The Last Stand

THE LAST STAND

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

Opening in theatres this Friday from director Jee-woon Kim and Lionsgate comes an action film that comes full on for THE LAST STAND.

This film tells the story of Ray Owens (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a sheriff of the small Sommerton town in Arizona. Enjoying the quiet life he keeps an eye on his staff including Figgy (Luis Guzman), Sarah (Jaimie Alexander) and Jerry (Zach Gilford). There only guest in the jailhouse is Frank (Rodrigo Santoro), whose in more trouble with ex-girlfriend Sarah!

A whole state away the FBI are getting ready to transport drug lord Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega) when plans go horribly wrong and Cortez is on the run. Led by Agent John Bannister (Forest Whitaker) and his agents Mitchell (J.P. Amedori) and Ellen Richards (Genesis Rodriguez) the hunt for Cortez is on.

Outside Sheriff Owens town, Burrell (Peter Stormare) is already planning the arrival of Cortez. Once Agent Bannister plots out the drug lords next move, he calls Owens to warn him of what is to come. Driving towards the town at 200 mph Cortez isn’t going to go down easy.

What Cortez doesn’t plan on is Sheriff Owens, his team and town gun crazy Lewis Dinkum (Johnny Knoxville) who aren’t about to let anyone or anything tear up their town and they make THE LAST STAND.

FINAL WORD: Schwarzenegger takes on the role of Sheriff Owen with humor I’ll give him that. He still kicks ass and takes names proving he still had one more action film in him. His steely-eyed cop intuition was worth a chuckle or two but something tells me he won’t mind me saying that. If anything I have to think he had a great time doing the film. I mean come on – who wouldn’t mind shooting off an old gattling gun with Johnny Knoxville in an armored knight helmet sitting next to you cracking one-liners?

Alexander as Sarah goes through a lot of action and probably more than she bargained for. Admitting she was at one point scared, it didn’t seem to affect her aim! Santoro as Frank gets a chance to help battle for the town as well. He doesn’t say much but more into gun toting action.

Whitaker as Bannister seemed a little off with his character. I’d think the FBI is slightly smarter than these agents portrayed. Rodriguez as Richards gets to be the one to not play by the rules.

Bad guys Stormare as Burrell is his usual nasty character acting self with a muddled accent and a gun that looks like it belongs in the Old West gunfight at the O.K. Corral! Noriega as drug lord Cortez is slick, drives pretty good and is arrogant as hell – just as one would expect a bad guy to be!

The winner here is Guzman as Figgy. He is definitely the comic relief. I always enjoy when he plays these types of characters because he makes it look so easy – and fun.

Other cast include: Sonny Landham as Henry, Titos Menchaca as Mayor, Christiana Leucas as Christie, Daniel Henney as Phil Hayes, David Midthunder as Cohan, Tait Fletcher as Eagan, Kevin Wiggins as Chief Elkins, Kent Kirkpatrick has Agent Korman, Eddie Fernandez as Agent McKay, Daniel Henney as Phil Hayes, David Midthunder as Cohan, and Lois Geary as Mrs. Salazar.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give THE LAST STAND three and a half tubs of popcorn out of five. True enough this is a totally overblown and hokey film filled with ridiculous lines and unbelievable situations (like an expensive car without air bags? Whaaaa?) BUT, it is pure fun for all.

The audience laughed, cheered, laughed some more, backed away saying ‘whoa!’ and cheered some more. Okay folks, THIS is why we go to the movies – to be totally entertained. Who cares about that hokey stuff or one-liners that don’t always work – who cares I say! 

This film is a no-brainer and there is totally no reason to analyze it in any way. Just sit back and enjoy the ride – and if you dare to – thank Arnold!

In the end – not in his town and not on his watch!