"COMMANDO" LEARNING ENGLISH WITH MOVIES - ESL LESSON

 

COMMANDO

 

Welcome to learning English with movies.

 

1985’S “COMMANDO” is an action/adventure directed by Mark L. Lester starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

 

The film was written by Steven E. De Souza, from an original script by Jeph Loeb.

 

Jeph Loeb is an acclaimed comic book, TV and film writer, most famous for working on TV projects such as Heroes, Smallville and Lost.

 

Steven E. De Souza has written some of the most successful action films of the 80’s and 90’s, including 48 HRS, The Running Man, and DIE HARD 1 & 2.

 

He also worked on big action blockbusters such as Street Fighter, Judge Dredd and Lara Croft - Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.

 

Steven de Souza wrote a draft for a possible sequel, which Frank Darabont (the writer/director of “The Green Mile” and ‘The Shawshank Redemption”and TV shows like ‘The Walking Dead”) did a rewrite on, unfortunately it was never produced.

 

The music score was composed by academy award winning composer James Horner. He composed music for some of the most famous films in history, including Braveheart, Apollo 13, TITANIC, AVATAR, just to name a few.

 

Sadly, Horner passed away in 2015 in a single-fatality crash while flying his private plane.

 

“Commando” was well received by critics and audiences, becoming one of the biggest hits of 1985 and a top seller on home video.

 

The success of the film not only helped Schwarzenegger’s fame to skyrocket, but it also spawned a series of imitators.

 

In fact, thanks to the success of “COMMANDO” and Stallone’s “RAMBO” series, Hollywood produced a series of knockoffs including MISSING IN ACTION and LONE WOLF Mc Quade, starring Chuck Norris.

 

The PLOT of COMMANDO centers on a retired Special Forced Colonel named John Matrix who is informed that all the men in his former unit had been murdered.

 

The man in charge of the men responsible for the murders is Bennett, an ex-member of his team.

 

Bennett and his team attack Matrix’s secluded mountain home and kidnap his young daughter named Jenny. (played by Alyssa Milano)

 

Matrix is captured and blackmailed by Arius, a south American dictator , who asks him to carry out a political assassination.

 

Fearing for his daughter’s life, Matrix accepts the assignment, but manages to escape from the airplane while taking off.

 

While escaping Bennett’s men, Matrix is chased in a crowded shopping mall where he kidnaps Cindy, a flight attendant.

 

Matrix tracks down one of the mercenaries and learns where Jenny is being held hostage.

 

With Cindy’s help, Matrix reaches the secret military compound where jenny is being held as prisoner.

 

Matrix asks Cindy to call for help while he breaks into the military compound.

 

After shooting and killing several mercenaries, Matrix finds Jenny and confronts Bennett.

 

After a fierce hand-to-hand combat, Matrix manages to kill Bennett by impaling him with a steam pipe.

 

Major General Kirby arrives with a military detachment and asks Matrix to rejoin the unit, but Matrix declines and departs the island aboard the seaplane with Jenny and Cindy.