The old saying that “timing is everything” is very true, especially in the movie business. As Hollywood lore goes, the 1993 action fantasy comedy film Last Action Hero from director John McTiernan (Die Hard) was a victim of timing in more ways than one. When Columbia Pictures dated this one to release on June 18, 1993, they had no idea what a mess they were getting themselves into. Just one week prior, a little film known as Jurassic Park debuted, which would go on to be one of the highest grossing films of all time. When you have a juggernaut such as this sucking up all of the oxygen, you really need a bulletproof classic to stand any chance of competing against it, and critics were not nearly that kind to this film. Timing also comes into play when it comes to the production, as McTiernan has criticized the studio publicly for rushing the edit of the film to capitalize on the summer movie season. Both of these facts are a shame, since at its core Last Action Hero is a really clever, fun film that does not deserve the negativity it often receives.
The opening scene of the film is pitch perfect in its execution, both in the way it captures the macho-energy of 80s action films and the way it uses it to establish the satiric tone. Detective Jack Slater is a character that Arnold Schwarzenegger could play in his sleep, but what he chooses to do with this character is a work of a nimble comedic mind. Schwarzenegger is not too serious to parody his persona for the sake of new, clever art. From the dramatic, intimidating entrance to the dismissal of his lieutenant and a genuinely laugh-out-loud quip (you have to watch the film to understand why “two acres” had me rolling on the ground with laughter), the film nails the aesthetic. It is easy to see why the film-obsessed Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien, My Girl 2) is obsessed with the franchise and keeps skipping school to head to his local, run-down cinema. It is a place to get away from the pain of his deceased father and even bond with the kindly projectionist, Nick (Robert Prosky, The Natural). I know I relate to the escapism that the movies can provide.
When Danny sneaks out to catch a midnight preview of the newest entry in the Jack Slater series set up by Nick exclusively for the young cinephile, he gets more than he bargained for when a “magic ticket” catapults him into the film to be a part of the action. As someone who has a soft spot for the film Stay Tuned, which shares a similar concept, this premise has me hooked from the start. This film has two very distinct worlds in which it operates. The dingy, crime-riddled real world, and the bright and shiny film world. This world is also crime-riddled, but it at least has a hero like Jack Slater to save the day. The movie sends up so many action cliches and makes so many clever references that it is hard to catch everything with just one viewing. This is a world where a car can survive a 40 foot drop with no ramifications and detectives are paired up with animated cats. Not to mention every single woman could be a supermodel. Everything is on the table, even if Jack refuses to believe he is just a character in a film.
The unlikely friendship between Jack and Danny works really well in the film, even if there is a knowing reference to the cookie-cutter nature of these pairings. Schwarzenegger handles all of the comedic bits in the film effortlessly, such as every interaction he has with his fiery lieutenant (Frank McRae, absolutely nailing the nuance of this role) that leaves glass windows broken every time. Action fans should also be pleased by how much butt Arnold kicks even under these heightened scenarios. Henchmen are dispatched with a real glee throughout. He even has the perfect villainous counterpart with the glass-eyed Benedict (Charles Dance, Game of Thrones). This character is memorable throughout, but he is perhaps best utilized when the film crashes back into the real world for an epic finale. The stark contrast between the anything-goes ethos of the “film world” and the very real consequences of the “real world” makes for an interesting adaptation for these figures.
Last Action Hero is not perfect by any means. McTiernan has good reason to be upset by the edit of the film, as it is easily twenty minutes too long. That said, when the film works, it really works – and I would argue that it does most of the time. The film struggles at times to find the right balance between being a family film and an action satire, but there are consistent jokes in here that will keep you laughing – watch out for an unexpected Amadeus reference that is golden. The film delivers the big (intentionally) dumb action set pieces that you crave while reveling in this ridiculousness of the endeavor. Last Action Hero is an smartly-written early 90s classic that is in need of a reevaluation.
Video Quality
Last Action Hero makes its much-anticipated 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut with a stunning 2160p HDR10 transfer from a 4K scan of the original camera negative that allows the film to look better than it ever has. When compared to the old Blu-Ray that is also included, this disc offers monumental improvements in all respects. That release was not awful by any means, but its flaws seem more apparent with this new release for reference. This new 4K scan has a lovely amount of natural film grain that allows this movie to shine and gives a lot of pleasing texture and detail to the transfer. For the first time on home entertainment, you can clearly see specific text such as most of the names of the films in the video store. The image presents with a miraculous amount of depth that makes the California landscape of the movie world feel more three dimensional than ever. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are outstanding, especially when you look at the interior of the police station and the ragged nature of the old cinema.
The UHD disc contains very deep colors throughout with ugly, dour tones saturating the real world and bright primaries showing off the ideal nature of the film world. The most impressive moments of HDR implementation are in the film’s various explosions as fireballs glow with a miraculous intensity. And trust us, there are plenty of explosions to go around. White levels are brighter and offer a greater stability without veering into blooming. Black levels are extremely deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. This especially comes in handy during the scenes in the dark movie theater or in the sketchy alleyways. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail including the cuts and grime from being in these fights. This transfer is a knockout effort for fans of the film. The folks at Sony are masters when it comes to their 4K output.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with an extremely lively Dolby Atmos presentation that handles the nonstop action of the story incredibly well. The track offers expert level immersion into the environment so that even the subtlest elements are represented. The Atmos presentation takes full advantage of the expanded channel allotment. During the scenes at the police station, the din of precinct chatter and announcements from overhead put you right into the setting. Similarly, there are certain moments with characters on a rooftop when it is raining that sound unreal with the height channels. All of the sounds are balanced well during the more kinetic sequences, of which there are many. The constant explosions and all-out brawls provide a fantastic amount of activity in the low end. Directionality of sound is never an issue with this track, and dialogue is reproduced with supreme clarity. Speakers remain remarkably engaged throughout the film, even during the few quieter moments. The film is a classic action film audio heavy-hitter in the best sense with a well rendered sonic assault. The audio presentation is a wonderful experience from start to finish.
Special Features
Sony has provided Last Action Hero with a sleek, colorful new Steelbook based on the original one-sheet that is truly lovely in person. The front artwork is a nicely animated depiction of Jack rescuing Danny with various figures and moments from the film in the background, and the rear features Jack at the movie premiere as he is aiming his gun at Ripper. The interior sports an image of Jack in front of a huge explosion. Photos of the Steelbook can be found at the end of this review.
- Audio Commentary: Director John McTiernan provides a very dry but informative commentary track in which he struggles to remember particulars about the production. Nevertheless, he does provide some very worthwhile insights about the unwieldy nature of making a blockbuster, his realization that the tone of the movie is not quite right, his relationship with Arnold and more. There are some particularly long stretches of silence here, so this is better suited for the most patient among us.
- Original Behind the Scenes Featurette: A nearly seven-minute archival piece in which the cast and crew discuss the general plot of the film, the characters, the nuance in the film, the stunts and more.
- Deleted & Alternate Scenes: Six scenes totaling nine minutes of unused material are included here featuring more character-driven moments between Jack and Danny, excised material from a close call in the finale, an alternate ending between Danny and his mom and more. These are all worth checking out.
- “Big Gun” by AC/DC: A five-minute video for the end-credits song.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here that teases the movie in a fun way.
Final Thoughts
Last Action Hero is a film that has been unfairly maligned for some strange reason. The film may be a bit too long in the end, but for the majority of the film you have an extremely clever satire of action film culture that delivers more than enough thrills to satisfy fans that genuinely love the genre. This is top-tier Arnold Schwarzenegger as he effortlessly tackles comedy and action with excellent results. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that represents a stunning upgrade in the A/V department and even adds some all-new extras to the package. If that was not enough, this particular release comes in a beautiful SteelBook package that looks amazing in person. If you have fond memories of this film or need to check it out for the first time, this release is without fault. Recommended
Last Action Hero is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in Limited Edition Steelbook Packaging.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
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