This publicity film image released by Lionsgate shows Arnold Schwarzenegger in a scene from, “The Last Stand.”‘The Last Stand’
Rating: R for language and strong bloody violenceRunning time: 1 hour, 46 minutesPlot: Sheriff Ray Owens helps track down Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega), the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the Western Hemisphere.Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Peter Stormare, Forest Whitaker, Jaimie Alexander, Luis Guzman, Johnny KnoxvilleDirector: Kim Jee-Woon
“The Last Stand” is the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie you didn’t even realize you wanted to see.
This is the action superstar’s first leading role in a decade, having left acting to serve as the governor of California and whatnot, and while it may not have occurred to you to miss him during that time, it’s still surprisingly good to see him on the big screen again.
He is not exactly pushing himself here. Korean director Kim Jee-woon’s American filmmaking debut turns out to be an extremely Schwarzeneggerish Schwarzenegger film, full of big, violent set pieces and broad comedy. He may look a little creaky (and facially freaky) these days, but Arnold proves he’s still game for the mayhem as he fires off rounds and tosses off one-liners, and the movie at least has the decency to acknowledge that it knows that you know that he’s old.
The script also feels a bit old – “The Last Stand” is essentially an amped-up version of “Rio Bravo,” with some “Jackass”-style hijinks courtesy of Johnny Knoxville himself. But Kim keeps things moving briskly and the members of the strong supporting cast don’t seem to mind that they’re playing flimsy types. Everyone’s just here for a mindless good time.