Last Action Hero (1993)
The cheesy beauty of Last Action Hero resides in the fact that it is an entirely original and unique movie. As a parody of the action movie genre, it is stuffed with tiny references that are as a much a knowing celebration of the best-worn tropes, as it is a satirical skewering of the same.
Young Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien) is a huge fan of the action movie genre – particularly the fictional Jack Slater film series – but he is also grieving for his late father. His friend, Nick, (Robert Prosky) runs a movie theatre, and gifts Danny with a magical movie ticket during a private screening of the latest Slater film. The ticket opens a portal, through which Danny enters the movie, and finds himself in a car with his idol, Jack Slater (Arnold Scwarzenegger), as he winds his way through a chase sequence with the bad guys. Inevitably, the bad guys (Anthony Quinn, Charles Dance, Tom Noonan) discover the truth behind the magic ticket, and use it to enter the real world – leaving Danny and Slater to work together to halt their dastardly plan for world domination.
While the film is widely considered to be a commercial failure, it is the specific set of elements involved in its execution that make it an irresistible guilty pleasure. Its action movie credentials are impeccable. Firstly, it is directed by John McTiernan – the man who delivered Die Hard. Secondly, it is the first screenplay from Zak Penn, who has since worked on instalments of The X-Men franchise, as well as Avengers Assemble. Penn’s work (aided by David Arnott and Adam Leff), was shaped by Shane Black, who created the Lethal Weapon film series.
But, it is the heart of the film that appeals the most. For the movie fan, it is a treasure trove of winks and nudges, with cameo appearances from characters like Catherine Trammel from Basic Instinct (Sharon Stone), and the T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgement Day (Robert Patrick), and even Humphrey Bogart. There is even an anthropomorphic cartoon cat named Whiskers, voiced by Danny DeVito. Then, there is the acknowledgement of the ridiculous – with scenery chewing villains, a Lieutenant that constantly yells at our hero (who has his own, emotionally scarring dark secret) and the point that, when Slater gets shot in the real world, he needs to urgently travel back to the movie, because then his wounds are only minor.
Last Action Hero is undoubtedly a deeply flawed endeavour, but it is one that is filled with warmth, positive energy, and a great love of the escapism that movies can provide. As such, it is the ultimate guilty pleasure.