On T List of Movie Reviews
(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)
True Lies (1994)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
3/05, 1/25
1/25:
Partly based on a 1991 French comedy called La Totale!, True Lies is an underrated espionage picture.
This is the third outing for Arnold Schwarzengger and James Cameron after working on the first two films of
The Terminator franchise. You know the adage: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
As a result, it was a smash hit in 1994, finishing third overall at the box office, because of three reasons:
lots of action, ingenious storyline, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
The best part of the film is the limousine on the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys, especially when
Arnold Schwarzenegger held his arm out to rescue Jamie Lee Curtis. The scene is a very, very Hitchcockian-esque. Another is
Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Harrier at the end to save the daughter. What's also nice is the usage of authentic locations. I
can even recognize where they shot the film in Washington, D.C., including the Shops at Georgetown Park and
Chinatown.
There are good supporting roles by Tom Arnold whose line "What kind of sick bitch takes the ice cube trays
out of the freezer?" happened for real as he was in the process of being divorced by Roseanne, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, and
Art Malik. But without Jamie Lee Curtis who actually got the role on the strength of her fantastic
performance in A Fish Called Wanda, True Lies would've been
a banal "been there, done it before" actioner. It's the "is she cheating on me or what?" twist that makes it a
funny picture, allowing the action part to segue with the rest of the story. James Cameron's genius is blending
in the special effects just like how he did for The Abyss,
Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and
Titanic, hence True Lies' sole Academy Award nomination.
I've said this before that Charlton Heston always bore an uncanny resemblance to Arnold Schwarzenegger,
right down to their teeth. And here they are in the same screen while having a powwow in the basement of
Omega Sector. If there's anything to dislike, it's quite obvious that a stunt double is being used for Arnold
Schwarzenegger in some action scenes.
All in all, True Lies will make a lot of people like and be comfortable with this type of action
picture compared to so much rubbish that came out after the year of 2000.