Reel Critics

Ray Buffer

Suspension of disbelief is the main ingredient you need to bring with

you when you see Arnold Schwarzenegger’s latest outing. Just like when

reading a comic book, there are elements throughout the film that will

leap out at you screaming “that’s not possible!” or “that’s too

improbable!” but if you can watch the film with your critical mind in

limbo, you have a good chance of enjoying this film.

With the events of September 11 fresh in everyone’s mind, you must try

to remember that this film was created prior to those events and

originally intended to open on Oct. 5, 2001. Its release was delayed out

of respect. Once you process this and prepare to see a formulaic Arnold

Schwarzenegger action flick, you will find yourself immersed in an

attempted three-sided story of perspectives. The perspectives of the

victim seeking justice, the perspective of the terrorists whom use

retribution as an excuse, and the perspectives of government operatives

and their politically motivated agendas. In the midst of all these

perspectives are sometimes engaging drama and well executed action

sequences that rival the best ever made.

“Collateral Damage” tells the story of a family man and firefighter,

Gordon Brewer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who is plunged into the complex and

dangerous world of international terrorism after he loses his wife and

child in a bombing. Frustrated with the official CIA investigation and

haunted by the thought that those responsible for murdering his family

might never be brought to justice, he takes matters into his own hands

and tracks his quarry ultimately to Colombia.

“Collateral Damage” is directed by Andrew Davis (“The Fugitive,” “A

Perfect Murder,” “Under Siege”) and also stars John Leguizamo as Felix

Ramirez, Francesca Neri as Selena Perrini, Elias Koteas as CIA Agent

Peter Brandt, John Turturro as Sean Armstrong, and Cliff Curtis as

Claudio Perrini.

Schwarzenegger is not a Spacey, or a Sinise, or a Nicholson. Don’t kid

yourself, you never watched any of his films to see remarkable character

studies or pensive, probing, transcendental musings. But even if he were

akin to these three actors, Arnold has an uneven script working against

him.

The movie was originally penned by Ronald Roose, revised by Nicholas

Meyer (“Star Trek VI”), then by the Griffiths (“David and Peter”), and

again by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary, the writers behind “Face/Off.”

And if that’s not enough for you, Terry George (“The Devil’s Own”) and

Channing Gibson (“Red Planet”) also got stabs at the script as did Frank

Darabont (“The Green Mile”).

Roose and the Griffiths end up with final screenwriter credits. With

the same end result the producers could have saved money by having

“MacGyver” and “Death Wish 2” writer David Engelbach construct the story

in only one draft.

Despite turning off your brain, you can’t help but notice Curtis, Neri

and Schwarzenegger have the uncanny knack for remaining dirt-free, well

coiffed and always “camera ready” despite fire, explosions and sweat.

Turturro and Leguizamo produce forced performances in vastly out-of-place

and miscast roles. In one scene, after explosions and a near drowning,

losing all identification and of course bleeding, we see Schwarzenegger’s

character staring languidly at a pristine photo of his family that he

could not possibly have.

However, if you like Schwarzenegger, which I admit I do, go see this

film so that at least you can learn three or four new uses for a

fireman’s ax. With all that is currently happening in the real world,

there is something satisfying about seeing the “bad guys” brought to

justice, no matter how bad the writing is.

* RAY BUFFER, 31, is a professional singer, actor and voice-over

artist.