The Last Stand
User Score
6.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 91 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 91
  3. Negative: 10 out of 91

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  1. hoops2448
    Apr 22, 2013
    4
    Its been over a decade since Arnie's last starring role and The Last Stand signifies his return to the action persona he fostered over the years and from the looks of it he still has something to show but the film doesn't prove to be the return showcase he envisioned, not by a long shot. This time around Arnie is called upon when a dangerous cartel leader escapes federal custody and he heads to the small town of Sommerton where Sheriff Ray 'Arnie' Owens must stop him from crossing the border into mexico with the help of his deputies and a few well intentioned civilians. While not completely inept, The Last Stand does feel like a low budget actioner for actors past their prime which is why I thought it odd Forrest Whitakers character wasn't played by Cuba Godding Jr. The film prides itself on its humour and the many in jokes that go with working with Arnie but there are only so many you can take. After a while it grows tiresome and it feels like you are being fed a block of cheese with no substance, no bread. The film does try and take it seriously occasionally but does so in such a generic way that it never feels sincere and the emotion displayed is always fake. The film is viciously violent but not for any good reason and Luis Guzman and Johnny Knoxville show up for cheap laughs (you laugh at them, not with them) even though you just want the film to end. There are only so many references of Ray being past his prime you can take and catchphrases like "I'm the Sheriff" don't help matters. The director does have some flair for the action elements of the film but overall it feels like a first shot, it will be interesting to see if the directors next will improve upon The Last Stand, a disappointing action comedy.… Expand
  2. alfaalex101
    Feb 7, 2013
    3
    There is nothing special about this movie NOTHING beyond the fact that Arnold is in this movie and his action scenes are no where what they used to be. Everything corny that you hate from C- 80s/90s action flicks are in The Last Stand from the feeble guy whom you really don't care for anyways that dies, to the ridiculous guy that won't die, the Mr. Bad Guy don't mess with me is present, some cheap attempts at humour which fall flat on their face, suspense where the outcome is painfully obvious, a storyline which is there only as an excuse to give the action some meaning and to the paltry car explosion scene that you've seen a million times in past movies. The acting is all around terrible too (Arnold) except for Johnny Knoxville who talks with his mouth as well as his facial expressions. He was a pleasure to watch in a non-homosexual way. Action was terrible outside of the chaingun scene (which lasts 10 seconds) and the whole time I was waiting for Arnold to do something amazing but no...nothing happened. Just a corny ending and me feeling bad I had to pay for this on a Tuesday night. Watch this movie if you want your crying family to read on your coroner's report: "central nervous system necrosis and subsequent apnea due to boredom" as the cause of death.… Collapse
  3. Thebigdeal324
    Jan 25, 2013
    3
    Movie was eh. Don't like seeing Arnold old, just doesn't pump me up like he use to. Movies like this makes me long for the days of Total Recall, Terminator, and Predator.
  4. FreakyFatJo
    Apr 23, 2013
    3
    It could have been a great action flick but Ji-woon Kim botched it. There was enough crazinessin the trailers to suggest a success but the movie is far from what you could have expected
    The casting is okay regarding the supporting roles, I love Shwarzy even when his acting is as vivid as a piece of meat full of steroid (he actually have some nice scenes) so I can't complain, Knoxville is     (or should have been) the star of the show but Eduardo Noriega is one of the worst villain I've seen lately, Luis Guzmán first half of the movie completely kill the other half and Forest Whitaker is THE least believable FBI coordinator I've ever seen
    I was enthusiast about the scenario but it appear dull after only 20mn into the movie.
    To continue about the craziness, it's all I was excpecting from this movie (I was seriously envisioning some kind of Machete/Tarantino-like freakshow) but even the few scenes that aim for that touch fall flat from poor acting or terrible editing
    I can't say that I did not enjoyed some of the scenes (seeing terminator bring his last german souplex was heartwarming) but overall, this is not what I expected and even trying to watch it frome the 2nd, 3rd and 4th degry didn't work for me
    I'll finish with some of the effect or choices that really buried the movie in my opinion (no spoilers hopefully)
    ° The overuse of the basic timetable (white letters on blurry screen) is annoying, there were so many creative way to use it in the movie
    ° The ''revenge for the good guy'' cliché, there were so many reasons to send Shwarzy after bad guys, why settle for a bad one?
    ° The obvious lack of originality (maybe the director had his hand tied, maybe he wasn't in the mood) but if all the good scenes of the movie can be sumed up in a 2mn trailer, why bother?
    ° The stupid-a*s backstory or the lack of them (''At age 3 he had his first mercedes, at age 5, his father built him a closed circuit in his backyard, at age 12 he was a competitive sport driver, at age 23 he is a drug lord and I drive him aroud Las Vegas with no intention whatsoever to make sure he doesn't escape, herp derp durp heurp'' (and the cuty can aim a sniper rifle without being trained by her step-father who'se a long lost Shwarzy friend, just saying)
    ° The horrible casting choices... Chris Tucker would have made a better mexican sidekick, Cheech Marin a way scarier bad guy and Giancarlo Esposito a trustworthy, calm, professionnal FBI agent with a sad backstory (''goddamn I won't loose another agent'' (see usefull backstory up there)) Ps guess which one I would have choose for the actual role    … Expand
  5. Cyberghost
    Apr 30, 2013
    2
    A small time sheriff is called up to the plate when an escaped fugitive tries to drive through his town......and of course he steps up to the plate with his rag-tag bunch of deputies and puts on a great "Last Stand". The story line is as painfully dull as the characters and the dialogs and the acting. There are a few good action scenes and car chases, but other than that, Arnold's great comeback is nothing more than big giant muscular cliche.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
54 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 33 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 33
  3. Negative: 4 out of 33
  1. Film.com
    Reviewed by: William Goss
    Feb 26, 2013
    58
    The bloodshed speaks volumes enough, though, even if it takes some time getting to the mayhem proper.
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  2. Movie Nation
    Reviewed by: Roger Moore
    Jan 30, 2013
    38
    It's a junky, crowd-pleasing movie of sidekicks – Guzman and Knoxville – bad acting, over the top shootouts, and catch phrases.
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  3. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Anthony Lane
    Jan 28, 2013
    50
    If only Kim had a sense of humor to match his visual wit. Instead, we get rusted gags and rubbery acting.
    Read full review
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