I've had to adjust about 20 seconds of audio from 0:25 onwards and cut the title sequence due to a copyright claim against the video. The sound is a little odd for just this brief moment! Thanks for sticking with me 🖤
I had to borrow that moment from your vid (you know which one😉)... I hope you dont mind. You are brilliant❤ and please no remake of this flick. Its absolutely perfect
I remember seeing this in the theater when it first came out with my dad. We both thought it was really good. I was surprised to learn that it was considered a flop later.
@ultraviOlennce You're right, that quote's a great one. However, while being and staying critical _is_ important, one should also never forget that it's equally important to grant one's sense of criticism a well-earned break sometimes and "just enjoy the ride" now and then - because IMHO, being _always_ critical without any pause just gets way too tedious and frustrating in the long run. I for instance wasn't really aware of how important it is to keep that balance e.g. back in '93 when the movie came out, but well... Back then I was 21, now I'm 52, so I had 31 years in between to learn, grow, and pick up the occasional smart bit of knowledge and wisdom here and there, and I sincerely hope that I won't stop doing so for the foreseeable future - because I really wouldn't mind to not just getting older, but maybe also a wee bit wiser on the way (or maybe just a wee bit less silly, which I still manage to be now and then, when being so leads to still having fun and enjoying said ride).
I LOVE this film. It’s up there with Terminator, Total Recall and Predator for me. Arnold knew how to poke fun at himself and the genre and it’s BRILLIANT
Nobody was more self deprecating than Arnold. That's one of the many things that made him even more likable. He was the first person to bust his own balls.
Charles Dance as Benedict in Last Action Hero is one of the most underrated and under appreciated villains in cinematic history and I hate that he’s forgotten about lol
“Hello? I’ve just shot someone. I did it on purpose” One of the best line deliveries in movies. It comes into my head every once in a while and it always makes me laugh.
This movie was so misunderstood at the time of release. People said there were so many mistakes, or inconsistencies like one minute Arnold has bullet holes in his shirt and the next scene his shirt is like new were all done deliberately making fun of the action genre. Everything was intentional, and if you get that, it makes the movie so much more fun.
I learned not to listen to movie critic. Most are biased against certain genres. Unless its an independent film featuring gay cowboys eating pudding...
LAST ACTION HERO NEVER FADED FROM MY CONSCIOUSNESS!!! I was a only child of a broken home in a new state going to a school where i was 1 of 4 white kids and had a alcoholic stepdad and a wade of food stamps in my sock . I was alone until 8:00pm every night . I was that kid i watched on my tv . I was alone with nothing but my thoughts of becoming the action heros i waited to crash through my door and save my mom from another beating or my self from being scared to wear new jackets or shoes to school . Your break down was a awesome transition of my view of this film and i can't thank you enough . I truly appreciate the time and thought you put into this .
I never understood why people didn't get it. My Mother and I went to see in it the theater on release and even as a young teenager I understood what the story was getting at. I still rewatch it on occasion to this day.
I can relate to Danny so much because I was day dreaming as a child, as well. It all started during my parent's war of the roses. Reality was too much for me, so I escaped from it.
The villain enters the real world and shoots someone in an alleyway. "I just killed somebody!" No real response. "I did it on purpose!" and then the people yell at him. "No one cares, shut up and keep it down." The whole contrast between action movies and real life, and the reaction of this for both villain and hero is fantastic on how the react to this and how they see they see the real world. Also, him seeing Arnold Swartzenagger is hilarious.
How come in every single media ever created, every story, every moment where an adult shows kindness to a child, the fan theory always has to be “yurp, he’s a pedo”.
I don't get it either and it pisses me off. Nick in this film is being like a surrogate grandparent to a kid that doesn't have living grandparents, or never sees them, and he shouldn't be seen as a fucked up creep just for being a cool old dude that likes action movies.
its funny, when you look at certain movies that bombed at the box office, they are seemingly far deeper than their action movie shells make them out to be. This movie and Demolition Man are great movies once you shed the preconception of what an action movie is and what it can be.
Just showed it to my son. He loved it so much that I’ve already bought it in BluRay and he’s seen it 3 times since last Friday. I love this movie as well so it’s fun to see him enjoy it like I did when I was his age.
way ahead of its time. when i grew up i thought i was just a dumb kid because i found out everyone hated it. i rewatched it a couple years ago and confirmed that yes i was a dumb kid. i should have loved it much more than i did back then.
I also think the ending also is aware that this type of movie is dying that the viewer should move on with their life. This conclusion is drawn from when jack tell danny he has his whole life ahead of him
@DM420xx i used to just view it as "cheezy cliche ending" now i know it actually has it's purpose (not cause of this video i rewatched it 2years ago or something and re-fell-in-love with it and realized it isnt all surface lvl. But this vid explained a sht ton i never thought about)
To Me that was the *Saddes* Part. Now it's *Fucking* Depressing, now that You *think* about it. Because The *Ride* is *Over.* And he's *No* Longer going to be with *Danny* in the *Real World* and he didn't just look at *Danny* as a *Movie Idol* but as a *Father* figure that he needed. And now he's *forced* to move on with his *Life* because *Jack* wasn't going to *Survive* in the *Real World.* after that *shot* close to the *Heart.* If it was a *Serious movie* it would've been very *Depressing* but I don't know how The *Genius* Director was able to pull this off without making it look *Depressing* but just *Lighthearted* I don't know I guess the *part* where *Jack* waved his *hand* up *sold* up for *Me.* kind of as a *reminder* to *Danny* that *"No matter where You are, I'll always be here with You"* and I think he even said it.
Thanks again for all the great feedback, emails and comments I’ve received so far. I’d like to give another update since this video has been performing rather well over the last few weeks. In the years since this upload, I’ve produced more videos in a similar style that explore the movies Hellraiser, Point Break, Terminator 2 and the 80s band Depeche Mode among other things. Feel free to check out my channel and help me get closer to that 1000 subscriber milestone! Thank you again for all the support, it really means a lot 🖤
Wow, 3 year old video with a 15 hour old comment from the maker. That algorithm doing funny things. I liked it. I loved Schwarzenegger when I was little and this movie was indeed the point where that childhood fascination started to wear off. I guess I was scheduled to mature over the same couple of decades that the Hollywood blockbuster finally did as well. This was a lot more analysis than I ever imagined I would sit through of a Schwarzenegger movie and probably more than it deserved, regardless of what conceptually strong ideas managed to graze the script. An interesting and depressing reflection on Danny, though, to be sure. One that hits quite close to my own experience of that era. It's a bittersweet thing to reminisce over. Also a great job in terms of presentation on your part. Excellent, subdued delivery and background ambience. Just the kind of thing the brain can convince itself that it is winding down to, when it is actually being bombarded with information.
What an absolutely stellar analysis. If it weren't for the lesser movies you referenced at the end like the Marvel movies that never had that level of self-awareness and for which the fourth wall break is just another funny gimmick I would have liked it twiced if I could. Last Action Hero always struck me like on of those misudernstood movies that are way better in hindsight. A little bit like Alien 3. Expectations were so high, it's timeslot so unfortunate (following Jurassic Park) and the studios meddles wiht it so much that is was destined to fail. I really would like to ask McTiernan if the camera in the reflection was really intentional. You are right that would elevate it even further. But I don't quite get along with the implicit suggestion that would entail. Sure it is the cherry on top but the movie had a lot of very good satirical moments that weren't just funny but really had a very well though out self-reflective way to deal with its genre it was parodying. It had so many little moments I only noticed the ultra violent titles of the movies just now. Just incredible. Edit: I wouldn't be surprised if the camera was intentional. Charles Dance is a british stage actor. They are known for their acting and commitment. I wouldn't be surprised if he urged to leave the reflection in. I'll dive headfirst into interviews about that movie as soon as I'm finished writing this edit. Maybe I'll come up with something. I'll let you know. Charles Dance really elevates all roles he is in. He was outstanding in Game of Thrones and in Last Action Hero he brought a lot of the (at the time I felt almost too gritty) dark atmosphere. When he realized that in reality his wildest expectations were even surpassed concerning the dehumanizing violence he witnesses I felt really shocked when I first saw that movie. These feet sticking out behind the garbage cans was a very uncompromising comment on the state of current day society I had never expected from such a movie.
"Think of villains, Jack. You want Dracula? Dra-cuu-la? Wait, I'll get him for you. Dracula? Pah! I can get King Kong! We'll have nightmares with Freddy Krueger, we'll throw Adolf Hitler a surprise party, Hannibal Lecter can do the service, and then we'll all go to Rosemary's baby christening. All I have to do is snap my fingers and everyone comes! They're lining up to get here, and you know why, Jack? Shall I tell you why? Hmm? Because here, in this world, the bad guys can be the winners!" That sounds absolutely terrifying, and when I look at our current world, it's unfortunately true. The bad guys can be the winners in our world.
It was really ahead of its time. I remember back then people didn't really know what the film was about. Too childish for adults, too violent for kids, not appealing for teenagers. Bad marketing and bad timing.
2 different movie universes working in tandem. Jack is from the PG-13/PG action hero universe where death is inconsequential, sex and unrealistic violence is glorified, and there is always a way for the good guy to live in the end, Always. Danny lives in the R rated universe where actions have consequences. People die, even good people. He lives in the world of Coppola, Hitchcock, Depalma, Kubric and Scorsese films...
I hoped more people could see that. Danny's world isn't actually 'the real world' then they slip into a movie world. Indeed, as you described, both are movie worlds. You very keenly note that both are movie worlds but one is a PG13 and you're right the NY movie is an R-rated movie. Good call!
This movie is very underrated and surprisingly dark when you think about it. The tragedy of Jack Slaters son, Danny's latchkey lifestyle and the danger of the real world when the movie villain realized that in real life, bad guys win all the time.
This is probably one of my favorite movies from the 90s, it works on so many levels that it revolutionized my entire movie experience at the time. Way ahead of its time, a true gem of cinema that people didn't understand, proving that critical thinking and the ability to see things from another perspective isn't as common as it should be. Thanks for this amazing analysis.
this is the best review ive ever seen for a movie that was seemingly a basic movie but im so glad someone else saw it for the brilliance it really was.
I've always loved this movie - always thought that it was underrated, got stuck with getting across the message it was trying to get across. Nice teardown.
I remember having illegal cable as a kid having this movie on repeat. I liked that movie soo much it felt like I was the kid who met Arnold while living in reality. Fast forward I could definitely appreciate the film.
Also, not to be argumentative, but the reason Danny gets mugged is so he has the handcuff key later in the film, and he escapes from the handcuffs. not saying both couldn't have been done better, but that is why that scene stayed in.
Ever thought that Danny could have been genuinely attacked in the robbery and it led to a psychotic break? The final straw in a bleak and spiralling adolescence? That would explain the off tone and heightened violence far better than it being fictional to the Film's narrative, and why 'Danny Madigan' slips away into a fantasy World for mental comfort with His Hero/dream Father figure 'Jack Slater'. That's how I always took the tone of it. Especially seeing Danny bring Him home to Mom. Pure broken Childhood wish fulfilment stuff. I suspect possible domestic abuse from the deceased Dad, but definitely NOT p*dophila by the hands of that dear sweet old Cinema owner, 'Nick'. That's the most ridiculous theory I've heard on this Movie, ever. Those Clowns need their devices confiscating forever. But it's most likely just grief and feeling severely vulnerable that forces Danny to "Man-up" too fast and see violence as a magic solution to all His problems. Sorry for the Tl;dr, but that got me in my feelings a bit - I adore: 'Last Action Hero' and 'Nick' was probably the nicest paternal type figure 'Danny' knew in the irl setting of it. He sought Him out for safety. A ray of light in the darkness. Much like the projector beam in that darkened Theatre room... ...Absolutely loved your analysis, tho', subbed!
For me, I saw Danny as a portrait of an abandoned GenX child, lacking father figure and latching on to action movies as a way to cope with his inability to live up to his fictional heroes. Once hs's "met" them, he realizes their limits and shortcomings.
Danny needed to get robbed at the start of the movie to get the police handcuff key to later use in Slater V when he’s handcuffed. Meta. Death says it himself “I Don’t do Fiction”.! This is to state that death is a real thing that we cannot escape in reality. Extra Meta Deep. Also Jack still shows some crazy Action Hero Strength and Resilience, he took a bullet like a Hero.
I know how difficult this review was to produce. It was excellent. Your parallel drawing to the joker was on point. One movie is left with a positive feeling to the future, the good guy riding off into the sunset, the other with a dark view that tells us we are all f***ed. Please make more. They are greatly appreciated, and even if your channel doesn’t blow up, it will be worth it for those of us who care.
Man that scene with Jack slater meeting Arnold was insane to me. Like if I was in any of the two's shoes I'd prob go insane knowing both of us are the real deal in their own confusing way.
I just come to notice that Benedict basically becomes a form of the Nietzschean ubermensch. He receives enlightenment with the golden ticket and sees his world for what it truly is.
@gamingforpizza5142 That's because he's just a person. He'll have opinions not everyone will agree with. That used to be okay. Arnold as we know him is bigger than that, and will always be a legend.
To be fair, the intruder not only sells the tumultuous scenario that NY is in and how Danny may get wrapped up in action movies as a way to feel in control, its also how he gets the handcuffs key that helps him toward the end.
I was not quite 10 when it came out and even then, I could read between the lines in this movie. I always loved it and didn't understand why it caught such a bum rap
Love the movie "Last Action Hero". One of my guilty pleasures. The reason for the break-in is to show how violent Danny's world is. Danny was handcuffed in the bathroom by this criminal, and his mother couldn't even get off her shift to see if her kid was okay. That's the reason for that scene. It's trying to show you why Danny escapes into the movies, at first figuratively, then later on, literally.
This was basically scary movie a decade earlier, it was a victim of the time it was released in. The references and easter eggs in this movie are off the chart.
This is one of my all time fave movies. I grew up with this as my Dad was a huge Action/Arnie fan and I was weened on a good diet of it growing up. I have since thought as I have got older that Danny is in fact imagining the whole event and this is actually a genius way of showing his dissociation from the real world hell he is living in. This is why he sees Benedict as breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to us as you see this a lot in Villains in both movies and theatre. It is like when you have a dream and sometimes you see yourself watching you or you see yourself as someone else entirely. Overall, this is a great video and I have sent it to my friends who also love this movie! x
regardless o' the critique here, this film very much deserves to be seen - without pre-judgement or distraction. context matters. decide for yourself...
Okay in short: mind over matter. Consciousness is a fundamental force, as opposed to materialist doctrine. Reality is a consequence of conscious thought. Okay cool. But what does that mean? It means thoughts are more powerful than you think. They create universes. An author is a literal god creating a world in his mind and unwittingly gifting it with a portion of consciousness. Fictional characters may be fictional to you, but to them their existence is very much real. It's a complete wack job of a theory that feels weirdly plausible. Came across this video and reminder of this movie's plot in a strangely appropriate time when this theory started to gain my attention. Don't be surprised when this starts to pop up when quantum research and the consciousness field start to merge.
I was about 16 when this movie came out. My high school was 2 blocks from times square. The scene where Danny's home is invaded felt real to me. The dirt and filth of Times Square, the imminent danger of not just other teens looking for a fight but even adults looking to take advantage of us. It took a few more years before the NBA and Disney would have flagship stores there but that was the times square I would walk through on the way to the subway. Besides, a scene doesn't have to double-back on itself a-la a David Mamet film. Or an episode of Seinfeld. The purpose of the scene was to be scary and unsettling. That was the point. To make you understand and feel what Danny's world was like. What they say in film school and in those screenwriting seminars about how every bit of a screenplay must advance the story or the plot..... That all just sounds crazy to me. You don't want to go too far off the rails in your world building, not get too amorphous, but there's nothing wrong with making your audience empathize with your characters and feel something.
Great video. Never understood why this wasn't more well received and I think you nailed a few good points. Of course, I don't know why critics exist either....
Benedict was originally supposed to be played by Timothy Dalton. Charles Dance replaced him. It makes sense to me, because Benedict is like a dark James Bond type character. Goldeneye with Pierce Brosnan wouldn't come out until two years after this. At the time, I believe Timothy was still planning on doing a third film.
It’s got be around 30yrs ago since I last saw Last Action Hero that I’ve forgotten most of it. But watching this video has given me the appetite to find it on a streaming service and watch it again tomorrow night (actually tonight as it’s 1:54am I’ve just noticed) after I’ve finished all my work for the day
The level of detail in this video and you only have 300 subs is madness. I was hoping you had a big selection of similar videos when I clicked onto your channel. Keep up the good work!
I remember when 'Last Action Hero' came out. The action movie genre were getting stale, dated. I saw this film as an acknowledgement that the genre was coming to its end, and having fun with it.
This is indeed a nice new way to look at the film (the Danny section). I always liked Last Action Hero and never understood the hate for it. Closing with Moby's reprised song was a nice touch.
Well thought out, well written, and well executed, sir! (no pun intended) I'll be looking forward to future analysis, in whatever video format you choose. I see that you haven't done much with the channel as of late, but I encourage you to keep up the fantastic work. Who knows... You might even save the internet!
My interpretation of this film is that Jack Slater is Danny's fantasy of having a father. It isn't about the violence IMO because it doesn't condemn action movies. I don't get how anyone could interpret the film to have Danny as a psychopath or being abused. That's obviously not happening in this film. Arnold is Danny's fantasy Dad. It's a Father's Day movie pretty much. That's how I see it anyway.
"Becoming the very thing it was satrizing..." Dude, that was the whole point Last Action Hero was a tongue in cheek look at how Action Movies are treated Good ones fall into this niche Great ones have cult followings Lately, Action Movies are cookie cutouts, and carbon copies of originals, with female leads recast as the main, only to have that one be trash
Well there was that Nic Cage movie Massive Talent where I think it took some inspiration from Last Action Hero. Do you have an actor playing a satirized version of himself, in an action film, where (Spoilers) it was always an action film the whole time.
The fact that one can break this movie down into multiple philosophical ideas is proof on how good the movie actually was. That's the trouble sometimes when something is so brilliant, it will go over most people's heads. This movie was always a favorite of mine because Danny would be all of us if we found ourselves in one of our favorite movies. We'd all say and do the EXACT same thing and that's another level of its brilliance. The "555" phone number line will always be my favorite. "That's why we have area codes..."
I miss early 1993. Everything was just more exciting more colorful. Everything was just better maybe because I was a kid something about 1993 and 1994 really makes me feel warm outside. I always have nostalgia for those years.
That perfect moment is also seen with a seamless transition between Benedict having a normal eye and his glass eye as if he is already transitioning himself between universes.
Ahead of it's time, pure genius! It's a perfect time to do a Part 2, especially since all our 80's action heroes are doing their last hurrah movies before they totally retire from Hollywood.
I've always loved that movie, and I never really understood why people despised it so much even though it does have flaws and sloppiness. It reminds me of another personal favorite, Shoot 'Em Up; both of those films know exactly what they're trying to be from the jump, and both got trashed because critics and audience completely mistook them for trying to be serious narratives. They're both a wink and nod in cinema form, and we're supposed to be in on the joke.
I have notice there is a lot of parallels between Back To The Future and Last Action Hero. #1 Marty and Danny doesn't have friends there own ages. #2 both have older father figures and it's because of Nick and Doc Brown (Marty goes back in time) Danny ends up in a parallel world. #3 Marty creates a new timeline. Danny creates a alternate reality "Jack Slater" is a movie character who steps out of a film and becomes a living breathing person
This analysis video was outstanding. Truly outstanding. Not only did it open up my profound love for this film. But also challenged me to watch it in a new scope. And man, it was satisfying to do so. So, thank you. And even though I just found your video today. Almost 9 months after you uploaded it. The timing couldn't be more ideal. Since I had just purchased this film 2 weeks prior as it finally arrived on 4K disc. Totally subscribed to your channel.
This movie just takes you from a real dark rainy crime infested city into a warm sunny paradise. The contrast between dark NYC and sunny CA. Everyone wants to escape like this kid.
Update - thanks for all the great feedback, DMs, emails and comments I’ve received in regards to this upload. I’m currently working on 2 new videos in this same style which hopefully will be as warmly received as this one. Cheers everyone!
Last Action Hero wasn't the only movie Arnie made before it's time. The 6th Day is another one of his movies which is before it's time. 6th Day was the first Hollywood movie made on human cloning
Elevem Yearz I can't wait! I'm really pleased you've had great feedback. I watch a lot of YT vids on movies, and a fair few LAH ones, and this really stands out. You have a skill with keeping the viewer watching. I genuinely was only going to watch a bit and come back later. Couldn't help myself watching it in one sitting. All the best!
People were not ready for this film when it came out. I have loved it since probably 8th grade and NONE of my friends could grasp the pure genius and blaring nuance and i had nobody to love it with. Until now. I want to mention the soundtrack is fire too!
Hi there, just came upon this video and I really enjoyed it! You brought up some things about the film I'd never heard about and the theories were very interesting. The scene of Charles Dance is pretty mind blowing, intentional or not! Upon rewatching the movie I noticed another thing I had never given much thought before. In the scene where the film gets its title of "Last Action Hero", the teacher at Danny's school is showing a clip of Hamlet to the class. As she sets the scene for the tape to play, she says that "...although Hamlet at times is seemingly incapable of taking action..." (an interesting choice of words, given the revelation that these characters are doomed to play a role) "...he is actually one of the first action heroes!" The line itself draws a clear contrast between Jack Slater's brazen action star and the internally conflicted, flowery prose of Hamlets character and his monologuing. If Hamlet can be called the first action hero, monologuing and incapable of action because that's the way he was written, then Jack Slater, or more appropriately Schwarzenegger, can safely be called the last. A hero to end all action heroes. May as well shut the book, Arnold finished the genre and it's whole arc by being the most explosive action icon in real life and then becoming self-aware of it all in the movie. And honestly, I think they were right. No one, not even Dwayne Johnson has quite taken up the mantle in the same way. Bruce Willis is a close second but I still think Schwarzenegger is the king. That line and the film's title in a way is the ultimate meta prediction on the genre, and the fact that they were ultimately right in a lot of ways makes it even more badass to me. Like the filmmakers really knew what they were doing and where the industry was headed. It's definitely true that some of the more clever ideas in the film can get buried under the heavily satirized action scenes at times, but it was always going to be a fine line to walk without being too obvious or on the nose. Ultimately, a lot of the more cerebral parts of the movie do feel like a "slight of hand" like you said; always working its magic beneath the surface but always careful to not call too much attention to itself. This is a fantastic video and you should be very proud of it. Making something like this is a LOT of work. Whatever you're up to now I hope you're able to put your skills as a researcher, movie buff, and storyteller to good use. I don't know how active you are in making videos for RU-vid now, but I'll sub and look forward to the possibility of seeing a new video sometime in the future. In the meantime, I'll watch your video on Point Break. I'm looking forward to it. Cheers!
I only remember seeing 2 movies in the theatre in '93. This and Jurassic Park. I was 7 and loved both. I was the only kid I knew with a Jack Slater action figure. He often teamed up with my T-800 figure to fight the T-1000. Good times.
I'm glad I found this video. It was interesting. But these theories, man.... "Nick is a pervert, Danny is psychotic". I always think the crazy theories tell us more about the person who came up with them in the first place. I can believe that he imagined these stuff but not because he was a psycho. And there it is, I'm projecting my experiences on the character. I was born in 1993, actually. I was younger than Danny when I first saw this movie (maybe 7 or 8). I was always a dreamer and after seeing this one, I spent a lot of time imagining myself being sucked into a movie. My favourite one was being in Star Wars The Phantom Menace having Padmé fall in love with me instead of Anakin. :D I've had and still have a tendency for depression and anxiety. I also see the world to be a dark place a lot of times, but I've found a way to escape: I became an actor, so I can keep on dreaming of being in another world. I mostly act on stage, though, which I think suits me better. This way I can be in that other world for 1-2 hours straight. While shooting for a movie is like going in and out of character every time the camera rolls and stops. Sorry for the long, biographical comment. :D Again, thanks for the video! I think I'm gonna rewatch the movie now.
