The Last Stand is famously known as one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's action comebacks. Since his appearances in The Expendables films are limited and doesn't quite satisfies his fans, here he gets to be the lead. The film is also directed by Kim Jee-Woon and he creates a set of awesomely crafted action sequences. There's nothing else in the story but a Western formula with a band of misfits. It's a simple fun action film that has no other ambition than to enjoy the fans of the genre. It may be senseless at some point but the admission is never regrettable.
The plot is like a modernized version of a famous Western story with an FBI to the side. A sheriff who tries to save his small town from a bunch of bad guys who seem incompetent. The good guys are a team of mismatched heroes. There's a veteran, a short Mexican, a crazy gun owner, a tough woman, and an ex-convict. These elements fit to the film's ridiculousness and they worked well enough. The characters are also likable, probably because of our familiarity to the cast. Like we know Ray Owens is a badass sheriff only because he's played by Schwarzenegger, but that's fine since everyone's here for the action.
The action scenes are quick and stylishly shot. It provides a sense of speed and excitement. The most inventive sequence is the cornfield car chase. The best is the old school action with violent gunfights and brutal fistfights. Schwarzenegger still got it in those scenes. In other parts gets a little drama and some silliness. There isn't anything else beneath it but the execution of these ideas in the storyline are beyond adequate. It's quite clear that this only exists to let the audience have fun.
Everybody might disagree once I say this but The Last Stand is kind of like last year's Haywire. The premise is not that original but with an interesting direction and an awesome ensemble cast made it pretty good. The only differences are it's louder, it has an entirely different target audience and the concept is more interesting. It's not brilliant but it gets what it wants to be. It's all about the fun. It's so fun, it's hard to notice some of its flaws. The merits are generally the filmmaking and of course Arnold Schwarzenegger. Some might look for more beneath it, but for action lovers it's a glorious action joy. If you're craving for some nonstop badassery then The Last Stand is definitely for you.
