THE LAST STAND : ARNOLD STILL HAS IT

As hard to believe as it seems it's been 10 years since Arnold Schwarzenegger headlined a feature film, TERMINATOR 3. He's done some small bit parts but to be the major star behind a film for the first time in a decade is a rare achievement. For fans it was well worth the wait.

In THE LAST STAND Schwarzenegger plays Ray Owens, the sheriff of the small town Sommerton Junction on the Mexican border who retired from the DEA in Los Angeles for a more subdued role in this tiny location. He left the DEA after a botched mission that resulted in the death of most of the team leaving him the only member untouched. Wracked with guilt over that mission, he left for this new job.

Owens' life is about to change once more. As the film opens a well guarded top level drug cartel kingpin named Cortez escapes his captors and heads for the border driving a test model super car with speed to spare. The FBI team in pursuit is led by Agent John Bannister (Forest Whitaker), taken completely by surprise with this escape. The only possible way it could have taken place (which we figure out but that takes them over half the movie to realize) is if someone on the inside was helping Cortez. Now he's hurtling down the highway at breakneck speeds straight for Sommerton.

Word is sent to Owens and he begins to assemble his deputies to prepare for the worst. He has figured out what is coming having earlier noted the appearance of several disreputable looking men in the local diner. This group is building an impromptu bridge for Cortez to cross the border. When his deputies go to check out this group they're fired on and the battle begins.

In need of help Owens deputizes more men including a town ex-jock as well as the local weird character played by Johnny Knoxville. Knoxville's character comes in handy since he has a "museum" that contains an over abundant amount of weapons, most of which will be put to use when it comes to dealing with the bad guys.

With the roads blocked and the battle being waged on the streets of Sommerton long before Cortez gets near, action rules this film. But while the film does start off with the escape of the bad guy much of the time between that and the end battle is spent with character development and preparation for the fight. True, the characters aren't that deep but we get the chance to empathize with them and their plight.

That being said you have to remember that this is an Arnold Schwarzenegger action film. It's not about the deep meaning roots of evil or the problems of government agencies when it comes to handling criminals. It's about shooting people and blowing things up. And there's plenty of that to go around in this film. With Arnold involved it also means that every so often we're going to have some quip or catch phrase tossed in for Arnold to say. I can tell you that the film has more than one of those.

If you go in expecting to find HAMLET here you'll be sorely disappointed. If you're looking for a fun time, action packed film that occasionally has you gripping the arms of your chair you're in luck.

At 65 years of age when most people are retiring it seems that Arnold has decided to make a come back. With films like these the fans will be pleased. 

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