True Lies (1994)
February 11, 2024 11:46 AM - Subscribe
A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used-car salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United S...
Secretly a spy but thought by his family to be a dull salesman, Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is tracking down nuclear missiles in the possession of Islamic jihadist Aziz (Art Malik). Harry's mission is complicated when he realizes his neglected wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), is contemplating an affair with Simon (Bill Paxton), a used-car salesman who claims he's a spy. When Aziz kidnaps Harry and Helen, the secret agent must save the world and patch up his marriage at the same time.
Caroline Westbrook: When a string of complicated coincidences lead Helen to the truth, the inevitable hell breaks loose and the two of them find themselves in one of those awkward save-the-planet type situations courtesy of the obligatory stereotypical insane Arab terrorists (led by Art Malik).If the whole thing does come across as politically incorrect at every turn, a situation fuelled by a middle sequence of latent and unsettling misogyny, it is rescued by Cameron’s knack of pulling off standard-setting action scenes.
The final half-hour, in particular, is a remarkable tour de force that employs helicopters, out-of-control limos and a few Harrier jump jets thrown in for good measure and remains heart-stopping even for those who have already experienced it nine feet high in the cinema. What sets this apart from the average actioner is an over-the-top quality that makes it impossible to take seriously (a hilariously prolonged horseback chase, for example, is closer to something out of a Naked Gun movie than anything else). The net result is unbeatably good fun, helped along by that inherent fantasy that one man can create global mayhem without stopping to worry who’s going to clean up afterwards.
Caryn James: Like Sandra Bullock, who drives the bus in "Speed," in the course of "True Lies" Ms. Curtis changes from a mouse to an action hero. Her change is witty and liberating, and a turning point in a film that might be a comic-action version of "Scenes From a Marriage." . . .
THE MOST ENGAGING PART OF the film is the long middle section, which toys with marital types. If Helen is the bored, uncomplaining wife, Harry is the obtuse, work-obsessed husband who takes her for granted. When it seems that Helen has given in to the fake charms of a sleazy used-car salesman, Harry is so distraught he almost walks in front of a bus. He is the image of the tough guy undone by the little woman.
As this comedy of manners unfolds, it is played for all-out action as well as satiric humor. Spying on Helen, Harry calls out helicopters, radar and national-security experts. He doesn't know what else to do, because, like all men in this movie, Harry is befuddled about women. His only advice comes from his partner, Gib (Tom Arnold, so over exposed in gossip columns and talk shows, and so strong and funny here). The survivor of several divorces, Gib cheerfully welcomes Harry to the club when he hears that Helen may be fooling around.
David Chen: There’s a moment towards the end of the film that I still find visually spectacular. Tasker and his men are trying to stop a nuclear weapon from reaching the mainland of the United States. Two Harrier jets fire missiles at the Middle Keys bridge, creating a wave of explosions. The way Cameron shoots/edits this scene is so…disciplined. The way the camera is stationary for the moment of impact (and the way it barely moves throughout for the rest of the sequence — just some slight pans to keep up with what’s happening, no shaky cam here, sir). The missiles exploding into the bridge — both awe-inspiring and beautiful. It’s easy to forget you are watching people (albeit terrorists) getting totally annihilated.
Despite my enjoyment of the film, many elements have aged poorly. The movie’s depiction of a fictional, cartoonishly evil terrorist cell, Crimson Jihad, is cringe-inducing in light of America’s horrifying misadventures in the Middle East since this movie’s release. And the fact that Harry Tasker reappropriates government resources to spy on his wife and manipulate her into falling in love with him again now reads more as gross, irresponsible gaslighting vs. over-the-top male fantasy. Coupled with Eliza Dushku’s stories of how she was sexually assaulted on set, the movie’s gender politics feel like a relic of a different era.
Trailer
Secretly a spy but thought by his family to be a dull salesman, Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is tracking down nuclear missiles in the possession of Islamic jihadist Aziz (Art Malik). Harry's mission is complicated when he realizes his neglected wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), is contemplating an affair with Simon (Bill Paxton), a used-car salesman who claims he's a spy. When Aziz kidnaps Harry and Helen, the secret agent must save the world and patch up his marriage at the same time.
Caroline Westbrook: When a string of complicated coincidences lead Helen to the truth, the inevitable hell breaks loose and the two of them find themselves in one of those awkward save-the-planet type situations courtesy of the obligatory stereotypical insane Arab terrorists (led by Art Malik).If the whole thing does come across as politically incorrect at every turn, a situation fuelled by a middle sequence of latent and unsettling misogyny, it is rescued by Cameron’s knack of pulling off standard-setting action scenes.
The final half-hour, in particular, is a remarkable tour de force that employs helicopters, out-of-control limos and a few Harrier jump jets thrown in for good measure and remains heart-stopping even for those who have already experienced it nine feet high in the cinema. What sets this apart from the average actioner is an over-the-top quality that makes it impossible to take seriously (a hilariously prolonged horseback chase, for example, is closer to something out of a Naked Gun movie than anything else). The net result is unbeatably good fun, helped along by that inherent fantasy that one man can create global mayhem without stopping to worry who’s going to clean up afterwards.
Caryn James: Like Sandra Bullock, who drives the bus in "Speed," in the course of "True Lies" Ms. Curtis changes from a mouse to an action hero. Her change is witty and liberating, and a turning point in a film that might be a comic-action version of "Scenes From a Marriage." . . .
THE MOST ENGAGING PART OF the film is the long middle section, which toys with marital types. If Helen is the bored, uncomplaining wife, Harry is the obtuse, work-obsessed husband who takes her for granted. When it seems that Helen has given in to the fake charms of a sleazy used-car salesman, Harry is so distraught he almost walks in front of a bus. He is the image of the tough guy undone by the little woman.
As this comedy of manners unfolds, it is played for all-out action as well as satiric humor. Spying on Helen, Harry calls out helicopters, radar and national-security experts. He doesn't know what else to do, because, like all men in this movie, Harry is befuddled about women. His only advice comes from his partner, Gib (Tom Arnold, so over exposed in gossip columns and talk shows, and so strong and funny here). The survivor of several divorces, Gib cheerfully welcomes Harry to the club when he hears that Helen may be fooling around.
David Chen: There’s a moment towards the end of the film that I still find visually spectacular. Tasker and his men are trying to stop a nuclear weapon from reaching the mainland of the United States. Two Harrier jets fire missiles at the Middle Keys bridge, creating a wave of explosions. The way Cameron shoots/edits this scene is so…disciplined. The way the camera is stationary for the moment of impact (and the way it barely moves throughout for the rest of the sequence — just some slight pans to keep up with what’s happening, no shaky cam here, sir). The missiles exploding into the bridge — both awe-inspiring and beautiful. It’s easy to forget you are watching people (albeit terrorists) getting totally annihilated.
Despite my enjoyment of the film, many elements have aged poorly. The movie’s depiction of a fictional, cartoonishly evil terrorist cell, Crimson Jihad, is cringe-inducing in light of America’s horrifying misadventures in the Middle East since this movie’s release. And the fact that Harry Tasker reappropriates government resources to spy on his wife and manipulate her into falling in love with him again now reads more as gross, irresponsible gaslighting vs. over-the-top male fantasy. Coupled with Eliza Dushku’s stories of how she was sexually assaulted on set, the movie’s gender politics feel like a relic of a different era.
Trailer
Agreed! A+ performances from Paxton and Curtis.
"Ass like a ten year old boy."
posted by porpoise at 12:34 PM on February 11 [2 favorites]
"Ass like a ten year old boy."
posted by porpoise at 12:34 PM on February 11 [2 favorites]
I have long loved the scene where, in a last-minute attempt to look sexier, she rips the sleeves off her dowdy black dress and *voila!* it's an Armani!
posted by Short Attention Sp at 2:07 PM on February 11 [3 favorites]
posted by Short Attention Sp at 2:07 PM on February 11 [3 favorites]
Strange outlier of a Cameron film, though entertaining with surprisingly good performances from Tom Arnold and Ahhhnold.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 3:17 PM on February 11 [2 favorites]
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 3:17 PM on February 11 [2 favorites]
The villains are cartoons as they always are - and the movie definitely falls into that post cold war period of "shit, we can't make the Ruskies the bad guys". And I love most of it, except the damn strip tease scene. It's a great set piece, it's got a great comedic performance from JLC, but I can't get past the underlying cruelty of it.
posted by drewbage1847 at 3:30 PM on February 11 [2 favorites]
posted by drewbage1847 at 3:30 PM on February 11 [2 favorites]
It's not that his movie has aged poorly, it's that this has always been a terrible movie when it comes to its treatment of people who aren't Arnold.
I didn't see this when it was in theatres but I caught it on TV in 1997 (probably on AMC). I remember going into work the next day when a discussion broke out about what we've watched recently. I mentioned I saw this and my boss asked me for my opinion. I'm pretty sure my exact words were "I've seen seen such a misogynist piece of garbage in my entire life."
Its treatment of women (and minorities) was terrible then, and it's still terrible today.
posted by sardonyx at 4:56 PM on February 11 [5 favorites]
I didn't see this when it was in theatres but I caught it on TV in 1997 (probably on AMC). I remember going into work the next day when a discussion broke out about what we've watched recently. I mentioned I saw this and my boss asked me for my opinion. I'm pretty sure my exact words were "I've seen seen such a misogynist piece of garbage in my entire life."
Its treatment of women (and minorities) was terrible then, and it's still terrible today.
posted by sardonyx at 4:56 PM on February 11 [5 favorites]
It's not that his movie has aged poorly, it's that this has always been a terrible movie when it comes to its treatment of people who aren't Arnold.C'mon now, don't sell it short. It can be the case that this was always technically skilled filmmaking yoked to a setup that is problematic on several axes AND also be the case that as time has gone by the poor decisions that informed the scenario the film chooses to depict have gotten more and more flagrantly embarrassing.
If it was simply a pile of garbage from start to finish it would be much easier to dismiss and forget this film. Alas, the fact that there are some enjoyable performances and some quite well done action sequences all in service of the questionable mess at the heart of the film makes it memorably troubling.
And speaking of performances (and/or "memorably troubling") I really don't know whether to congratulate or commisserate with Art Malik for his. It's a dubious distinction, to be sure, but if someone asked me to name the most cliched terrorist role, this would be the one that popped into my head, despite there being no shortage of competitors for that particular honor.
posted by Nerd of the North at 1:41 AM on February 12 [2 favorites]
A movie from the era of “yeah, CGI exists but it’s cheaper to do this for real”, especially with the car chase scenes, and the big limo stunt at the end.
How did they achieve the effect of pulling a woman out of a limo by chopper just before it plunged off a bridge? By actually pulling a stuntwoman out of limo while a remote-controlled limo plunged over a real bridge (that was under construction at the time, so perfectly unfinished for the stunt).
I recall a behind-the-scenes segment where the stunt driver explained the remote control setup with an “emergency stop” button for the limo. The broken bridge had sets of cones on the roadside (which you can still see in the final film) and they were cues for the helicopter pilot — ie “do this once the limo passes these cones.” The final set of cones were colored red because they were the point-of-no-return: if the stuntwoman hadn’t been extracted by the time she passed those cones she was to retreat to the back of limo and prepare for a crash, because the emergency stop would not be able to prevent the limo from going over the edge at that speed.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 9:35 AM on February 12 [4 favorites]
How did they achieve the effect of pulling a woman out of a limo by chopper just before it plunged off a bridge? By actually pulling a stuntwoman out of limo while a remote-controlled limo plunged over a real bridge (that was under construction at the time, so perfectly unfinished for the stunt).
I recall a behind-the-scenes segment where the stunt driver explained the remote control setup with an “emergency stop” button for the limo. The broken bridge had sets of cones on the roadside (which you can still see in the final film) and they were cues for the helicopter pilot — ie “do this once the limo passes these cones.” The final set of cones were colored red because they were the point-of-no-return: if the stuntwoman hadn’t been extracted by the time she passed those cones she was to retreat to the back of limo and prepare for a crash, because the emergency stop would not be able to prevent the limo from going over the edge at that speed.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 9:35 AM on February 12 [4 favorites]
Also Eliza Dushku went on Conan years later and described that when Arnold found out she’d had her 14th birthday on set he put her in the passenger seat of his Humvee and drove like a maniac to get to Planet Hollywood, because he’d secretly invited all her friends to a surprise birthday party.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 9:39 AM on February 12 [7 favorites]
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 9:39 AM on February 12 [7 favorites]
There was a lengthy discussion of this movie and its relative merits in this thread about the 20th anniversary of a different Arnold Schwarzenegger film.
posted by gauche at 11:23 AM on February 12
posted by gauche at 11:23 AM on February 12
Also Eliza Dushku went on Conan years later and described that when Arnold found out she’d had her 14th birthday on set he put her in the passenger seat of his Humvee and drove like a maniac to get to Planet Hollywood, because he’d secretly invited all her friends to a surprise birthday party.
She was also sexually assaulted by a stunt coordinator in a hotel room while filming, so overall a pretty mixed bag.
posted by wakannai at 12:52 PM on February 12
She was also sexually assaulted by a stunt coordinator in a hotel room while filming, so overall a pretty mixed bag.
posted by wakannai at 12:52 PM on February 12
I saw TL in the theater. Sure, it has issues. But it's a movie that I will always enjoy. At the very least, I appreciate it for being Arnold's peak. He had a great run.
That said, I've always wished TL's plot had been reversed, focused on JLC as the "spy" until the reveal in the hotel.
posted by Stuka at 2:38 PM on February 12
That said, I've always wished TL's plot had been reversed, focused on JLC as the "spy" until the reveal in the hotel.
posted by Stuka at 2:38 PM on February 12
That said, I've always wished TL's plot had been reversed, focused on JLC as the "spy" until the reveal in the hotel.
Ah, that would be Kaley Cuoco's latest: "Role Play". Slight, but a lot of fun.
posted by Mogur at 8:24 AM on February 13
Ah, that would be Kaley Cuoco's latest: "Role Play". Slight, but a lot of fun.
posted by Mogur at 8:24 AM on February 13
For me this movie is a perfect pairing with Face/Off. Both are directors making spectacular quirky action films with actors entirely in their elements that i adored when i was younger but whose problematic elements gross me the hell out nowadays. Should be wonderful popcorn flicks but dang did that butter turn rancid.
posted by Neronomius at 12:56 PM on February 13
posted by Neronomius at 12:56 PM on February 13
That’s insightful, Neronomius. They are well matched that way.
posted by janell at 4:28 PM on February 13
posted by janell at 4:28 PM on February 13
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But the action scenes are so good, from the Harrier sequences to the horse/motocycle chase scene, even the dropping the gun down the stairs. It is certainly fashionable to bag on CGI these days, and I think a lot of it is overblown, but doing these effects practically you can feel it, and it feels intense and focused.
Bill Paxton is also great in this, as is Jamie Lee Curtis. She really sells her transformation in the film, but you also see why she might love her life but also wants more.
posted by Carillon at 11:58 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]