It is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best films and also one of his biggest failures: a fantastic tribute to show cinema that turns 30

It’s not always fair to actors’ attempts to surprise or further the kind of movies they dominate. He likes to point out when a star stagnates, but the truth is that sometimes the risks are expensive. Even if the result is to be more than proud, and ends becoming a cult object over time and by other means.

This is the case of one of the biggest failures in the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the great star who dominated the action in all possible aspects, from science fiction to comedy. Although his attempt to celebrate it was met with indifference, as much as he tried to one of the best films of his career. We are talking, of course, about ‘The Last Great Hero’.

long live action movies

This great blockbuster of action, comedy and fantasy celebrates 30 years of its theatrical release, which was not lucky. In its opening weekend it fell behind the phenomenon of the year, ‘Jurassic Park’, and only scratched 50 million in domestic sales, well below its inflated budget of 85 million. The disappointment is one of the biggest disappointments Arnie has experienced in his career, but the domestic market and the streaming on platforms like Filmin they have kept it as the classic that it is.

Here we meet a young teenage fan Jack Slater, the greatest action movie hero who is played by a fictional version of Schwarzenegger in the film. At his favorite movie theater, he is given the chance to see Slater’s next movie, but thanks to a magical golden ticket he is introduced to the violent and explosive world of this cop who lives on the edge. Cinema and reality collide due to the action of this magical elementsomething that the villain on duty in the tape will want to take advantage of.

‘The Last Great Hero’ makes through this character, built around Arnold’s typical characters, a celebration of the frenetic, beastly kind of spectacle that was dominating Hollywood at that time. Two veterans of action and comedy cinema, director John McTiernan and screenwriter Shane Black come together in the best possible way to sing the virtues of these mass phenomena.

‘The last great hero’: intelligent and adrenaline entertainment

With plenty of self-awareness, balancing a love of showmanship and parody of darts thrown at Hollywood (including a Schwarzenegger unafraid to laugh a little at himself), the film offers intelligent as well as adrenaline-pumping entertainment. Also familiar even when explosive, since there are not a few who found this film in its infancy through the home format and the video store, being completely fascinated with her.

Even as a character that makes a bit of fun of the kind of heroes he plays, here Schwarzenegger finds a perfect shoe for him. He can overflow with charisma and physical action, as well as hilarious dialogues, giving perfect dynamism to an amazing film. That he didn’t also become a phenomenon is a pity, because such a funny and thought provoking movie it should not be accompanied by the bittersweet asterisk of failure.

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