Commando

After watching Commando two things become crystal clear: 1) Arnold has not been in that many genuinely good movies in his career. 2) Almost all of the Arnold stereotypes began in this film.

The film is about Arnold’s character, John Matrix, that is a former Army commando who helped oust a dictator. Said dictator is now hunting down everyone who was on John’s team and killing them. Said dictator’s men kidnap John’s daughter, thus giving him an excuse to hunt down everyone of them and create an astronomical body count.

Seriously, that is the entire story. Oh – and since it’s 1985 there has to be a female in there as well so there is a random stewardess he meets that for some reason helps him but that basically means that she drives the car/holds the gear. I honestly have no idea why/where in the movie she showed up.

This film has the best character introduction ever for Arnold; foget the menacing explosion of blue light that eats away pavement and reveals a naked Arnold in Terminator, here we have sweaty, muscled Arnold in a wife beater with a chainsaw in one hand and an entire felled tree across his shoulder.

To further the Arnold stereotypes that follow him the rest of his career this is the film where Arnold is able to flip over cars, pick people up & throw them, take on 6 gooney’s at once, etc. - sometimes all in the same scene.

Please do not see this movie thinking it is a great, plot driven movie. In reality, it pretty much makes NO sense, but it’s so much fun because of this. How does Arnold manage to set two small explosives, and blow up an entire complex of 4+ buildings? I don’t know, but the film does it.

Director: Mark L. Lester
Writer: Steven E. DeSouza
John Matrix: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Jenny Matrix: Alyssa Milano
Cindy: Rae Dawn Chong
Arius: Dan Hedaya

Cooke: You scared, motherfucker? Well, you should be, because this Green Beret is going to kick your big ass!
Matrix: I eat Green Berets for breakfast. And right now, I'm very hungry!