Collateral Damage - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger has hit a disastrous stride in his movie career over the last few years. "Batman and Robin", "End of Days", and the underrated "Sixth Day" have all been misses in some form or another. Enter "Collateral Damage", the movie that is supposed to turn his career back around. Unfortunately for him, the timing of this film put him in a tight spot. But, in reality, this film would've been just as bad with or without the events of September 11th.

Running late to meet his wife and son at a downtown high-rise complex one morning, the L.A. firefighter and devoted family man arrives in time to witness a bomb explode in a nearby vehicle, showering the area with debris and shattered glass. The explosion is credited to El Lobo, The Wolf, an infamous rebel leader in Colombia's decades-long civil war.Gordy's only consolation for the loss of his family is the hope that justice will prevail and that the Wolf will be stopped before he has a chance to strike again. But weeks later, as the tragic event becomes yesterday's news, he watches the official inquiry into The Wolf's whereabouts come to a frustrating standstill.

Against the advice of friends, the FBI, and pointed warnings from CIA agent Brandt (Elias Koteas), Gordy sets out to track down The Wolf himself. He has nothing else to lose.

Quite frankly, this movie is boring. It's boring because the events of 9/11 have shown us terrorism amplified to its highest point, and it was real. Here, its a movie..and its obviously a movie. And not a very good one. Sadly, anything they could do that would evoke emotion in this film falls upon dead ears. BUT, I believe that it would have still been pretty weak because the action in this film is sparse and weak. The fact that this movie tries to make Arnold the everyday man, makes for some weak fighting scenes and some repetitive chase sequences.

This movie also bothers me because it causes for Arnold to do something we all know he's not capable of. They want him to act. There are no one-liners in this film, and he has very limited dialogue. However, the film calls for Schwarzenegger to use facial expressions to emote...and well, that's just not happening.

I would avoid this film, and am glad that I did for as long as I did. Arnold needs to get back to the kick all ass films that made his career what it is. Luckily for him, Terminator 3 and True Lies 2 are next on his plate. Let's just hope Collateral Damage 2 doesn't come first.

Rating: out of four.

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