True Lies Movie Review

True Lies (1994)

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Written by: James Cameron (screenplay by), Claude Zidi & Simon Michaël and Didier Kaminka (based upon a screenplay by)
Directed by: James Cameron
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, Eliza Dushku
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used-car salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United States.

Verdict
It's an over the top spy thriller that wants to laugh at the absurdity of the genre while also trying to one up the usual big action set pieces. While it's goal is to entertain, the plot is generic. There's plenty of humor and a lot of it is subtle, but this doesn't have the usual grandeur of Cameron's movies.
It depends.

Review
Cameron's movies are known for being expensive and this was the first movie to cost over $100 million dollars. 

The first few scenes are ridiculous with just how smooth this spy is.  It's a spoof on spy tropes. Harry (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is wearing a tux under scuba gear. He's the ultimate spy, but during the day he's a family man selling software. His family just think he's a neglectful and a terrible father. They don't realize he's out saving the world, but it's sad that his family thinks he just doesn't care about them.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis play Harry, Helen

After he disappoints his wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) yet again, Harry tries to make it up to his wife but instead discovers she may be having an affair. He's mad about her lies which is funny since he's living his own lie. It's a double standard as Harry woos women as part of his job. It's a double standard, and the movie plays for comedy that his wife is charmed by a spy herself.

Harry uses his company's resources to muddle in his wife's life. It's unreasonable that he would be able to do this, but this movie is about entertainment. The whole thing is completely over the top and often silly. Harry is the cause and solution to all of his problems. Nearly everything in this movie is Harry's fault, from his wife's mid-life crisis to their eventual capture. This is a bombastic 90s action movie that's a bit light on story. This is action over plot with big set pieces to distract.