True Lies poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere ... see more see more... , Art Malik , Eliza Dushku , Grant Heslov , Charlton Heston , Paul Barselou , Charles Cragin , Tom Isbell , Karina Lombard , Jane Morris , James Allen , Mali Finn , John Bruno , Chuck Tamburro , Marshall Manesh

Borrowing liberally from the French film La Totale, this is an action picture, domestic comedy, and political thriller rolled into a crowd-pleasing ball of entertainment. Producer James Cameron wrote ... read more read more...and directed the film. Henry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a workaholic computer salesman neglecting his mousy wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), a legal secretary. Simon (Bill Paxton) seduces Helen with the lie that he is a secret agent; he's really a used car salesman. Harry suspects that Helen is cheating on him, and he sends a few colleagues to kidnap them. Helen then discovers that Harry is a secret agent by night, working for a shadowy group called the Omega Sector. Harry and his partner Gib (Tom Arnold) are trying to find four nuclear warheads that have disappeared from a former Soviet republic. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi

Flixster Users

70% liked it

238,973 ratings

Critics

72% liked it

47 critics

R, 2 hr. 21 min.

Directed by: James Cameron

Release Date: July 15, 1994

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: May 25, 1999

Get It:

Stats: 9,922 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Tom Arnold as Gib True Lies True Lies (1994) True Lies (1994) True Lies Jamie Lee Curtis True Lies True Lies True Lies This Is True Lies! True Lies True Lies True Lies A Fathers Love Arnold Schwarznegger True Lies True Lies True Lies
Upload a Photo | View All True Lies Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (9,922)

  • garyX
    April 17, 2012
    garyX
    Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a government super spy posing as a computer salesman whose secret identity is unknown even to his wife and family. James Cameron's spoof of Hollywood action blockbusters has all the ingredients of the summer hit; humour, romance and big budget special ... read moreeffects, all served with a healthy dose of irony. Arnie will never win any prizes for his thespian skills, but he is perfectly comfortable in the familiar surroundings of stereotypical terrorists, uzis, explosions and cheesy one-liners, with Art Malik slumming it as the usual Islamic nut job and an unrecognisable Eliza Dushku is the rebellious teen daughter. I must admit that the sight of Jamie Lee Curtis being "sexy" made me slightly queasy and the film drags in the middle because of a flabby sub plot involving a potential rival for Arnie's affections. Cameron is a master of the action set piece however, the opening sequence out-Bonding the contemporary 007 films and the set pieces involving Harrier Jump Jets are spectacular. The jokes could've been funnier but it's a nice idea efficiently executed. Solid mainstream entertainment; no more, no less.
  • fb1463751009
    March 10, 2012
    fb1463751009
    Though it holds many cliche's, "True Lies" entertainingly embraces the B action-movie tone of the 90's. It's a lot of fun; the action is in your face. "True Lies" knows what it wants to be: stupid, entertaining, and cheesy and it does it excellently.
  • spielberg00
    September 9, 2011
    spielberg00
    TRUE LIES is one of the best action-comedies I have ever seen. It is also, next to THE TERMINATOR, Arnold Schwarzenegger's best movie.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    September 8, 2011
    DragonEyeMorrison
    What? People actually liked this? This is not even fun in an ironic Commando way, it's just flat out bad. How did Cameron went from Aliens to this is anyone's guess.
  • blkbomb
    June 4, 2011
    blkbomb
    "I'm beginning to like this guy...but we have to kill him. That's a given." I was quite surprised by True Lies. It was a relentlessly entertaining movie; that part didn't surprise me. It is made by James Cameron and is one of his best. The part that surprised m... read moree was how funny the movie was. When I read that it was an action comedy; it kind of turned me off the movie. I expected it to be Arnold saying horrible one liners the entire time and that's not the case; although there are a few bad one liners. The movie is funny and entertaining because of the characters and situations that they are in.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    December 6, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Of all the films that James Cameron has directed, True Lies is one of his more laid back films. Laid back in terms of elaborate plot, special effects and anything that has made James Cameron a household name. The film is very tongue in cheek and at first you might not believe tha... read moret James Cameron has this film, but he did. True Lies is a good action film with lots of humourous bits. Not one of James Cameron's best films, but definitely not his worst, that honor belongs to Titanic. The action in the film is over the top, and Cameron wanted to pull off something that was of course exxeggareted and he did it very well. Obviously what separates True Lies from other Cameron films is the absence of elaborate CGI effects like in Terminator, T2and The Abyss. This film presents a drastic departure from Cameron's previous works, and the result is an amusing action packed thrill ride that humours you as much as it delivers action. True Lies is a film thats not meant to be taken seriously, and some of the things that happen are absolutely ridiculous. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Arnold give good performances and they have good chemistry on screen. James Cameron manages to craft some pretty exciting action scenes and are top notch with Schwarzenegger delivering an unchained performance. Jamie Lee Curtis plays his bored housewife and doesn't know he leads a double life as a government spy, but their lives soon interwine and the film gets crazier when Schwarzenegger must save his family and his country from terrorists. Like I've mentioned before, this isn't the perfect James Cameron film, but its a fun change of pace. The action and story will definitely entertain, despite it being a little off at time. True Lies is a film that just delivers on mindless action and is a popcorn flick. Flawed, but nonetheless enjoyable. Of all of James Cameron's films, True Lies may be his most accessible one in regards of it being a "regular" film, and considering that Cameron tends to offer big spectacle epics, this film may appeal to an audience wanting simply an action film without the fancy special effects.
  • TomBowler
    November 20, 2010
    TomBowler
    Bombastic set pieces galore, the way only James Cameron can. Full review later.
  • ironclad1609
    September 19, 2010
    ironclad1609
    Back when the Governator was still a walking one-man-army his cooperations with director James Cameron yielded gems of the action genre like this. Starting out like a James Bond movie the film soon takes its time to develop the main dilemma, Arnie's wife having no clue about his ... read moretrue, lethal profession, and then enjoys taking it to the extremes before stepping on the gas pedal and leading into one of the most breath taking action finales ever. The Florida Keys highway scene and the final fight between the Harrier jet and the skyscraper are mind-blowing fun. The film's humor may be a tad too silly at times, but at least it doesn't take itself too seriously. And Jamie Lee Curtis' transition from the homely housewife to the dancing vamp is a joy to behold.
  • fb733768972
    September 4, 2010
    fb733768972
    A somewhat farfetched action film, that actually turns out to be incredible! I love True Lies for it's witty plot and care free dialogue that is actually quite funny. The action scenes are beyond impressive for it's time and I could not picture anyone pulling off the lead role mo... read morere than Schwarzenegger. Not a perfect film, but action-wise, it's beyond amazing. Therefore, True Lies is more true than any action film I have seen in a long time.
  • ythelastman89
    August 16, 2010
    ythelastman89
    It accomplishes what it sets out to do ten fold. If there's ever going to be an ass kicking couple bringing down a terrorist cell, it's going to be Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. Both play an awkward normal couple perfectly and a dysfunctional violent couple even bet... read moreter. The action is outrageous and up to James Cameron standards. The opening scene is still one of the biggest displays of Arnold being cool, but the defining moment is Arnold fighting Salim Abu Aziz with an airplane. In terms the genre it plays in (romantic/action), it's a masterpiece to say the least. Not only is there enough cool stunts, explosions, death and one-liners to match any other action movie, it also manages to be funny without being cheesy.

View All True Lies Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
December 11, 2009
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

If the Gulf War gave you an insatiable taste for burning oil and burning Arabs, this extravaganza will tide you over for at least a couple of days. Full Review

Brian Lowry
January 23, 2009
Brian Lowry, Variety

Providing its share of fun in stretches, pic ultimately overstays its welcome with a level of mayhem that will simply feel like too much for any marginal fan of the genre. Full Review

Caryn James
May 20, 2003
Caryn James, New York Times

As this comedy of manners unfolds, it is played for all-out action as well as satiric humor. Full Review

Rick Groen
April 12, 2002
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

However high your ranking on the culture scale, I defy you to watch this and leave the theatre without a whistled 'Wow' followed by a grudging 'That's entertainment.' Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

An old-fashioned, high-tech, fun time at the movies. Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

This mixture of comedy and super-agent spectacle works well at first. But when Schwarzenegger's family and working worlds link up -- an inevitable development -- the plot becomes increasingly ridiculo... Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

On the basis of stunts, special effects and pure action, it delivers sensationally. Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

True Lies, far too technologically bloated for its cartoony plot, overestimates the human tolerance for high-tech mayhem. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
July 15, 1994
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

The fun of an elaborately scaled comic suspense thriller is that, no matter how spectacular the stunts are, the hero always seems to be operating out of the purest pragmatism. Full Review

Caroline Westbrook
May 24, 2011
Caroline Westbrook, Empire Magazine

Proves that throwing everything at the camera sometimes works a treat. 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.

  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day
    Terminator 2: Judgment Day (82%)
  • Killers
    Killers (98%)
  • Die Hard
    Die Hard (71%)
  • The Incredibles
    The Incredibles (29%)

More Movies like True Lies

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Helen Tasker: Did you ever kill someone?
    • Harry Tasker: Yes, but they were all bad!
    • Harry Tasker: You're fired. [fires missile]
Submit a Fact | View All

True Lies : Watch Free on TV

True Lies Trivia

  • In True Lies, what are Helen and Harry's code names?  Answer »
  • THIS IS TO THE PERSON WHO POSTED THIS QUESTION WITH THE WRONG ANSWERS!! so ill do it again with the correct answer.... put these movies in order from the first to be released to the most recent. ABYSS ALIEN TERMINATOR TRUE LIES TITANIC   Answer »
  • In which movie will you find Jamie Lee Curtis dancing the Tango?  Answer »
  • the movie True Lies was filmed in the fla keys. They had permission to blow up the old hwy 1 seven mile bridge from the state of Fla.  Answer »
More True Lies Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All True Lies Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add True Lies to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View True Lies News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

kpn666 Skin by kpn666
108 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins