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review

Commando: peak 80s cheese or secretly brilliant?

Okay, so I've been on a director-less binge lately (just exhausting to pick a filmmaker sometimes!) and landed on Commando (1985). I know, I KNOW, it's not exactly Bergman. But hear me out. This movie is WILD. I'm talking Schwarzenegger mowing down entire armies with a rocket launcher while quipping one-liners wild. It's so over-the-top that it almost loops back around to being good? Like, the sheer level of carnage is almost…artistic? Okay, maybe I'm reaching. Seriously though, the whole plot is basically an excuse for Arnie to explode things. His daughter is kidnapped (classic) and he has to rescue her. The part where he rips a car seat out of a car one-handed? Iconic. Also, Vernon Wells as Bennett is a goddamn treasure. That chainmail vest and those greasy curls? Chef's kiss. He's the perfect cheesy villain to Schwarzenegger's stoic, muscle-bound hero. I do have to admit, Rae Dawn Chong's character is kinda useless and mostly just screams a lot. Definitely a product of its time. The action sequences are undeniably awesome but the directing is...well, there. I'm not saying it's bad, just completely functional, letting the action and Arnie's charisma do the heavy lifting. But I think that's kind of the point? No need for subtlety when you have a guy who can rip phone booths out of the ground. So yeah, Commando. Not high art, but damn entertaining if you can switch your brain off and enjoy the ride. Maybe I'll even revisit some other 80s action flicks. Any recommendations? I'm thinking maybe Rambo?

jordancinephile
3 months ago
4 comments
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