This was Arnold's first movie since Terminator 2: Judgment Day. After that amazing film we were hoping for another hard R-rated film with him, and roughly 2 years separated this film from his last. Anyway, I was hard on it back then mainly for that reason. I just decided to finally buy it after all of these years and will be seeing it just for my 2nd time. I hope to enjoy it far more now.
shareI watched it today and thought it was great but I can see why people don't like it. Most people in the world takes everything to seriously and can't tell a diffrence when a movie is being serious or when it's making fun of other movies.
There are a lot of movies like this out there, hilarious movies(Black Dynamite, Kung Pow etc), but people just don't get them.
It's a shame really, but that's the world. But the people that can enjoy this movie should be gratefull for being able appreciate diffrent kind of movies, I know iam :)
i remember bursting out laughing on the floor when the van they r being chased by flies into the air and explodes
i cant imagine how many times i rewound it to watch it again lol
i honestly dont know what there is to hate here.
maybe its because its nostalgia for me but its still fun movie.
this action/parody movie is great and got from me an 8/10.
[deleted]
Actually, you suck.
shareAh, well-reasoned Dan. It's hard to argue with your logic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_2Npp-euLU
I gave it a 6/10.
I understood the joke, and the self-parodying was the funniest thing that was in the film.
But it has 2 main problems:
- it is a bit boring
- it could do so much more with its premise
- it's a little too long (the pacing doesn't seem right)
My favourite films per year:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ViwTHvgjJ_c/
@Korabljenik : I'm a bit curious about one thing, when have you seen this movie for the first time ?
I ask because, even if I can't be sure, I think this movie worked better at the time of its release, mainly because it was parodying a type of movies that were still alive back then (even if it was also the beginning of its end).
I've seen it as a kid, but I also seen it fairly recently, about month or two ago.
I'm pretty aware of many movies it parodies (the first that comes to my mind is Lethal Weapon's Danny Glover-like character and his two days to retirement, complete with sad saxophone music), and I actually think that it works very good as a parody.
In fact, my favorite moments from the film are when it parodies action/buddy cop and other films.
However, it fails (at least for me) when it tries to pursue its own story and tries to add drama.
As I said - it's not a bad film in my opinion, but it's pretty boring.
Btw, I'm 25 years old, so I'm pretty aware of most of parodied movies, even the blink-and-you'll-miss-it ones, such as Basic Instinct's Sharon Stone, or Robert Patrick as T-1000.
=UNDERRATED FILMS=share
http://www.imdb.com/list/OpdE-nAVa5k
I don't understand the low rating, either. This movie is highly underrated and an all-time classic to me.
As a pioneer of modern action cinema, John McTiernan had every right to make an homage to a genre that he partly created and this film should be appreciated just like this.
From all those actors playing little cameos (like VanDamme and Belushi at the premiere or Robert Patrick as the T-1000) to Stallone sitting on the bike instead of Schwarzenegger and even musical cues out of "Die Hard" (after the taxi-car crash in the real world) this movie is a big wink at all action fans and basically a "thank-you" from McTiernan to the loyal action fanbase.
Too bad, that this experiment went wrong, as it was one of the boldest and most intriguing perspective at making an action movie.
I very much agree.
People don't understand that this is supposed to be cliche. It's supposed to satire itself and its actors. When I first watched this when I was younger, I liked it for Arnold and the story. When I watch it now, at 24 years old, I love it because it's gold. It has many moments that are hilarious, and it is so well-written in a clever sense.
Anyone to rate Last Action Hero less than an 8, I'd say is very wrong and can't understand it.
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"Your punishment must be more severe." — Bane (TDKR)
@Jerique People don't understand that this is supposed to be cliche.
WADR that's not much of a defense. It's like saying, for example, that a movie is supposed to be boring - that doesn't change the fact that it's boring.
Bingo. Just because a movie is meant to be cheesy, doesn't stop it being cheesy.
I saw this movie for the first time recently, and was surprised that it was much better than I'd expected from the comments I'd previously read. But ultimately it just didn't work because it didn't have anything much to it other than making fun of other movies.
This was not only meant to make fun of action films (and McTiernan is a master of the genre). Past the fun references (Death of the Seventh Seal), the cameos from Sharon Stone or Robert Patrick dressed as T-1000, or the self mockery from Arnold, the film deals with finesse the myth of the fiction hero who bitterly realizes his "artificial" status and the differences between film and reality.
This is highlighted by spectacular effects: night and almost systematic rain in the sad streets of New York, gangrened by insecurity and poverty, contrasted by the sun, hard rock and gorgeous women of the film world. This sharp contrast is to be taken as the evidence of a love of cinema, that can offer a better world, where the "good guys" win. This in itself is a treasure, no other films offer that perspective.
Sadly most people have a hard time standing back and thinking while they're watching a film, they just want to lay back, put their brains in a jar and continuously be given entertainment. This film give you entertainment but it also like a good wine, the more time you let it sit in your brain, the more you appreciate it.
So I guess you don't understand what the word parody means. Parodies are supposed to make fun of Cliché and Stupid things about movies. Otherwise they wouldn't be called "Parody". Next you're going to say the Spaceballs was boring and stupid. Besides ive seen worse parodies then this. Have you ever seen "Epic Movie" or "Meet the Spartans".
share@bond_98 Yes, we all get that LAH is a parody. Problem is, it tries to have it both ways - it wants to make fun of blockbuster action movies, and be a blockbuster action movie in its own right. That's what made it a mess.
Spaceballs worked because it didn't try to be a proper sci-fi movie at the same time as mocking them.
Besides ive seen worse parodies then this.
Now there's a ringing endorsement.
Not only did this movie NOT deserve the hate at the time,but in retrospect it's even better than it seemed - it holds up great! I gave it a "7" and if half-stars were allowed I'd go as high as 7.5.
That said it has huge, huge flaws, not the least of which is that it's easily 30 minutes too long. The part in the action-world is way too long and a lot of the jokes fall flat. But if you have the stamina to make it to the 4th act (yes, it's a four-act movie, not intrinsically a flaw but it is one here) you are rewarded with a really good payoff.
A funny, goofy, action-packed meta-drenched romp. I appreciate it on a lot of levels, and agree that there must be a lot of people who either didn't get it OR maybe they are rating based on reviews they read at the time. For anyone giving it less than a "5" I'd say - see it again with an open mind. You may be surprised and entertained.