True Lies

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True Lies ★★½ 1994 (R)

Brain candy with a bang offers eye popping special effects and a large dose of unbelievability. Sort of like a big screen “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” as supposed computer salesman Harry Trasker (Ahnuld) keeps his spy work secret from mousy, neglected and bored wife Helen (Curtis), who has a few secrets of her own and inadvertantly ends up right in the thick of things. Raunchy and extremely sexist, but not without charm; the stupidity is part of the fun. Perfectly cast sidekick Arnold holds his own as a pig, but Heston is wasted as the head honcho. Tons of special effects culiminate in a smashing finish. Very loosely adapted from the 1991 French comedy “La Total.” 114m/C VHS, DVD . Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, Art Malik, Eliza Dushku, Charlton Heston, Grant Heslov; D: James Cameron; W: James Cameron; C: Russell Carpenter; M: Brad Fiedel. Golden Globes ‘95: Actress—Mus./ Comedy (Curtis); Blockbuster ‘96: Action Actress, V. (Curtis).