Commando (1985)

A retired Special Forces colonel tries to save his daughter, who was abducted by his former subordinate.

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Jeph Loeb (story) (as Joseph Loeb III), 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
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:

female nudity | bare breasts | kidnapped daughter | one man army | body count | 

---

Taglines:

If there's a mission that no man could survive...then *he's* the man for the job.

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Commando

Filming Locations:

Harold Lloyd's Greenacres Estate - 1740 Green Acres Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,700,015, 6 October 1985

Gross USA:

$35,100,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$57,491,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

SLM Production Group, Silver Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

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

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (4 channels)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is director Mark L. Lester's favorite movie of his own.

---

Goofs

When Matrix tells Cooke that "I eat Green Berets for breakfast" you never see his lips move when he says "But right now I'm very hungry."

---

Quotes

Diaz: Mellow out man. We can't talk business with you waving guns in people's faces. Your daughter is safe, Colonel. Now whether she stays that way is up to you. My people, they got some business with you. And if you want your kid back, then you gotta cooperate, right?
John Matrix: Wrong.
[shoots Diaz between the eyes]

---

Alternate Versions

On several US TV versions of the film, the garden shed shootout scene only shows one soldier shooting the shed instead of the large group of soldiers as in original version.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Expendables 3 (2014)

---

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

Probably the best action film.

Commando is in my mind the best action film out there to date, this movie was made 14 years ago and no other film can push it out of first position.

The film got everything: a great looking Arnold, extremely fine music by James Horner and great settings for the action scenes. It`s a great ride of perfection when it comes to entertaining action fans. Rae Dawn Chong and Alyssa Milano gives fine performances as well.