Fire Alarm (1932, directed by Karl Brown)

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Jedadiah Leland

When their cat climbs to the top of a power pole, Pat (Noel Francis) and Gertie (Marjorie Beebe) call the entire fire department to come help them bring the kitty down. The fire chief isn’t amused but two firemen, Charlie (Johnny Mack Brown) and Fishey (George Cooper), both catch the eye of Pat and Gertie. Soon, Charlie is dating Pat and Fishey dating Gertie. While Fishey and Gertie provide the comic relief, Charlie and Pat provide the drama. Charlie thinks that Pat’s boss (Richard Tucker) is putting the moves on her and he responds by punching him. Charlie and Pat break up but a fire that breaks out next door to Pat’s building brings them back together.

There’s not much to this programmer but it’s a chance to see western star Johnny Mack Brown in a “modern” role. He’s convincingly tough as the headstrong Charlie while veteran actor George Cooper (who usually went uncredited in the 220 films that he appeared in) provides able support as his eccentric best friend. Noel Francis and Marjorie Beebe are both likable as the two secretaries who end up with firefighter boyfriends and it’s had not to regret that neither had a bigger career in Hollywood. As for the fire scenes, they are actually pretty effective for a 1930s film. There are a few shaky shots but I imagine they were still good enough to thrill afternoon matinee audiences in 1932.

This film is often known as Flames, which provides a double meaning. The characters fight flames while being flames themselves. Personally, I think Fire Alarm is better.

The Hong Kong Film Corner – THE WHITE STORM (2013), starring Lau Ching-Wan, Louis Koo and Nick Cheung!

Posted on August 2, 2025 by Bradley Crain

THE WHITE STORM (2013) centers around three lifelong friends and police officers in the Hong Kong Narcotics Bureau: Chief Inspector Ma (Lau Ching-Wan), undercover agent So (Louis Koo), and Inspector Cheung (Nick Cheung). The story follows their mission to take down a powerful Thai drug lord, Eight-Faced Buddha (Hoi Pang-Lo), in a high-stakes undercover operation. So, tired of his undercover work and wanting to just go home and take care of his pregnant wife, finds himself in more and more danger as the operation unfolds. A botched raid in Thailand leads to an impossible choice for Ma that comes with devastating consequences for the three friends. Five years later, those who survived must overcome feelings of guilt and betrayal in a final attempt to bring down the drug lord.

I enjoy director Benny Chan’s THE WHITE STORM for two primary reasons. First, THE WHITE STORM is a modern example of the “heroic bloodshed” genre of action film that was so popular in Hong Kong in the 80’s and 90’s, beginning with the John Woo / Chow Yun-Fat classic, A BETTER TOMORROW (1986). This genre is defined by stylized violence, as well as themes of brotherhood, loyalty, and extremely difficult moral dilemmas. THE WHITE STORM definitely delivers on the stylized violence inherent in the genre, giving us even bigger action set-pieces based on the expectations of more modern audiences. While not necessarily as innovative as John Woo’s best work, the action sequences are exciting and further develop the emotional dynamics between the main characters. The central emotional conflict at hand in THE WHITE STORM seems to be the value of friendship versus each of the cop’s civic duties to stop a drug trade that is crippling Hong Kong. In the best heroic bloodshed tradition, the characters are continually forced to make impossible decisions that may be for the greater good, but are bad for somebody. These decisions lead to a lot of melodrama over the course of the film, but the drama is done well for the most part.

A “heroic bloodshed” film like THE WHITE STORM cannot possibly work without strong performances, and Benny Chan gets excellent work from some of Hong Kong’s best actors. Lau Ching-Wan’s stoic intensity, Louis Koo’s conflicted desperation, and Nick Cheung’s emotional vulnerability create a chemistry that sells the “brotherhood” of our main characters. It’s a delicate balancing act as each character has their own motivations for their actions, but we can understand where they are coming from and still believe that they truly care about each other. Of course, this emotional connection makes the film that much harder to watch as the story heads into more tragic directions.

Overall, THE WHITE STORM is a solid action film that showcases excellent action scenes and emotionally satisfying drama, delivered by some of Hong Kong’s best actors. If you’re a fan of the Hong Kong’s heroic bloodshed genre, in my opinion, it’s a worthy addition and a must-watch.

THE WHITE STORM is currently steaming on Tubi. I’ve included the trailer below:

The TSL Grindhouse: Bummer (dir by William Alan Castleman)

Posted on August 2, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The 1973 film Bummer tells the story of a California rock band known as The Group.

The Group plays groovy music with a mellow feel. The music they play doesn’t sound so much like actual 70s California rock as much as it sounds like what someone from the big band era would have assumed mellow 70s California rock sounded like. The Group is led by the charismatic Duke (Kipp Whitman). The lead guitarist and the drummer look like groovy dudes as well. But then there’s Butts (played by the great character actor, Dennis Burkley), the bass player. Butts is a big fat slop with a beard, unwashed hair, and a genuine aura of grime. Duke’s girlfriend tells Duke that he really should kick Butts out of the band. The problem is that Duke owns the van that the Group travels around in. It’s the type of 70s van that was probably nicknamed “The Second Base Mobile.”

Well, Duke really should have considered kicking Butts out of the band because it turns out that Butts is crazy. He’s a sociopath with a mother fixation and, when he realizes that he’s the only member of the band who isn’t getting laid on a regular basis, he goes crazy and starts assaulting and murdering groupies.

It’s a bummer!

This film was produced by David Friedman, the genial sexploitation producer who is best-known for his collaborations with Herschell Gordon Lewis. Lewis did not direct Bummer and I have to say that I was a little bit surprised to discover that because there’s a scene at a strip club that goes on for so long and which features so many pointless close-ups of pervy men staring up at the dancers that I immediately assumed that Lewis must have, at the very least, snuck onto the set and supervised it. Instead, the film was directed by William Allen Castleman, who also did directed Johnny Firecloud and The Erotic Adventures of Zorro. So be it. I’m still convinced that Lewis has something to do with this movie.

Bummer is one of those films about how wasteful the younger generation is, with their mellow rock music and their bongs and their groupies. The film’s main message seems to be that anyone under the age of 30 is intellectually vapid and spiritually empty but at least they look good without their clothes on. It’s a mix of exploitation and nostalgia. “You know who didn’t murder groupies?” the film seems to be saying, “Glenn Miller, that’s who.”

The film is pretty dull. Scenes drag. It takes forever for any sort of plot to develop. Most of the cast is forgettable but Dennis Burkley makes an impression as the unhinged bass player and watching him in this, it’s easy to understand why be became such a busy character actor. There’s an authentic edge to Burkley, one that comes through even in this film. One of the groupies is played by Carol Speed, who would later appear in Disco Godfather and warn people about the dangers of “whack attack.” Oddly enough, the film looks surprisingly good. Cinematographer Gary Graver worked on films like this in between working on Orson Welles’s The Other Side Of The Wind.

In the end, Bummer lives up to its title.

Raw Courage (1984, directed by Robert L. Rosen)

Posted on August 2, 2025 by Jedadiah Leland

Three friends (Ronny Cox, Art Hindle, and Tim Maier) leave their families behind and go on a 72-mile run through the desert of New Mexico. They’re marathon runners and they are trying to survive the ultimate challenge. Instead, they run into a right-wing militia led by “Colonel” Crouse (M. Emmet Walsh) and Sonny (William Russ). Soon, the joggers are being chased through the desert. Their survival depends on if they have the raw courage to make it back to civilization.

Raw Courage was written and produced by Ronny Cox and I like to think that he made this movie as his way to get back at everyone who typecast him as a victim after Deliverance. Cox’s jogger never gives up in Raw Courage, even while being chased through the broiling desert by a bunch of madmen on motorcycles. Cox and Art Hindle both give good performances and their well-matched by Walsh and Russ. (Unfortunately, Walsh’s role in pretty small. Most of the actual villainy is committed by William Russ.) Cox and Hindle both play intelligent men who just happened to find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. That the victims are sympathetic and you actually care about whether or not they make it back to their families elevates the film.

The film does start to run out of gas towards the end. The scenes of our heroes running through the desert start to get repetitive. Raw Courage is still an exciting action film and it’s flat, made-for-TV look is probably less of a problem when viewed on YouTube than it was when the movie was initially released. The film provides a rare starring role for Ronny Cox, four years before Robocop typecast him as everyone’s favorite corporate villain. Cox delivers. It’s a shame he didn’t get to play more heroes.

20 Films For The Weekend (8/2/25)

Posted on August 2, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here’s twenty films for this weekend! It’s the start of a new month and that means there’s some new movies to chose from on your favorite streaming services.

10 New(-ish) Arrivals

Let’s start with a few Scorsese films.

Over the course of his long career, Martin Scorsese has only received one Oscar for Best Director and that was for directing The Departed (2006). The Departed is also the only Scorsese film to win an Oscar for Best Picture. For the longest time, I was kind of annoyed by that fact because Scorsese has definitely made better films than The Departed. That said, The Departed has grown on me with subsequent viewings and I now appreciate it a lot more than I did originally. Jack Nicholson’s performance — his final performance that can really be called great — is a devilish delight. Matt Damon is wonderfully amoral. Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance seemed shrill the first time I watched the film but I’ve come to better appreciate it as a portrait of growing instability and paranoia. Mark Wahlberg brings some subtle humor to his profane cop. Even Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin are better than usual! The Departed is now on Netflix.

Raging Bull (1980) tells the story of boxer Jake LaMotta (Robert De Niro), a brute of a man who is only capable of communicating through his fists. Raging Bull is not one of my favorite Scorsese films, just because LaMotta himself is such an abusive jerk that I find it hard to really care about him, regardless of how good of a performance Robert De Niro gives in the role. To me, the film is far more interesting when it concentrates on Cathy Moriarty as LaMotta’s abused wife and Joe Pesci as LaMotta’s brother. That said, the film’s black-and-white cinematography is gorgeous, the fight scenes are brutal, and the final scenes of LaMotta as an overweight night club comic have a certain karmic justice to them. It’s a testament to Scorsese’s talent that he can make even a film about someone like Jake LaMotta compelling. Raging Bull is on Prime.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) is one of my favorite Scorsese films. It’s a long and chaotic film but it totally draws you into its world and it features not only Leonardo DiCaprio’s best performance but also excellent work from Margot Robbie, Kyle Chandler, Matthew McConaughey, and Jonah Hill. I know that some critics have complained that the film doesn’t explicitly tell the viewer what to think of DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort but I think they miss the point. Scorsese trusts the viewer to be able to come to their own conclusions about Jordan Belfort. If Belfort’s lifestyle wasn’t fun, he wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble to preserve it. As well, Belfort may be a crook but he’s absolutely right when he calls out Kyle Chandler’s SEC agent for just being a frustrated broker. The Wolf of Wall Street is now on Tubi.

Last week was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s birthday. Conan The Barbarian (1982) features a perfectly-cast Schwarzenegger as Robert E. Howard’s famous barbarian. John Milius was the perfect director to bring this character and his world to life and, even if you’re not a fan of Arnie’s, it’s hard to resist a film that features James Earl Jones as the leader of a snake cult. Conan is now on Prime.

Conan the Destroyer (1984) is a sequel that was not directed by John Milius. Instead, it was directed by Richard Fleischer, who is almost Milius’s exact opposite when it comes to filmmaking. Milius had a vision. Fleischer directs like a man on a deadline. Whereas the first Conan was a grim and serious barbarian epic, Conan the Destroyer features Conan punching a camel and getting spun around in a circle by a lizard monster. That said, Conan the Destroyer is campy but enjoyably silly. It’s best to think of it is a stand-alone film and not a continuation of Milius’s epic. Conan The Destroyer is on Prime.

With all of the back-to-school sales starting, this might be a good time to revisit Shermer, Ohio. The directorial debut of John Hughes, Sixteen Candles (1984) is a film that, today, tends to be dismissed as being problematic. In many ways, it definitely is but you know what? I can forgive the film its less-than-tasteful moments because Sixteen Candles captures something that feels very real. I defy anyone to watch this film and not relate to Samantha Becker (Molly Ringwald). If your heart doesn’t melt a little when Jake Ryan says he’s looking for true love, you don’t have a heart. Sixteen Candles is definitely a product of its time. Today, parents have a thousand apps available to them to make sure they never forget a birthday. That said, the film still captures the timeless feeling of being young, annoyed, and in love. Sixteen Candles is on Prime.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) is one of the greatest high school films ever made, one that may be dated but which still captures the universal experiences of being young and confused with an empathy and an honesty that few films have ever been able to match. It’s a comedy but it’s also a drama, much like high school itself. Jennifer Jason Leigh gives one of her best performances. Judge Reinhold’s life goes downhill. Sean Penn is so hilarious that it’s odd to consider how serious almost all of later work would be. Forest Whitaker, Nicolas Cage and Eric Stoltz make their film debuts. Robert Romanus’s Mike Damone is the wannabe bad boy who, had I been in highs school in 1982, I probably would have crushed on to my eternal regret. How could you abandon Stacy like that, Damone!? Fast Times At Ridgemont High is on Netflix.

From director Catherine Hardwicke, Thirteen (2003) is a harrowing coming of age story, one that I always kind of cringe at while watching just because of how much I relate to it. I was a handful when I was thirteen. Every time I watch this movie, I wish my mom was still here so I could apologize to her. That said, Thirteen is a good film that features excellent performances from Evan Rachel Wood and Holly Hunter. Thirteen is on Netflix.

I’ve always wanted to like Clueless (1995) more than I actually do but it’s still a likable and influential high school film. (When I first saw it, I assumed that, when I started high school, it would be just like the one in Clueless. Was I ever depressed to discover that my family didn’t live in Beverly Hills!) Director Amy Heckerling brings the same empathy to her characters that she previously brought to Fast Times At Ridgemont High. Seen today, Alicia Silverstone’s tendency to oversell every moment gets on my nerves but the performances of Paul Rudd and Brittany Murphy hold up well. Young Lisa has a massive crush on Breckin Meyer. Stop laughing. Clueless is on Netflix.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) is the perfect high school romance. Heath Ledger singing in the stands, Julia Stiles reciting her poem, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Larisa Oleynik having their own little love story, this is a film that makes me smile and cry every time I watch it. This is an adaptation of Shakespeare that’s worthy of the association. It’s now on Hulu.

10 Odds and Ends

Today is Dinosaur Day. While some people might observe this day by rewatching one of the Jurassic Park films, I’m going to recommend a charmingly low-budget film called Planet of Dinosaurs (1977). In the far future, a group of human crash land on a planet that has a lot in common with Earth. They soon find themselves being preyed upon by dinosaurs! The stop-motion dinosaurs are really charming in their own way. This silly but enjoyable film can be viewed on Tubi.

Yesterday was Spider-Man Day. In the late 70s, there was a Spider-Man television series, starring Nicholas Hammond as the man who could climb any wall. This led to three Spider-Man made-for-television movies, Spider-Man (1977), Spider-Man Strikes Back (1978), and Spider-Man: The Dragon’s Challenge (1981). The movies are a bit uneven but I like Nicholas Hammond’s performance as Spider-Man and the first film featured an enjoyably villainous turn from character actor Thayer David. These three movies are very much a product of their time and it’s interesting to compare them to what’s coming out of Disney and Marvel today. Spider-Man, Spider-Man Strikes Back, and Spider-Man: The Dragon’s Challenge can all be viewed on YouTube.

Robert Altman’s Fool For Love (1985) is an adaptation of a Sam Shepard play, one that stars Shepard himself. Kim Basinger, Randy Quaid, and Harry Dean Stanton also appear in this southwestern love story. The film can’t quite escape its theatrical origins but Shepard, Quaid, and Stanton all give excellent performances. (Basinger is good but doesn’t quite have as much romantic chemistry with Shepard as one would hope.) This film was a part of Cannon’s ultimately unsuccessful effort to escape its reputation for producing violent schlock. Personally, I like it. Shepard was both a great writer and a great actor and this film proves it. It can be viewed on Tubi.

The Cutting Edge (1992) is a personal favorite of mine. A hockey player learns how to become an Olympic figure skater. An Olympic figure skater learns how to loosen up and enjoy life. Moira Kelly and D.B. Sweeney are so adorable together that you can’t help but smile when Kelly realizes that she’d rather be with Sweeney than with her boyfriend, Stuffy Q. McBorington. Not many films make me cheer but this one does. Go for the gold, USA! The Cutting Edge is on Tubi.

Bring It On (2000) is another favorite of mine and my sister’s. Erin was a cheerleader at our high school. I was asked but I turned down the opportunity because I was trying to do the whole emo thing. It’s probably for the best. Erin was the greatest cheerleader ever but I’m a natural-born klutz. As for the film, it’s great. Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, and Gabrielle Union all bring a lot unexpected depth to their roles. Spirit fingers! Bring It On is on Tubi.

Over the Edge (1979) is a far darker portrait of being a teenager. In a desolate Colorado “planned’ community, a group of directionless teens finally rebel while their parents are all at a meeting about what to do about their children. Young Matt Dillon is incredibly charismatic as a doomed teen. Harry Northup plays Doberman, the cop of everyone’s nightmares. The climax is violent, disturbing, and — considering how terrible the grown-ups are in this movie — totally understandable. This a powerful and ultimately sad movie. Oh, Child, things are going to get easier…. Over the Edge is on Tubi.

Lovers of conspiracy theories should be happy to know that Peter Hyams’s deliriously paranoid and enjoyably absurd Capricorn One (1977) is on Tubi! Hal Holbrook fakes a mission to Mars. Astronauts James Brolin, Sam Waterston, and OJ Simpson are considered to be expendable. OJ eats a snake! Elliott Gould investigates the case! Karen Black and Telly Savalas have bizarre cameos. Peter Hyams is a filmmaker who deserves more attention than he gets. This film is a hundred times more effective than it has any right to be and it’s on Tubi.

Finally, Gotti (2018) has a terrible reputation but I find it oddly compelling. Whether it was the director’s intention or not, the film does force us to consider how someone like John Gotti could go from being a brutal gangster to becoming an almost beloved cultural institution. (Remember Growing Up Gotti?) So, sure …. I’ll defend Gotti. It’s less a film about John Gotti and more a film about those of us watching and our fascination with gangsters. It’s most intriguing moments may be accidental but so be it. The fact that John Travolta’s Gotti gets visibly older through the film while his son always remains in his mid-20s is your first clue not to take the film literally. Gotti can be viewed on Tubi.

Click here to check out last week’s movies!

I Re-Watched Anchorman (2005, Dir. by Adam McKay)

Posted on August 2, 2025 by Dazzling Erin

“Ron Burgundy was the balls.”

You got that right! That’s one reason why I’ve lost track of the number of times that I’ve watched Anchorman. Whatever’s going on in the world or my life, I know that Anchorman is going to make me laugh and make me feel better about things. The adventures of anchorman Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and his news team (Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Steve Carell) never cease to amuse me, whether they’re capturing the birth of a panda or getting involved in a street fight with their rival newsmen.

“Brick killed a guy.”

He did! Where did Brick get a trident from? When the street fight started, he only had a hand grenade. Ron Burgundy suggests that Brick should find a safehouse and I hope Brick took his advice. There’s a lot of funny people in Anchorman but Steve Carell, playing the weatherman with an IQ under 80, is my favorite. Brick saying that he loves the lamp is so touching.

“Fare thee well, Baxter. You shall always be a friend of the bears.”

The first time I saw Anchorman, I couldn’t believe it when Baxter was drop-kicked off that bridge. I swore that I would never watch another movie featuring Jack Black! Baxter was so cute! When Ron broke down over the loss of his dog, I wanted to break down with him. Later, when Baxter emerged from the river and barked, “I’m coming, Ron!,” I was so relieved. Baxter lives! Baxter’s conversation with the bears warmed my heart.

“Stay classy, San Diego.”

That’s right, San Diego! Stay classy. Anchorman is in a class all of its own. Ron Burgundy makes beautiful music with his jazz flute. Brian Fantana is a walking advertisement for Sex Panther. Veronica Corningstone (Christine Applegate) strikes a blow for women’s liberation and teaches Ron an important lesson about teleprompters. It’s the little moments that make me laugh the most, whether it’s Fred Willard talking to his son’s school about why his son has been expelled or Tim Robbins as the PBS anchor who smokes a pipe and chops off Luke Wilson’s arm or Vince Vaughn shouting about the ratings. Best of all, Will Ferrell has never been better than as the pompous Ron Burgundy, so stupid but so committed to his job that you can’t help but love him.

“Wow, that really escalated.”

You bet it did, Ron! Each moment of Anchorman is funnier than the last. (I wish the same was true of Anchorman 2.) That’s why Anchorman is a film that I watch and rewatch. In fact, I think I’ll go watch it right now!

“Thanks for stopping by, San Diego.”

Broken Path (2008, directed by Koichi Sakamoto)

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Jedadiah Leland

Jack Ellis (Johnny Yong Bosch) spends all of his time moving from town to town, never staying long enough to make lay down permanent roots. His wife, Lisa (Pamela Walworth), finally convinces him to stop running and to move into a ranch house with her. That turns out to be a mistake because the ranch house is soon overrun by ninjas who have some sort of grudge against Jack and who appear to have lascivious intentions towards his wife.

Once the movie deals with a few talky sequences at the beginning, Broken Path becomes one long fight sequences with Jack taking on the home invaders one-by-one. The fight scenes are all exciting choreographed and appropriately brutal, with a lot of blood being spilled by both Jack and his enemies. This is not one of those martial arts film where people somehow manage to survive the most brutal of beatings without having a scratch on them. The entire home invasion plays out, more or less, in real time. This is a movie with a 70-minute fight scene. If that’s the sort of thing that you’re into, Broken Path is extremely exciting. If you want more nuance than just people fighting, this might not be the film for you.

From what I understand, Broken Path never got a proper theatrical or video release in the United States but it can be found on YouTube.

Scenes That I Love: The Underground Chaos From Skyfall

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to director Sam Mendes!

Now, it’s true that Sam Mendes won an Oscar for directing American Beauty and he probably came close to winning a second one for his work on 1917. However, my favorite Mendes film remains Skyfall. Skyfall is one of the best of the Bond films and I say this as someone who was never really a fan of Daniel Craig’s mopey interpretation of the character. Based on his previous films, Sam Mendes may not have been the first name that come to mind when people talked about someone who could make a great Bond film but, with Skyfall, he did just that.

Here, in a scene that I love, James Bond pursues Silva (Javier Bardem) through the London Underground. It’s very suspenseful, very droll, and, most importantly, very British.

Red Heat (1988, directed by Walter Hill)

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Jedadiah Leland

Ivan Danko (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a Russian who lives in Moscow. Art Ridzik (James Belushi) is an American who lives in Chicago. They have two things in common. They’re both cops and they both recently lost their partners while pursuing Russian drug lord Viktor Rostavali (Ed O’Ross). When Danko comes to Chicago to bring the recently arrested Rostavali back to Moscow, Ridzik is assigned to be his handler. When Rostavali escapes from custody, Ridzik and Danko team up to take him down.

Directed by Walter Hill, Red Heat may not be as well-remembered as some of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s other action films from the 80s but it’s still a good example of Schwarzenegger doing what Schwarzenegger did best. Danko may not have been the quip machine that Schwarzenegger usually played but the movie gets a lot of comedic mileage out of his straight-to-the-point dialogue and the culture clash that Danko, a proud Soviet, experiences in Chicago. It’s also an exciting action film, featuring a classic bus chase that perfectly complements Schwarzenegger’s bigger-than-life persona.

It gets a lot of mileage from the comedic chemistry of Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Belushi. The always-talking Belushi provides a good comic foil to the steely Schwarzenegger. Made in the waning years of the Cold War, Red Heat featured Belushi learning that the Russian cops didn’t worry about Miranda warnings and Schwarzenegger learning about “decadent” capitalism. Belushi does a good job defending the honor of America. Schwarzenegger, an anti-communist in real life, does an equally good job defending the Soviet Union. Ultimately, they put aside their differences and show that even people on opposite sides can work together.

(We all know who won ultimately won the Cold War, though.)

Walter Hill specialized in buddy action movies. Red Heat isn’t up to the level of 48 Hrs but it’s still an entertaining East-meets-West action film that packs a punch.

Guilty Pleasure No. 84: Last Action Hero (dir by John McTiernan)

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Oh, Last Action Hero.

Ever since this film was first released in 1993, it’s usually held up as an example of a Hollywood fiasco. The script was originally written to be a modest satire of action films. The screenwriters wrote the character of Jack Slater, an movie action hero who comes into the real world, for Dolph Lundgren. Instead, the film became an Arnold Schwarzenegger extravaganza and the studio ended up tossing a ton of money at it. When the film was originally released, the reviews were mixed and the box office was considered to be disappointing. (That it went up against the first Jurassic Park was definitely an underrated issue when it came to the box office.) Ever since then, The Last Action Hero has had a reputation for being a bad film.

Well, I don’t care. I like The Last Action Hero. Yes, it’s a bit overproduced for a comedy. (It breaks my own rule about how no comedy should run longer than two hours.) Yes, it gets a bit sentimental with ten year-old Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien) using a magic, golden ticket to enter the film world of his hero, Jack Slater. If you want to argue that the film should have devoted more time to and gone a bit deeper into contrasting the film world with the real world, I won’t disagree with you. But I will also say that Sylvester Stallone starring as The Terminator in Jack’s world was actually a pretty funny sight gag. Danny knowing better than to trust a character played by F. Murray Abraham made me laugh. Danny’s fantasy in which Arnold Schwarzenegger played Hamlet was made all the better by the fact that his teacher was played by Laurence Olivier’s wife, Joan Plowright. Danny DeVito as Whiskers the Cartoon Cat makes me laugh as well, even if it is perhaps a bit too bizarre of a joke for this particular film. (There’s nothing else about the Jack Slater films that would explain the presence of a cartoon cat.)

When you set aside the idea of the Last Action Hero being a symbol of Hollywood bloat and just watch it as a film, it emerges as an enjoyably goofy action movie, one that captures the joy of watching movies (because who hasn’t wanted to enter a movie’s world at some point in their life), and also one that features a rather charming performance from Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Schwarzenegger, I should add, plays both himself and Jack Slater. One of my favorite jokes is when the real Schwarzenegger is at a premiere and he mistakes the evil Ripper for Tom Noonan, the actor who played him in the previous Jack Slater film.) Yeah, the golden ticket is a little bit hokey but who cares? Underneath all of the special effects and action and money spent on star salaries, Last Action Hero is an action movie and comedy with a heart. Danny meets his hero but also gets to become a hero himself. And Jack Slater turns out to be everything you would hope your movie hero would be. In the end, it’s obvious that a lot of the criticism of this film has more to do with the appeal of riding the bandwagon as opposed to what actually happens on screen.

Last Action Hero is a movie that I’ll happily defend.