Whether you laugh at him because of his bad acting, or laugh with him because he is able to make fun of his own persona, Arnold Scwarzenegger has always been one of my favorite actor/comedians. His scene in "Terminator 2" as a robot learning how to mix and match teenage slang into the appropriate insult from a young John Connor showed how funny he could be while not trying to be funny. Having said that, Arnold made a quantum leap forward in his comedic abilities with the hugely underrated "Last Action Hero".
Unfortunately, audiences in 1993 were not ready to accept Arnold Schwarzenegger spoofing himself in this wickedly funny satire on action blockbusters. The rich use of background gags, cameo appearances and in-jokes playing behind the main action in this film make it is as good a genre spoof as "Blazing Saddles," "The Naked Gun," or "Austin Powers." In addition, "Last Action Hero" contains a number of original elements that elevate it above the normal spoof (which only confused the unsuspecting and unsophisticated audience further):
1) The use of classical references twisted to fit the action film genre are hilarious - Schwarzenegger as Hamlet was one of the funniest things he has ever done.
2) The "movie within a movie" device present in "Last Action Hero" is just as powerful a juxtaposition of reality and fantasy as we see in "The Matrix," but it came out six years earlier.
3) Jack Slater's growth as a character throughout the film reveals a depth in him that far surpasses most of the "real" people introduced to us in other films. There are so many instances where we see this growth: his understanding of current vehicle specs in the third "chicken" scene (which takes place in the dangerous real world); his consistent ability to surprise the audience with out of character choices like the scene with classical music and the choice of a new action hero one liner; and his ability to learn the nature of physical pain. Especially entertaining is the background monologue at the end of the movie when he tells the chief that he is perfectly capable of hearing and that he would like to develop a more respectful relationship.
There are a number of reasons the film was panned at the time that have been referred to by other reviewers - a misleading marketing campaign that had people actually expecting an action blockbuster, the misfortune of premiering right around the time of Jurassic Park, and an anti-Arnold backlash. But the biggest problem the film faced was the inability of the audience to accept Schwarzenegger as more than an ignorant muscle man. As Arnold has proved in his rise as Governator, he is far more intelligent than most people give him credit. (Don't get me wrong, he has been a terrible governor, but when you consider that his competition is made up of lawyers, businessmen, and self-made millionaires, he has certainly held his own in game of politics.) If someone else had played the role spoofing Schwarzenegger and Mel Brooks was credited as the producer, this would have become an instant classic. However, twelve years have gone by, and people are beginning to discover how good the film really is. Which is good news for Arnold, because he will most likely need a job after the 2006 gubernatorial election, so at least there will be a built in audience for "Last Action Hero: The Sequel."
Unfortunately, audiences in 1993 were not ready to accept Arnold Schwarzenegger spoofing himself in this wickedly funny satire on action blockbusters. The rich use of background gags, cameo appearances and in-jokes playing behind the main action in this film make it is as good a genre spoof as "Blazing Saddles," "The Naked Gun," or "Austin Powers." In addition, "Last Action Hero" contains a number of original elements that elevate it above the normal spoof (which only confused the unsuspecting and unsophisticated audience further):
1) The use of classical references twisted to fit the action film genre are hilarious - Schwarzenegger as Hamlet was one of the funniest things he has ever done.
2) The "movie within a movie" device present in "Last Action Hero" is just as powerful a juxtaposition of reality and fantasy as we see in "The Matrix," but it came out six years earlier.
3) Jack Slater's growth as a character throughout the film reveals a depth in him that far surpasses most of the "real" people introduced to us in other films. There are so many instances where we see this growth: his understanding of current vehicle specs in the third "chicken" scene (which takes place in the dangerous real world); his consistent ability to surprise the audience with out of character choices like the scene with classical music and the choice of a new action hero one liner; and his ability to learn the nature of physical pain. Especially entertaining is the background monologue at the end of the movie when he tells the chief that he is perfectly capable of hearing and that he would like to develop a more respectful relationship.
There are a number of reasons the film was panned at the time that have been referred to by other reviewers - a misleading marketing campaign that had people actually expecting an action blockbuster, the misfortune of premiering right around the time of Jurassic Park, and an anti-Arnold backlash. But the biggest problem the film faced was the inability of the audience to accept Schwarzenegger as more than an ignorant muscle man. As Arnold has proved in his rise as Governator, he is far more intelligent than most people give him credit. (Don't get me wrong, he has been a terrible governor, but when you consider that his competition is made up of lawyers, businessmen, and self-made millionaires, he has certainly held his own in game of politics.) If someone else had played the role spoofing Schwarzenegger and Mel Brooks was credited as the producer, this would have become an instant classic. However, twelve years have gone by, and people are beginning to discover how good the film really is. Which is good news for Arnold, because he will most likely need a job after the 2006 gubernatorial election, so at least there will be a built in audience for "Last Action Hero: The Sequel."