Real American Heroes (and one Belgian)

They're more than toys, they're the reel deal

By Drew Tewksbury, Special to Metromix

“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” opening August 7, promises to reacquaint action lovers with famed “Real American Heroes” Snake-Eyes, Duke and Ripcord as they battle the nefarious Destro.

But you don’t need to look to a toy line to find hardcore Americans who have no problems kicking butts and taking names. Whether they fought Soviets, terrorists or Colombian drug cartels, the following pages offer up some of action cinema’s greatest real American* heroes.

(*And one Belgian.)