Commando (1985)

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Looking at this movie from 2016 eyes, Commando might seem a little bit silly. However, this is one of my favorite movies of all time. As John Matrix, Arnold Schwarzenegger is an unstoppable killing machine with only one goal, get his daughter back. Does this movie follow the traditional formula for an 80s action movie? Sure, but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. This movie has one of my absolute favorite action movie villains in John Bennett, played to insane perfection by Vernon Wells. Schwarzenegger has a pretty solid chemistry with both his female co-star Rae Dawn Chong, and with Alyssa Milano, creating what I felt was a believable enough father-daughter relationship. Say what you want about Schwarzenegger’s acting ability, the man is undeniably charismatic, and he’s the king of action movies for a reason. The action scenes should also be complimented. In particular, I have to praise the movie’s climax for just throwing us balls-to-the-wall action and carnage, finishing off with one the greatest knife fights I have ever seen. Yes, this movie has some of the best cheesy 80s one liners I have ever seen. Schwarzenegger brings what may just be his biggest body count here, compared to every other movie he has ever done. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Commando, in what I believe to be one of the Schwarzenegger essentials. I recommend this movie to anyone with a fondness for the ultra-violent, hard-R, action movies that inhabited and dominated the 1980s.   

10 / 10