8 Extremely Mid Movies From the '80s That Should Be Rebooted

Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone looking in the same direction in Tango & Cash.Image via Warner Bros.

By Kareem Gantt Published 6 minutes ago Kareem is a veteran editor and writer with over 15 years of experience covering all forms of entertainment, from music to movies. He serves as a High Trending List Writer for Collider, covering all things TV. His work has been seen in numerous online publications such as FanSided, AXS, Examiner, Narcity, HuffPost, and ScreenRant. He first began his professional writing career in 2011 writing political columns for HubPages, gradualaly building his portfolio until he was rewarded with his first paid writing position with News Headquarters in 2013. Since then, Kareem has covered everything imaginable, from writing political news columns for Examiner, reviewing the latest albums for AXS.com, and giving a unique take on sports, food, and the entertainment industry for Fansided.com. He had another online stop at Narcity, covering travel and things to do in his native Florida, before finally bringing his uniquely immense writing talent and voice to Valnet in 2020, first as a List Writer for ScreenRant before taking his talents to Collider in 2021. During his time at Collider, Kareem has showcased his talented writing style on a number of beats, trailer previews (DOTA: Dragon's Blood) to season premiers (Abbott Elementary), to Lists ranking everything from 80s Sitcoms (which holds a special place in his heart), to classic Disney Channel shows. When he's not working, you can catch him bing-watching classic horror movies (he's a huge fan of Friday the 13th), hitting bike trails, and playing UNO (and losing) during game nights with friends. He calls Orlando, FL home. Sign in to your Collider account follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Big and groundbreaking. Those are the two words which you'll often hear when it comes to movies of the 1980s. Coming out of the 1970s and into a brand-new decade, filmmakers were looking to push the envelope when it came to telling their stories on the big screen. While movies at the beginning of the decade carried the same look and feel as their '70s counterparts, by the middle of the decade, movies were starting to break new ground, and launch new franchises that are still enjoyed to this very day.

There were so many iconic movies that came out during this exciting era, from comedy gold standards such as Airplane! and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, to bombastic action movies such as RoboCop and Lethal Weapon. While those movies are certainly classics, there were many more films of the '80s that received less-than-stellar fanfare. Whether it was weak advertising or a plot that never fulfilled its promise, there are a litany of '80s movies that were simply mid, at best. So, we're going to take the most mid movies of the decade and explain why these movies deserve to have a modern reboot. So, without further ado, let's dive in.

1 'Action Jackson' (1988)

Carl Weathers in Action Jackson holding a gun while shirtless.

Carl Weathers in Action Jackson.Image via Lorimar Film Entertainment

In 1976, Carl Weathers had a career breakout as Apollo Creed in the iconic boxing movie Rocky. His star power only rose in the '80s, and after starring as Colonel Al Dillion in 1987's Predator, he was ready to take the lead in an action-comedy that played to his strengths. That movie was Action Jackson, directed by Craig R. Baxley. The film follows Jericho "Action" Jackson, a detective sergeant with the Detroit Police Department who is trying to bring down an auto magnate who is getting "rid" of his competition.

Despite its promise, Action Jackson was plagued with negative reviews, despite being a moderate box office hit. It's become a cult classic today, but we can't help but think that Action Jackson is perfectly ripped for a modern-day reboot. The story can be re-tooled a bit to focus on modern issues, with less emphasis on comedy, and more on action. With a bit of love, Action Jackson would make for the perfect modern-day reboot.

2 'Cat People' (1982)

Nastassja Kinski in the rain in Cat People, 1982.Image via Universal Pictures

In the '80s, supernatural horror was starting to come into its own with new technology bringing new scares to moviegoers. However, there was one supernatural horror movie that seemed like a seductive slam dunk, but never quite made the mark. We're talking, of course, about Cat People, the 1982 remake of the 1942 film of the same name. Starring Nastassja Kinski, the film was a new wave update that followed a young woman who learns she was descended from werecats.

While the reviews were mostly positive, audiences didn’t really flock to the movies to go see Cat People, with the movie grossing over $7 million during its theatrical run. While no one has touched Cat People in 43 years, it's still a very intriguing story that can be reformed for a modern audience. The seductive nature of the film can catch on in today's movie landscape, and with just a touch more horror, Cat People could probably be a hit.

3 'Chopping Mall' (1986)

A robot raising its arms in Chopping Mall.

Killbot raising its arms in Chopping Mall.Image via Concorde Pictures

"Where shopping costs you an arm and a leg." What a tagline to hook in moviegoers! Originally titled Killbots, the title was changed to Chopping Mall to better reflect what this techno-horror movie was about. Directed by Jim Wynorski, the movie follows a group of teens who party in a mall after closing time, only to find themselves fighting for their lives after three high-tech security robots begin to malfunction after a lighting storm, and begin to kill everyone inside the mall.

Chopping Mall was a very interesting concept, especially for the time, combining the rising popularity of shopping malls and techno-infused horror to create a unique movie. Being an independent film, Chopping Mall didn't fare too well at the box office at the time; but this is a concept that is just too interesting to pass up as a modern-day reboot. Maybe it can be infused with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, and some mall managers using it as security for a mall, and just follow the blueprint Chopping Mall laid out. And, viola, you have yourself a great, modern reboot.

4 'Howard the Duck' (1986)

Howard the Duck and Lea Thompson in the 1986 movie, Howard the Duck.Image via Universal Pictures

If there's a '80s movie that is in desperate need of a reboot, it's Howard the Duck. Based on the comic book character created by Steve Gerber, and directed by Willard Huyck, Howard the Duck was released in 1986, and was immediately panned by both critics and moviegoers. The film follows Howard the Duck (Ed Gale and Chip Zien) as he's transported from his home on Duckworld, and lands in Cleveland, meeting Beverly Switzler (Lea Thompson) and finding himself trying to save Earth from the Dark Overlord.

Howard the Duck was a failure in every sense of the word, panned for its acting and inconsistent tone, and it wasn't surprising that it was a box office disaster, grossing only $16 million against a $30 million budget. With such a widely-panned movie, why would anyone want to touch this movie? Well, it's gathered a bit of a cult following over the years, and with Marvel Studios rising to become a dominant force in the superhero market, this may be a prime time to bring back Howard the Duck and make it a more serious affair, rather than rely on kooky comedy. If done right, Howard the Duck could experience a modern-day renaissance. Just don't send him back to Cleveland.

5 'House' (1985)

Roger (William Katt) looking in horror at a gruesome monster in House (1986).Image via New World Pictures

In the 1980s, horror was a pillar of the filmgoing experience. Some of the best horror movie franchises were born in this decade, from Friday the 13th to Nightmare on Elm Street. House, released in 1985, was never able to reach that status. Directed by Steve Miner, the movie follows Roger Cobb (William Katt), an author who moves into his late aunt's house that's actually haunted. While dealing with all the supernatural things within the hom, Cobb is also trying to figure out the mystery of his son's disappearance.

While it was marketed as a comedy horror film, and it was a box office success, the reviews for House were rather mixed in general. The movie never made it to the same status as its predecessors, but it has become a cult favorite over the years. Thanks to this, this may be the right time to reboot House, with a modern cast and using a more straight-laced horror vibe, House could actually be a modern-day horror classic.

6 'Just One of the Guys' (1985)

Joyce Hyser posing as a teen boy talking to a teen girl outside school in Just One of the Guys.Image via Columbia Pictures

While we may be living in a time flushed with young adult shows and movies, it was actually in the '80s where high school movies became all the rage. Most of this is thanks to the run John Hughes had with his comedy-dramas telling the tale of high school life; but there was one non-Hughes high school movie that is ripe for a modern-day reboot, Just One of the Guys.

Directed by Lisa Gottlieb, the movie is a loose adaptation of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, that follows a high school journalist (Joyce Hyser) that wants to be taken seriously as a writer. She feels that her gender is the cause of this, so she enrolls in a rival high school as a guy, looking to write a story of what it's like to be a girl masquerading as a guy. Just One of the Guys is a very underrated movie, and it definitely deserved the reboot treatment. While it can still function as a comedy, a modern Just One of the Guys could work as a way to tell the story of gender dysphoria in a positive and informative light.

7 'The Wraith' (1986)

Charlie Sheen as Jake Kesey aka The Wraith in 'The Wraith'Image via New Century Vista Film Company

While big studios such as Paramount and Universal were pumping out blockbuster films, the '80s also saw a boom in independent films making it to the big-screen, albeit, with little marketing and backing from the bigger studios. Oftentimes, these movies are quite mid, and this is especially true for 1986's The Wraith. Starring a young Charlie Sheen, The Wraith tells the story of a dead high school hero who returns as a hi-tech spirit who seeks revenge on a car gang that caused his death.

The Wraith was an interesting concept, for sure, but it failed to really stick the landing, and didn't really live up to its full potential. But it did have potential, and that potential can be realized in a reboot today. Maybe Netflix could bring this movie back to life, with an updated storyline and updated technology. With a good director and good script, The Wraith could be a successful reboot.

8 'Tango & Cash' (1989)

Tango and Cash Kurt Russell Sylvester Stallone

Ray Tango (Sylvester Stallone) and Gabe Cash (Kurt Russell) escape from prison in 'Tango and Cash'Image via Warner Bros.

Paring two of the biggest stars of the '80s in a high-concept action comedy, what could possibly go wrong? 1989's Tango & Cash saw Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell team up as rival detectives who are forced to work together after they're framed for murder by a criminal. With a storyline like that, and the two huge stars leading the way, there was no way that Tango & Cash could lose at the box office.

While it was a hit, Tango & Cash wasn't quite well-received by critics, with complaints ranging from it being a "cookie-cutter" acting flick (which it was) to the talent being wasted in a middling acting film. With Tango & Cash being a critical failure in its initial release, the concept of the movie is very intriguing, and with a rework of the script, this buddy cop film could actually be a hit today as a refreshed, rebooted action film.

Tango & Cash Action Adventure Comedy Crime Thriller Release Date December 22, 1989 Director Andrei Konchalovsky, Albert Magnoli Writers Randy Feldman

Cast

Sylvester Stallone
Kurt Russell
Teri Hatcher
Jack Palance

Genres Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Thriller Main Genre Action Powered by

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Movie
1980s
The Running Man

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