The Last Stand Review

Rated R (Strong Bloody Violence Throughout, and Language)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 47 Minutes

Cast-

Arnold Schwarzenegger-Sheriff Ray Owens

Jaimie Alexander-Deputy Sarah Torrance

Luis Guzmán-Deputy Mike Figuerola

Rodrigo Santoro-Deputy Frank Martinez

Zach Gilford-Deputy Jerry Bailey

Johnny Knoxville-Lewis Dinkum

Eduardo Noriega-Gabriel Cortez

Peter Stormare-Burrell

Forest Whitaker-FBI Agent John Bannister

Genesis Rodriguez-FBI Agent Ellen Richards

Daniel Henney-FBI Agent Phil Hayes

Christiana Leucas-Christie

Directed by Kim Jee-Woon

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the sheriff in "The Last Stand" as the actor returns to the big screen after a ten-year absence.

Note: Screened on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, at Clearview Chelsea.

Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would be back and despite a ten-year absence, he's kept his promise, returning to the big screen with his latest film, "The Last Stand." Born in the small village of Thal, Austria in 1947, Schwarzenegger came to the United States in 1968 at the age of 21, speaking little English yet through hard work and perseverance, he managed to not only became one of Hollywood's biggest action stars but also stand as a shining example of the American Dream. I have been a die-hard (no pun intended) fan of Arnold for as long as I can remember and the thought of seeing him on movie screens again left me positively ecstatic. Aside from a few cameos, "The Last Stand" is Schwarzenegger's first major role since 2003's "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," released shortly before he announced his candidacy in the recall election for Governor of California, and also marks the American debut of South Korean director Kim Jee-Woon. Woon is well-known among his fans for tackling a wide range of genres, from psychological horror to thrillers but the January release date did not inspire much confidence considering the month's notorious reputation for being a dumping ground for Hollywood's stinkers. By all accounts, "The Last Stand" is an unremarkable action film yet it's so unapologetically entertaining, offering up plenty of exciting set-pieces but the real joy comes from seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger doing what he does best—killing bad guys with big guns while spouting memorable one-liners. 

A former officer of the LAPD's narcotics division, Ray Owens (Arnold Schwarzenegger) resigned after a grisly drug bust left him the sole survivor. Retiring to the sleepy border town of Sommerton Junction, Arizona, Ray now spends his days keeping the peace as the town sheriff, content with leading a quieter life. Meanwhile, notorious Mexican drug kingpin Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega) narrowly escapes from the FBI during a prison transfer in Las Vegas. As John Bannister (Forest Whitaker) and his fellow agents furiously work to recapture him, Cortez rushes toward the U.S.-Mexican border in a heavily-modified Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 with a hostage (Genesis Rodriguez) in tow. It turns out that he's headed straight for Sommerton Junction, where Cortez's associate Burrell (Peter Stormare) awaits him. Ray is initially reluctant to get involved but when one of his fellow officers (Zach Gilford) is killed in a vicious shootout with Burrell's men, he decides to avenge him by locking down the town and enlisting his deputies, Sarah Torrance (Jaimie Alexander), Mike Figuerola (Luis Guzmán), and Frank Martinez (Rodrigo Santoro), in stopping Cortez with the help of local gun nut Lewis Dinkum (Johnny Knoxville). 

Campy and formulaic, "The Last Stand" succeeds thanks to its B-grade action movie charms and is honestly a refreshing change of pace given all the serious Oscar-fare that was recently released. The script from Andrew Knauer is largely inconsequential in regards to the development of its characters. No, this is a film about blowing stuff up but Woon makes the audience wait for the explosions, taking its time establishing just how dangerous Cortez is as he commands his henchmen to ram a police blockade and later pulls off a series of dangerous stunts behind the wheel in order to shake off his pursuers. While FBI Agent John Bannister screams and yells at his men to do their job, Sheriff Ray Owens is investigating Burrell, suspicious that he's up to no good. It leads to some uneven pacing as the film jumps between these three men yet Woon manages to keep the momentum going. The first major action scene occurs when two of Owens' deputies come upon Burrell and his men out in the desert. A shootout takes place and just when the situation seems hopeless, Arnold swoops in to save the day. It's certainly a crowd-pleasing moment and not long after, the film completely lets loose with one exciting set-piece after another. Ray guns down Burrell's men with a World War II-era chain gun and the action just escalates from there until it culminates in a final confrontation between the world-weary sheriff and Cortez. The two go at it with nothing but their fists in a thrilling brawl that's worth the price of admission alone. It's also a funny film to boot as Woon engages in a few sight gags yet what makes "The Last Stand" so damn entertaining is that it whole-heartedly embraces its action movie clichés with its head held high. That's something to be admired considering that most films of its ilk try too hard to be serious and forget how to have fun. 

Of course, the film wouldn't have worked if Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn't playing the lead role. The larger-than-life actor is aware that he's not in his prime anymore, allowing the screenplay to poke fun at his age as Ray Owens puts on a pair of glasses while inspecting a crime scene or wearily remarking that he is 'old' as he slowly gets up after being thrown through a window. Schwarzenegger was never known for giving Oscar-caliber performances but makes up for it through sheer charisma and his imposing screen presence, none of which have diminished despite a ten-year absence in politics. It's hard not to applaud when he blows out a thug's brains with a pistol before proclaiming, 'I'm the sheriff!' Schwarzenegger is aided by a solid supporting cast, with Luis Guzmán and Johnny Knoxville providing comic relief while the more dramatic heavy lifting is left to Jaimie Alexander, Rodrigo Santoro, and an earnest Zach Gilford. Forest Whitaker is largely wasted as the frustrated FBI agent chasing Cortez, with Peter Stormare hamming it up as the drug lord's accomplice. As the central villain, Eduardo Noriega is stuck behind the wheel of car with Genesis Rodriguez (not exactly a terrible prospect) for much of the film's running time. He gets his moment to shine…by being pummeled and body-slammed by a man twice his age! 

Released on January 18, 2013, "The Last Stand" has received mixed reviews with 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that 'there's nothing particularly distinguished about it, but for Schwarzenegger fans [the film] provides perfectly undemanding entertainment.' Audience reaction during the advance screening this past Wednesday was enthusiastic yet this hasn't translated into even a modest box office success as it's estimated to earn only $11.4 million over the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Part of the problem has been Lionsgate's weak marketing campaign but the bigger issue is that today's teenage audience didn't grow up watching Schwarzenegger films so they have little to no idea of who he is. With ten or more projects in various stages of development, it seems like box office is the least of Schwarzenegger's concerns. "The Last Stand" could've been another mediocre January release yet it manages to be a fun throwback to the action films of yesteryear thanks to Kim Jee-Woon's confident direction and Arnold Schwarzenegger's larger-than-life presence. Schwarzenegger is back and in the words of HitFix's Drew McWeeny, 'that is good news indeed.'

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

"I've seen enough blood and death. I know what's coming."