Uncover McBain's Hilarious Parodies: The Top 10 Action Movies Mocked in The Simpsons

Summary

The character Rainier Wolfcastle in

The Simpsons

is often used to mock action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.

The McBain movies in

The Simpsons

are a series of overblown action extravaganzas that parody cop movies and thriller franchises.

McBain's appearances in

The Simpsons

are inspired by various action movie franchises, such as

Die Hard

,

James Bond

, and

Rambo

, while also satirizing the cliches and tropes of the genre.

The Simpsons has utilized Rainier Wolfcastle's McBain movies over the years to parody numerous well-known action, thriller, and cop films. Being a long-running show with a deep appreciation for popular culture, there are very few famous franchises that The Simpsons has not parodied. Throughout the show's history, The Simpsons has comically targeted a wide range of films, from the Harry Potter series to A Nightmare on Elm Street. Therefore, it is not surprising that the character of Rainier Wolfcastle is frequently used to satirize action stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone in The Simpsons.

Wolfcastle, a fictional movie star, has been a recurring character on the show since its early seasons. Whether or not The Simpsons season 35 will reintroduce this amusing supporting character remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Wolfcastle's previous appearances have already provided the show with one of its most clever in-universe franchises. The McBain movies are a collection of exaggerated action spectacles that allow The Simpsons to mock the conventions of numerous cop movies and thriller franchises. From Lethal Weapon and Beverly Hills Cop to the 1980s films of Stallone and Schwarzenegger, the McBain movies draw inspiration from a wide range of classic action cinema.

9 The James Bond Series

8 Die Hard

The closing credits of McBain's films serve as a clever parody of the famous opening sequences of 007, complete with the iconic gun barrel transition shot and the grand theme song. Interestingly, McBain's earlier appearances primarily leaned towards the intense and violent thrills commonly seen in R-rated action cinema of the 1980s, rather than the comparatively more family-oriented adventures of James Bond. Nevertheless, McBain's inherently ludicrous nature allows The Simpsons to effortlessly transform him into a temporary 007 substitute. Additionally, it is worth noting that Arnold Schwarzenegger, who served as the inspiration for McBain, successfully tackled the role of Bond in James Cameron's True Lies.

McBain draws obvious inspiration from the Die Hard franchise, a series of action films featuring Bruce Willis as an unfortunate cop in New York City. The name McBain is a clever reference to John McClane, the character played by Willis. In one particular scene, McBain stands atop a conference table and takes down villains, which is a reverse version of a memorable set-piece in Die Hard where McClane seeks refuge under a table as a villain shoots through it. Interestingly, the original Die Hard film was commended for presenting McClane as a more relatable and realistic action hero compared to the characters portrayed by Stallone and Schwarzenegger, who served as the physical inspiration for McBain.

7 Arnold Schwarzenegger & Sylvester Stallone’s Action Movies

McBain's Teutonic accent, his muscular build, the high body counts in his movies, and the sneering, campy villains are all based on Arnold Schwarzenegger. Mendoza's death, in particular, mirrors the fate of one of the henchmen in the movie Commando. However, another iconic figure from the 80s with a famously funny accent also plays a role in shaping McBain's demeanor. Sylvester Stallone's cartoonishly tough action hero Rambo influenced some of McBain's gun-toting adventures, while Schwarzenegger's gory 80s action movies contributed to the rest of the character's persona. While Schwarzenegger serves as the main inspiration for the Simpsons character, both actors have contributed aspects of their careers and personalities to McBain.

6 The Rambo Franchise

McBain, just like Rambo, sports a bandolier and combat fatigues. Similar to Rambo, he displays a tendency to unleash a hail of gunfire upon hordes of adversaries, showing no discrimination as he obliterates them with outrageously excessive firepower. Nevertheless, it is McBain's crusade against the "Commie Nazis" that exemplifies the blatant historical inaccuracy of the Rambo series. Astute viewers who recognize the deep-seated enmity between Communists and Nazis will acknowledge that McBain, much like Rambo, possesses an exceptional skill for reshaping history in a creatively inventive manner.

5 Dirty Harry

McBain's enormous firearm in The Simpsons pays tribute to Dirty Harry's notorious .44 Magnum, and his antagonistic relationship with his superior also reflects Clint Eastwood's character's contempt for his boss. The Simpsons previously parodied Dirty Harry in the series with McGarnagle, another rebellious cop who disregarded the rules. However, perhaps due to Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Willis declining cameos in The Simpsons, the show soon shifted its satirical focus towards them instead.

4 Kindergarten Cop & 21 Jump Street

Undercover Nerd, a McBain movie, cleverly parodies two popular works: Arnold Schwarzenegger's Kindergarten Cop and the TV show 21 Jump Street. While the show depicted two cops infiltrating a high school, Kindergarten Cop featured Schwarzenegger's cop character posing as a preschool teacher. The Simpsons' Undercover Nerd brilliantly mocks the earnest nature of the original 21 Jump Street series, which eventually received a self-aware comedic reboot in the 2010s.

3 To Live And Die In L.A.

Many movies have presented audiences with various versions of the classic “Cop who dies shortly before retirement” scenario, but one of the most well-known examples of this cliché is the 1985 action thriller To Live and Die in L.A. Directed by William Friedkin, this film is often overlooked, yet it receives a pardon for employing this humorous convention. Interestingly enough, The Simpsons cleverly parodied this trope by depicting McBain's partner meeting a gruesome demise mere seconds after disclosing his retirement plans to the public.

2 Beverly Hills Cop

The infuriated police chief, constantly threatening to suspend or terminate McBain for his reckless behavior, bears a striking resemblance to Inspector Todd from the Beverly Hills Cop franchise. However, even the rebellious Axel Foley never went as far as shooting the rule book out of his boss's hand. McBain takes the unpredictable cop stereotype to an extreme level, even going as far as throwing his superior out of a window. Regrettably, audiences have yet to witness Eddie Murphy's antihero perform the same daring act.

1 The Lethal Weapon Movies

The scene in The Simpsons where McBain's partner is killed in a hail of gunfire deviates from the usual tone of the show, as it is unusually violent. This may be attributed to the fact that the original Lethal Weapon film is much more brutal than many viewers remember. Just before the shooting, there is a moment where McBain urges his responsible family man partner to embrace a more adventurous side, which mirrors the dynamic between Riggs and Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon films. In those movies, Mel Gibson's reckless Riggs consistently pushes Danny Glover's composed Murtaugh to take more risks. The Simpsons effectively satirizes this relationship, although McBain's partner undergoes a much more severe fate than Murtaugh ever experiences in the Lethal Weapon franchise.