“I eat Green Berets for breakfast.” —Colonel John Matrix
Today’s quick review: Commando. Once the most feared commando in the world, Colonel John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) now spends his days with his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). But his past catches up with him when two of his old enemies (Dan Hedaya, Vernon Wells) kidnap his daughter as revenge for one of his past missions. With the help of Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong), an aspiring pilot, John must rescue his daughter before it is too late.
Commando is an action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Commando is the quintessential 80s action movie, complete with an invincible hero, a high body count, and dry one-liners at every turn. The action manages to be violent without being disturbing, the fight scenes escalate nicely over the course of the film, and the finale is absolutely packed with bullets and explosives. There are no real surprises, only a very clean execution of the formula.
Commando knows how to keep its promises. The plot has just what it needs and nothing more. The action scenes are frequent and energetic. The script has just enough humor to keep the tone light, as well as a few memorable lines to round out the experience. Schwarzenegger is in fine form, performing superhuman feats of strength and pursuing his enemies with implacable determination, while Rae Dawn Chong makes a likable and fairly capable sidekick.
Watch Commando when you’re in the mood for action, plain and simple. It’s a poor choice for anyone hoping for a smart plot, innovative stunts, or deep characters. But as a popcorn action flick, Commando hits the nail on the head. For another Schwarzenegger action movie in a similar vein, try Eraser. For one with a better script and a more elaborate plot, try True Lies. For a Schwarzeneggger action movie with a sci-fi twist, check out Predator.
6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for action at its purest.