Commando (1985)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Melvin W

  
  Matrix: You're a funny guy Sully, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last.  "If there's a mission that no man could survive... then he's the man for the job." Commando is exactly what you would expect. It is a fun, action packed thrill… More
  Matrix: You're a funny guy Sully, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last.  "If there's a mission that no man could survive... then he's the man for the job." Commando is exactly what you would expect. It is a fun, action packed thrill ride with the greatest action star ever, Arnold Schwarzenegger. It isn't a top shelf action film like some of his other works(The Terminator, True Lies). But for fans of his high body count, non-stop, full throttle, one liner heavy films, it is a joy to watch. The last twenty minutes makes up some of the most ridiculous kills you'll ever see as Schwarzenegger mows threw a whole fucking army by himself. Try to keep a body count at the end of this movie. I don't think you can without pausing. A one time soldier is now content living a peaceful life with his daughter in the mountains. One day an old Army buddy shows up telling him to expect someone to try to kill him, as a lot of people from his old outfit are being killed. As soon as the guy leaves, the people he was talking about show up and abduct Matrix's daughter. One of the men in charge also used to be in Matrix's outfit. Matrix is told to assassinate a foreign president and is put on a plane to do just that. But it's a Schwarzenegger character so you know he isn't gonna do what he is told. I liked Commando for what it was. Schwarzenegger always has a great presence onscreen. He is funny and exciting to watch, and this is just another example of what makes him the best action star to ever beat the shit out of some bad guys, say a one-liner, and walk away at the end.

• Jeff "

  
  Considering that Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in some of the most memorable and best action films to ever thrill an audience, Commando is a decent film, but compared to other films he's done; this one is pretty forgettable. The film is a decent action film that is quite cheesy,… More
  Considering that Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in some of the most memorable and best action films to ever thrill an audience, Commando is a decent film, but compared to other films he's done; this one is pretty forgettable. The film is a decent action film that is quite cheesy, so if you're looking for a cheesy action film, look no further than Commando. The action is good, but the story lacks and could have been better. Don't get me wrong, I love cheesy action films, and I did like Commando, however I just feel like it missed something to really make it another Schwarzenegger classic. As far as his other films are concerned, Commando doesn't really demand multiple viewings, but it's still a decent action film to watch. The film is a must see for Schwarzenegger fans and though it's not as strong as his other films, this is still a fun film to watch. Commando has some memorable quotes and pretty good action scenes. Though the film could have been better, and there's plenty of room for improvement, Commando has enough thrills despite it being a bit disappointing. The plot could have been much better, and it's what's had be thrown off a bit for really enjoying the film. I did like it, but let's face it, this isn't Terminator or Predator. Commando is a fun, silly decent actioner that though is flawed is still entertaining, and amusing.

• Mike S

  
  King of one-liners, Arnold Schwarzenegger, really flexes his muscles in this violent and explosive action-fest, where he takes on an army's worth of bad guys practically single-handedly. Those looking for realism won't have much to collect here, because this stretches… More
  King of one-liners, Arnold Schwarzenegger, really flexes his muscles in this violent and explosive action-fest, where he takes on an army's worth of bad guys practically single-handedly. Those looking for realism won't have much to collect here, because this stretches credibility so far beyond the blue, that's it impossible to take it seriously. If you want some good old-fashioned entertainment though, with Arnold in top form, then this is one film that delivers it in spades. Alyssa Milano fans may also find it fun to see her at such a young age, as she's only around 10 here, playing his daughter. Maybe they should have made her the love child of Schwarzenegger and his maid. You know, for extra plausibility? Then again, I suppose his "love questing" weren't as active back in 1985. Or at least, not as publicly known. All jokes aside though, this was a very good way to indulge my cravings for adrenaline. Very macho and over the top, but isn't that what we've all grown to love about his movies in the first place? I know I sure have.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Let off some steam, Bennett."</i> A retired elite commando has only a few hours to find and rescue his daughter from an exiled dictator. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"Let off some steam, Bennett."</i> A retired elite commando has only a few hours to find and rescue his daughter from an exiled dictator. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Arnold Schwarzenegger is the doting ex-military father of Alyssa Milano, who gets kidnapped by some quasi-military type folks who are never really explained but somehow also never really matters. Arnold decides to go Commando and picks up a stewardess (Rae Dawn Chong) and her sweet convertible along the way to fly to a remote island for the sole purpose of making people do back flips and dance when shot or grenaded. (The grenades never seem to kill anyone, but only make them spin in awkward aerial motions.) The dark humor of this film is unmatched in an action film, and even Bill Paxton shows up for a while. Music by the critically acclaimed James Horner and 1980s super-group Power Station (Duran Duran with Robert Palmer). If you like action films starring guys who speak poor English - recommended. Otherwise, rent "The Professional" for a similar theme of father-figure doting on his Lolita-esquire daughter-figure.

• AJ V

  
  A great action thriller with the best action star ever, I really liked this movie, it's very exciting.

• Lenny M

  
  Good example of hyper-exaggeration in the movies. Update: Hyper-exaggeration? Stupid word. But this is still one of the most ridiculous action movies of all time. That's both good and bad but most likely somewhere in the middle leaning towards absurd?

• Al S

  
  An action classic. An outrageous, hard-core and totally over the top action-adventure that is just to much fun miss. A thrilling, funny, exciting and explosive joy-ride with enough great one-liners, explosions and gun fights to go around for ninety minutes. Arnold Schwarzenegger is an… More
  An action classic. An outrageous, hard-core and totally over the top action-adventure that is just to much fun miss. A thrilling, funny, exciting and explosive joy-ride with enough great one-liners, explosions and gun fights to go around for ninety minutes. Arnold Schwarzenegger is an unstoppable one man army in one of his most entertaining movies.

• Conner R

  
  When it comes to pure 80s action movies, few compete with Commando. It's just an hour and a half of Arnold Schwarzenegger blowing up things and churning out endless one-liners. The villains and henchmen are just as vital here too, they just put in so much effort to be weird and… More
  When it comes to pure 80s action movies, few compete with Commando. It's just an hour and a half of Arnold Schwarzenegger blowing up things and churning out endless one-liners. The villains and henchmen are just as vital here too, they just put in so much effort to be weird and over the top. Even though their demise is eminent at the hands of Arnold, they still do a great deal of antagonizing. Bennett has to be one of the most angry men alive, looking like a steroid version of Freddy Mercury. The premise is suitable and actually pretty believable. If there's going to be any movie where Arnold kills and destroys, it's because his daughter is in need of rescue. No one steals from John Matrix and gets away with it.

• Cassandra M

  
  Commando starts as General Franklin Kirby (James Olson) makes contact with former elite commando & one man army John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to warn him that the men from his old unit are being assassinated one by one & that he might be next. The next thing Matrix knows… More
  Commando starts as General Franklin Kirby (James Olson) makes contact with former elite commando & one man army John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to warn him that the men from his old unit are being assassinated one by one & that he might be next. The next thing Matrix knows is that he comes under heavy gunfire, his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) has been kidnapped & some sadistic deposed dictator named Arius (Dan Hedaya) is ordering him to assassinate the President of the South/Central American country of Val Verde so he can become president himself & if he doesn't play ball Jenny will die. Matrix isn't happy, no-one messes with his daughter & he sets out to rescue her & make Arius & whoever wants a fight pay... Directed by Mark L. Lester one has to say that Commando is maybe the purest most single minded testosterone filled action film ever, Commando is very nearly the perfect film. After The Terminator (1984) & the Conan flicks Hollywood realised that Schwarzenegger was a money maker & cast him in this his first real leading role, the producers of Commando seem perfectly happy to just dumb everything down to the lowest common denominator & it succeeds perfectly at what it does. The script by Steven E. de Souza exists as nothing more than to get Schwarzenegger into as many action set-pieces as possible, spout the now obligatory one-liners (which are actually quite funny here & Arnie gets to say 'I'll be back') amidst all the destruction & death, to have Schwarzenegger use as much weaponry as possible & to kill as many bad guy's as he can in a large variety of differing ways. The body count in Commando is very impressive, we are talking about Schwarzenegger taking out an entire army by himself & I loved every second of it! Realism wasn't on top the filmmakers priorities, from some really implausible set-pieces like jumping off a moving plane 1000 foot in the air without a parachute & surviving to him ripping a seat out of a car with his bare hands but who cares when a films this much fun? Commando deserves pride of place in any action flick fans VHS/DVD/Blu-Ray collection, you can't call yourself an action film fan unless you love Commando, unless you can quote all the one-liners or unless you haven't seen it at least a dozen times. It's that simple. Director Lester does a good job here, he keeps things moving along at a quick-fire pace with virtually no slack or exposition between the numerous action set-pieces. From car chases to death defying drops from planes to gunfights, shoot-outs, explosions, knife-fights, escapes, assassinations & a final battle scene that isn't too far off World War III. There's a good amount of variety here as well, from out of control jeeps careering down mountainsides to Schwarzenegger escaping a shopping mall full of security guards to a car chase to a the infamous scene inside the tool shed as Arnie uses machetes, forks, axes & saw blades to dispose of a few more soldiers. As a film Commando is extremely violent, there's plenty of blood, mutilation, death & violence. There's no moral message here either, Matrix does what he does because he thinks it's right. Commando is the ultimate no brainer action flick, it has lots of guns, explosions, stunts & people dying. What more do you want? The shopping mall scenes were filmed at Sherman Oaks Galleria in Los Angeles which was later used as the shopping mall in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) while the mansion used in the final shoot-out had been previously used as the location for the final shoot-out in Beverly Hills Cop (1984). With a supposed budget of about $10,000,000 Commando didn't have the huge budget that I thought it had, it's well made with good production values though & I think it's safe to say most of the money actually ended up on screen. The acting is nothing to write home about, Schwarzenegger puts in a typically wooden performance although there's a decent supporting cast here. Vernon Wells puts in a really camp performance, that vest like shirt, his accent & bushy moustache makes him one of the gayest villains ever. David Patrick Kelly, Rae Dawn Chong & Bill Duke provide decent support. Commando is as good as the mindless 80's Hollywood action blockbuster got & it's as simple & straight forward as that. If you haven't seen Commando then you cannot call yourself an action fan & you should quite frankly be ashamed of yourself. <a href="http://photobucket.com/images/commando%20arnold" target="_blank"><img src="http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/DTrent/Avatars/commando.gif" border="0" alt="Arnold Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/images/commando%20arnold" target="_blank"><img src="http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w231/impa1er/commando-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Arnold Commando Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/images/commando%20arnold" target="_blank"><img src="http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c366/atilafarias/movies4260/Commando_be00c020.jpg" border="0" alt="Commando Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a>

• Wahida K

  
  When Show Business is running bad join the politic. lol

• Aaron N

  
  Matrix: Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last? Sully: That's right, Matrix. You did. Matrix: I lied. In what has to be one of the thinnest of action plots, Arnold stars as John Matrix, a former Commando, who just wants to be left alone to spend time raising his… More
  Matrix: Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last? Sully: That's right, Matrix. You did. Matrix: I lied. In what has to be one of the thinnest of action plots, Arnold stars as John Matrix, a former Commando, who just wants to be left alone to spend time raising his daughter. Of course a number of people have other plans, as some villains invade Matrix's home, kidnap his daughter, and force him to go on a mission to assassinate some political leader. Matrix has other plans, for as soon as they think he's out of sight, Matrix changes the deal, secretly working his way back to where the bad guys have taken his daughter, killing anyone who gets in the way. This is all basic 80s cheese. Lots of macho man filmmaking present, as Arnold flexes his guns, uses his guns, and takes out the hired guns throughout the 90 minutes of entertainment. The dialog his hilariously awful, the characters, especially the main villain are amazingly lame, and yet, this movie is a lot of fun to watch. The action of course builds up to the one man army showdown, which has Arnold literally take out dozens upon dozens of enemies. Explosions and bullets galore. James Horner's score, which includes steel drums, only helps to complete the package of this 80s action bonanza. 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!

• KJ P

  
  Great film! I had more fun with it that I thought I would! I would give it 5 stars if it wasn't for that retarded intro!

• Tim S

  
  Cool action film.

• Anthony L

  
  Classic cheesy action film. It?s hard not to like it!

• Jon L

  
  AWESOME!!! It is full of super cheesy 80s action and one liners. This film is probably the pinnacle of the 80s action movie, where one man can take down a thousand and not be shot. It is definitely one to see with a grain of salt. Okay a tablespoon?

• Phil H

  
  The second best flick of Arnie's kick ass 80's testosterone, over the top action, muscle filled gun fests, which is better than all the rest has to offer these days. Pure violence at its best, this is what most flicks and computer games have been based on for yrs, Arnie is… More
  The second best flick of Arnie's kick ass 80's testosterone, over the top action, muscle filled gun fests, which is better than all the rest has to offer these days. Pure violence at its best, this is what most flicks and computer games have been based on for yrs, Arnie is the king of action flicks.

• Ross C

  
  Early Schwarzenegger action flick sets the tone for the rest of them. The 11 year-old daughter of a special forces colonel is kidnapped and he embarks on a lone mission for her rescue.

• Ken S

  
  I slice of my childhood. This movie is distilled Schwarzenegger insanity. Arnold squares off against the Australian Freddy Mercury in this bombastic 80's action super film.

• Tsubaki S

  
  "I can't believe this macho bullshit!"

• Curtis L

  
  So gay. So good.

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