Commando (1985)

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Jeph Loeb (story) &
Matthew Weisman (story) ...

Release Date:

4 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

If there's a mission that no man could survive...then *he's* the man for the job.

Plot:

A retired elite commando has only a few hours to find and rescue his daughter from an exiled dictator.

Plot Keywords:

Airplane | General | Rescue | Commando | Exiled Dictator

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Nov. 26

1:00 PM

MAX

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	John Matrix
Rae Dawn Chong	...	Cindy
Dan Hedaya	...	Arius
Vernon Wells	...	Bennett
James Olson	...	Major General Franklin Kirby
David Patrick Kelly	...	Sully
Alyssa Milano	...	Jenny Matrix
Bill Duke	...	Cooke
Drew Snyder	...	Lawson
Sharon Wyatt	...	Leslie
Michael Delano	...	Forrestal (as Michael DeLano)
Bob Minor	...	Jackson
Michael Adams	...	Harris (as Mike Adams)
Gary Cervantes	...	Diaz (as Carlos Cervantes)
Lenny Juliano	...	Soldier

Runtime:

90 min | 92 min (director's cut) | Sweden:75 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (video premiere) (cut) | Germany:18 (re-release) (2001) (JK/SPIO) (uncut) | Italy:T (re-rating) | Italy:VM14 (orginal rating) | USA:R (certificate #27763) | Finland:K-15 (TV rating) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1992) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1985) | Australia:MA (Definitive Edition DVD) | France:-12 | Finland:K-18 (DVD rating) (cut) | Sweden:15 (video rating) | Sweden:(Banned) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Ireland:18 (cut UK version) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:M18 | UK:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1987) (cut) | Norway:(Banned) (1985-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

SLM Production Group

Trivia:

The surplus store where Matrix picks up all the war toys during his night "shopping" was "Surplus City" in Sun Valley, California. A movie addition to the building (on the driveway) allowed for the secret room, where the machine guns and the other fun stuff was hidden. In the 1960's, this company had the largest collection of military surplus 'jeeps' and 'mighty mites' for sale in the US.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bennett says, "Your training, Matrix!" he is clearly excited, but in the next shot he is all serious again.

Quotes:

Bennett: Of course. I'm smart. But I have an edge; I have his daughter.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Clean Slate (1994)

Soundtrack:

WE FIGHT FOR LOVE

Absolute Perfection

"Commando" is undoubtedly Arnie's best. The movie begins with John Matrix's (schwarzenegger) daughter (alyssa milano) getting kidnapped. Basically Matrix has a little over 10 hours to save his daughter from an evil dictator, and in order to get her back, he has to take on a bunch of hoodlums, corrupt ex-Green Berets, and a small army.

The screenplay, by Steven E. deSouza, is a masterpiece. Granted, it's not brilliant along the lines of Shakespeare, but for an action movie, it's wonderful. Chock full of wit, deSouza never makes the mistake of having the movie take itself to seriously; he maintains an excellent balance of hardcore action while at the same time creating a lovely spoof of the action genre.

The acting is exactly how it should be for a movie of this genre. I'm a little bit tired of everyone saying "Arnie can't act" "he's such a bad actor" and so on. Obviously, actors such as Anthony Hopkins and Tom Hanks are better dramatic actors, but would any of us really want to see Sir Hopkins kicking the c**p out of almost one hundred people in a movie? i think not. Schwarzenegger plays Matrix wonderfully, delivering his lines with the right amount of wit and sarcasm, and delivering his punches fairly realistically.

See "Commando" if you like action movies. It won't fail to satisfy you. If, on the other hand, you are not a fan of action movies, don't expect this one to win you over.