Commando (film)

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Commando (first released on October 4, 1985) is a Hollywood action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is still enjoyed today on video for its camp value and humorously over-the-top violence.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The plot concerns Colonel John Matrix, an elite retired commando whose daughter, Jenny, has been kidnapped as a hostage to make him perform a political assassination for a dictator he deposed. He escapes in transit by killing his guard and jumping from an airliner, and then sets out to rescue his daughter within the timeframe allotted before she is to be killed.

In the time left to him, he performs all manner of derring-do, including kidnapping an off-duty air hostess, breaking into an arms warehouse, being arrested by police and escaping, stealing a seaplane and killing a small army of mercenaries.

The film also stars Alyssa Milano, Rae Dawn Chong, David Patrick Kelly, Vernon Wells and Dan Hedaya. It was directed by Mark L. Lester; the script was co-written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman.

Commando was produced by 20th Century Fox. It took in $7,700,000 during its opening weekend, playing on 1,495 screens in the United States. It went on to gross $35 million in the United States and $57 million worldwide.

This film is notable for being the first regular action film starring Schwarzenegger that featured his distinctive sense of humor. Indeed Commando is perhaps the most beloved cult film Schwarzenegger has ever made, and there remains a considerable fan base. In particular, cinéastes have labelled the "Sully sequence" (from when Matrix arrives at the airport with Sully until when he "lets him go") a masterpiece of sustained tension nonetheless leavened with humor.

1 Main cast
2 Popularity
3 Trivia
4 Quotes
5 External links

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Main cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger as Colonel John Matrix
Vernon Wells as Bennett
Rae Dawn Chong as Cindy
Dan Hedaya as Arius
David Patrick Kelly as Sully
James Olson as General Franklin Kirby
Alyssa Milano as Jenny
Bill Duke as Cooke
Gary Cervantes as Diaz
Charles Meshack as Henriques

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Popularity

Image:250px-Commando2.jpg This film solidified Schwarzenegger's place as a box-office star. It is considered by most to be Schwarzenegger's purest action film. There is less character development than in later roles, and a greater emphasis is placed on action. The film had a huge impact on the genre and has remained Schwarzenegger's most beloved cult film.

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Trivia

The song that plays at the end credits is "We Fight For Love" by Power Station[1].
During the scene in the shed, after Matrix cuts the soldier's arm off, he was originally supposed to hit the victim with it and tell him to shut up. This scene was edited out as being too macabre.
Matrix kills approximately 80 people in Commando.
Following his success in the Conan movies and The Terminator (1984), producers realized that Arnold Schwarzenegger was becoming a household name. This was the first film in which he got true "top" billing: the name Schwarzenegger was placed at the top of the poster, above the title of the film. Almost every film he has starred in since has done the same.
Bennet's chain mails spawned a short lived west coast fad of males wearing similar shirts.
A sequel was considered, but never filmed; Arnold Schwarzenegger, by his own admission, was not interested. (The only sequels which he has done are the Conan and Terminator films.) Commando II was rewritten and would later become Die Hard (1988).
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.
The shopping mall used is the same one that was used in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, also starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is the same shopping mall from Fast Times At Ridgemont High: The Sherman Oaks Galleria.
The mansion used in the final shoot out between Matrix and Arius is the same mansion in the final shoot out between Axel Foley and Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop (1984).
Vernon Wells (Bennett) originally auditioned for the role of John Matrix.
This movie was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Special Effects, but lost to Back To The Future.
In the scene aboard the plane, one of the flight attendants is actress Chelsea Field; this film is one of her early movies.

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Quotes

Martix: You know, I like you Sully. You're a funny guy. Sully: Really? Matrix: Yeah. That's why I will kill you last!

(While Matrix is holding Sully over a cliff by one leg with his left arm): Now remember Sully, this is my weak arm.

Matrix : Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last? Sully : That's right, Matrix. You did. Matrix : I lied. Sully : AaaRRaaggghhh!! (being dropped to his death) (Back in the car with Cindy) Cindy : What did you do with Sully? Matrix : I let him go.

Cooke : You scared, motherfucker? You should be. This Green Beret's going to kick your big ass.

Matrix : I eat green berets for breakfast, and RIGHT NOW I'M VERY HUNGRY!

(Hiding in the corner) Cindy: I can't believe this macho bullshit!

Matrix: I'll be back, Bennett!

(After snapping a Henriques's neck on the plane) Matrix : "Don't disturb my friend, he's dead tired."

(After the shootout at the mall, Cindy completely stressed out by the whole ordeal) Cindy: Are you going to tell me what's going on?! Matrix: No.

(Getting on the plane with the Henriques) Stewardess: Any luggage to toady, gentleman?

(Pointing to the Henriques) Matrix: No, just him.

(Matrix stabs a pole through Bennett's chest, and steam from a pipe in the wall starts to shoot from it) Matrix: Let off some steam, Bennett.

Explaining his sitaution to Cindy) Matrix: A man I've know for 20 years wants me dead.

Cindy: That's understandable, I've only known you for five minutes and I want you dead.

[Guard]: Slitting that little girls throat would be like cutting warm butter

[Sulley]: (Stalking Cindy in parking garage)You know, I'd really like to give you something... [Cindy]: From here it looks like a nightmare. [Sulley] (Mad expression on face) You fucking whore!

[Mall Security Guard]: (Speaking to a group of young female shoppers) Wanna see me kick some ass?

[Matrix]: (Talking to Jenny) Now why don't they call him Girl George? It would cut down on all the confusion, I think.

[General Franklin Kurby]: (Talking to Matrix at the end of the movie after the storming of the mansion) Leave anything for us? [Matrix]: Just bodies.

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