Netflix’s three-part documentary, Arnold, flips the lid on Arnold Schwarzenegger and takes a deep dive into all aspects of his life. From his early days as a bodybuilder, to becoming the biggest action star in the world, to eventually becoming governor of California – Schwarzenegger has truly lived an awe-inspiring life. Arnold is an official documentary mostly told from the narrative of the man himself. This means the three-part mini series offers an intimate look into not only his successes, but his failures as well.
By the time Last Action Hero was released in 1993, Schwarzenegger was coming off the back of his biggest film to date – Terminator 2: Judgement Day. All eyes were on him with high expectations to top his last movie, but things didn’t go to plan. Last Action Hero was trashed by critics and failed to bring in anywhere close to what Terminator 2: Judgement Day brought in at the box office. Schwarzenegger admitted in the Netflix documentary that he hid from the world for a week after, and struggled to come to terms with his first big career failure. But now 30 years on, Last Action Hero is gathering its second wind.
Why Did Last Action Hero Tank At The Box Office?
With Die Hard director, John McTiernan on board, and Arnold Schwarzenegger at the forefront, Last Action Hero seemed like a recipe for box office success. However, the film’s high concept premise didn’t strike well with audiences at the time, and its satirical undertone was lost on many. It also didn’t help that Jurassic Park opened a week before Last Action Hero, and quickly went on to become the highest grossing movie of all time, at that particular period. So, if you couple that with the harsh reviews from critics, it’s easy to see why many moviegoers skipped Last Action Hero altogether.
Last Action Hero Has Become A Cult Classic
When a movie bombs at the box office, that doesn’t necessarily mean its days are over. The Arnold Schwarzenegger-led Last Action Hero is a slick action adventure spectacular that knows when to poke fun at its own ridiculousness. As the movie going audience has continued to become more open to satire over the years, movies like Last Action Hero have had a second shot at success. In the action-packed yet light-hearted movie, Schwarzenegger plays Jack Slater, a famous character from a successful action franchise. Only he isn’t aware he’s a work of fiction. When a young boy is gifted a mysterious golden ticket, he is transported from the movie theater and into the fictional world where his favourite movie character lives.
In today’s diverse world of cinema, movies like Memento and Inception make Last Action Hero‘s plot seem meek. However, at the time, it was about as mind-bending as a movie can get. And perhaps action movie fanatics weren’t quite ready to have their minds bended just yet. After Schwarzenegger got over his biggest career failure to date, he reached out to James Cameron with an idea, and True Lies was spawned. The spy comedy was an absolute smash hit, and by the time it hit movie theaters, Last Action Hero was out on VHS for home release. This gave the movie a second life and propelled it to the cult status it holds today. Last Action Hero continues to gather widespread recognition through streaming sites, and goes to prove that a movie can always rise from its failed box office ashes.
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