It took me this long to realize, but it's so obvious. Commando is Schwarzenegger's answer to Rambo. It might miss some of the serious backstory of Rambo, but it's every bit the epitome of awesomeness. John Matrix is a one-man army you don't want to mess with!
In order to motivate John Matrix, Arius, a former dictator, kills off every member of Matrix's team. To convince him even further, he kidnaps his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). For the sake of his daughter, he stops resisting and seems to be going along with the thugs. Of course, this is where the real adventure begins for him and you, the audience. I remember seeing Commando on videotape, on a sunny Saturday morning. I usually watched a lot of films in the morning because it was when my parents would sleep in, and I would have the living room all for myself. Back then, I was blown away. I loved it, and still love it. It's almost impossible not to. It has Arnold Schwarzenegger in peak condition physically and great delivery of one-liners that never get old. I don't think Arnold is a fighter. But he sure looks like he can fight. When he is introduced, he is carrying a chainsaw machine in one hand and a tree on his shoulder. Would you even dare to think to fight that guy? I don't think so.
Another element that makes Commando great is the sense of humour. Almost everybody is hamming it up. You aren't really supposed to take events that seriously. Still, the film does a phenomenal job of giving urgency to the events. It's basically all the plot you need to follow Matrix and his sidekick. Rae Dawn Chong usually plays serious characters. I think this is the first one I have seen her with such comedic timing. She is the fish out of water dragged into this adventure without knowing what is going on. Soon she gets on board, helping him as much as she can. She is not a damsel in distress, but not a girl boss either. She is a beautiful, smart woman who is able to adapt quickly to the situation she is in. Dare I say, she is a strong female character without being a Mary Sue. How refreshing!
So how is the action? It's wonderful. Some stunts are a bit far-fetched but helps set up John Matrix as this elite Special Forces guy who is able to overcome any challenge on his path. But like with most films like these, they save the best for last. There is one giant action sequence where John starts shooting the bad guys and basically never stops. I am not a huge fan of the final fight, but it's serviceable, especially since it ends with the best line in the whole film. Overall, this is a must own for action fans. They simply don't make films like this any more.
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