Le Dernier Combat

A lot of my favourite films growing up and to this day are some of Arnold's Classics like T2, Predator and countless others. Although not one of his best, The Last Stand is one of Schwarzeneggers better films and perfect for him to do what he does best - shoot bad guys and crack one liners. This film is a quality made action film that contains some innovative stuff blending old school car chases, blazing gunfights and an intriguing yet simple story in a solid modern action movie. Other than the action,the film blends comedy very nicely. The whole theatre was cracking up especially at the characters of Johnny Knoxville and Luiz Guzman. The movie overall is a solid, fun and entertaining film that keeps the momentum going to the final climax which is sure not to disappoint. If that sounds appealing to you, Check it out and you'll be sure to enjoy.

Overall: Solid 7/10

And splendid for us, the audience. Arnie's back! After small cameos in The Rundown ( This blink-and-you-miss-it cameo also served as passing the torch to new action star, The Rock aka Dwayne Johnson) and The Expendables finally comes an action film with Arnold as the lead.

Directed by a South Korean Jee-woon Kim who is known for bloody and violent films so this information promises a great film filled with right ingredients for Schwarzenegger movie. The film starts off slow to develop the characters which is great at least you care about the characters. Arnold might be older now but he's still go it to be an action hero. The only problem is that this film is not doing well at the box office. The planned return of the 80's is not going according to plan, which is sad because the films reminding us of the most probably best times of action films are well made films. I have seen it in a packed theatre so I guess that is a sign positive word of mouth will bring a lot of Arnold's fans to theatre.

Johnny Knoxville is not only tolerable but he is also funny. His character bring some of the funniest moments in the film. Jaimie Alexander shows once again that she can pull of amazing kick-ass heroine. Let's hope she gets more screen time in the next Thor movie. Harry Dean Stanton who is her for one only scene is just unforgettable just as the dialogue in his scene. Forest Whitaker, an Oscar Winner, gives his usual magnificent performance which sometimes seems very funny given the context of the film and its ridiculous plot.

The violence in modern movies is not the same as in the 80s, 90s. I don't want to sound like a maniac but given the credit of Jee-woon Kim I expected this film to be more "off the chain". It is like the studio executives came on the set and told the director to tone the violence and blood down. Even when things get violent it is just not the same as it used to be. Despite some flaws this film still is a great mindless fun action ride and that is exactly what I expected and it's great to see Arnold back on the big screen.

Let me start by saying this is a straight-up good guys vs. bad guys, shoot 'em up action movie. Would you expect anything less from Ahhnold? I'll say that I was happy to hear Arnold was returning to the big screen for starring roles once his Governorship was over. I've been a die hard Arnold fan since I was 6. Sure he's a senior citizen now...but he's ARNOLD! The trailers for this movie don't really hide anything, it's presented exactly how it is. It's an action movie that doesn't take itself too seriously. The movie does try and have these heartfelt moments which come off more as cheesy than anything else. But I will give the movie props for actually trying to develop its characters to the point they're not just cardboard cut outs. They have personality and emotions so you actually care if they live or die. Which is more than I can say for most movies of this type. Unfortunately the movie seemed to be relying heavily on Arnold's return to the big screen to put butts in the theatre seats. The movie only made $6 million on its opening weekend. Making it the bottom of the barrel at the box office. However I went and saw it on a Tuesday night at 7pm and the theatre was packed. So perhaps word is travelling that it's a fun movie and it'll be able to make some money back. Not that I'm crying for Arnold's bank account but it's a shame when a good movie doesn't do well.

This is pure guilty-pleasure cinema. You know you can't defend seeing lots of nameless guys in black suits and machine guns mowing down people and that there's only a bullet here or there that might get one of our good guys (and I mean, y'know, Luis Guzman, who is always fun to watch in that very familiar character-actor way by the way, same for Harry Dean Stanton's walk-on), and it hearkens back to that time in the 1980's and 90's when Arnold Schwarzenegger dominated cineplexes with this kind of action trash. But over time, as super glossy and hyper-kinetic and chaotically-shot cinema floods theaters, this almost comes as something of a refreshment. How do I simply say "I got thrilled by the action, laughed at the craziness in the set-pieces, and loved seeing Arnold tear it up and have one-line retorts: "How do you feel?" asks a towns-person - "OLD!")

But aside from the story, which seems to be fairly cookie-cutter with the Mexican cartel kingpin who is getting across from Nevada down to the border to get back to his safe land, and with various tropes that can be read from not too far away (given some heft by the fact that Eduardo Noriega cuts a very sharp figure as a madman with a zest for stunt- driving - like a character one might find almost in Rodriguez/Tarantino's Grindhouse, or a hybrid of such characters they write), what is there? How about that the director, Kim Jee-Woon, has a track record from back in South Korea as being a hardcore, awe-inspiring action and genre director, who can make them very, very intense and harrowing (I Saw the Devil), or truly spooky and harrowing in a quieter, more sinister way (Tale of Two Sisters). But what got him the job, I suspect, was The Good, the Bad and the Weird, his wild homage to everything Western - Spaghetti, yes, but good ol' American variety. He must have read the script and said 'I can do this, this is a Western to the bone just in 21st century garb... matter of fact, it's Rio Bravo on steroids!'

Well, that's my suspicion anyway. Think about it - a Sheriff in a ponam town with not many residents at all (and those that do stick around all day won't leave cause of some gunfire - there's a cheese omelette cooking after all at the diner), and has some good deputies, and some others he has to recruit not by his better judgment but by lack of other good officers, and has a Big Bad Motherflipper coming right his way. "I've seen a lot of blood and death. I know what's coming," says the not-quite quipping Arnold. And the first half does build, somewhat decently if predictably, the pieces of the characters, the basic set-ups of who may die (or will) and what betrayals are happening and who knows what (and what, really, Forest Whitaker can do as the Man in Charge in the suit - powerful, but he's not a Schwarzenegger).

It's the second half of the film, as the preparations intensify and then the big attack comes to Sommerton Junction (even the name is out of a Sam Fuller western or something) that the film REALLY picks up steam. And by steam, I mean lots and lots of bullets, sometimes from huge guns that fire way too many bullets. What helps in Jee-Woon's favor in The Last Stand is how he takes the fantasy of all of this to such a degree that you (or I really) can't help but admire how high it ends up going. It will please hardcore action fans, but unlike the only other recent Schwarzenegger films (so to speak) of the Expendables franchise, it doesn't really insult your intelligence either. The villains on display in this flick are not pushovers, and it leads to some impressive action from the performers, from the cameramen, from the bullets themselves which become their own actors. And the final chase through a cornfield, just when you think the film has nothing else to give you, comes back for a surprise set-piece that feels fresh and inventive; we haven't seen something quite like this where it's a cat and mouse chase through such a big space of land, but we know it is just a matter of seconds.

If you've grown up on Schwarzenegger flicks, it's like visiting the old(er) man at the condo, and jogging his memory full-throttle. I don't know if this is just a brief pop-up appearance for the (how do I write this without laughing but he is) veteran action icon, or a third and final career trajectory after years as a bodybuilder/up-and-comer, and superstar. But for now, it'll do, Johnny Knoxville's rambunctious comic-timing not withstanding.

After brief cameos in films like the Rundown and Expendables, we finally got a glimpse of a possible return to form for Arnold Schwarzenegger. Finally his first full length solo action film is here with The Last Stand. As if this wasn't exciting enough, add to the mix I Saw The Devil director Jee-woon Kim at the helm, it has the makings of a great comeback.

The Last Stand follows a former LAPD detective who is now the sheriff of a small quiet town and enjoying the peaceful life. When a notorious drug kingpin escapes FBI custody in a supped up corvette the only thing standing between him and the border is this small town and the sheriff who has vowed to protect it. The story here is pretty simple and in anyone else's hands would have probably been a throw away film. Thankfully Jee-woon Kim brings his signature dynamic style taking this film to a much more entertaining visual level. If there was any concern with Arnold being able to live up to his famous line "I'll be back" being accurate you can relax because he is back in a big way. This film takes a bit of a step back and moves a bit slowly at first letting the story build a bit instead of just flooding it with action. When the smaller action pieces, if you can call any of them that, do occur they are pretty high octane and fun to watch. All this builds up to a full on blood bath ensuing old west action show down featuring all the explosions, guns, blood and fun you could want in an Arnold film. Make no mistake this is a popcorn action film that hearkens back to the old school action films of the 80's and 90's when they delivered. The cast is great and each delivers a fun performance featuring Johnny Knoxville who while brief brings some of the funniest moments, Luis Guzman who is right there holding his own, Forest Whitaker, and Peter Stormare. Arnold still delivers his cheesy one-liners like a pro, but has moved on from the usual ones that were starting to run their course. His years in office clearly have made him a better speaker, hence a better actor.

Arnold may not be as fast or agile as he once was, but he still manages to show he can hold his own with the best of them. This film not only gets Arnold back where he belongs on the big screen it also kicks off a movie year that almost feels like the old days of action again with numerous franchise and action icons bringing the pain in 2013. Arnold has always said he would be back and he is better than ever. If you were ever an Arnold fan, then get ready for a film that will spark the visual crazy fun that's been missing in this genre for a long time.