Review of True Lies (1994) by Fo T — 26 Dec 2009

The goofiest movie James Cameron ever made, "True Lies" is more of a last hoorah for the relentless style of 80s action films than a satisfying, mindblowing piece of filmmaking from its normally more complex director.

It's a tribute to Cameron's furious energy and vision, and the humor and charm of its stars, that its still one of the most entertaining movies of the 90s and probably the last worthwhile thing Arnold Schwarzenegger ever showed up in.

It's also got Jamie Lee Curtis in what is still her sexiest role, one that earned her a Golden Globe, and Tom Arnold being funny in a movie for the one time in his entire career. It's also incredibly dated in its use of covert operations and terrorism, uncomfortably so for some viewers, and the thin plot is also the last thing on the movie's mind, using every excuse it can to end every sequence with a bit of dirty humor and a shoot-out.

Still, it's doubtful anyone who would enjoy this movie hasn't seen it yet, and the stunts in the movie are so outlandish and impressive they make the movie worth watching on its own. Cameron basically uses the thing as an experiment to see how many set pieces he can put in a movie, and how unbelievable he can make each one.

The result is a classic in its genre that showcases Scwharzenegger at his coolest for probably the last truly impressive time.