Nordling here.
Before his personal troubles, Arnold Schwarzenegger was all set to appear in CRY MACHO, passing up Jee-Woon Kim's English-speaking film debut THE LAST STAND. Now that the gossip news has seemingly run its course for now, Schwarzenegger is returning to the big screen, but it appears he's decided to make THE LAST STAND instead of CRY MACHO. I'm pretty damn excited that he's changed his mind, because Lionsgate's released a synopsis of the film's story, and this sounds perfect for Schwarzenegger's big screen return - gritty, dark, and full of action.
THE LAST STAND, described as a kind of Western, sounds pretty intense from today's press release:
Schwarzenegger will be starring as Sheriff Owens, a man who has resigned himself to a life of fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction after leaving his LAPD post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with failure and defeat after his partner was crippled. After a spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the hemisphere is hurtling toward the border at 200 mph in a specially outfitted car with a hostage and a fierce army of gang members. He is headed, it turns out, straight for Summerton Junction, where the whole of U.S. law enforcement will have their last opportunity to make a stand and intercept him before he slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately accepts responsibility for one of the most daring face offs in cinema history.
Now this is a Schwarzenegger film I want to see. CRY MACHO was more of a drama, but this sounds like HIGH NOON on the Mexican border. Plus, it's directed by Jee-Woon Kim, who knows how to ratchet up the intensity. I SAW THE DEVIL is one of my favorite films this year and while THE LAST STAND seems to put Schwarzenegger in kickass mode, he also is playing a character that seems closer to reality.
I don't give a damn about Arnold's personal problems. I care about the work. His personal issues are between him and his family. And I want nothing more than to see Arnold return to the medium which has treated him so well. We Arnold fans have been waiting for almost 10 years to see him return to the screen with a starring role, and with THE LAST STAND it looks like we might have something really impressive. With events being as they are, it's no stretch to see Schwarzenegger playing a broken man looking for one last shot at redemption. Really excited to see how this one turns out.
Nordling, out.
