In Commando, the fetching surprise is the glancing humor between the quixotic and larky Rae Dawn Chong and the straight-faced killing machine of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Chong lights up the film like a firefly, Schwarzenegger delivers a certain light touch of his own, the result is palatable action comics.
Though not as good as Terminator, the film has a better-than-usual script for this sort of thing and shows a lot of humor. Schwarzenegger isn't especially good as an actor, but his presence is impressive, and he is beginning to show some style, if not much substance. For action fans, one of the picks of the litter for the year.
Comic book stuff, helped out by the presence of Rae Dawn Chong as an airline stewardess whose sarcastic commentary adds some comic counterpoint to the deliberately overscaled action.
Lester doesn't have the sense of visual style that other directors, like Spielberg and Lucas, bring to their comic-book movies; harshly lit and sometimes amateurish, Commando doesn't last in your eye. And Lester doesn't pace his sequences, allowing the suspense to build -- it's all breakneck, and it tires you out. [04 Oct 1985, p.E3]
Very simple plot but amazing action film. A no brainer, just bring the popcorn and put your brain off.
But it's worth it. This is my favorite movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger in it. Throughout the movie, you wonder who the hell would mess with this guy, I certainly wouldn't lol. Some humor very will timed a la Arnold right before the killing blows. I've watched this movie probably over 20 times and it's rewatch value has not diminished yet for me.
The beginning is not bad, the first action in the mall is good. But later it become ridiculous. So many enemies and none can shoot him. The humour is dull with many oneliner.
Reasonable movie, but with good action scenes. It's the tipic action 80s movie towatch when you want some fun and adrenaline. That's my profissional critic with note 6, but my note to how cool he is I give 8.
Couldn't contain my laughter at the plane jump sequence with the light splash into the water/grass from what looked like 100 feet. The most clear mannequins in the big explosion I can ever remember. As nonsensical as it gets in parts. Arnold's gun shooting face kind of looked like an orgasm face.
This was so silly and bad.
Director Mark L. Lester brings us 1985's action thriller with bits of humour in it called "COMMANDO"... This action film has Arnold Schwarzenegger who plays Matrix who's considered the best by General Kirby (James Olson). Anyway the basic storyline and premise for this movie is an old friend named Bennett (Vernon Wells) kidnaps Matrix's daughter and takes her hostage along with a group of other helpers, this group also contains Predator actor, Bill Duke who plays Cook in Commando, another villain... The group of criminals/kidnappers want Matrix to kill some president or something so he agrees then he'll get his daughter back but he knows they'll kill her if he did the job anyway. So he works against the clock to find out where exactly his daughter is being held, has fights with policemen, kills a few of the badguys including Cook (Duke), steals his car, steals rocket launchers, grenades, explosives, ammo, shotguns and rifles from a weapon store or something and basically has fun lol. He also brings some black lady along with him (Rae Dawn Chong) who gets involved helping him to find his daughter after so much persuasion by Schwarzenegger. The black lady and Schwarzenegger steal some plane that floats on water and fly to this island using map coordinates because he believes that's where his kidnapped daughter is being held hostage by the badguys. Packed with action, great impressive action, explosions, bullets flying everywhere and loads of dead bodies plus a great fight scene at the end and some witty humour... Commando does deliver however I liked all the acting but when there was no action in most scenes it felt rather dull and boring so this for me is not a good film and against an army of soldiers Matrix would of died in real life so a daft and stupid film but many may like it sheerly for entertainment purposes... To me Raw Deal made in 1986 was better than Commando.