Commando (1985)

A retired elite Black Ops Commando launches a one man war against a group of South American criminals who have kidnapped his daughter to blackmail him into starting a revolution and getting an exiled dictator back into power.

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Jeph Loeb (story), Matthew Weisman (story),

Stars:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Dan Hedaya

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	John Matrix
Rae Dawn Chong	...	Cindy
Dan Hedaya	...	Arius
Vernon Wells	...	Bennett
James Olson	...	Major General Franklin Kirby
David Patrick Kelly	...	Sully
Alyssa Milano	...	Jenny Matrix
Bill Duke	...	Cooke
Drew Snyder	...	Lawson
Sharon Wyatt	...	Leslie
Michael Delano	...	Forrestal (as Michael DeLano)
Bob Minor	...	Jackson
Michael Adams	...	Harris (as Mike Adams)
Gary Carlos Cervantes	...	Diaz (as Carlos Cervantes)
Lenny Juliano	...	Soldier

Storyline

A retired special agent named John Matrix led an elite unit and has left the armed forces to live in a secluded mountain home with his daughter Jenny. But now he is forced out of retirement when his daughter is kidnapped by a band of thugs intent on revenge! Unbeknownst to Matrix, the members of his former unit are being killed one by one. Even though Matrix' friend General Franklin Kirby gives Matrix armed guards, attackers manage to kidnap Matrix and Jenny. Matrix learns that Bennett, a former member of his Matrix' unit who was presumed dead has kidnapped him to try to force Matrix to do a political assassination for a man called Arius (who calls himself El Presidente), a warlord formerly bested by Matrix who wishes to lead a military coup in his home country. Since Arius will have Jenny killed if Matrix refuses, Matrix reluctantly accepts the demand.

---

Plot Keywords:

dictator | airplane | general | rescue | commando | 

---

Taglines:

Somewhere... somehow... someone's going to pay

---

Genres:

Action | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Comando

Filming Locations:

Channel Islands, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

SLM Production Group, Silver Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 92 min (director's cut) 75 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John McTiernan was offered the chance to direct this film, and turned it down. Later, while editing Nomads, his feature debut, he was offered the chance to direct Arnold Schwarzenegger's second film for 20th Century Fox, Predator, which he accepted.

---

Goofs

When Matrix is raiding the surplus store, and enters the hidden room full of guns, he grabs the rocket launcher off the wall and hands it to Cindy. After he says "Go!" and she leaves the room with the rocket launcher, the next shot of Matrix shows it hanging on the wall again.

---

Quotes

Soldier: Slitting a little girl's throat is like cutting warm butter.
Bennett: Put the knife away and shut your mouth.

---

Connections

Referenced in Robot Chicken: Shoe (2007)

---

Soundtracks

"WE FIGHT FOR LOVE"
Music by Andy Taylor
Lyrics by Michael Des Barres
Performed by Power Station
Produced by Bernard Edwards and Andy Taylor
Courtesy of Capitol-EMI Records

User Reviews

Bad Plot, senseless killing, Arnold's at his worst: I like it!

Arnold, what can you say? He was so awful, yet so incredibly lovable in this terrific action film. Commando is a film I have watched since I was a little girl, it was actually released the year I was born, so I feel old now. :D But this film meant a lot to me because it was mine and my dad's film, of course, he covered my eyes during some certain unnecessary sex scenes, but we always got a kick out of the great screen play. The lines and action in Commando makes it a great and fun film to watch.

It's about a man, Matrix, played by Arnold, his daughter, played by a very young Alyssa Malono, is kidnapped by terrorists, in particular a dictator who Matrix managed to keep from destroying a country. They give Matrix a chance to save his daughter, by killing the leader of the country the dictator was trying to destroy, since Matrix was so trusted by their leader, it'll make it more controversial. But Matrix has other plans and escapes the airplane, he has 17 hours to save his daughter and kidnaps a sassy flight attendant. But she ends up wanting to help Matrix once she finds out that his daughter is kidnapped, together they work to get back to the dictator's house and save his daughter.

The great thing about this film is that Arnold goes though at least 60 extras who are all shooting at him, they miss him and he kills them all. But it's just fun to watch, as unrealistic as it is. My favorite line in Commando is when Matrix is about to throw Sully over a cliff and says "Remember Sully when I said I'd kill you last?" "That's right, Matrix! You did!" "I lied!" LOL! That was such a great scene. Commando is a great action film that anyone could at least get a good kick out of.

10/10