It is easy to pick apart this movie but you have to appreciate the efforts made to present both parody and "camp" on a constant flow. Now that "Black Knight" is about to come out you can see the future in the Hamlet parody. The LAPD HQ scenes are worth the price of the rental: Sharon Stone "Smoking" outside, the liquid steel terminator walking by, valet parking, "roll call" where cops are partnered with Bogart or a talking cat, the cop babes in leather and vinyl, and Frank McRae's great performance as the "love ya - hate ya" lieutenant (his best work since Used Cars). The idea that there are no ugly girls because it is a movie (no, it's California) was similar to "A Little Sex's" scenes where Tim Mathieson sees only beautiful women when he is in a relationship and couples after splitting up. Critics and wags don't decry that. The movie also points out the hollow and unfulfilled life of an action cop that has nothing meaningful but action. Many commentators complain about the kid being annoying - Hah! All 12 year olds are annoying - get used to it. There is also the intricate nature of the Film Premiere (trivia: Giant Inflatable Jack Slater at premiere has a badge in his hand but formerly had a stick of dynamite but a bombing that occurred about that time and got replaced)with many cameos and great interaction from Maria Shriver. ****Spoiler Follows***** And this film takes a sudden and scary dark turn when the kid is threatened with death (just as Slater's fictional son) and narrowly escapes. I'm just sensitive to kid-death stuff. But this is off-set by bright spots of the biologically perfect daughter, star roles and cameos and the excellent Mercedes Ruehl who I would pay to read the NYC phonebook to me. Take this for what it is, look for the constant stream of little digs and send-ups and enjoy the show!
Review of Last Action Hero
