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This is one Schwarzenneger film I had avoided for decades because I remember seeing him drive around in a jeep during the opening of the film with a cigar, and blasting country music. I got turned off because Commando was such a great film that, tonally, Raw Deal seemed like a big misfire, and oddly put together.
After finally watching this movie from front to back I can say that it really wasn't bad. Arnold plays a heavily Austrian accented ex-FBI operative who is re-assigned to infiltrate a mob organization and gain their trust. He takes the job so he can make his cake baking lush wife happy and get them back to city life, stat!
Arnie gets made fun of a lot as not being able to act. This is not true at all. Arnold has major charisma and comic timing, as well as a good dramatic flair. The "issue" is his accent. It comes across wooden, having to deliver english lines so often. If you look at his face you can see his decent acting, but if you solely rely on his voice, you'll be fooled into thinking he's a garbage thespian. Ok well, thespian might be a stretch.
Raw Deal has tons of solid action and some great stunt work. The kills are appropriately messy and shameless, and the pacing is pretty tidy. It moves along well enough. I think the issue is in fact that the tone has no real identity. This is a scatterbrained film tonally. Also, the humor tries but misses the mark just about every time.
I watched this for a few nights before bed as I often do with movies and it was an OK action picture. It doesn't have that camp that Commando has, nor the manic action or incredible music score or comedy writing or hooks, but it does have a nice little niche as being an often overlooked Dino DeLaurentiis NC picture that takes place in Chicago, and believe it or not, almost, and I do mean almost, works with its romantic subplot.
Raw Deal - (1986)
Director: John Irving
Director: John Irving
This is one Schwarzenneger film I had avoided for decades because I remember seeing him drive around in a jeep during the opening of the film with a cigar, and blasting country music. I got turned off because Commando was such a great film that, tonally, Raw Deal seemed like a big misfire, and oddly put together.
After finally watching this movie from front to back I can say that it really wasn't bad. Arnold plays a heavily Austrian accented ex-FBI operative who is re-assigned to infiltrate a mob organization and gain their trust. He takes the job so he can make his cake baking lush wife happy and get them back to city life, stat!
Arnie gets made fun of a lot as not being able to act. This is not true at all. Arnold has major charisma and comic timing, as well as a good dramatic flair. The "issue" is his accent. It comes across wooden, having to deliver english lines so often. If you look at his face you can see his decent acting, but if you solely rely on his voice, you'll be fooled into thinking he's a garbage thespian. Ok well, thespian might be a stretch.
Raw Deal has tons of solid action and some great stunt work. The kills are appropriately messy and shameless, and the pacing is pretty tidy. It moves along well enough. I think the issue is in fact that the tone has no real identity. This is a scatterbrained film tonally. Also, the humor tries but misses the mark just about every time.
I watched this for a few nights before bed as I often do with movies and it was an OK action picture. It doesn't have that camp that Commando has, nor the manic action or incredible music score or comedy writing or hooks, but it does have a nice little niche as being an often overlooked Dino DeLaurentiis NC picture that takes place in Chicago, and believe it or not, almost, and I do mean almost, works with its romantic subplot.