Too much of everything

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Captivating movie !

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

"True Lies" stands the test of time as being one of the most well-crafted action films ever made. Director James Cameron lets in on his signature traits by adding suspense and comedy while trying to appease to fans who are aficionados of differing genres. With a very humorous background, this story doesn't just depend on stunts, explosives, dynamic fighting scenes, strong female fighters and secret agent gadgets, it also provides strong character development, caring characters and brilliant performances. This is one of the best action film from the 1990's.The opening scene which has a similar setting to that of James Bond proceeds in Switzerland where black operative Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) rises out of a pond while he removes his wetsuit only to discover that he is wearing a tuxedo underneath it. After becoming suspicious of antiques dealer Juno Skinner (Tia Carrere), Tasker along with his cohorts Albert Gibson (Tom Arnold) and Faisal (Grant Heslov) he continues on his dangerous initiative to search for a Palestinian Group known as the Crimson Jihad. This opening scene was really well executed mainly to the scintillating score from Cameron regular Brad Fiedel. This is awesome because most opening scenes in a lot of movies start that way often.The film then goes what feels like a different direction, but still pulled off effectively. We come to his wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) who works at a rather generic job at an office and only sporadically ever sees her husband, who she believes is due an equally unexciting job as a computer software salesperson. When really he has a much cooler and more dangerous job than that.When Harry assumes that Helen has been promiscuous behind his back with an esoteric spy named Simon (Bill Paxton), Harry tries to use his secret agent persuasion to get her back into his life. In a brilliant comical scheme to push aside the mayhem, as Gibson conjures up a very difficult task against the untrustworthy car salesperson. While this is happening, the Crimson Jihad are planning on igniting nuclear warhead on America as where Harry's professional life is just as much in danger with his personal life.Much like "The Terminator" films, where Schwarzenegger's physique is to better use than his acting capabilities, few films require him don his limited acting chops. But still he was successfully able to amount enough chemistry from his co-star Jamie Lee Curtis who delivered a very courageous and endearing performance enough to get a Golden Globe nod and from Tom Arnold who was able to stand up to Schwarzenegger's more macho scenes. Many kudos to Cameron who wrote a splendid adaptation of the French film "La Totale!" which had some surreal moments of slapstick into the heart-pounding action this film delivers.The stunts and the explosions are well executed and shows Cameron's inner child for his love over-the-top thrills. Highly intense shootouts are adrenaline pumping scenes, but the motorcycle chase through the Marriott is one of the most memorable scenes in cinematic history. That along with the cat fight that leads up to an exhilarating car chase. If that's not enough to keep you glued it comes complete with grenades, flamethrowers and missiles. Though it's sound cliché, but the bad guys have what they got coming to them and Schwarzenegger can truly deliver. Sure there are some flaws where you must ignore from logic, but it's got plenty of action, buddy-cop moments, marital reparations, terrorist plotting and a recurring thematic tango. It's the ultimate film that's both a guilty a pleasure and an exciting thrill-ride.

Arnold and Jamie Lee Curtis are a good combination in this big time action comedy about a secret agent who keeps his occupation a secret from his wife. Turns out Arnold's bored wife is looking for some action in her life, and through a series of circumstances both Arnold and Jamie Lee wind up fighting for their lives against a group of Arab terrorists who plan to blow up American cities with stolen nukes.It's a good balance of the action and comic elements. Jamie Lee still had one of the best bodies in Hollywood at the time, and she's really the physique in this movie. I don't think Arnold ever even takes his shirt off, and I think they planned it that way. Look for Bill Paxton in a pure comic role as a used car selling weasel who tries to romance Jamie Lee Curtis. Tom Arnold is actually real good in this as Schwarzenegger's secret agent sidekick. You'll also see a very young, pre-Buffy Eliza Dushku as Arnold & Jamie Lee's daughter. The high points- lots of good, old fashioned gunplay and shootouts with the bad guys. Where else can you see an Arab terrorist getting launched from a Harrier jet on a Hellfire missile? I'm surprised our Commander in Chief didn't use that clip in his campaign ads!

True Lies is a movie with a good entertaining mix of just about everything; action, romance, and even comedy. First with the moments in Arnold Schwarzenegger's spy trip, then with his actions on stopping the terrorists, plus his discovery of his personal family's problems in between. All of this even containing random comical moments throughout the entire movie.The only part of this movie that I didn't care for was two parts in the ending. First with the uncontrolled limousine and Helen's rescue through the roof, couldn't she had just pulled the dead driver's foot off the gas peddle, then let the car roll to stop? I also didn't like the part where he rescues his daughter from the terrorists using a Harrier jet, that was rather unbelievable too.True Lies is certainly a good movie. It has a good story along side a lot of good action and even some truly comical moments.

In effect, True Lies features every aspect you should expect from a Schwarzenegger film. The manic action sequences, extravagant special effects and strong doses of humour throughout. Where the film differs is in its audacity and creativity when pulling off the more overblown set-pieces and by being helmed by a director who is a master of action in the form of James Cameron. This is clearly Cameron's most relaxed and purely entertainment based film, something that makes it greatly accessible but lacking in the punch of his better works.It follows Harry Tasker, a top U.S spy who has successfully fooled his wife Helen into thinking that he is a computer salesman. Why she isn't suspicious of all the times he comes home late we'll never know. For the first and final thirds of the film Harry and his team are tracking an antiques dealer who has links to a terrorist group who they believe are sneaking weapons into the country. It's pretty much as basic a spy plot as you can get but it's perfectly serviceable for a film like this. Schwarzenegger is enjoyable here. He'd played these type of roles so much by this point that he slips into it with ease. It's also the closest we'll coming to seeing Arnie playing James Bond so that's something else I suppose. Tom Arnold also deserves credit as Arnie's partner Gib, providing a lot wisecracks and sarcasm that make him a fun foil.The films entire second act is what really sets the story apart. Harry believes his wife is having an affair with slimy car salesman Simon (brilliantly played by Bill Paxton) who is pretending to be a spy to add some excitement. Harry then cooks up the idea of having his wife complete an ''assignment''. This leads to a really strange sequence where Helen does a striptease and dances in front of him in a hotel suite. Firstly, how can she not tell it's him? Secondly, the entire scene is unpleasant when you take a step back. I understand Harry wanting to get some kind of revenge on his wife, but to degrade her like he does just feels wrong. Jamie Lee Curtis excels in these moments of physical comedy and the natural comedy that comes from her interactions with Paxton are very amusing, yet the eventual payoff ends up feeling forced and unnecessary to the plot. As you'd expect the action is wonderfully stylised and unrestrained in all the right areas. Take for instance the best action scene which involves Harry on a horse pursuing the head terrorist on a motorbike and the way in which the scene works is how it just keeps building. First they chase through a park, then a hotel lobby, then get elevators to the roof, where the terrorist escapes via free fall into a swimming pool and Arnie's horse refuses to follow in a funny payoff. There are no lengths the film won't got to in order to provide the most excitement it can. The climax is similar. At one point it features Arnie flying a jet with his daughter clinging onto the cockpit and the terrorist dangling from a missile. It's bordering on ridiculous. Yet one of the films strengths is that it knows these situations are far-fetched and it clearly has fun in seeing how far it can go.James Cameron's direction is as smooth as ever and there are not many directors who are as competent when it comes to action as he is. Cameron also wrote the screenplay which is fun and well-paced yet certainly lacking in something extra. Even though I enjoy the first the two-thirds of the film, the weird payoffs in all, the final act does feel a little contrived and the film loses a lot of steam as a result. The strength of the writing is definitely in the films humour. It mostly keeps its tone light and playful, leading to plenty of good one-liners and interaction, especially between Harry and his team. Elsewhere, Brad Fiedel provides a brilliant score, brimming with excitement and energy that fit the films tone perfectly. It's a nice move away from the more atmospheric work of his previous scores.True Lies doesn't quite hit the heights of much of either Cameron's or Schwarzenegger's other works, partly because of its simply trying to be fun entertainment and partly because of the limitations in its plotting. The plot itself is too simplistic for it to ever be that gripping and the tonal shifts do frequently feel unwarranted. Its approach is both an asset and a hindrance as a result. Yet, when it comes to big action, comedy and effects then you'll struggle to do better than here. When the film sticks to its strengths it is undeniable fun.