No list of the greatest action stars of all time would be complete without mentioning Arnold Schwarzenegger. In addition to his inherent charisma and physicality, Schwarzenegger has a surprising variety of types of action films in which he has starred. No, he’s not necessarily an actor for whom the word “depth” comes to mind, but Schwarzenegger hardly plays the same character over and over again. However, he was never more brutal or effective than in the 1985 action classic Commando.
Commando is perhaps the most simplistic of Schwarzenegger’s films, as it is the film that relies on him the most. The Terminator films work because of James Cameron’s complex mythology and commentary on technological oppression; Predator is John McTiernan’s dark reimagining of the Vietnam War through the eyes of helpless soldiers in hostile terrain; True Lies required Schwarzenegger to contend with the comedic charm of Jamie Lee Curtis; Conan the Barbarian was a simpler medieval epic. Commando has none of these extra complications, as the plot is virtually identical to the dozens of other action films that both preceded and followed it.
However, this is why Commando works so well. He was both a ruthless killer and a loving, attentive father. Even if he is absolutely terrifying in his cruelty, he is still strangely charming in his sincerity. He seems only partially aware of how corny the material is, but it works nonetheless. Commando may not be the best film Schwarzenegger has starred in, but it is the purest distillation of his artistry.
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Schwarzenegger plays US Army Colonel John Matrix, a retired war veteran who now lives in the countryside (along with his animal friends) with his loving daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). The opening sequence, showing Matrix and Jenny teaming up and caring for animals, is sickeningly sweet, suggesting that this melodrama will eventually give way to an outbreak of elaborate violence. At this point in Schwarzenegger’s career, his audiences knew what to expect from one of his films.
There’s a sincerity to Schwarzenegger that most modern action stars don’t have. While characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Fast and Furious films tend to throw in self-indulgent jokes that reflect the implausibility of the scenarios, Schwarzenegger plays even the silliest moments completely straight. Schwarzenegger doesn’t think he’s “above” the material and isn’t about to make fun of anyone for enjoying it. This makes Jenny’s kidnapping at the hands of a team of mercenaries led by former Matrix teammate Captain Bennett (Vernon Wells) an effective inciting incident that draws viewers into the story.
A Creative and Ethical Hero
Commando keeps the exposition light, but it doesn’t take long to understand the differences between The Matrix and Bennett. We are only given a brief explanation of their backstory, which suggests that Bennett was removed from office due to his excessive cruelty. This makes sense given everything we see from him early on, when he mercilessly attacks the Matrix’s home and snatches out his screaming daughter. Oddly enough, this almost allows the audience to justify how much they will enjoy Schwarzenegger’s upcoming path of revenge; he resists every opportunity to return to battle and only commits violence against the “bad guys.” The lack of political specificity certainly makes Commando more digestible compared to its action contemporaries like Rambo: First Blood Part II.
At 90 minutes, Commando is delicately paced, centered around a few key action sequences, each unique. The airport scene where Matrix escapes her captors and enlists the help of flight attendant Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong) doesn’t just focus on gunfights; Matrix outwitted his opponents by preying on their unpreparedness and showing that his training had prepared him for any environment. 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 ultimately leads to an idealized “nuclear family.” Everything happens so quickly that you don’t even 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 demolish a militia villa.
A Brutal Face-Off
The final scene, in which Matrix comes to the aid of her daughter, is simply mesmerizing. The extensive build-up sequence of Matrix loading up her weapons and preparing her arsenal only increases the adrenaline levels of the audience. While the battle with Bennett’s men won’t last long, it does give Schwarzenegger a chance to show off all the tools at his disposal. Compared to the wide open spaces of the island, where Matrix defeats the mercenaries, his confrontation with Bennett is kept in confined spaces, with steam boiling in the background.
This gives the combat a slightly creepy feel, and the hand-to-hand combat feels much more personal and brutal than any complex gunfight.
His reunion with Jenny takes us back to the silly and heartfelt beginning. In a way, this experience only brings them closer, as Jenny now has a mother figure in Cindy who she knows is worthy of her father’s love. Schwarzenegger’s goofy smile is so charming that it’s easy to laugh at the collateral damage and dismiss it as irony rather than consider the real-world consequences.
Commando is emotionally manipulative, excessively violent, rife with plot holes, and frankly one-note; in other words, it’s a film that only someone like Schwarzenegger could turn into a classic. There’s nothing quite like hearing the steel drums of James Horner’s empowering score as you watch Schwarzenegger charge into battle to save his innocent child from danger. It’s a showcase for how unique his talents truly are.