Commando
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Added to lists:Arne Ranked1985 Ranked80’s Action
Review:★★★ (3/5)
Commando is one of those films that knows exactly what it is and never pretends to be anything more. It’s loud, ridiculous, unapologetically macho, and powered almost entirely by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s larger-than-life screen presence. As an action movie, it’s both entertaining and deeply flawed—earning it a solid but unspectacular three out of five stars.
The plot is paper-thin: retired special forces operative John Matrix is pulled back into action when his daughter is kidnapped by a group of mercenaries. What follows is essentially a nonstop revenge-and-rescue mission, stitched together by explosions, gunfire, and one-liners. The story exists mainly as an excuse to move Matrix from one action set piece to the next, and while that works to a point, there’s very little tension or surprise along the way. You always know who’s going to win and how.
Where Commando shines is in its pure commitment to excess. Arnold is in peak ’80s form—physically imposing, stone-faced, and delivering dialogue with a straight seriousness that makes even the cheesiest lines oddly iconic. The action scenes are frequent and energetic, even if they stretch believability to cartoonish levels. Ammunition seems infinite, enemies fall by the dozens, and physics politely steps aside whenever the movie needs a cool moment.
On the downside, the film hasn’t aged particularly well in terms of realism or characterization. Most supporting characters are one-dimensional, the villains are forgettable, and the body count is so exaggerated that it starts to lose impact. The tone can also feel unintentionally humorous at times, especially for modern audiences, making it hard to take the stakes seriously.
Ultimately, Commando is best appreciated as a time capsule of 1980s action cinema. It’s not smart, subtle, or emotionally rich—but it is fun if you’re in the mood for mindless spectacle and nostalgic bravado. Three stars feels right: enjoyable, memorable in its own way, but far from a great film.