Commando

Yes, there is some cheesy acting, but the payoff in this film is excellent! After reading other commentaries on this film, I won't spoil the ending for anyone who hasn't see the film when I say that it concludes with an accurate portrayal of special ops folks in action. But it is not only accurate, it is exciting, and well shot (love the view through the mask!). Combine accuracy and excitement and you have something that beats most of those other "special ops" films hands down. It makes Rambo et al seem downright nonsensical (which it is), and rightly so.

And as someone who studied in Europe for several years and saw the political far left in action on the streets of the major cities, I can tell you that many of them talked just like they do in the movie. And yes, the guerrilla theatre production lampooning the US is accurate, that type of theatre did take place.

Since i'm going to be a Royal Marine Commando, this movie was very appealing. Not just for it's hardcore violence (Which I like), but also for the fact that my mother named me after the star of the film, Lewis Collins, which i'm pretty chuffed about.

Their has never been a movie that comes this close to showing the general public the SAS, their training, and their skills, which makes the movie so damn good.

One thing that i was a bit disappointed about, was the fact that if they had made the film 3 years later (1985), they (At the start when their in the mountains in Wales) would have been using the SA80 rifle, which is much cooler than the one they were using in the movie (The FN-FAL or something like that).

An overall wicked movie that I would recommend to anybody that's interested in the military, and who loves guns and violence!!!!!!

This is a film I'd heard of years ago, but never got around to watching it until yesterday.

While the plot seems a little slow at times (an illusion created by watching too many hollywood action movies), and (as many people here have commented) the dialog can get a little cheesy, add to the fact that the hairstyles, clothing, vehicles, etc... look dated now. But that's not what I was watching the film for.

The actual action sequences in the film are typical special operations style action sequences, i.e. they're over practically before they've started! This film, if not realistic (I'm sure it is, but as someone who doesn't know how the SAS really operate, I couldn't comment), is totally believable. From the handover by the police to the military, through the planning phase of the operation, the MOE (fast-roping from helicopters onto the roof, then abseiling down the side of the building), the total communication throughout the assault. It's absolutely breathtaking.

This is no Hollywood Action Movie. It's totally different from the likes of "Operation Delta Force", etc... There are no cheesy one-liners when a terrorist is dropped. There is no jumping about, emptying whole magazines (and more!) into people, shooting from the hip at targets 200 metres away and hitting them with the first shot, while snipers on the opposite side couldn't hit the Titanic from 2 metres away.

So, to sum up, I'd give the plot, characters and acting 7/10, but the action sequences, I'd wholeheartdly give 12/10! Fantastic stuff...

Ok so some of the supporting actors are weak. the american cast are clearly on holiday. but Lewis Collins is great and should of been a star on the british cinema screen.however the british film industry was pratically dead at the time.great music score maybe not enough action.maybe collins should of been in wild geese 2 instead of scott glenn.

I have given this a 8 not because of the acting or the film its self,it was full of goofs,but the story was bang on the mark. How people forget how it was back in 1983 when the film came out if you get yourself along to a disused nuclear shelter like the one in Fife,Scotland (Secret Bunker)and take a look at the posters of all the CND marches,ban the bomb,etc you begin to remember how it was back then and the fear the cold war had on people,it was also a time of extreme Right,and left wing politics in the UK (Skinheads,Anarchists,National Front,and Communist party's) The SAS were also in the news,and the footage was almost like the Iranain Embassy footage at the time complete with Anna Ford news reading for ITN

From an army point of view,there was some good Accuracys amongst the goofs,the SAS train with live ammo,not blanks,the HQ was correct,the train in the Welsh hills,and they founded the flash bang grenade,the Hotel entry was also correct,blowing the hinges of the front door,with a shot gun,and the SAS train with other international army's (deemed friendly to the UK)

the funding for the terrorists was not too far from the real life truth,and it was a time of mercenaries,everybody was hiring everyone who was special op trained

I found the Film'looked' a bit like the Proffesionals TV series at the time in places,and the Music also conveyed this,this was deliberate on Sir Lew Grades part as to make a smooth transition from small screen to Big for Mr Collins

the real hero in the film is the Scottish actor who plays a fellow solider (of Collins) in the film,who plays it straight and realistic throughout

I have had this film since it came out (2 tapes,and a DVD),not in my all time top 10,but comes out from time to time,to bring back memory's of a forgotten time,and a time of Cold War fear

Donald Suttie