An extensive preparatory sequence where Matrix loads his weapons and prepares his arsenal only pumps up the audience’s adrenaline. The final set piece in which Matrix comes to his daughter’s rescue is absolutely electrifying. Schwarzenegger’s insistence that this is all for the sake of his daughter is what draws Cindy to him, adding a new dynamic to the story that leads into the eventual idealized “nuclear family.” Everything moves so fast that you don’t even bother to think about how ridiculous it is that a flight attendant would fall in love with a ruthless mercenary and then join him on a quest to take down a militia villa. While his intentions are serious, there’s enough one-liners to make it a fun sequence. The airport sequence where Matrix escapes from his captors and enlists the help of the flight attendant Cindy ( Rae Dawn Chong) doesn’t just focus on gunplay Matrix is outwitting his opponents, preying upon their lack of preparation, and showing that his training has prepared him for any environment. In a strange way, this almost allows the audience to justify how much they’re going to enjoy Schwarzenegger's upcoming path of vengeance he’s resisted every opportunity to get back into action, and he’s only committing violence towards “bad guys.” The lack of political specificity certainly makes Commando more digestible compared to its action film contemporaries like Rambo: First Blood Part II.Īt 90 minutes, Commando is delicately paced to center around a few key action sequences, each of which are unique. This makes sense based on everything we see from him early on, where he ruthlessly attacks Matrix’s home and pries his screaming daughter away. We’re given only a brief explanation of their backstory, where it’s suggested that Bennett was removed from duty due to his excessive brutality. Due to this, Jenny’s kidnapping at the hands of a team of mercenaries led by Matrix’s ex-teammate Captain Bennett ( Vernon Wells) is an effective inciting incident that draws the viewers into the story.Ĭommando keeps the exposition light, but it doesn’t take very long to understand the differences between Matrix and Bennett. Schwarzenegger doesn’t think that he’s “above” the material, and he’s not going to lampoon someone for enjoying it. This signifies a respect for the audience. While characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the Fast and the Furious films tend to insert self-aware jokes that reflect on the implausibility of the scenarios, Schwarzenegger plays even the silliest moments completely straight.

There’s a sincerity to Schwarzenegger that is absent from most modern action stars. It’s humorous to see him cast as a gentle giant when you know it won’t be too long before he starts blasting bad guys away. At this point in Schwarzenegger's career, his audience knew what to expect from one of his films. The opening sequence showing Matrix and Jenny bonding together and caring for the animals is sickeningly sweet, suggesting that this melodrama will ultimately make way for an outburst of elaborate violence. Army Colonel John Matrix, a retired military veteran who now resides in the countryside (complete with animal friends) with his loving daughter, Jenny ( Alyssa Milano). Commando might not be the best film that Schwarzenegger starred in, but it's the purest distillation of his skills. He seems only somewhat aware of how corny the material is, but it works nonetheless.

Even if he’s absolutely terrifying in his brutality, he’s still oddly charming in his sincerity.

He was both a merciless assassin and a loving, sensitive father. However, the simplicity allowed Schwarzenegger to show all aspects of his personality and the inherent contradictions of his persona. If you placed any other star at the center, the film would collapse under its lack of nuance. Yet, this is precisely why Commando works so well.

RELATED: From 'The Terminator' to 'Total Recall': 12 Essential Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies Commando doesn’t have any of those added complexities, as the plot is pretty much indistinguishable from dozens of other action thrillers that both preceded and followed it. The Terminator films work because of James Cameron’s complex mythology and commentary on technological oppression Predator is John McTiernan’s grim reimagining of the Vietnam War through the eyes of helpless soldiers in unfriendly terrain True Lies required Schwarzenegger to contend with the comedic charms of Jamie Lee Curtis Conan the Barbarian was a more straightforward medieval epic. Commando is easily the most streamlined of Schwarzenegger's films, as it’s the film that relies on him the most.

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