COMMANDO
1985
R
R
Commando is a 1985 action film directed by Mark L. Lester. It centers around one man's quest to find his kidnapped daughter. John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a former special forces soldier, lives a quiet and peaceful life with his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). One day, however, a group of men kidnaps Jenny from the Matrix home, and after a short pursuit, take John hostage as well. He soon learns that one of the men behind the group is Bennett (Vernon Wells), a former member of Matrix's special forces team who is now working for a man named Arius (Dan Hedaya). In exchange for his daughter's life, Arius wants John to assassinate the current president of a fictional country named Val Verde so that he can step in and assume power. John reluctantly agrees and makes his way to the airport to be escorted to the country; however, he finds a way to escape his captivity and makes his way to save Jenny.
If you want to watch a ridiculous '80s action flick, you needn't look farther than Commando. Now, this movie's right up my alley, but I probably never would have thought to watch it had it not been for its mention in Steven Jay Schneider's book, 101 Action Movies You Must See Before You Die (he also has specialized books for gangster movies, horror movies, sci-fi movies, and war movies). I'm so thankful for his mention because I probably would have otherwise passed over this little bit of a gem.
What makes this movie great is exactly what gives it a low grade in relation to my grading system (you'll notice the grade below the picture, but I'd also like you to take notice of the contrasting "2 Thumbs Up"). Poorly-scored films can still be absolutely entertaining, and that's definitely the case with Commando. Essentially, we've got a poorly-written, entirely predictable screenplay that's paired with some traditionally bad acting. Add some over-the-top violence and '80s-grade gore, and you've got the makings of a classic action flick. There's really no need to go into detail explaining why the screenplay or the individual performances are so bad because I'd just be speaking redundantly. All you really need to know about Commando is that it's entirely entertaining and totally worth it's 90-minute run-time.
If you're looking for a quick and satisfying watch, throw Commando into the DVD (or Blu-Ray, or VHS or what have you) player. It's ridiculous. It's cheesy. At times, it's downright stupid. But it will always be a fun ride. And c'mon, you've got the Governator kicking ass - isn't that something that everyone can rally around?
Movie Review Summary:
If you want to watch a ridiculous '80s action flick, you needn't look farther than Commando. Now, this movie's right up my alley, but I probably never would have thought to watch it had it not been for its mention in Steven Jay Schneider's book, 101 Action Movies You Must See Before You Die (he also has specialized books for gangster movies, horror movies, sci-fi movies, and war movies). I'm so thankful for his mention because I probably would have otherwise passed over this little bit of a gem.
What makes this movie great is exactly what gives it a low grade in relation to my grading system (you'll notice the grade below the picture, but I'd also like you to take notice of the contrasting "2 Thumbs Up"). Poorly-scored films can still be absolutely entertaining, and that's definitely the case with Commando. Essentially, we've got a poorly-written, entirely predictable screenplay that's paired with some traditionally bad acting. Add some over-the-top violence and '80s-grade gore, and you've got the makings of a classic action flick. There's really no need to go into detail explaining why the screenplay or the individual performances are so bad because I'd just be speaking redundantly. All you really need to know about Commando is that it's entirely entertaining and totally worth it's 90-minute run-time.
If you're looking for a quick and satisfying watch, throw Commando into the DVD (or Blu-Ray, or VHS or what have you) player. It's ridiculous. It's cheesy. At times, it's downright stupid. But it will always be a fun ride. And c'mon, you've got the Governator kicking ass - isn't that something that everyone can rally around?
Movie Review Summary:
Grade: D
2 Thumbs Up
2 Thumbs Up
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