Rating: 
Summary: SMOKE SCREEN
Review: Arnold Schwarzenegger is starting to show his age, as evidenced in this below average Arnie film. In an attempt to rely more on his thespian abilities than his massive brawn, Arnold plays a fireman who loses his wife and son in a terrorist bomb attack. The range of emotions he is required to exhibit demonstrate the Austrian's limitations. Granted, he's a much better actor than he was years ago, but he cannot truly convince us that he is the character he plays. Of the supporting cast, only Elias Koteas as the CIA rogue, displays any true acting abilities. Francesa Neri as the Wolf's wife comes close, but she telegraphs a key plot twist early on. Cliff Curtis as the Wolf is stock nasty hero and the movie's message that terrorism vs. terrorism tactics is not the humane thing. There are a couple of nasty scenes involving a snake and Arnold's mandibular strength. The movie slows down somewhat in the Colombian sequence, but the climax in DC is appropriately tense and exciting.Certainly not one of Arnold's best, but somewhat entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: you get exactly what you expect with this one
Review: A film by Andrew Davis "Collateral Damage" was originally supposed to be released in September or October of 2001. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a movie about terrorism on US soil would be seen as insensitive and inappropriate, but it would also have been a bad business decision. It seemed that this movie was marred by the taint of association. It was also marred by the fact that it was a fairly ordinary movie. Gordy Brewer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a New York City firefighter. His wife and son are killed in a terrorist attack and Brewer just happened to get a look at the man believed to be the terrorist. The terrorist who pulled off the attack is a Columbian known only as The Wolf (Cliff Curtis). The Wolf's agenda has to do with getting the Americans (and their interests) out of his country. Unfortunately, other than agent Peter Brandt (Elias Koteas), the intended target of the attack, nobody in the government is willing to pursue the Wolf in his own country. In fact, Brandt is being pulled off the case and reassigned. Brewer decides to take matters into his own hands and finds a way into Columbia and starts to track down The Wolf. Have you seen Arnold's other action movies? Are you a fan of the genre? If so, you know exactly how this movie will play out. If you like these kind of movies, you'll like this one. "Collateral Damage" has its moments, and when Arnold actually gets to Columbia, the movie is at its most interesting (despite being at its most implausible). This is simply an average movie. It's not particularly awful, but neither is it very good.
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