With a title like Commando and a star like Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a retired Delta Force Colonel named John Matrix, there can be little question as to what this film is about: Grade-A Ass Kicking, 1985-style.

The film is centered around the aforementioned Colonel’s efforts to rescue his kidnapped daughter from a former member of his squad (who was kicked out for excessive brutality, of course). Naturally, doing so involves lots of guns and wild set pieces. With a different cast and a slightly more serious tone, Commando could have easily fallen to clichéd pieces. Fortunately, thanks to screenwriter Steven E. De Souza (who would later write Die Hard) and Arnie’s penchant for throwaway humor, the film stays light enough to not get weighed down beneath muscles and guns.

Armed with enough one-liners to take on an entire force of mercenaries, Arnie is indeed the star of the show here, with his performance exemplifying why this Austrian bodybuilder found such lofty stardom.