Sabotage, and twoTerminatorsequels. While Schwarzenegger’s return did not see him take away Johnson’s title as the reigning action movie star which began withThe Rundown, it proved he could still compete with the younger generation.
Source: movieweb.com
