The Last Stand released on January 18, 2013

The Last Stand

The Last Stand is a 2013 American action film directed by South Korean film director Kim Ji-woon, making his American directorial debut, and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville and Rodrigo Santoro. 
Initial release: January 12, 2013
Director: Kim Jee-woon
Running time: 107 minutes Cine21
Initial DVD release: May 21, 2013 (USA)
Screenplay: Jeffrey Nachmanoff, Andrew Knauer, George Nolfi

The Last Stand is a 2013 American action film directed by South Korean film director Kim Ji-woon, making his American directorial debut, and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Johnny Knoxville and Rodrigo Santoro. This was Arnold Schwarzenegger's first lead acting role since 2003's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. The film was released in the United States on January 18, 2013. The film focuses on a tough small town sheriff and his deputies who must stop a dangerous drug lord from escaping to Mexico in a modified sports car.





Directed by Kim Ji-woon
Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Written by Andrew Knauer
Jeffrey Nachmanoff (uncredited)
Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger
Forest Whitaker
Johnny Knoxville
Rodrigo Santoro
Jaimie Alexander
Luis Guzmán
Eduardo Noriega
Peter Stormare
Zach Gilford
Génesis Rodríguez
Music by Mowg
Cinematography Kim Ji-yong
Editing by Steven Kemper
Studio di Bonaventura Pictures
Distributed by Lionsgate
Release dates
January 18, 2013
Running time 107 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $30 million
Box office $48,050,299



The leader of a drug cartel busts out of a courthouse and speeds to the Mexican border, where the only thing in his path is a sheriff and his inexperienced staff.
Sheriff Owens is 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 the face off. Written by Production


I grew up watching Arnold, I own every film of his, I am what you would call a serious Schwarzenegger fan. I have waited a decade for his return to the cinema, and I wasn't disappointed. The Last Stand isn't perfect, but Arnold fans can rejoice, for he truly is back!!

The premise (for those that haven't watched the trailer a dozen times like me) is a Mexican cartel boss (Eduardo Noriega) has escaped custody during transport and is heading to the Mexican border, and he is going to get there by going through the sleepy town of Sommerton, Arizona. Arnold is the Sheriff in this sleepy little town, and he is the FBI's last hope at stopping the ruthless gangster. 

This movie is full of intense, bloody action, exciting car chases (thanks to a supped up Corvette ZR1 with over one thousand horsepower!) and funny one liner's. The film never takes itself too serious (which is good thing) and is surprisingly funny throughout. Arnold's acting is a little rusty, but he more than made up for it in the action scenes. And the (many) action sequences were exciting and bloody, the theater kept cheering out loud. The pacing was perfect, the film flew by.

The cast was great...Luis Guzman is hilarious as Arnold's Deputy, Forest Whitaker as the lead FBI agent, Peter Stormare as the maniacal "right hand man" villain, Johnny Knoxville as the town clown, Harry Dean Stanton as the crotchety old farmer, the list goes on...


The film was everything I wanted from an Arnold movie, it's fun(!), full of fast paced action and lots of (funny) one liner's. The non-Arnold fan probably won't get much from this, but this movie was made for Arnold fans, and it delivers.