Velociraptor256

Commando is not a deep or thought-provoking film, and very few would call it one of the greatest movies of all time. Yet it doesn't feel right to give it anything other than a 10-star rating: it is a solid, incredibly entertaining film and I can't think of anything I would change about it.

Perhaps the secret is simplicity: John Matrix's daughter is kidnapped by some guys who want him to assassinate a president for them, but unlike in other action movies involving blackmail, he doesn't even consider doing what they want and just starts following a trail of henchmen to find where his daughter is being held. That's all there is to it. And with such a simple concept, there's not much that can go wrong with it. The whole thing is compact and consistent, with brilliantly executed fight scenes, shootouts and more all the way through. Sure, there are nonsensical things like Matrix jumping out of a plane as it takes off, or using a bulldozer to break into a shop, but somehow their silliness doesn't matter: they just add to the entertainment value.

John Matrix, as played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, is close to perfection as action heroes go: he's an uncompromising bad-ass with insane killing skills and too many brilliant one-liners to list here - Arnold is in his element in this film. The main villain, Bennett (Vernon Wells), is beautifully over-the-top. Some viewers might not like Matrix's sidekick, Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong), but I found her funny without being annoying, and she even gets to be surprisingly helpful.

Commando is just a pure and simple action movie, without trying to be anything else, and on that level, it delivers absolutely superbly.