Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Ray Owens is sheriff of the quiet US border town of Sommerton Junction after leaving the LAPD following a bungled operation. Following his escape from the FBI, a notorious drug baron, his gang, and a hostage are heading toward Sommerton Junction where the police are preparing to make a last stand to intercept them before they cross the border. Owens is reluctant to become involved but ultimately joins in with the law enforcement efforts.
The Last Stand is a serviceable neo-western action film that marked Schwarzenegger's return to leading-man status. The plot is straightforward and formulaic — a small-town sheriff's last stand against a drug cartel — offering little narrative surprise. Acting is elevated by Schwarzenegger's self-aware charm and a fun supporting cast including Forest Whitaker and Peter Stormare, though performances are broadly drawn. Jee-woon Kim brings competent, kinetic direction with solid cinematography that occasionally flashes his genre style. Novelty is modest but present: the pairing of a Korean arthouse director (I Saw the Devil) with a Hollywood action vehicle gives it a distinctive visual sensibility and dry wit that separates it from generic action fare. The ending delivers the expected showdown with crowd-pleasing energy but no real surprise.