It was Schwaz' first box office flop and put up the current standard of spending way too much money on film marketing. It ranks high upon the worst returns of all film history. Yet there is a good film here and could have been a hidden gem -- had it not been for Danny and coming into "our world."
You may be among the hordes who avoided Last Action Hero. You should reconsider. It has that stigma of being a horrible film, but if you're a fan of this podcast then you will understand why we put it upon such a high platform with Hell Comes to Frogtown, Joe Vs The Volcano and UHF. While Joe is a far superior production and Hell is a far more efficient production, Last falls into bad movie legend with incredible amounts of money thrown at it, while clearly only going to work with a very small amount of movie goers. It's your classic case of men in ties making horrible decisions.
The primary mistakes the film puts upon its audience is the snivelly Danny (Austin O'Brien). It's not that Austin does a bad job (it's not good either) as a child actor (we've seen FAR worse, looking at you Jake Lloyd), it's just that Danny sucks. This is the last character you want to see in an over-the-top action movie, the whiny child who isn't having fun with us. THEN there is the always awful choice of bringing your fantasy characters through a magic portal into our reality. Our reality sucks. We don't want to be here, and we especially don't want the movie we are escaping our reality from coming into it. Blech.
Yet every single minute that takes place inside Jack Slater's (Arnold) movie fantasy world is a treat. It's non-stop homage/satire/creation of action films and the characters within them. The stunts are fantastic, the self-deprecating comedy is top-notch, and as always, Arnold delivers non-stop fun and charm.
Last Action Hero is one our favorite movies and rides that beautiful line between crap and brilliance. Must watch film.
The SMABFA (Stinker Madness Achievments in Bad Film-Making Award) Awards - 2017 Nominations
Best Bad Movie
The Great WallGeostormRingsXXX: Return of Xander CageThe SnowmanThe Dark TowerThe Space Between UsValerianKing Arthur: Legend of the SwordWorst Bad Movie
The MummyCollateral BeautyTransformers: The Last KnightThe SnowmanResident Evil: The Final ChapterGeostormFlatlinersUnderworld: Blood WarsFifty Shades DarkerBest Bad Actor
Gerard Butler - GeostormMatt Damon - The Great WallShawn Roberts - Resident Evil: The Final ChapterVincent D'Onofrio - RingsMichael Fassbender - The SnowmanSam Worthington - The ShackJavier Bardem - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No TalesIce Cube – XXX: Return of Xander CageRussell Crow – The MummyIdris Elba - The Dark TowerTom Cruise - The MummyWorst Bad Actor
Dane DeHaan - Valerian and the City of a Thousand PlanetsTom Cruise - The MummyWill Smith - Collateral BeautyJohn Depp - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No TalesEthan Hawke - ValerianVal Kilmer – SnowmanJim Sturgess – GeostormJavier Bardem - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No TalesJamie Dornan - Fifty Shades DarkerVin Diesel - XXX: Return of Xander CageMatt Damon - The Great WallBest Bad Actress
Astrid Bergès-Frisbey - King Arthur: Legend of the SwordNina Dobrev - XXX: Return of Xander CageMilla Jovovovich - Resident Evil: The Final ChapterTian Jing - The Great WallOctavia Spencer - The ShackKate Beckinsale - UnderworldRihanna - ValerianBritt Robertson - The Space Between UsAbbie Cornish: GeostormToni Collette - XXX: Return of Xander CageDeepika Padukone - XXX: Return of Xander CageRebecca Ferguson -The SnowmanEllen Page - FlatlinersWorst Bad Actress
Sofia Boutella - The MummyKate Winslet - Collateral BeautyHelen Mirren - Collateral BeautyDakota Johnson - Fifty Shades DarkerSofia Boutella - The MummyMila Jovovich - Resident EvilKeira Knightly - Collateral BeautyNina Dobrev - XXX: Return of Xander CageKim Basinger – Fifty Shades DarkerLaura Haddock – Transformers: The Last KnightRhianna - Valerian and the City of a Thousand PlanetsMS