60 replies to this topic

[ChickenStu]

Watched James Cameron's "True Lies" the other day. I think it's a great Bond style spy adventure, and Arnie isn't actually all that bad in it! IMO it's one of Cameron's best movies, what do you guys think of it?

Edited by ChickenStu, 03 January 2006 - 04:03 PM.

[Judo chop]

Very much a derivative Bond flick. Arnold climbing out of the frozen lake and shedding his wetsuit for a tux? That's borrowing a Bond scene, not an inspiration of one.
I'll admit I was always a little jealous of a few scenes from True Lies and wished the bond authors had been as creative. Particularly, when Arnold cracks the guard dogs' heads together as they leap at him. Improbable, but possible. I love it!
Also his drugged up escape from the old torture dude. Both scenes show classic Bond coolness and creativity in survival that I hope we get back to in CR.

[Mister Asterix]

[mra]I at the time remember hearing Cameron say something like since they weren

[Mr_Wint]

As a "Bondfilm" it's horrible. I mean, even Die Another Day had a better plot than this film!!!

Still, True Lies is enjoyable and the film works as a comedy.

[Qwerty]

Great action film. I always enjoy this one.

[stamper]

This is the best 007 movies of the 90's. Not one Brosnan outing come close (except maybe TND)

[dunmall]

I also enjoy the french film that it is based on.

[Number 6]

The wetsuit/tux sequence at the beginning was an homage to Goldfinger.

[dinovelvet]

The wetsuit/tux sequence at the beginning was an homage to Goldfinger.

WOW, REALLY?

[Number 6]

The wetsuit/tux sequence at the beginning was an homage to Goldfinger.

WOW, REALLY?

YES, REALLY.


What I meant to add, before I was engulfed in a temporary power outage was does anyone else know who copied that same sequence in a movie? I'm sure there was at least one more film to do that.

[MarcAngeDraco]

A great action film, with some very Bondish moments...

[David Schofield]

In the absense of Bond in the early 90s it great fun.

IMO, where it succeeds where Bond would fail - in most cases - is Arnie's very physical, action man portrayal. Which Bond actor could have played a part so big and macho and convincingly action packed - early Sean, Laz and thats it? And yet that essential toughness is very Flemingesque and Arnie carries it offer better than most Bond actors. He has a "walk through walls" coolness.

Where it fails where Bond would SUCCEED is the attempt to make Arnie appear romantic and sophisticated - as in the castle tango sequences and those with Tia Carrera. He ain't a handsome man and seems uncomfortable trying to convey it.

Oh yes, and that brat of a daughter! Can't imagine Bond putting up with her.

[Icephoenix]

GREAT movie. I first saw it before I knew Bond existed and thought the action was creative and intense, however I found the moments involving the Tasker family and Tom Arnold to be a bore. And then I discovered GoldenEye, which had all the action and none of the family stuff'. A great fill in between the 6 year Bond drought.

[Blofeld's Cat]

A great flick!

It's a pity that 9/11 has nixed any possibility of a True Lies 2 or a "special edition" version of TL.

Cameron pretty much confirmed this during a recent Titanic DVD release interview, and apparently Tom Arnold has been hounding him all these years to do a TL2.

[Tinfinger]

I liked this one quite a bit, much better than Last Action Hero. Tia is the ultimate should have been Bond girl!

[Gobi-1]

True Lies is the best Bond film released between 1984 and 1994. True Lies' success proved the Bond formula still worked and paved the way for GoldenEye's success.

[homerjbond]

Oh yes, and that brat of a daughter! Can't imagine Bond putting up with her.

But, she did grow up into a little hottie...

[Gobi-1]

I thought she was hot back then too.

[Doctor No]

Dushku:
True Lies:

I liked it the first time I saw it. Since then I've grown to hate it a little more everytime I see it on. The only things I still like in it are Tom Arnold checking his piece and Bill Paxson("Make you beg for buttermilk!!").

Edited by Doctor No, 09 January 2006 - 12:28 AM.

[malaysian_bond]

Oh yes, and that brat of a daughter! Can't imagine Bond putting up with her.

But, she did grow up into a little hottie...

That's why she should be a Bond girl.

[Jim]

Good fun, although I never really found the funny bits that funny. But the last half hour or so is cracking - a nuclear bomb goes off and it still hasn't finished.

[Problem Eliminator]

GREAT stuff.

A personal favorite, it is one of my top five action films. {Non-Bond of course}

I happen to be a big Arnie fan. When it comes to onscreen cool and delivering one liners with aplomb, The Gov is the man.

[Loomis]

Not a film I'd ever cite as a favourite, and I've never craved a followup, but, still, I do seem to find myself watching it every couple of years and being thoroughly entertained. Overlong, and very cringeworthy in places, but when it's good it's very, very good. And, yes, very Bondian (note Peter Lamont's contributions as production designer).

[TheSaint]

It had its moments but, in no way superior to any Bond film.

[MrDraco]

LOL reminds me of a Nelson naked gun movie, but still a cool spy flick

[Double-Oh-Zero]

As Loomis said, when it's good, it's very good. Although it seems unable to shed the feeling that they tried a bit too hard, which seems to plague most of Cameron's films.

Either way, I find the whole sublot involving Jamie Lee Curtis and Bill Paxton to be a bit daft. Appears to be "there" for the sole purpose of acting as an excuse for JLC to do a striptease.

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

Art "Kamran Shah" Malik appears in the film... I dont remember what Character does he play.

[stamper]

The "sub-plot" is actually the heart of the movie, as it is a remake of a french film called La Totale. Cameron added of course most of the action scenes.

[WC]

The "sub-plot" is actually the heart of the movie, as it is a remake of a french film called La Totale. Cameron added of course most of the action scenes.

I completely agree. This was a spy flick that had a personal journey for both Arnie and JLC, and that sub plot was the vehicle that brought them on it.

I've watched it numerous times - I still think it's great and better in places than the recent Bond films of the 90s. The best bits were the first 20 minutes and then the last 45 mins to half hour from where they were captured and then Arnie had to rescue JLC. There were some boring bits in it though, even though it was the heart of the movie - maybe some of it could've been done differently. But in that respect, it was trying to be different from Bond and that's what gave it that different feel with his personal life etc.

Arnie was great in the movie - I personally think it's my favourite of his films - he is very cool and tough, almost Bondian in it, although of course he isn't anywhere as refined as Bond. It also has a more classic Bond feel about some of the scenes than the 90s Bonds. There was also some good, genuine suspense there, and a sense of rousing emotion at the end when Arnie pulled JLC from the limo, and she realised it was the biggest thrill of her life that she had always craved.

Bill Paxton was rather annoying though. Art Malik was a vicious and intimidating villain and would've made a great Bond villain himself if he hadn't played Mr Shah in TLD. Maybe True Lies could've been a little bit more international - it was largely set in the US so perhaps now, that's what gives it a slightly more domestic and dated feel.

I always hoped there would be a True Lies 2 - it would've been cool to see Arnie maybe now alongside a grown up Eliza Dushku who might also be brought into some operations. Dunno about Curtis though - she's a bit old for the job now and out of shape. She could still be in it, but I don't think she'd really look right as some sort of spy named Doris. I think both Cameron and Arnie missed their opportunity to make a great sequel together - Arnie did too many other projects which were not worth watching - End of Days, the 6th Day, Jingle All the Way - even Terminator 3. Since both he and Cameron seem to have stopped making films, they could've made this last one together and gone out with a blast.

[stamper]

True Lies is the last great action movie of the 80's, even if it was released in 1994. It's an ode to 10 years of hard hitting, muscle bound action movies. Cameron redo Commando compressed in 10 minutes during that island action scene. It's one teary eyed good bye to an era and a system.

It is also all what 80's Bond movies should have been, and never were (I'm speaking of the broad strokes, not the details).

When GE offered us scenes derivative of Die Hard and True Lies, I just laughed. I mean, 7 years late bond ! 006 was right. He should have stayed in the bathroom (and yes, the True Lies bathroom scene kicks GE bathroom scene ).