"This'll work, It's a movie, and I'm the good guy." so says young Danny Madigan, as he pedals furiously on a stolen bike towards an oncoming bad guys car. This is the kind of movie that Last Action Hero wants to be.
Danny's hero is the character of Jack Slayer played by Arnold Swartzenegger. Hollywood is about to release the fourth entry in the Slayer series. Danny's projectionist friend has access to a copy of the film, and he offers to give Danny a private screening. A stroke of magic takes Danny into the movie itself, where he becomes Slayer's partner. Together they are going after a notorious drug lord in LA.
So long as it sticks to self parody, Last Action Hero is watchable. dozens of cars (and one ice cream truck) explode in impossible ways, people go flying through mid air, off buildings, across rooms like there is no gravity in the movie, Slayer has more guns and ammo in his glove compartment than is physically possible, and for reasons he cannot figure out, he can't bring himself to say the 'f' word (because as Danny tries to point out, it's a PG-13 movie)And it's not just Action movies that get a comedic treatment, We have jokes from Amadeus, Witness, and The Seventh Seal. It's curious how an eleven year old boy can know so much about movies which he'd be too young to get into.
Despite its ability to wink at itself, Last Action Hero still feels at a loss. It never quite rises about the stuff it mocks, because it still feels like a b-movie experience. And this isn't even the worst problem.
Eventually, director John McTiernan takes the fight out of the movie world and back into the real world. It is here where Last Action Hero crumbles. It's astonishing how long it takes to end. The fluidity and humour just about vanish. The appearance of Slayer at the premier of his movie is amusing, but I found myself getting bored really fast. Another problem is that Swarzenegger and Austin O'Brien, don't make a good pair. Swarzenneger gets good one liners but like most action heroes he delivers them all the same way, and O'Brian acts like he is only half involved in the movie.
The Last Action hero is good for a few laughs early on, but it gets carried away, and the finished project feels too clumsy and unbalanced to recommend.
Danny's hero is the character of Jack Slayer played by Arnold Swartzenegger. Hollywood is about to release the fourth entry in the Slayer series. Danny's projectionist friend has access to a copy of the film, and he offers to give Danny a private screening. A stroke of magic takes Danny into the movie itself, where he becomes Slayer's partner. Together they are going after a notorious drug lord in LA.
So long as it sticks to self parody, Last Action Hero is watchable. dozens of cars (and one ice cream truck) explode in impossible ways, people go flying through mid air, off buildings, across rooms like there is no gravity in the movie, Slayer has more guns and ammo in his glove compartment than is physically possible, and for reasons he cannot figure out, he can't bring himself to say the 'f' word (because as Danny tries to point out, it's a PG-13 movie)And it's not just Action movies that get a comedic treatment, We have jokes from Amadeus, Witness, and The Seventh Seal. It's curious how an eleven year old boy can know so much about movies which he'd be too young to get into.
Despite its ability to wink at itself, Last Action Hero still feels at a loss. It never quite rises about the stuff it mocks, because it still feels like a b-movie experience. And this isn't even the worst problem.
Eventually, director John McTiernan takes the fight out of the movie world and back into the real world. It is here where Last Action Hero crumbles. It's astonishing how long it takes to end. The fluidity and humour just about vanish. The appearance of Slayer at the premier of his movie is amusing, but I found myself getting bored really fast. Another problem is that Swarzenegger and Austin O'Brien, don't make a good pair. Swarzenneger gets good one liners but like most action heroes he delivers them all the same way, and O'Brian acts like he is only half involved in the movie.
The Last Action hero is good for a few laughs early on, but it gets carried away, and the finished project feels too clumsy and unbalanced to recommend.