Collateral Damage

A Los Angeles fireman (Arnold Schwarzenegger) goes after the Colombian terrorist (Cliff Curtis) whose bomb killed his wife and son. Even without the recent events that delayed its release (and even by the standards of Arnold’s action movies), this movie is a disappointment. David and Peter Griffiths’ script is laughable: when Arnold gets to Colombia, everyone speaks English (most of them better than he does), and there’s practically a sign on every street corner saying, “This Way to the Terrorist Camp.” The climactic plot twist is ineffective, and the are-they-dead-yet-no-they’re-not ending is a bit much. Director Andrew Davis has too little to work with, and doesn’t provide Arnold with the humor that makes his wooden demeanor endearing. John Turturro and John Leguizamo slum in cameo roles.