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True Lies

True Lies

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $11.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A great action film.
Review: Easily one of the best action movies ever made. If you haven't seen it, see it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of Arnold's best
Review: Even Tom Arnold is good in this movie, and that's saying alot. Jamie Lee Curtis steals the show, but Arnold is great as the butt kicking spy. Amazingly they even have Middle Eastern terrorists as the bad guys...who would have ever thought of that? Most movies these days stay so far away from that subject they can get downright comical in their efforts to find a bad guy.

This is just a plain fun movie. Bad guys, stuff blowing up, hero dad saves the day. Great for a Saturday evening to get a few laughs and relax.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A lot of fun - over the top action with humor & drama
Review: True Lies is an action romp with several story lines that flow into each other for the big climax. Harry (Arnold) and Helen (Jamie Lee) are in a stereotypical middle-class marriage where the husband is totally career focused and because he is "successful" he thinks all is well at home. Helen is bored and miserable because she feels invisible to her husband. Their daughter Dana (Eliza Dushku - Faith from Buffy) is alienated from them both and headed down a very bad path.

Harry has a secret life as a spy for a super secret government organization. His partner is Albert (Tom Arnold in his best role / performance anywhere) and they are closer to each other than to anyone else in their lives as they travel the world saving us all from the bad guys.

The terrorism they are battling could have been ripped from today's headlines. However, I doubt such a film could be made today because of political sensitivities. I was surprised how much of it held up.

But this film is about fun more than drama. The action is exciting, but preposterous and the scale of the action crescendos toward the final ridiculous aspect of Harry flying a Harrier jet while saving his daughter, fighting the big bad guy and fending off an attacking helicopter all at the same time. Another problem, a small one for this kind of action film, is the endless weapons fire focused at the heroes to no effect, while Helen can simply drop a machine pistol down the stairs and wipe out a platoon. It is a delightful seen, however. If you can suspend disbelief for this, the movie can be a lot of fun.

Many have called the film misogynistic, and I suppose you can see some of that in the film. But Bill Paxton's wonderful performance as the sleazebag Simon is easily the most despised person in the film and he is a male.

There are other find performances in the film. Faisal, played wonderfully by Grant Heslov (we should see more of him), is a terrific character who holds a lot of the story line together even though his role isn't that large. And Tia Carrere as the mercenary art dealer Juno is simply one of the best things in the movie. Art Malik is great as the villain Salim Abu Aziz. Mr. Malik provides the right kind of energy for such an over the top film. He provides the kind of passionate megalomania that makes all the fighting seem appropriate.

With all the sub-plots weaving in and out, the humor, and the fine performances, I think this is one of Arnold Schwartzenegger's best films. And I thought his pairing with Tom Arnold was great. Too bad we never saw them together again.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Last Line of Defense
Review: A conservatism film staring Carlton Heston as Spencer Trilby. Heston send out his tango loving agents to protect the U.S. from terrorists. Harry (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is one of their best. His family thinks he is an innocuous computer salesman.

Sometime he horses around with the bad guys. At other times he is a little flighty.
Harry has to watch the "Sand Spider" (Art Malik.)

The wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) being a little board finds satisfaction in helping a dubious Simon (Bill Paxton.)

What would Harry do if he knew the truth about Simon?
How would Helen react if she found out the truth about Harry?
What if the "Sand Spider" found out about Harry's daughter?
Is the world safer?

Tom Arnold is so helpful with his "one liners."


Rating: 4 stars
Summary: James (Cameron) does James (Bond)
Review: I officially love this movie. It's my favourite Arnie film ever, plus it has a very young Eliza Dushku in one of her first starring roles. However, I am disappointed to discover, after getting the region 2 version, that it was cut for UK viewers, in order to make it a 15 certificate, and making it 135 minutes long. I could only spot one scene that had been cut, and that's because it was done so badly. (I can spot stuff that's been added in, but I'm hopeless at spotting stuff that's been taken out, unless I'm looking for it) The scene I spotted was just after Arnie gets given the truth drug.

This movie is full of memorable and infamous scenes, including Jamie Lee Curtis' stripping scene, the beginning scenes, the finale (although heavily CGI-d by the looks of it!), Jamie & Tia Carrere (Juno Skinner) fighting in the limo and put it this way, Men In Black & the Matrix (heavily) ripped this movie off. A lot of this is what you see in the Matrix. Tom Arnold is terrific, especially when he's trying to get to Arnie in the van, and skidding about on the ice! ("It's called ice and it gets a little slick.") OK, you have to see it, but when he sees Dana (Eliza) with a motorbike helmet and says to her: "Yeah, I remember the first time I got shot out of a cannon." Or: "You know what? I'm sick of being in the van. You guys are going to be in the van next time. I've been in the van for 15 years, Harry."

When Arnie rescues wife Jamie Lee Curtis from an airborne chopper, he grasps her by her arm just as the chopper heads out over the water. The woman you see dangling below the chopper skid is no body double, but Curtis doing her very own stunt work. At her insistence, director James Cameron agreed to let her perform this scary spectacle.

I absolutely LOVE how Arnie can laugh at himself, bringing out his infamous lines ("You're fired"), and doing everything but winking at the camera. One of his best moments in this is when he's at the urinal and he starts whistling "Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music. He also learned how to land and take off a Harrier Jet for the climax of the film.

The place where Helen meets Simon at night is the 6th street bridge, the location used in Terminator 2: Judgment Day when we are introduced to the T-1000.

Bill Paxton is absolutely hilarious as the used car salesman, who's fantasy world quickly becomes reality. You can't help but laugh at this guy when he comes on screen.

My only quibble about this movie? The finale. Although it's great, yadeyadeyada, it's so very much not real, and way too over the top! The only thing that tries to save it is Eliza Dushku, getting in some practice for Tru Calling.

As one of my favourite Arnie movies, I command you to watch this. It's brilliant!!! And I'm sure there's a few guys out there of a certain age, who discovered the, er, joys of older women while watching it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The most perfect movie casting I have ever seen in my life!!
Review: Sure, Bruce Willis is my favorite actor in action movies, but there is something very special about True Lies. This movie is simply brilliant, start to finish. I have never seen a movie with a supporting cast that was so perfectly put together in my life. Arnold is great, we all know that. Jamie Lee Curtis was the perfect choice for the female lead. What a brilliant job she does. Tom Arnold? Whoever cast him also deserves a medal. He is brilliant and the best at keeping the comedy and one-liners coming. Bill Paxton also turned out an unforgettable performance as the sleazy used car salesman. Tia Carrere was great too. This movie was perfect from start to finish. My only complaint is, where are the extras? They need more than a trailer to accompany this steller movie, like a featurette, behind the scenes look, how the stunts were done, interviews with the cast/crew. Seeings how this is Arnolds best movie, and BY FAR the best thing that ever happened to the careers of Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Arnold, I would think they would be jumping at the chance to do new interviews for this release. They should come out with a Special Collectors Edition of this DVD, because this movie is a modern day classic if there ever was one.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Arnold's best movie
Review: True Lies is probably Arnold Schwatzenegger's best movie (the other candidate might be Total Recall). The overall story is nothing original, but there are a lot of funny, light-hearted moments and it's an entertaining movie to watch. The Arnold is actually likeable in this film, although the other Arnold (Tom Arnold) is quite annoying. Tia Carrere is gorgeous. There's just a lot of action and comedy in this 1994 production. This is a movie I've watched and will watch again many times.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Ridiculous but very, very fun
Review: The thing to remember about "True Lies" is that you can't take is seriously. With movies like this, you simply have to sit back and enjoy its implausibility.
Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Harry Tasker, an agent working for a top-secret government organization called The Omega Sector. His parter Gib (Tom Arnold) is pretty much a slacker and exists only to provide comic relief. Harry's wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) and teenage daughter (Eliza Dushku) think he is a boring computer salesman.
Events occur in which Harry must prevent an Islamic terrorist (Art Malik) from detonating a nuclear bomb on U.S. soil. And, of course, Helen and his daughter become involved.
Schwarzenegger is very good in this movie. Tom Arnold's character was hilarious, if not pointless. Curtis excelled as Helen, but the villain was pretty forgetful. Bill Paxton's subplot, while not having much to do with the actual story, was very entertaining.
The best thing about "True Lies" was the action setpieces. From the opening escape to the climatic showdown in a Harrier jet, the action scenes were SPECTACULAR. James Cameron always incorporates eye-popping special effects into his films, and this movie is no exception. The effects got an Oscar nomination, ultimately loosing to "Forrest Gump."
"True Lies" is a wildly entertaining action movie. I recommend it. Sure, it may be unbelievable, but how many films really are believable? Not many.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Action and humour in great doses
Review: Schwrzenegger laughs at Schwarzenegger (and Jamie Lee Curtis laughs at Rambo). It is surprising when you look at the paralelism with this movie and "Demolition Man". Stallone laughs at Stallone and Sandra Bullock laughs at Schwarzenegger. I'm refering to two scenes of both pictures: in the first, Jamie Lee Curtis says she is married to Rambo and in the second Sandra Bullock tells Spartan Arnold is the President of the United States.

Besides this, the film is a acidous criticism of all action movies. How can you do this? By abusing of action scenes. The summum is when Helen (J.L. Curtis) throws a gun down the stairs and it begins to roll and shoot killing more than 20. It is deliciously ridiculous!

More than the plot, which is really enjoyable, the gags are in every part of the film but one of the best is the scene in which Harry (A. Schwarzenegger) dances with Helen. Sorry, he doesn't dance: he intends to move his body in a way he almost follows the rhythm of music.

Arnold and Jamie make a good acting part. Not considering Schwarzenegger an actor, in this movie he makes his best performance ever, which reminds me at "Kindergarten Cop". Personally it is more enjoyable to watch him in comedy films ("Twins", "Junior"), than in pure action films ("Predator", "Terminator"). But in this one you get the best of both.

It is a good way to spend the afternoon. Go for it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great film--no lies here . . .
Review: The Amazon write up for this film implies Cameron doesn't like women. But Jamie Lee Curtis does look to be having fun. Yes, us men are going ga-ga for her as she is exploited. But (a) she raked in a heap of money (b) her stunning body has been immortalized in film and (c) how many women can claim to have turned on so many men at the same time with so little effort? (Hint: Curtis may very well be an alpha-female. Maybe and ENTJ.) The action sequences in this film, as in all Cameron films, have a serious true-to-life feel. Arnold may very well be a psychopath as he slaughters deranged terrorist after deranged terrorist utterly without remorse or even blinking an eye. But the way it's done you really get the feeling that the violence is essential to the story and had to be done this way. (Again, unlike Sum of All Fears, which is a major letdown once you know anything about plotting. Why is the leader of The Greatest Nation on Earth not levelheaded? The story's suspense derives entirely from the US President acting like a nincompoop. Which speaks well neither towards Clancy the democrat nor Clancy the patriot.) Which is why Cameron is better than Sam Peckinpah, who filmed Tarkovsky-like action sequences that often seemed out of place.
There's also enough gadgetry in this film to keep the editors of Maxim busy for at least a year. The subbasement of the building Arnold and co-star Tom Arnold work in is a standout true geek heaven. Cameron really delivers the goods.


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