True Lies (1994)
True Lies
- 4/5 Cameras 🎥🎥🎥🎥
- Directed by: James Cameron
- Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxtonn, et al
- Where to find it: Sky Store
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James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger will forever be
associated with each other due to their work on the first two Terminator movies, which are
widely acclaimed. Outside of the Terminator universe though, Cameron and
Schwarzenegger teamed up for another movie, 90’s action-comedy True Lies.
The film concerns Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker, a
James Bond-style globetrotting, terrorist shooting superspy. It picks up with
him and his team on a mission in Switzerland where Harry charms, tangos, and
shoots his way through the first of several fun set pieces. Once he returns
home we’re introduced to Jamie Lee Curtis as Helen Tasker, Harry’s wife who
believes her husband is a boring sales rep and is seeking some excitement in
her life. Harry attempts to deal with this while also dealing with a serious
terrorist threat involving nuclear weapons and fine arts dealers.
This all sounds like a lot, and honestly, it is. But
ultimately this isn’t a film to watch for an intelligent nuanced plot, and it
essentially plays out as a b-tier Bond movie mixed with a rom-com. The true joy
of True Lies is found in its characters and the chemistry between them.
Schwarzenegger is in his prime, oozing charisma as he shoots down goons and
shoots out one-liners. Jamie Lee Curtis nails it as his repressed and ignored
wife, gradually crawling out of her rut through the runtime while showcasing
some excellent comic timing. Elsewhere Bill Paxton as a sleazeball used car
salesman who pretends he’s a secret agent to pick up women is excellent fun,
while Tom Arnold as Harry’s colleague and friend has his highs although his
character does come across as a bit dated and sexist in the modern era. In any
case, they all click together nicely, allowing the film to take on the tone of
a romantic comedy as much as an action movie.
Regardless, the action in this film is also top quality with
a range of excellent and varied set-pieces, most notably a man on a horse
chasing another man on a motorcycle through the middle of a busy city and some
excellent Harrier jet action. In all cases the action is exaggerated and silly,
allowing the film to be consistently fun despite its relatively dark subject
matter; terrorism isn’t exactly a bundle of laughs, and this film doesn’t
address it with much tact. The lack of tact is prevalent for much of the film
which makes no attempts to be subtle at any stage but most of the time this
plays as a strength, really allowing the natural charisma of its characters to
pop and letting the audience revel in the silly over the top nature of its
action. Also, it’s worth a quick shout-out that the action and effects hold up
remarkably well for a film from the mid-90s, as one might expect from a James
Cameron film.
In short, True Lies is a piece of silly, escapist fun. It’s
the kind of ridiculous action movie the 90s seemed to be full of (Speed,
Demolition Man, Face/Off, etc.), and certainly stands up as one of the best. It’s
exciting, romantic, funny, and action-packed and even at over two hours it
never overstays its welcome. If you haven’t already, check it out and remember
when action movies didn’t worry about universe building and just embraced being
good simple fun.
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