Commando poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Dan Hedaya, Vernon Wells, David Patrick Kelly ... see more see more... , Alyssa Milano , James Olson , Bill Duke , Ava Cadell , Carlos Cervantes , Michael De Lano , Peter Dupont , Chelsea Field , Lenny Juliano , Matt Landers , Charles Meshack , Bill Paxton , Branscombe Richmond , Thomas Rosales Jr. , Drew Snyder , Sharon Wyatt , Bob Minor , Mike Adams , Phil Adams , Hank Calia , Billy Cardenas , Vivian Daily , George W. Elam , Julie Hayek , Ronald C. McCarty , Jim Painter , Edward Reyes , John Michael Reyes , Mikul Robins , Richard Royce , Walter Scott , Tom Simmons , Jackie Burch , George Fisher

Colonel Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is retired and living peaceably with his 10-year-old daughter (Alyssa Milano) when she is kidnapped by the henchmen of an exiled Latin American dictator. The dic... read more read more...tator's plan is to reinstate himself in power by eliminating the president of his country, using Matrix to kill him (or he will kill the kidnapped daughter). Matrix escapes from the plane that is supposed to be carrying him to his mission and then proceeds to go from one violent confrontation to the next as he hunts down the dictator and moves to rescue his daughter. Helping him is Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong), who has her own reasons for wanting the dictator dead. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Flixster Users

65% liked it

121,600 ratings

Critics

69% liked it

32 critics

R, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Mark L. Lester

Release Date: October 4, 1985

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: December 18, 2001

Get It:

Stats: 6,962 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Commando Commando Commando Commando John Matrix Commando Commando Commando Commando (1985) Commando Commando Commando Commando John Matrix Henriques Commando Alyssa Milano Commando
Upload a Photo | View All Commando Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (6,962)

  • blkbomb
    December 29, 2011
    blkbomb
    Matrix: You're a funny guy Sully, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last. 

    "If there's a mission that no man could survive... then he's the man for the job."

    Commando is exactly what you would expect. It is a fun, action packed thrill ride with the greatest action st... read morear ever, Arnold Schwarzenegger. It isn't a top shelf action film like some of his other works(The Terminator, True Lies). But for fans of his high body count, non-stop, full throttle, one liner heavy films, it is a joy to watch. The last twenty minutes makes up some of the most ridiculous kills you'll ever see as Schwarzenegger mows threw a whole fucking army by himself. Try to keep a body count at the end of this movie. I don't think you can without pausing.

    A one time soldier is now content living a peaceful life with his daughter in the mountains. One day an old Army buddy shows up telling him to expect someone to try to kill him, as a lot of people from his old outfit are being killed. As soon as the guy leaves, the people he was talking about show up and abduct Matrix's daughter. One of the men in charge also used to be in Matrix's outfit. Matrix is told to assassinate a foreign president and is put on a plane to do just that. But it's a Schwarzenegger character so you know he isn't gonna do what he is told.

    I liked Commando for what it was. Schwarzenegger always has a great presence onscreen. He is funny and exciting to watch, and this is just another example of what makes him the best action star to ever beat the shit out of some bad guys, say a one-liner, and walk away at the end.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    November 13, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Considering that Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in some of the most memorable and best action films to ever thrill an audience, Commando is a decent film, but compared to other films he's done; this one is pretty forgettable. The film is a decent action film that is quite cheesy, ... read moreso if you're looking for a cheesy action film, look no further than Commando. The action is good, but the story lacks and could have been better. Don't get me wrong, I love cheesy action films, and I did like Commando, however I just feel like it missed something to really make it another Schwarzenegger classic. As far as his other films are concerned, Commando doesn't really demand multiple viewings, but it's still a decent action film to watch. The film is a must see for Schwarzenegger fans and though it's not as strong as his other films, this is still a fun film to watch. Commando has some memorable quotes and pretty good action scenes. Though the film could have been better, and there's plenty of room for improvement, Commando has enough thrills despite it being a bit disappointing. The plot could have been much better, and it's what's had be thrown off a bit for really enjoying the film. I did like it, but let's face it, this isn't Terminator or Predator. Commando is a fun, silly decent actioner that though is flawed is still entertaining, and amusing.
  • CloudStrife84
    October 27, 2011
    CloudStrife84
    King of one-liners, Arnold Schwarzenegger, really flexes his muscles in this violent and explosive action-fest, where he takes on an army's worth of bad guys practically single-handedly. Those looking for realism won't have much to collect here, because this stretches credibility... read more so far beyond the blue, that's it impossible to take it seriously. If you want some good old-fashioned entertainment though, with Arnold in top form, then this is one film that delivers it in spades. Alyssa Milano fans may also find it fun to see her at such a young age, as she's only around 10 here, playing his daughter. Maybe they should have made her the love child of Schwarzenegger and his maid. You know, for extra plausibility? Then again, I suppose his "love questing" weren't as active back in 1985. Or at least, not as publicly known. All jokes aside though, this was a very good way to indulge my cravings for adrenaline. Very macho and over the top, but isn't that what we've all grown to love about his movies in the first place? I know I sure have.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    May 25, 2011
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "Let off some steam, Bennett."

    A retired elite commando has only a few hours to find and rescue his daughter from an exiled dictator.

    REVIEW

    Arnold Schwarzenegger is the doting ex-military fat... read moreher of Alyssa Milano, who gets kidnapped by some quasi-military type folks who are never really explained but somehow also never really matters. Arnold decides to go Commando and picks up a stewardess (Rae Dawn Chong) and her sweet convertible along the way to fly to a remote island for the sole purpose of making people do back flips and dance when shot or grenaded. (The grenades never seem to kill anyone, but only make them spin in awkward aerial motions.) The dark humor of this film is unmatched in an action film, and even Bill Paxton shows up for a while. Music by the critically acclaimed James Horner and 1980s super-group Power Station (Duran Duran with Robert Palmer). If you like action films starring guys who speak poor English - recommended. Otherwise, rent "The Professional" for a similar theme of father-figure doting on his Lolita-esquire daughter-figure.
  • ajv2688
    January 19, 2011
    ajv2688
    A great action thriller with the best action star ever, I really liked this movie, it's very exciting.
  • Chiefilms
    December 26, 2010
    Chiefilms
    Good example of hyper-exaggeration in the movies.

    Update:

    Hyper-exaggeration? Stupid word. But this is still one of the most ridiculous action movies of all time. That's both good and bad but most likely somewhere in the middle leaning towards absurd?
  • allan913
    August 15, 2010
    allan913
    An action classic. An outrageous, hard-core and totally over the top action-adventure that is just to much fun miss. A thrilling, funny, exciting and explosive joy-ride with enough great one-liners, explosions and gun fights to go around for ninety minutes. Arnold Schwarzenegger ... read moreis an unstoppable one man army in one of his most entertaining movies.
  • ythelastman89
    August 15, 2010
    ythelastman89
    When it comes to pure 80s action movies, few compete with Commando. It's just an hour and a half of Arnold Schwarzenegger blowing up things and churning out endless one-liners. The villains and henchmen are just as vital here too, they just put in so much effort to be weird and o... read morever the top. Even though their demise is eminent at the hands of Arnold, they still do a great deal of antagonizing. Bennett has to be one of the most angry men alive, looking like a steroid version of Freddy Mercury. The premise is suitable and actually pretty believable. If there's going to be any movie where Arnold kills and destroys, it's because his daughter is in need of rescue. No one steals from John Matrix and gets away with it.
  • matertenebraum
    July 9, 2010
    matertenebraum
    Commando starts as General Franklin Kirby (James Olson) makes contact with former elite commando & one man army John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to warn him that the men from his old unit are being assassinated one by one & that he might be next. The next thing Matrix knows is... read more that he comes under heavy gunfire, his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) has been kidnapped & some sadistic deposed dictator named Arius (Dan Hedaya) is ordering him to assassinate the President of the South/Central American country of Val Verde so he can become president himself & if he doesn't play ball Jenny will die. Matrix isn't happy, no-one messes with his daughter & he sets out to rescue her & make Arius & whoever wants a fight pay...

    Directed by Mark L. Lester one has to say that Commando is maybe the purest most single minded testosterone filled action film ever, Commando is very nearly the perfect film. After The Terminator (1984) & the Conan flicks Hollywood realised that Schwarzenegger was a money maker & cast him in this his first real leading role, the producers of Commando seem perfectly happy to just dumb everything down to the lowest common denominator & it succeeds perfectly at what it does. The script by Steven E. de Souza exists as nothing more than to get Schwarzenegger into as many action set-pieces as possible, spout the now obligatory one-liners (which are actually quite funny here & Arnie gets to say 'I'll be back') amidst all the destruction & death, to have Schwarzenegger use as much weaponry as possible & to kill as many bad guy's as he can in a large variety of differing ways. The body count in Commando is very impressive, we are talking about Schwarzenegger taking out an entire army by himself & I loved every second of it! Realism wasn't on top the filmmakers priorities, from some really implausible set-pieces like jumping off a moving plane 1000 foot in the air without a parachute & surviving to him ripping a seat out of a car with his bare hands but who cares when a films this much fun? Commando deserves pride of place in any action flick fans VHS/DVD/Blu-Ray collection, you can't call yourself an action film fan unless you love Commando, unless you can quote all the one-liners or unless you haven't seen it at least a dozen times. It's that simple.

    Director Lester does a good job here, he keeps things moving along at a quick-fire pace with virtually no slack or exposition between the numerous action set-pieces. From car chases to death defying drops from planes to gunfights, shoot-outs, explosions, knife-fights, escapes, assassinations & a final battle scene that isn't too far off World War III. There's a good amount of variety here as well, from out of control jeeps careering down mountainsides to Schwarzenegger escaping a shopping mall full of security guards to a car chase to a the infamous scene inside the tool shed as Arnie uses machetes, forks, axes & saw blades to dispose of a few more soldiers. As a film Commando is extremely violent, there's plenty of blood, mutilation, death & violence. There's no moral message here either, Matrix does what he does because he thinks it's right. Commando is the ultimate no brainer action flick, it has lots of guns, explosions, stunts & people dying. What more do you want? The shopping mall scenes were filmed at Sherman Oaks Galleria in Los Angeles which was later used as the shopping mall in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) while the mansion used in the final shoot-out had been previously used as the location for the final shoot-out in Beverly Hills Cop (1984).

    With a supposed budget of about $10,000,000 Commando didn't have the huge budget that I thought it had, it's well made with good production values though & I think it's safe to say most of the money actually ended up on screen. The acting is nothing to write home about, Schwarzenegger puts in a typically wooden performance although there's a decent supporting cast here. Vernon Wells puts in a really camp performance, that vest like shirt, his accent & bushy moustache makes him one of the gayest villains ever. David Patrick Kelly, Rae Dawn Chong & Bill Duke provide decent support.

    Commando is as good as the mindless 80's Hollywood action blockbuster got & it's as simple & straight forward as that. If you haven't seen Commando then you cannot call yourself an action fan & you should quite frankly be ashamed of yourself.

    Arnold Pictures, Images and Photos

    Arnold Commando Pictures, Images and Photos


    Commando Pictures, Images and Photos
  • ScoopOnline
    January 25, 2010
    ScoopOnline
    When Show Business is running bad join the politic. lol

View All Commando Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr
September 18, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Comic book stuff, helped out by the presence of Rae Dawn Chong as an airline stewardess whose sarcastic commentary adds some comic counterpoint to the deliberately overscaled action. Full Review

Variety Staff
September 18, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

Chong lights up the film like a firefly, Schwarzenegger delivers a certain light touch of his own, [and] the result is palatable action comics. Full Review

D.J.R. Bruckner
May 21, 2003
D.J.R. Bruckner, New York Times

The big battle scenes are especially disappointing. Full Review

Charles Cassady
December 14, 2010
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media

Brainless, explosion-happy action ('80s style). Full Review

Jamie Gillies
October 26, 2009
Jamie Gillies, Apollo Guide

It might have been fun to watch when I was nine, but knowing what I know now, it is a horribly offensive film. Full Review

Peter Canavese
May 26, 2008
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

An audacious comic-book movie on steroids...cinematic junk food, but even a dieter deserves to cheat once in a while. [Blu-Ray] Full Review

Rob Humanick
January 3, 2008
Rob Humanick, Projection Booth

You're welcome, California! Full Review

Pete Croatto
October 7, 2007
Pete Croatto, Filmcritic.com

one of the best arguments available for the action movie as pure entertainment Full Review

Kevin Carr
September 24, 2007
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures

serves as a template for many future action flicks Full Review

September 18, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

For action fans, one of the picks of the litter for the year. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Rambo (Rambo IV)
    Rambo (Rambo IV) (91%)
  • The Expendables
    The Expendables (96%)
  • Predator
    Predator (79%)
  • Network
    Network (25%)

More Movies like Commando

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Sully: Here's twenty dollars to get some beers in Val Verde. It'll give us all a little more time with your daughter.
    • Henriques: Heh.
    • Col. John Matrix: You're a funny guy Sully, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last.
    • Col. John Matrix: Bennett, I thought you were
    • Bennett: Dead.
    • Cooke: Fuck you asshole!
    • Col. John Matrix: Fuck 'YOU' asshole!
    • Col. John Matrix: Take a steam shower Bennet!
    • Col. John Matrix: Remember Sully, when I promised to kill you last?
    • Sully: That's right Matrix, you did.
    • Col. John Matrix: I lied.
    • Sully: Ahhhhhh!
    • Diaz: My people got some business with you, and if you want your kid back, then you've got to cooperate. Right?
    • Col. John Matrix: Wrong!
Submit a Fact | View All

Commando : Watch Free on TV

Commando Trivia

  • Who was the leader of the Commando Elite in the Joe Dante film, Small Soldiers?  Answer »
  • What movie involves Gorgonites, commando elite, and Alan Abernathy?  Answer »
  • In 1985's action flick Commando, Arnold Schwarzenegger played a retired army soldier put against unimaginable odds. He has to chase down a man who has stolen his daughter. Which actress played the role of his daughter?  Answer »
  • Who played in these movies: Predator, True Lies, Commando, Raw Deal  Answer »
More Commando Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Commando Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Commando to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Commando News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

paullenkic Skin by paullenkic
209 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins