Last Action Hero (1993)
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor/Panavision 131m
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, F. Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Charles Dance, Anthony Quinn, Mercedes Ruehl, Ian McKellen, Joan Plowright, Tina Turner
Synopsis:
A movie-crazy boy gains access via a magic ticket to the latest sequel of his favourite action hero and has just persuaded him that he is only a fictional character when the villain crosses back into the real world with the same ticket, to find that the rules of engagement are much more to his advantage.
Review:
The premise, borrowed somewhat from Sherlock Jr, is handled with none of the sophistication of Keaton or Allen, but is instead on a par with the witless youth whose interminable analysis of the Hollywood movie rulebook provides much of the knowing humour. Tolerable for kids, then, if it were not so violent into the bargain. What's more it is extended to the point of tedium, makes little sense even on its own terms, and in the final reel has Arnie uttering some of the lamest sententiousness ever seen outside a Russ Meyer movie. Compensations include Dance's turn as a splendid villain and Mercedes Ruehl in thankless cameos (of which there are many).
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor/Panavision 131m
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, F. Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Charles Dance, Anthony Quinn, Mercedes Ruehl, Ian McKellen, Joan Plowright, Tina Turner
Synopsis:
A movie-crazy boy gains access via a magic ticket to the latest sequel of his favourite action hero and has just persuaded him that he is only a fictional character when the villain crosses back into the real world with the same ticket, to find that the rules of engagement are much more to his advantage.
Review:
The premise, borrowed somewhat from Sherlock Jr, is handled with none of the sophistication of Keaton or Allen, but is instead on a par with the witless youth whose interminable analysis of the Hollywood movie rulebook provides much of the knowing humour. Tolerable for kids, then, if it were not so violent into the bargain. What's more it is extended to the point of tedium, makes little sense even on its own terms, and in the final reel has Arnie uttering some of the lamest sententiousness ever seen outside a Russ Meyer movie. Compensations include Dance's turn as a splendid villain and Mercedes Ruehl in thankless cameos (of which there are many).
Country: US
Technical: Technicolor/Panavision 131m
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, F. Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Charles Dance, Anthony Quinn, Mercedes Ruehl, Ian McKellen, Joan Plowright, Tina Turner
Synopsis:
A movie-crazy boy gains access via a magic ticket to the latest sequel of his favourite action hero and has just persuaded him that he is only a fictional character when the villain crosses back into the real world with the same ticket, to find that the rules of engagement are much more to his advantage.
Review:
The premise, borrowed somewhat from Sherlock Jr, is handled with none of the sophistication of Keaton or Allen, but is instead on a par with the witless youth whose interminable analysis of the Hollywood movie rulebook provides much of the knowing humour. Tolerable for kids, then, if it were not so violent into the bargain. What's more it is extended to the point of tedium, makes little sense even on its own terms, and in the final reel has Arnie uttering some of the lamest sententiousness ever seen outside a Russ Meyer movie. Compensations include Dance's turn as a splendid villain and Mercedes Ruehl in thankless cameos (of which there are many).