Commando (1985)

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Jeph Loeb (story) &
Matthew Weisman (story) ...

Release Date:

4 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

If there's a mission that no man could survive...then *he's* the man for the job.

Plot:

A retired elite commando has only a few hours to find and rescue his daughter from an exiled dictator.

Plot Keywords:

Airplane | General | Rescue | Commando | Assassination

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	John Matrix
Rae Dawn Chong	...	Cindy
Dan Hedaya	...	Arius
Vernon Wells	...	Bennett
James Olson	...	Major General Franklin Kirby
David Patrick Kelly	...	Sully
Alyssa Milano	...	Jenny Matrix
Bill Duke	...	Cooke
Drew Snyder	...	Lawson
Sharon Wyatt	...	Leslie
Michael Delano	...	Forrestal (as Michael DeLano)
Bob Minor	...	Jackson
Michael Adams	...	Harris (as Mike Adams)
Gary Cervantes	...	Diaz (as Carlos Cervantes)
Lenny Juliano	...	Soldier

Runtime:

90 min | 92 min (director's cut) | Sweden:75 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Germany:18 (re-release) (2001) (JK/SPIO) (uncut) | West Germany:18 (video premiere) (cut) | Italy:T (re-rating) | Italy:VM14 (orginal rating) | USA:R (certificate #27763) | Finland:K-15 (TV rating) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1992) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1985) | Australia:MA (Definitive Edition DVD) | France:-12 | Finland:K-18 (DVD rating) (cut) | Sweden:15 (video rating) | Sweden:(Banned) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | New Zealand:R (re rating) (2009) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Ireland:18 (cut UK version) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:M18 | UK:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1987) (cut) | Norway:(Banned) (1985-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

SLM Production Group

Trivia:

John McTiernan was offered the chance to direct this film, and turned it down. Later, while editing Nomads (1986), his feature debut, he was offered the chance to direct Arnold Schwarzenegger's second film for 20th Century Fox, Predator (1987), which he accepted.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Matrix swings across the mall, his face is obscured by his arms. However you briefly see the stuntman's face as he lands, before the camera cuts to show Matrix preparing to jump from the top of the elevator.

Quotes:

Matrix: Bennett! I thought you were...
Bennett: Dead? You thought wrong. Ever since you had me thrown out of your unit, I've waited to pay you back.
Bennett: Do you know what today is Matrix?... Pay day!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Still Standing: Still Reading (#1.2)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

WE FIGHT FOR LOVE

Reminds me why Arnold's latest films suck

This is one of Arnold's best movies, next to Predator and Terminator 2. Seeing an invincible one man army kill over 100 baddies while intercepting it with zingy one liners, that's what it's all about! None of this crap about an "every man" who's family have been taken from him blah blah blah. But the mountain of muscle from Austria dealing out justice the only way he knows how - with extreme prejudice and loads of firepower!

On a side note, the character Sully is the other funniest part of this movie. He's just too cool, and the scene between him and Rae Dawn Chong in the car-park is unforgettable. I kept watching it over and over bursting into hysterics when Sully says "You f**ken whore".

Perhaps Arnold is just too old and not physically impressive enough to do these mindless mayhem movies anymore, but if he's giving them a miss just to give his acting "credibility" then what a waste - action movies are supposed to be mindless thrill-per-minute blow everything up fests, and in his day none did them better than Arnie!

There may not be many movies like this, but at least we'll always have these classics. Arnold will always be remembered for his "Remember Sully when I promised to kill you last? I LIED" lines, not for garbage like Collateral Damage.