Commando Review - Off The Shelf Reviews

This week Gary and Iain review and discuss, Commando (1985) by Director, Mark L. Lester. Starring, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong and Vernon Wells.
For more Off The Shelf Reviews:
Merch: off-the-shelf-reviews.creator... / @offtheshelfreviews
Podcasts: offtheshelfreviews.podbean.com/
Follow us on Twitter: / @otsreviews
KZbin: / offtheshelfreviews
Facebook: / offtheshelfreviews
Support us: / offtheshelfreviews
Twitch: / offtheshelfreviews
Discord: / discord

[@DavyDredd14]

"Don't disturb my friend, he's dead tired." - John Matrix

[@mikegleed5842]

Beat me to it 😎👏

[@nickchang5293]

“Any carry on luggage?” - stewardess “Just him” - Matrix “Open your mouth again and I’ll nail it shut” - Enrique😂

[@G_Elektrik]

Remember when i said i was not going to watch this review? ...I LIED

[@chrisnotyou]

Oh. I get it!

[@lifeinthelabyrinth]

“Ooh la la”

[@danieljschulze]

A childhood favorite. We wore this VHS out.

[@MrDman21]

I can't believe y'all are just now reviewing Commando. This is an Arnold Schwarzenegger classic! 😎

[@Kinn72]

The commentary track in the DVD is hilarious …

[@ThreadBomb]

It's worth noting that Commando did the stylised tooling-up montage two years before Sam Raimi did his in Evil Dead II.

[@patrickdukart3298]

Holy shit! This is truly a video game movie. Infinite life, infinite ammo... One man vs infinite men.!!!

[@patrickdukart3298]

Thanks guys... I've been feeling kind of down lately and this review came at just the right time. Sometimes we need dumb yet awesome action movies like this to pick our mood up. Keep the good work coming!!!

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

​@@patrickdukart3298 Hey man, I hope things get better for you.

[@patrickdukart3298]

@@eldorados_lost_searcher thank you... Off the Shelf is helping

[@majdo007]

There is nothing more nostalgic than this! I eat this review for breakfast and right now I'm very hungry! Ulala!

[@haitch2676]

Vernon Wells was in the Australian SAS, now that is a proper Commando

[@jenniferbrewer5370]

I had a feeling about him, he came across like he might be the only one on set who actually knew what he was doing (aside from any technical advisors on set).

[@nickchang5293]

He was also the scary dude with a red Mohawk in Mad Max 2😆

[@davedennison7386]

In Mad Max 2, I couldn't believe his missus bought the farm cos of that boomerang...

[@kitredKitredson]

Nice timing on "breakneck pace"! Gary and Iain are my favourite movie reviewers!

[@pamliconero]

This is the one review I've been waiting for! Thanks guys!

[@ridezz6743]

First time early for film I used to watch with my dad, done by my 2 favourite reviewers, think today is gonna be good one. Thanks guys

[@ridezz6743]

My motorbike broke down later that day and had a 3 hour wait, can’t have it all I guess

[@TheUballe]

Ah, a childhood favorite! So many great scenes, but the best is when he comes out the damn tool shed like Michael Meyers.

[@jollyjakelovell4787]

Arnie had done 'Raw Deal' before this as well. 'Raw Deal' always slips under the radar and gets overlooked.

[@airfixx_8952]

The soundtrack is iconic..... You crazy, Gary.

[@JD.78]

I remember when i was a kid seeing the trailer (on some other VHS movie before the main feature - good times) with big Arnie gearing up in his commando equipment and realising it was the same guy from The Terminator, i was sold instantly. Commando is an 80's gem, over the top fun guaranteed. Excellent review, cheers guys.

[@AubreyTheKing]

I LOVE THIS MOVIE! IT'S COMMSNDO! One of Arnold's best films! The crony jokes, action everything about this movie makes it legendary! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING THIS ONE!

[@rustykuntz94]

Bill Duke is so cool, great character actor...R.I.P.

[@AdrianMendoza23]

Bill Duke is still alive

[@mrnaughtycat]

Me dad had this on vhs and we used to watch it every Friday night

[@useyourillusiongnr]

Commando!! Thank you guys! Arnold just plays out his role as a non-stopping war-machine! Love this movie! 👍 Most of the scenes are funny.... pretty much when he pulls up the phonebooth, with the guy inside it! LOL!! legendary!! 👍 but, this is the 80's acion movie!

[@steviemaycreative8651]

Best movie. Best collection of continuity mistakes I've ever seen (check the side of the Porsche when it's turned back over). I'm also convinced it's the same music in 48 Hours with Eddie Murphy.

[@High_Key]

Dudeees I’ve been asking for this one from you for years! Literally like 5yrs I’ve been asking and hoping you guys would do Commando. Finally, let’s gooo!

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

Good on Arnie realizing his limits and not trying to risk another person's life to show off. Even if it was Sully.

[@edwardhinton1615]

The drums soundtrack is the exact same one as 48 hours with Eddie Murphy.

[@krissymarklewis1793]

Ha wicked, I was just thinking the montage looks like Operation Wolf and then you said it seconds after:)

[@dantomlin7733]

Absolute gem of a film with so many one liners you will quote for years to come. You can watch it again and again and never get tired of it.

[@oudaak1]

You should check Commando Ninja, it's a nice tribute to 80s action movies.

[@andrewblanchard2398]

DICK MILLER .R.I.P. 🌹💜 was the SEAN BEAN of the 1980's TERMINATOR 1984 KILLBOTS / CHOPPING MALL V the TV movie and many more

[@volusize]

I haven't seen this since i was young but it was one of my favourites. Absolutely love this movie. Thanks for the review

[@zakarylux2271]

I eat Green Berrets for breakfast, and now I'm Very Hungry

[@bertalach]

Commando the musical is worth a watch!

[@gabrielgarbow3784]

The love and enthusiasm for this movie really comes through and made this a supremely enjoyable review to watch.

[@toddryan0108]

Hilarious review of an 80s classic guys. I love the one liners!

[@alexgeorge501]

One of the quintessential action movies of the 80's (where would action movies be today without Arnold and Stallone to pave the way?), thanks for the in-depth review!

[@jimbowlan5804]

@alexgeorge501 Not really a Stallone fan but without Rambo predator commando cobra action wouldn’t have been as big

[@carlosarmandovegavazquez7038]

The spanish dubbed version of this film is hilarious! Because it was dubbed for TV they had to keep it PG and it's funny as hell!

[@Emulous79]

I'm sure this was uncut in the UK VHS version. I remember the bloody spike and the scalped guy as a kid, and this was 1987. Probably re-released cut and obviously TV would do that, the prats. I bought a DVD in the 2000s of Predator and the damned thing was cut, too. ZAP to Carl Weathers' arm and it just cuts away with "Uuurrrggggh..." And a cool review, guys. So funny 😆

[@airfixx_8952]

The OG UK VHS didn't have the arm being chopped off, but everything else was in there.

[@whoawtf7419]

I don't know if it's confirmed anywhere but I always assumed this was the inspiration for Jack from the Tekken series.

[@pkvanderzee6226]

Predator is my favorite horror/sifi movie ever .yet this movie is all I love about Arnold. This movie remains awesome any time.

[@Zomby_Woof79]

The soundtrack is great! Especially the steel drums :)

[@jamesabernethy7896]

This movie is so cheesy and over the top at times, even for when it was made... but it is awesome and enjoyable. I remember borrowing this and Predator at the same time and loving both. Predator is one of my top 5 movies of all time. The 80's were action an entertainment, what more do you need. I've said this before and this is mainly a message for new subscribers. Even if you are just here for this movie or movies like it, give the rest of their channel a go, even if it's the type of movie that you don't think appeals to you. These guys always give their all and make movies so interesting. Blockbuster to budget, Indi to mainstream, classic to new, they explore every genre.

[@kylemendoza8860]

Damn he was a Colonel. I thought he was a special forces soldier. I don't know how old he was then. Most people don't make colonel rank before 45.

[@rosefarrell2440]

Seriously ❤ you guys and the reviews like 2 old friends

[@MMarin1983]

James Horner basically recycled and beefed up his score from Walter Hill's 48 Hours which probably means that the composer was either lazy or the budget was so small that that he had to cut some corners. Either way I personally love the score! It's just so different from anything else with those steel drums going out of control along side with the synths.

[@ThreadBomb]

Horner did tend to recycle his work. And the main theme of Willow was ripped off from Schumann's 'Rhenish' symphony.

[@91MoonKnight]

Thank you for the review I really enjoyed it. Commando is a 10/10 for me

[@zakarylux2271]

I knew almost every line of this movie, I love it. And just a great review.

[@Darklonging]

It's so sad that I you guys never saw the gore scenes. I remember seeing it on VHS back in the day. I was young.....but I loved it. They even made a Nintendo game with the name Commando.....but had no connection to the movie.

[@norwegiangamehunter4868]

Yes!

[@DrPepperMan85]

Such an amazing film. The perfect "switch your brain off and enjoy" film. On a side note, the teaser trailer for the new Alien film dropped yesterday. Can't wait to hear what you guys think of the final release.

[@ThreadBomb]

I hope it's even dumber than Covenant.

[@alexdarko80]

You guys didn’t mention that that actor was the general in Alien Resurrection…😅😅😅😂😂😂😂

[@1kylecurry]

Yes we can all agree...this is cheesy, campy, schlocky, over the top, 80s action with some great one liners, it's also fun as hell to watch. Get together with friends, have some beers 🍻🍻🍻 , turn off the brain & enjoy the ride. 😂😂😂

[@jackcraven2266]

Hey guys, just to correct you on something; The whole story about how Die Hard (1988) was originally a Commando sequel is not true, and is just another of those fake Hollywood myths about alternate sequels that could have been. Similar fake myths include one about how Die Hard With a Vengeance was based on rejected Lethal Weapon 4 script, which is not true, or how Speed 2 was based on rejected Die Hard 3 script, which is also not true. There was however a Commando 2 script which was written in late 80's by Steven E. De Souza and Frank Darabont, which is a great unproduced script, and you can look it up and find the story behind it, and even the PDF copy of it online! I highly recommend checking it out, specially since you are fans of the original film.

[@rogermazuca4582]

Cool story bro but I believe they mentioned it's actually Die Hard 2 that was to be the sequel to Commando. 🤏

[@jackcraven2266]

@@rogermazuca4582 No, at 7:57 they do mention how first Die Hard was meant to be a sequel to Commando, which again is not true, but the fictional country Val Verde is in both Commando and Die Hard 2, and i think it's also in that unproduced Commando 2 script i was talking about.

[@ThunderingJove]

Good review, as always.

[@johnantonywalton-tz6xe]

Your training, Matrix. 💚

[@lennoxmate4064]

Horner’s soundtrack is pretty much the same as the one he composed for 48 Hrs.

[@Dacre1000]

Not a guilty pleasure. Not a good bad movie. A genuinly great movie. It knows what it is, it knows what it wants to be, and executes both flawlessly. No, the direction aint Orson Welles nor Martin Scorsese, but it does the job. There is no greater criteria for quality in my book that that.

[@tarn2992]

Can't wait to hear your guys' thoughts on the new trailer for Alien Romulus

[@MovieGuy808]

Let off some steam, Bennett! 😂

[@user-sx2un5bc3q]

Commando is an awesome movie

[@andrewblanchard2398]

4/6/2024 3:10am NYS USA time 👍👍

[@capitalcitygoofball1987]

A truly great bad movie. I remember quite a bit of laughter in the theater and thinking "wait, this isn't a comedy" but it really is if you want to enjoy the film. I was expecting a worthy successor to Rambo 2, but ended up with a worthy prequel to Hot Shots.

[@ThreadBomb]

Commando is deliberately funny.

[@capitalcitygoofball1987]

@@ThreadBomb I'm sure they would like to spin it that way, but at the time it was filmed and marketed as a serious action movie. It wasn't satire or comedy, not intentionally. I wasn't there on set, maybe privately the production team was in on the joke, but at the time this film was supposed to be competing with Rambo as a badass action blockbuster.

[@jamieburnett7877]

Bennet wanted to ffff’ight Matrix…. For one second I thought

[@chrisnotyou]

Always had a crush on Tommy Chongs daughter.

[@aaronjustice2566]

Gnarly my dudes. Gonna scope it. Plan to join the patreon soon as I can create an account. I owe you guys for introducing me to Sorcerer and some others. First day I donate im finna request so many movies. Tape Heads is a rarely reviewed flick.

[@chrisperrien7055]

1980's 😎.

[@nillocyor2747]

I've had several accounts over the years. No body was one if you remember. Your opinion on movies is spot on. Thanks bros

[@mongomongo7664]

The gardener of this property is going to be pissed lol

[@oukie666]

FAO, Commando is being shown in Cineworld cinema's in April.

[@turnmeondeadman4221]

“ I’m air sick “ 😐

[@kevinharvey7139]

Thanks

[@OffTheShelfReviews]

Cheers Kevin - Much appreciated!

[@movienator76]

one of the best

[@ronmarchini2500]

Masterpiece.

[@jacobodell1516]

I fucking adore this movie

[@hjorvaringi423]

OHHH HELL YEAH

[@teutonicAnon]

How about a Japanese film next lads? I can recommend Harakiri, Sonatine, Rashoman, Onibaba, Fireworks amongst many others.

[@DoubleMonoLR]

Stray Dog is really good too, though older.

[@aranerem5569]

This movie is awesome

[@15blackshirt]

It's General Kirby, not Colonel. John McClain is meant to look like an everyman, not John Rambo

[@jasonmerced718]

Commando is a way better action movie than Rambo 2. 💯💯💯

[@silverscreenreviews8521]

Yes boys!!! 🙌🙌🙌

[@slapwagon]

shelf life! ❤

[@pablosmith5473]

A real gem, a product of its time, anchored in the excess of the 80s. Never ever again we'll see that in cinema.

[@filteredjc4653]

"John Matrix" 😂😂😂

[@tjenahoj]

Great stuff shelfers! This one always cheers me up! And so many great actors and actresses in the same movie! It took me forever though to realize it was Vernon Wells! He said in an interview iirc (was it with midnighs edge, but i cant find it) he sadly spent a year in the hospital just before the start of this filming. I did not realize it at the time but professional knifefighters still wears chainmail, he really nailed the role and I think he is more scary today when I see the movie.

[@jenniferbrewer5370]

What more noble and honorable reason could a man have for creating such ungodly carnage than saving the life of his beloved only child?

[@jenniferbrewer5370]

Is it true that in the first draft of the screenplay, Matrix was an Israeli army officer?

[@XcelDarlek]

Let’s goooo🔥

[@5bags]

This is the most 80s film ever in the worst and best ways possible - watching it is like stepping back in a time machine

[@alanford8619]

“I’ll be ready John” Cut to Vernon Wells on a luxurious bed in a negligee and a rose in his mouth.

[@ridezz6743]

First time early

[@rosefarrell2440]

Me and my Son were 😂😂😂 our asses off at this film. Obviously I've seen it countless times but my sons reaction to it was awesome. We had a blast. Arnie just pulling weapons outta nowhere at the end,firing off one shot in one scene yet killing 2 bad guys 😂😂😂. Just about too watch this review boys and tbh I can't wait

[@davidgill6933]

Funny story me and my best mate fucking love this movie....we couldn't stop laughing at the plane scene were he snaps the guys neck in Broad daylight 🤣 😂 😆

[@davebooshty299]

9:25 Truck.

[@davebooshty299]

2:44 Silent Night Deadly Night 2 , " Garbage Day. "

[@mmobhm2059]

I’m not going to mention the irony of watching a commando review whilst actually going commando right now 😍

[@martincortez7694]

The main villan in this movie always makes me think of a fat freddy mercury

[@mikegleed5842]

Let out some steam, Bennett 😎💥

[@andrewblanchard2398]

FUN FACT JOHN MATRIX is also JOHN DUTCH MATRIX in PREDATOR 1987 there's a glitch in the MATRIX 😂

[@StabbyMcStomp]

Lol that Boy George joke was simple but great, Im sure boy George wasnt offended either

[@dondurgan427]

Do Eddie Murphys Golden Child next please

[@RichieW90210]

I still don’t forgive you guys for trashing Mean Girls

[@mrnaughtycat]

This movie was lol but iloved it

[@davidconte-zu1ki]

Regarding the deleted sex scene… Interracial lovemaking was still taboo even in 1985! Pretty sure that had something to do with it as well 31:10