Dodgy Film Club: The Last Stand

It's a simple enough premise: The leader of a drug cartel escapes from a courthouse and is racing towards the Mexican border and freedom. The only thing that stands in his way is Arnold Schwarzenegger and his merry band of law enforcement misfits.



The film itself is more complicated, however. I mean, the cast is actually kinda decent for an action flick. Arnie, Johnny Knoxville as the wildcard, Forest Whitaker as the government police guy, some feisty chick as a female cop and some handsome dude as the loveable badboy. What's more, there is actually some attempt to pace the film at the start, to establish a storyline and build the characters.

On the other hand... How long has Arnie lived in America now?  Dat accent! Even in the storyline he is meant to have spent part of his career in LA. Then there's extended fight scenes, a shooting and a car chase within the first 28 minutes, too. And the police team are laughably cliche. Arnie, despite barely being able to speak understandable English, is the insightful, all-knowing Sheriff, backed up by:

• a chief Wiggum type chief 
• the above mentioned feisty girl 
• an All American guy who seems like a noob

There are times when this feels like a disaster blockbuster from the 90s. The amount of back and forth scenes alternatively showing the action on the road, at a roadblock and at police/govt HQ is like something out of Armageddon or Independence Day. When is Arnie getting involved in the action for reals you guys??

After about 35 minutes however, I found I was invested! Two cops were stranded when Arnie shows up. Within 5 seconds he has run over one guy with his jeep, smashed the window with his elbow and shot two more guys with a shotgun, now we're getting somewhere!

The siege element of the movie is when things really kick up a gear. This is some classic A-Team-esque 'baton down of the hatches and use what you have' action. Johnny Knoxville and the bad ass are made deputies (wat?) and the team set up their own road block with some impressive weapons that are questionably legal.

There are inconsistencies all over the place. Despite being hopeless in an earlier shootout, the female cop is extremely proficient with a sniper rifle, but she can't use a walkie talkie without slamming it on the ground each time.

It's worth watching, probably more suited to a guys night in than Dodgy Film Club, though. There is one spectacular mid air kill from Arnie though and some classic moments if you have missed him in this kind of role.