Rating: 
Summary: Terrible; Even Arnie's Humor Absent
Review: Arnold could not afford to lose his sense of humor in his acting roles because of his extremely limited range of acting ability. Unfortunately, that is exactly what he does here. He also needs the directing talent of that action wunderking James Cameron, with whom he did his best work. Andrew Davis is no Cameron. Arnold also is too old for this genre. If is going to continue to act, he is going to have to try some other kinds of roles or be the "senior" with a younger actor as an action duo. These are all big problems but the biggest of all is the stupidest, most implausible script imaginable. I don't mean the beginning of the film where there is a terrorist act to launch the movie into overdrive. We all know that is plausible. No, I mean Arnie's going to Columbia to take on the terrorist man-to-man and, incredibly enough, the terrorist's wife and child as a potential new love and family interest. This movie just gets worse and worse with every passing minute. Hubby hated it too.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than most of what Hollywood puts out.
Review: So many movies seem to have pretty people and music but not much plot, Collateral Damage is different. I thought the part about a terrorist strike in the U.S. was pretty well done, as was Brewer's reaction to seeing his 'family' killed. The behavior of our government all through the movie also struck me as being just the way the politicians (and CIA field types) would behave. I did like the way the FBI agent seemed more supportive to Brewer, some guys really would be that way. I do think that our hero's preparations for his trip to Columbia (what was he going to do down there, beat the guy to death with his bare hands?)could've been better and most of the Columbian action seemed pretty silly to me. Brewer keeps stumbling and falling around, most of us would, but the unlikely part is the way he keeps getting beatings that would surely break or at least crack some bones. I actually did't mind that the good guy never touched a gun, he sure made a mess of things with his improvised devices. The back in the U.S. action scenes had a couple of surprises and I thought seemed more believable to me, no impossible beatings but a lot of pretty sensible action. This is the first Schwarzenegger as an American movie that I've seen that doesn't ignore his still obvious Austrian accent, there's a joke or two about that in the story. I wouldn't mind watching this one again.
Rating: 
Summary: Basic premise fails
Review: The dvd comments by the director come dangerously close to using the moral equivalence argument (for example seen nightly on CNN as spun by various Palestinian apologists to justify the PLO's latest bus,cafe or mall bombings) by suggesting at one point that "collateral damage" simply means civilians casualties as a byproduct of acts of "WAR". Conveneniently left out is the critical difference between civilians intentionally TARGETED vs lawful acts of self defense by a sovereign power TARGETING SOLDIERS OR "MILITANTS" when civilians inadvertently are killed.Except for one clever twist,the plot here is very weak, and the movie lacks even the usual one liners - for example something from Arnold example when the main villian dies. He in fact is silent, perhaps more realistic, but not what one expects from a typical Schaznegger movie. Biggest problem is Arnold is really not Arnold at all, and spends a good portion of the movie huffing and puffing - basically as the script calls for The typical viewer will not feel satified with the final outcome, the way for example one would in some of Steven Seagal's better revenge films. Scharznegger is too much fireman and too little Arnold - and this a relatively unexciting plot
Rating:
Summary: Run of the mill action thriller
Review: Arnold hasn't had a great film since True Lies, and though Collateral Damage is better then many of his recent films, it still isn't much of a return to form for him. The plot about terrorist attacks is timely enough in a post 9-11 nation, and the action is well done, but there aren't many big "heart in your throat" action scenes like in True Lies. Much of the film becomes clichéd and unbelievably silly at times. Of course, the plot of a firefighter going down to Columbia alone to kill a terrorist for the death of his wife and son screams "yeah right" from the start. So if you don't have a problem with that, the rest should sit fine with you too. The film starts out somewhat uninteresting after the terrorist bombing, as Arnold struggles with the death of his family, but picks up a bit when he arrives in Columbia. But the truly great moments of the film arrive with the small parts for actors John Tutturo and John Leguizamo. In both of their roles, the bar has been raised for their acting ranges. I only wish they could have had larger roles, the whole film would have been much more enjoyable. Once their screen time is over, we still have half the film to go, and it's lackluster at best. Worthy of a one-time rental, especially for the small roles of Tutturo and Leguizamo. Just don't expect too much.
Rating:
Summary: The lousiest Schwarzenegger story I have ever seen
Review: This is the lousiest Schwarzenegger story I have ever seen aside from The Last Action Hero. It doesn't make sense why a fireman ended up having a connection with CIA, FBI, and finally went to the enemy camp in search for the villain. This story could have been more interesting if he wasn't a fireman. I also don't understand why and how a bomb was placed in a toy and later on leave her own child in the bomb scene just because the child didn't want to go to the rest room.....I want my money back!!
Rating:
Summary: Arnie's back
Review: After watching this movie, I can see and totally understand why it's release was put off for so long.
Within the first 15 minutes of the film, there is a terrorist attack and lives are lost. Families are torn apart by tragedy.
Gordy Brewer, Arnie's character, is seriously effected by this violent manuever, and must get revenge. I got really angry and was on the verge of tears knowing their are a lot of people out there who have lost loved ones, and Hollywood made this movie. It really didn't do much for me except bring up those awful memories of 9/11, and that was not a good thing.....
For an action film, there wasn't a lot of action going on. Don't recommend....
Rating:
Summary: Arnold grunts his way out of our hearts
Review: This was, without a doubt, the worst Arnold film ever. The only part I liked was I went to use the restroom and didn't have to watch/hear him say "Aaaagh!" every five seconds. The plot is thin and senesless. Acting is cardboard. If I had a copy of this tripe I would pay someone to take it off my hands.
Rating: 
Summary: Over-reaching
Review: I rented Collateral Damage prepared to be entertained. I don't think that anyone has ever claimed the Arnold movies are anything other than mindless entertainment combined with sophisticated pyrotechnics. Which is fine - I can get with that. Unfortunately, Collateral Damage just tries too hard to be better than what it is. I could see the gimmicky plot twists coming from a mile off! Because I knew what was going to happen, it really deflated the ending. That combined with the low-grade special effects, which looked very fake at times, stunk. On the upside, Arnold's performance was fairly on par and entertaining enough. The beginning of the movie was probably the most interesting part, showing his grief and rage at a system that considered his family's life inconsequential in the face of larger politics. Too bad that the movie couldn't sustain that level of interest throughout.
Rating:
Summary: Arnold might be a nice guy but,,,,
Review: I find it funny that no one has ever heard of the team "Collateral Damage" until Timothy McVeigh use it, then Hollywood in all it's wisedom uses it to made a movie. I think Arnold is a nice guy. He's worked very hard getting to where he is but he's no actor. He's good in the blow-them-up type of stuff, but if you want to see a movie with a story or with some substance this isn't the one to see.I give the movie credit for sound and the physical indurance of Arnold, but i rather be getting a route-canal.
Rating:
Summary: Where Is Jamie Lee Curits When You Really Need Her?
Review: Arnold, if you're listening, you still have the muscle to make movies. What you don't have is the writing. This is a ninety minute Mexican travelogue with a twenty minute action flick attached. This film could have been dynamite. The characters are right, the action is solid and the subplot is chilling. But the long forestory just slows the film down to a snail's pace. This film needs a drastic rewrite. Buy True Lies and let this one wait until it gets recut.
| 
