Arnold Schwarzenegger does a lead acting role in this movie nearly after a decade, his last being Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. I wanted to watch this movie long time ago when its trailer was released (movie was released in January 2013) but somehow missed it. Only recently, I happened to watch the trailer again and so downloaded the movie and watched it. The reason I wanted to watch it is because I liked Arnold's movies and the reason I am writing a post on this movie is because the way the movie was produced. In the trailer, Arnold would come crashing on a diner's doors and the occupants of the diner would ask him,"Sheriff, how are you?" Arnold would get up with pain and reply,"Old". Though it was funny, I thought Arnold was cast according to his present strength and age and not as an invincible hero.
The movie was really simple and the action was sequenced well for a 65-year old character. The plot of the movie is that a drug-lord escapes from the FBI, racing in a Chevrolet Corvette at incredible speeds and tries to immigrate to Mexico. What stands between him and achieving his goal is the Sheriff of the Sommerton Junction city in Arizona. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Ray Owens as the Sheriff of the city and the city has only four deputies under him. How Schwarzenegger defends the escaping drug-lord with his under-skilled deputies is the story. There was no incredible or things-that-can-happen-only-in-film action sequences in the movie. I was remembered of the Rocky Balboa movie where the coach of Rocky, when he decides to take up one last fight, advises Rocky that since he is aging he cannot achieve speed in his punches but can add power to his every punch and trains him for the same. Rocky practices punching with holding heavy weights in this hands. Similarly in this movie, Schwarzenegger is not fast as he used to be in his earlier action movies but his every blow makes the escaping fugitive land on his butts to the ground.
I was surprised when I learnt who the director of the movie was, Kim Jee-woon. He has directed this movie after finishing 'I Saw the Devil'. This movie had extraordinary action scene as the cop would hit the psychopath serial killer with hammer, crowbar or whatever he gets in his hand that would break the bones of the killer and make him bleed profusely. But in 'The Last Stand' there was nothing as such and the action sequence was really natural. I believe the director has matched the action according to the strengths of the character in both the movies. Kim Jee-woon has also directed the Korean movie 'The Tale of Two Sisters' and an American remake titled 'The Uninvited' was made. This too had a brilliant story and screenplay.
I wouldn't say 'The Last Stand' is one of the best action movies but a movie that has a logical and natural screenplay and a must watch for Arnold Schwarzenegger's fans.
I liked the movie very much . simple but nice one. One of the dialogue I liked most was , arnold says to his deputy , some thing like this 'you expressed your fear but I did not . Equally I also feared' . It something like a superhero admits his fear.
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