20140108: Action Review--The Last Stand

The Last Stand

1. Fundamentals, reception.
1. American live action feature length film, 2013, R, 107 minutes, action, crime, thriller.
2. IMDB: 6.4/10.0 from 73,469 audience ratings.  Estimated budget: 45 million USD.
3. Rotten Tomatoes: 60% on the meter; 55% liked it from 35,892 audience ratings.
4. Netflix: 3.5/5.0 from 156,599 audience ratings.
5. Directed by: Ji-woon Kim.
6. Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger as Sheriff Ray Owens, Forest Whitaker as FBI agent John Bannister, Eduardo Noriega as Gabriel Cortez, Peter Stormare as Burrell, Johnny Knoxville as Lewis Dinkum., Luis Guzman as Figuerola, Rodrigo Santoro as Frank Martinez, Jaimie Alexander as Sarah Torrance, Titos Menchaca as the Mayor, Jack Gilford as Jerry Bailey.


2. Setup and Plot
1. Ray is the sheriff in a Sommerton Junction, a small border town in Arizona.  He used to be a narcotics officer in LAPD, but he's enjoying the quieter life in Sommerton.


2. Ray starts investigating some local irregularities.  A couple of out-of-towners talk openly about payoffs in a diner.  Ray has a chat with them.  One of the town's restaurants did not get their milk delivery.  His deputies find the farmer that Burrell had killed for not letting him park a semi-tractor on his land.  When Ray gets on the scene, they start looking for the right things, like tire tracks and the murder weapon.


3. In a separate thread, Agent Bannister oversees the disastrous attempt at a prisoner transfer: moving drug kingpin Gabriel Cortez.  The break is well-orchestrated, including using: a prototype car stolen from the LA Auto Show as the getaway car, a helicopter to steal the entire truck Cortez was being transported in, and using the semi to break a state police blockade.


4. Bannister contacts Ray, telling him that he's sending a SWAT team.  Ray listens a bit, then hangs up.  Two of Ray's deputies find the semi and a work area lit up at night.  They wound Jerry badly, but Sarah survives a bit longer.  Ray arrives and immediately kills three of the criminals.  They head out to the local hospital.


5. Bannister tries to coordinate.  Ray tells him about the crossing bridge being constructed south of Sommerton, and about the firefight they had.  Cortez does in much of the SWAT team. Ray and his crew, such as they are, are what's left to stop Cortez.


6. The bad guys head through Sommerton, and the trap that Ray and company lay nets many of the opponents.  After a long but well-done fire-fight, Cortez makes his way through town.  Cortez has the better car, but Ray has better knowledge of the area.  The contest in the cornfield was hilarious, and reminded me of submarine warfare.


7. If you like action or like Arnold, don't miss this one.


3. Conclusions
1. One line summary: Enjoyable action romp with Arnold and friends.
2. Four stars of five.


4. Scores
1. Cinematography: 10/10 Nicely done.


2. Sound: 10/10 No problems.


3. Acting: 8/10 Forest Whitaker, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Luis Guzman, Peter Stormare, and Eduardo Noriega were all up for the job.  I had a lot of fun with their performances.


4. Screenplay: 8/10 A bit formulaic, but well-done formulaic, with good actors for the jobs.