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Critics Consensus: If it doesn't reach the heights of director James Cameron's and star Arnold Schwarzenegger's previous collaborations, True Lies still packs enough action and humor into its sometimes absurd plot to entertain.
Critic Consensus: If it doesn't reach the heights of director James Cameron's and star Arnold Schwarzenegger's previous collaborations, True Lies still packs enough action and humor into its sometimes absurd plot to entertain.
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (34) | Rotten (14) | DVD (7)
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.
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.
Half the time, this hi-tech action movie delivers, in a mindless kind of way: it's fast, crude and has enough explosions and cartoon-style violence to satisfy our baser instincts.
As this comedy of manners unfolds, it is played for all-out action as well as satiric humor.
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.'
On the basis of stunts, special effects and pure action, it delivers sensationally.
After Harry handily humiliates Simon at every turn, True Lies charges back into its anti-Arab jihad.
Writer/director James Cameron has made his fair share of groundbreaking, great movies, but pound for pound True Lies is his most flat-out entertaining.
Proves that throwing everything at the camera sometimes works a treat.
Far be it from me to say that True Lies isn't a fun lark of an action-comedy, but it could stand to be a lot more fun and a lot more larking.
James Cameron is able to present his usual high-impact action, pushing the film out of the realm of simple Bond spoofing.
An affectionate homage to James Bond movies, ratcheted up to meet the action/adventure expectations of today's audiences.
One of my favourite action films, with plenty of humour almost like 2 films in one!
Super Reviewer
For an Arnold Schwarzenegger action-comedy film, this feels much more like the French thriller it's based on and less like a cheesy, over-the-top slaughter. James Cameron wrote and directed this film, and he makes another blockbuster action film feel like legitimate entertainment. There's a satiric intelligence and thoughtful touch to this film, and though filled with terrorism and political themes, it's less about a secret agent and more about a marriage. The gimmick of the film is that mild mannered salesman Harry Tasker is secretly an agent for the United States' government and hides it well from his wife and daughter. Most of the film follows this husband and wife around, as a series of misfortunate choices and misguided attempts at being truthful and/or provocative, keep the pair at odds. In a series of events that one would call morally questionable, Harry follows his wife as she tries to find a sense of danger in her life. This lends to the narrative of the terrorist leader launching an attack on the US for senseless violence overseas. Even though much of this revolves around some very farfetched ideas, and the antagonist is outrageous, it's Cameron at his most divisive and calculated. He knows what feels right in an action film, and even tries his hand at comedy, and that isn't always easy. Much of what makes this enjoyable solely lies in the performance of Jamie Lee Curtis, who is both right as the suburban mother and surveyor of action, and as the seductress. While Schwarzenegger does the job of action hero to credit as always that's all that can be said. As always there isn't much difference between this and any other Schwarzenegger performance, though he is perfect for this film, even if the role certainly calls for an American. Mostly it's a film to watch and go agog at the timeless special effects and fight scenes, and even for a chuckle once in a while.
James Cameron imagines "what if James Bond was married and didn't tell his wife what his job was?" Ah-nold and Jamie Lee supply oodles of chemistry. See how many times you can spot the stunt doubles! Tom Arnold's great as the sidekick.
From what I remember of this movie many years ago is that is falls short in the comedy department, but makes up for it in the action department. For its time, it is a good movie that will keep you entertained; although not Cameron's best, it is definitely worth watching.
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