Last Action Hero | | Cast : | Arnold Schwarzenegger | | Director : | John McTiernan | | Studio : | Columbia/Tristar Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Full Screen | | Released Date : | June 18, 1993 | | DVD Released Date : | March 23, 2004 | | Language : | French (Dubbed), Korean (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 03, 2005 | | Summary | uninspired parody of action-movies | Content
 | A fistful of cameos, numerous unnecessary explosions and tons of in-jokes and a $15 million paycheck for its star made this the movie to hate when it opened in '93. (Opening against "Jurassic Park" couldn't have helped.) Some flaws aside, "Hero" is just a mediocre parody of mediocre LA action movies with some great moments. The plot has Danny Madigan, the son of a single, working-class mom (Mercedes Ruehl) entering a "Jack Slater" movie with a magic ticket.
Jack who?
You know, Jack Slater, the LAPD detective without fear, who ruffles feathers, does things his way, never goes by the book, and always drives his Captain into a rage - that Jack Slater. In short, Slater is a confection of every LA cop (film and TV) since Baretta & "Dirty Harry". To the beat of a heavy-metal soundtracks, disasters claiming whole city blocks occur whenever Slater's around - they never touch him, but they manage to claim one of his friends or relatives. The Slater movies are hits, but we get the idea that Madigan is a peculiar fan. (Life, we learn, is tough enough for him without movies having to be realistic.) Getting a sneak preview of the newest movie from a kindly projectionist who also provides the magic ticket, Danny crosses over into the movie.
Only he doesn't really enter the movie - but a sort of other-dimensional realm that includes all movies. (LAPD HQ, which looks less like a stationhouse than a multiplex, is populated by characters from other movies, including Catherine Trammell and T-1000; Axel Foley, however, is nowhere to be seen.) The problem is that "Hero" isn't so much a movie as two really under-done movies stitched together. First, there's the movie-in-a-movie half, in which Madigan pals around with Slater inside the Slater movie - but it's wrecked by Danny's insistence on pointing out to everybody (including us) that we're in a movie, and one that's bound by every conceivable movie convention. (Strangely, now that's he entered a reality that's fascinated him for years, Madigan can't think of anything better to do than poke holes in the alluring virtual-reality. He tells Jack Slater what catchphrases he'll say before he says them; grills Slater on why all the women are beautiful; and what's the deal with every phone number starting "555"?) Unsurprisingly, Slater doesn't buy a word of it, and instead goes according to the plot of the movie - which involves car chases, shoot-outs, his daughter, a gang-land funeral, nerve gas, the La Brea Tar Pits, a crime-boss who mangles English (Anthony Quinn) and a one-eyed killer who never misses (Charles Dance). The second half - in which Slater and Madigan follow Dance's character into "The Real World" - is better, but so much time is spent in the "movie" half that the "real" half is too little/too late. There, Slater's supply of ammo suddenly becomes limited, and the bullets themselves don't hit home. (He does have to face a coterie of his nastiest villains, who seem at home on the nastier soil of reality.)
This could have been a fun movie, but it seems like a bit too much effort to parody Hollywood - becoming more like its subject than it realizes; like "Waterworld", "Hero" assails the culture of excess that created it. Hero is less a slap at Hollywood studios that churn out character-less action epics that cost hundreds of millions than a slap at a nonexistent nation of moviegoers that (according to the script) habitually accept these movies without fail or complaint. Once again, Hollywood got it wrong, and audiences proved smart enough to ignore the movie's hype. I suggest you follow their example. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 29, 2005 | | Summary | Good Fun - Action flick meets the Simpsons | Content
| Last Action Hero (1993) is a fascinating movie. Take big star, add big action, add a bit of seriousness, then a bit of spoof then to finish it off add a interesting plot. You have Last Action Hero.
I've always thought this movie was brillant. You have obvious gags - The glass eye seen at Slater's exwife's house. The cop rotates it completely blowing up the house. Then the next scene Slater and Danny at the police station smoking - literally. I Other scenes are subtle; Robert Patrick leaving the Police station as the T1000 or elsewhere the hubcaps on Slater's convertible change for no reason. Also, look for the E.T. and Lethal Weapon gags. The gags really get going about 15 minutes in.
My favorite line these days when Slater punches the Leutenent Gov. in the face. "Call me when the Governor gets here," hilarious stuff now that Schwarzenegger is the California Govenator.
I can see why this movie failed. The average action fan doesn't like it when a movie is spoofing what it bills itself as. Action fans take their genre seriously. You have have a specific style of humor you enjoy to get this. At points the movie almost has a cartoon style feel. That things happen for no reason. Personally, I think that adds to the charm of the whole thing.
The biggest outrage about this movie is the current DVD release. Full screen pan & scan? C'mon, other regions of world (R2, R4) have beautiful widescreen releases with some features and AC/DC's video for Big Gun. Why do we not have this? Flabbergasts me. Sony/Columbia Tri-Star should be embarrased for this terrible North American release.
I hearby call on Sony/Columbia Tri-Star to give us this title as Europe and Australia have. Thank goodness I have a region free DVD player. I have the R2 version of the movie. Looks sharp.
As for the movie is it deep and causes you to think about your place in the world? No, not even close. Is it a fun popcorn chomper that will have you veering to serious to spoof in a matter of seconds? Yes, absolutely. Is it worth seeing Ahnold spoof himself? Yes. The scenes where Slater comes into the real NYC - fascinating, serious and fun.
Bottom line - this movie weaves serious, spoof, danger and brings it all home in the end. Its a cerebal movie you have to stay with from beginning to end to understand it. Catching it 25 minutes in on TV, more than likely you'd be lost.
Good stuff. Now, Sony/Columbia Tri-Star... get this awful pan & scan version off the market and give us the nice release Europe and Australia have! |
| Rating | | | Date | May 03, 2005 | | Summary | How do you get from Hunt for Red October to this? | Content
| Last Action Hero had all the markings of being a great film. A good director, good actors (Charles Dance would be a wonderful villian). What made it fall apart was a weak story, and this would follow nearly all of Schwarzenegger's films post True Lies. To say Last Action Hero was rushed is quite an understatement considering John McTiernan did such a marvelous job depicting Bruce Willis and Sean Connery as two badass heroes in two brilliant written stories. If your a Schwarzenegger maniac go ahead and pick it up. But if your looking for that "movie within a movie" premise, skip this and check out Wes Craven's A New Nightmare. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 07, 2005 | | Summary | Last Action Hero | Content
| It's an unique movie to say the least, and the unique concept works out for the film. Its always been a theory of mine that actors who play serious parts most of the time come off like comedic geniuses when placed in a comedy. Now, I know Arnie was in Twins and Kindergarten Cop, but this movie just makes Arnie look like Red Skelton.(well, not really, but still...) Not to mention the AWESOME soundtrack!!
The movie is pretty much a spoof of every other cop-buddy film ever made and has loads of hilarious dialogue. The acting is pretty weak in places, and the cliches will occasionally make you groan but its your typical action movie with humor. Of course, even if you didnt like the movie the soundtrack is definitely worth buying. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 24, 2005 | | Summary | amazing | Content
| saw this many times on tv
loved it
it was hilarious
touching and very powerful
I like the acting
the scenery
the direction and directing
I give all of Arnold's movies a chance
because you can't always please everyone.
and he did a good job on this in my eyes
it's a classic comedy/action movie and it's brilliant
I got this on dvd now and will watch it again and again. it's just too memorable to forget a movie like this. |
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