Commando

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Commando

R

1985

1h 30m

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

38 Reviews

68%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Retired Special Forces soldier John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) lives with daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) in isolation, but his privacy is disturbed by former commander Franklin Kirby (James Olson), who warns him that his fellow soldiers are getting killed one by one. After Kirby leaves, Jenny is kidnapped by former Latin American dictator Arius (Dan Hedaya), who wants Matrix to restore him to power. Instead, Matrix sets out to take down the rogue leader and rescue his daughter.

Critics Consensus

The ultimate '80s Schwarzenegger movie, replete with a threadbare plot, outsized action, and endless one-liners.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

09/18/2007

Comic book stuff, helped out by the presence of Rae Dawn Chong as an airline stewardess whose sarcastic commentary adds some comic counterpoint to the deliberately overscaled action.

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Variety Staff

Variety

09/18/2007

Chong lights up the film like a firefly, Schwarzenegger delivers a certain light touch of his own, [and] the result is palatable action comics.

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Trevor Johnston

Time Out

06/24/2006

Lots of machine-gunfire, explosions and disposable khaki-clad extras, as you'd expect.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jun 9

4/5

...there’s no real surprises as to how John Matrix’s mission goes in Commando, but there’s are high-points for sure...what’s notable here apart from the slick action is the comedy, which replaced the toughness in the star’s later vehicles...

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Don Shanahan

Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast

11/16/2024

Editing in action movies is underrated and this one is some of best and tightest you'll find.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

07/06/2022

6/10

As an action film, it decently collects a handful of clichés for Schwarzenegger to do his thing by arming himself with machine guns and one-liners, but somehow the adrenaline decreases with each body count. [Full review in Spanish]

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom 1d

Commando is one of those action movies that is half mid and half best, but that mix is also part of its charm. On one hand, the story is very simple, the dialogue is cheesy, and a lot of it plays like pure 80s excess. On the other hand, that same over-the-top style is what makes it so entertaining. Arnold Schwarzenegger is perfect for this kind of movie, bringing the kind of larger-than-life presence the role needs. The action is fast, loud, and ridiculous in the best way, with plenty of memorable one-liners and nonstop energy. It never pretends to be realistic, and that helps it work as a fun popcorn action film. Overall, Commando is not a deep or polished movie, but it is very watchable and very enjoyable if you are in the mood for pure action nonsense. A solid 7/10.

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Jorge A

@RT50429328 Apr 9

Cheesy and over the top, but that's exactly what it wants to be and it delivers. Story has some plot holes and Rae Dawn performance can be a little annoying sometimes, but none of those ruin an otherwise fun movie. One of Arnold Schwarzenegger best films.

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Chris R

@christr77 Apr 5

I was about 8 or 9 when I first saw this. Definitely too young, but that’s Gen-X for you. Honestly, it feels more geared toward kids despite the R rating. It’s over-the-top, silly, and packed with juvenile humor, but that’s part of the charm. Pure, cheesy Arnold Schwarzenegger ’80s fun.

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Christopher M.

@ChristopherM1111 Nov 18

Loved it!!! Over the top action is my favorite

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Maksim S

@MaksimusMovies Nov 2

Pure Cheese, Pure Arnold. Commando is unapologetically ridiculous — explosions, one-liners, and over-the-top action pile up in ways that defy logic. The plot makes little sense, the villains are cartoonish, and the scenarios are laughably unrealistic. Yet Arnold Schwarzenegger elevates the chaos with his unmatched charisma and sheer physical presence. Every cheesy line lands with conviction, and his relentless badassery makes it hard not to be entertained. Unrealistic? Absolutely. Fun? Undeniably. Commando is a guilty pleasure powered entirely by Arnold’s larger-than-life persona.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown Sep 20

Schwarz is retired but as buff as ever. Horrible one liners and really bad explosions and gun scenes make one big 80s blast.

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Mark L. Lester

Director

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Colonel John Matrix

Rae Dawn Chong

Cindy

Dan Hedaya

Arius

Vernon Wells

Bennett

David Patrick Kelly

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Synopsis

Retired Special Forces soldier John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) lives with daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) in isolation, but his privacy is disturbed by former commander Franklin Kirby (James Olson), who warns him that his fellow soldiers are getting killed one by one. After Kirby leaves, Jenny is kidnapped by former Latin American dictator Arius (Dan Hedaya), who wants Matrix to restore him to power. Instead, Matrix sets out to take down the rogue leader and rescue his daughter.

Director: Mark L. Lester
Producer: Joel Silver
Screenwriter: Matthew Weisman, Jeph Loeb, Steven E. de Souza, Steven E. de Souza
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Silver Pictures, SLM Production Group, Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 4, 1985, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.9M
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby A, Dolby SR, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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