As the release date for the True Lies TV series approaches fast (March 1 on CBS and Paramount+), many are reminded of the movie's relevance during the 90s. It was one of the best action comedies of the time and was delivered by none other than James Cameron. Still, True Lies wasn't the only leading action comedy of the time.
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It seems that the era was especially fruitful for this genre mix, as theLethal Weapon franchisecarried on with parts three and four in 1992 and 1998. Additionally,Beverly Hills Cop got its third installment in 1992, and many comedians became famous because of an action comedy. Some are more memorable than others, and it's worth mentioning them, for old times' sake.
'True Lies' (1994)
In case someone doesn't remember True Lies, the movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Harry Tasker, a seemingly nerdy desk-job operator, who's a secret agent beneath the facade. Harry begins to suspect that his wife Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis) is having an affair, so he does his best to uncover that without revealing his secret identity.
However, that's only the beginning for Harry, and certainly for Helen. True Lies solidified Jamie Lee Curtis as one of the token action heroines of the 90s, and Arnold Schwarzenegger as an excellent comedian, capable of doing both. It got a different side from both actors and remained wildly entertaining.
'The Legend of Drunken Master' (1994)
Jackie Chan, the action comedy legend, has 138 acting credits on IMDb. One of them includes this perfect blend of martial arts and comedy, The Legend of Drunken Master. It was filmed in Hong Kong and released by Miramax for the North American market. The story was based on a real-life character, Wong Fei-hung, a kung fu master in the Hung Ga style.
Although this movie was originally released as a sequel to 1978's Drunken Master, it was advertised under the name The Legend of Drunken Master in the US. Chan is known for doing his own stunts in all his films, which is why this one had an interesting goof in the opening credits - it listed Jackie Chan as "His stunt person's double."
'Bad Boys' (1995)
Martin Lawrence and Will Smith were the "it" men during the 1990s, releasing some of the most memorable action comedies of the times. Bad Boys is a Michael Bay movie, and Smith and Lawrence portray two detectives protecting a murder witness. The franchise became somewhat "larger than life" as it got two sequels, the latest one being released in 2020.
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Lawrence stands out in the movie as the primary comic relief; he's emotional and goofy but knows how to do the right thing. Smith's character comes out as sterner and more ambiguous about rules, making him the action part of the duo. The two make a perfect blend of the genre and deliver a memorable flick.
'Men in Black' (1997)
Will Smith made sure his name was remembered in the 90s by starring in an even more popular movie, Men in Black. It's the ultimate blend of science fiction, action, and comedy, and it's still on many watchlists across the globe. Will Smith portrays a new agent in an intergalactic police agency that solves and monitors extraterrestrial crimes on Earth.
In this case, Smith became the comic relief and the refreshing addition to a stern agency of people clad in all-black suits. Tommy Lee Jones is the stern and responsible agent that often has a hard-hitting punchline, but more often a lesson for his newbie partner. The combo worked so well, that the franchise lasted until 2012 when Men in Black 3was released. Subsequently, an installment titled Men in Black: Internationalwas released with Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson.
'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery' (1997)
After Peter Sellers solidified the popularity of spy movie parodies and spoofs, it was time for Mike Myers to take the reins with Austin Powers. The first out of three movies, and arguably the best, was subtitled 'International Man of Mystery' and starred Myers as the titular character.
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Austin Powers is dorky and clumsy, but a highly appealing and lovable international spy. His secret? He was cryogenically frozen in 1967 and woken up in 1997 to fight the villain named Dr. Evil (played also by Myers). This Demolition Man/GoldenEye parody was never meant to be taken seriously, but it still became one of the most popular action comedies of the time.
'Nothing to Lose' (1997)
Martin Lawrence's career went up after Bad Boys, too, but he continued playing similar characters throughout. This isn't a bad thing, as Lawrence's sense of comedy and timing are pretty great, and he was one of the most memorable comedians of the time. In Nothing to Lose, he stars alongside Tim Robbins.
Robbins plays Nick, a man whose life takes the wrong turn one day when he catches his wife cheating on him. Down on his luck, he steps out and drives wherever - until Terrance (Lawrence) tries to carjack and rob him. Nick, instead of flinching, hits the gas pedal and their day becomes full of unlikely adventures. This may be the most underrated action comedy on the list.
'Beverly Hills Ninja' (1997)
Beverly Hills Ninja is likely the worst-rated movie on the list, but one of Chris Farley's most appreciated roles. He was remembered for many things, but to wider audiences primarily as the clumsy ninja, even after his untimely passing. Despite the low rating, this movie is fun and displays Farley's comedic style well.
He plays Haru, a skilled ninja warrior who travels to Beverly Hills accompanied by his brother Gobei (Robin Shou). Haru is there to solve the mystery of a missing woman but since he grew up learning kung fu and not much else, his social skills are rusty. This movie is the quintessential Chris Farley experience, although it could be enjoyable for only his fans. According to IMDb, it's also Christian Bale's favorite comedy.
'Taxi' (1998)
The only international feature on the list is also one that inspired an American remake, a TV series, and four sequels. Taxi is another quintessential action comedy of the 90s, perhaps more than any other. It also gave the world Marion Cotillard, who got her big break with it.
Taxi is about a highly-skilled, adrenaline-hooked taxi driver who becomes involved in a police case with a clumsy detective. Their goal is to catch a German bank-robbing gang, and the focus on cars and reckless driving is phenomenal. The script was written by Luc Besson, a master of the action and adventure genres.
'The Mummy' (1999)
Brendan Fraser is back in the public eye, but The Mummy has never really left it. Many people claim this film defined their childhood or growing up in some essential way, and it's an everlasting piece of entertainment. Interestingly, Fraser had a dangerous stunt in the film that nearly cost him his life, so for him, it was likely monumental in several ways.
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Fraser plays Rick, a soldier who helps the English librarian Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) to establish a dig site at the ancient Egyptian city of Hamunaptra. However, they wake up a long-sleeping High Priest Imhotep, who is a cursed spirit. His motive is to wake up his lover and for their magic to take over the world - and Rick and Evelyn must stop him.
'Rush Hour' (1998)
Jackie Chan initially didn't like Rush Hour because they wouldn't let him do his style of action. Yet, right after filming and leaving the US, he got the news that it was a massive hit. He came back, and they filmed two more installments of one of the most famous action comedies of all time. Chan himself confirmed the fourth one is coming.
It's internationally known, well-loved, and embraced by audiences of all ages. There are definitely things that don't fly today (in each of these movies) but the entertainment value doesn't die. Jackie Chan is there to show how action scenes are done, and Chris Tucker to provide bellyaching laughs, although they're great actors even without such decorative titles.
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FAQs
Is Tom Arnold going to be in True Lies TV show? ›
With two kids, a home to take care of, a country, and a marriage to save, the couple sure has a hell of a ride ahead of them. The final moments of the trailer reveal a guest appearance from Tom Arnold who played Albert Gibson, partner to Schwarzenegger's Harry in the original film.
Did True Lies win any awards? › Was True Lies a remake? ›
The “True Lies” remake is created by Matt Nix and revolves around the same premise as the original film, featuring Steve Howkey and Ginger Gonzaga as the unusual couple bound to save their marriage — and the world.
Why is True Lies Rated R? ›Rated R for a lot of action/violence and some language.
How is True Lies doing in the ratings? ›CBS | Survivor hit a season high in viewers (5.3 million) and was steady in the demo (with a 0.7); read recap and exit interview. True Lies rose to its largest audience (2.7 mil) since its premiere and was also steady in the demo (0.2).
What city was True Lies filmed in? ›The “True Lies” production crew filmed the scenes around Rhode Island, including at the Salve Regina University at 52 Ochre Point Avenue and 100 Ochre Point Avenue. Lake Tahoe, near Truckee, provided the backdrop for the snowy ski getaway sequences.
Who is the comedian to win an Oscar? ›Jack Palance won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1991 for his role as Curly in this comedic gem about a group of friends who visit a dude ranch.
What actor has the most Oscars? ›Which actor has the most Oscars of all time? There is currently a three-way tie for the actor with the most Oscars: Walter Brennan, Daniel Day-Lewis and Jack Nicholson each have three Oscars, according to USA Today.
Who has the most Oscar wins? ›As of 2022, Katharine Hepburn maintained her lead as the actor with the most Oscar wins of all time. While the "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" star scored four acting accolades during her career, six fellow actors tied for the second spot with three wins each.
Did Arnold Schwarzenegger do his own stunts in True Lies? ›Arnold Schwarzenegger did some of the driving stunts himself. This was the first film that James Cameron made as part of an unprecedented $500 million deal between 20th Century Fox and his production company Lightstorm Entertainment.
Did Jamie Lee Curtis do her stunts in True Lies? ›
“I was willing to do all of it,” she said of the experience. “I'm willing to do almost anything, I have no fear of heights. I've done descender falls, which are gnarly because you descend at a speed and then the descender slows you right at the end.
What is the meaning of True Lies? ›A true lie is a lie that becomes true when announced.
Was True Lies a flop? ›True Lies received mostly positive reviews from critics, and ultimately grossed $378 million worldwide at the box office, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 1994.
Is True Lies ok for 12 year olds? ›Common Sense says. Exciting mix of thrills, comedy; older teens and up.
Who replaced Arnold Schwarzenegger in a film? ›Sylvester Stallone also replaced Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger's most successful film series is The Terminator and it is hard to imagine anyone else in his shoes. However, Sylvester Stallone replaced Schwarzenegger in a seven-minute video clip portraying Arnold's character from the popular series.
True Lies (1994) - Paul Barselou as Old Guy in Bathroom - IMDb.
Is True Lies a satire? ›True Lies is a fast moving satire of every action/adventure movie you've ever seen. No expense was spared to produce the spectacular special effects. Although there are countless scenes containing violence, they are not performed realistically, but tongue-in-cheek, almost cartoon style.
Is What Lies Below worth watching? ›"What Lies Below" is a kind of a flick that could end up being a total trash filled with so-bad-it-hurts CGI and nonsense screenplay. You know, like the most of Syfy made-for-TV creature features. But this one doesn't deserve all the rage.
What movie blew up 7 Mile Bridge? ›And the Overseas Highway has played a role in many box office hits, most famously when Hollywood film director James Cameron and crew decided to “blow up” the old Seven Mile Bridge in the 1994 Arnold Schwarzenegger action classic “True Lies.”
What hotel was used in True Lies? ›The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Los Angeles.
What bridge was used in True Lies? ›
LOCATION DETAILS. The Seven Mile Bridge is a bridge in the Florida Keys, in Florida. It connects Knight's Key in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys.
What actor turned down an Oscar? ›In the history of the Oscars, however, there have only been three people who refused their awards: actors George C. Scott and Marlon Brando, and screenwriter Dudley Nichols.
What comedies have won best picture? ›- It Happened One Night (1934)
- You Can't Take It With You (1938)
- Going My Way (1944) - a musical comedy.
- Tom Jones (1963, UK) - an historical epic/comedy.
- The Sting (1973)
- Annie Hall (1977)
- The Artist (2011, Fr./US)
Rami Malek won four years ago for playing Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. The first woman to win an Oscar for playing a real-life music personality was Barbra Streisand for playing comedian, singer and actress Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1968).
Who's considered the greatest actor of all time? ›- 8 James Cagney.
- 7 Clark Gable.
- 6 Henry Fonda.
- 5 Fred Astaire.
- 4 Marlon Brando.
- 3 James Stewart.
- 2 Cary Grant.
- 1 Humphrey Bogart.
Denzel Washington is the only African-American to take home multiple acting Oscars, winning in 1990 for his supporting role as Pvt.
Who was the youngest Oscar winner? ›Tatum O'Neal – Paper Moon, 1973 (Age 10)
Fifty years on, Tatum O'Neal retains the title of being the youngest actor ever to win an Academy Award. She took home the statue when she was just 10 years old for her performance as Addie Loggins in the movie Paper Moon.
The three movies to hold the Guinness World Record of winning 11 Oscars — the highest by a film — are The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Titanic and Ben-Hur. On the other hand, Titanic is one of the three films which has received the most number of nominations at 14.
What movies won all 5 Oscars? ›Only three films have won all five of these major awards: It Happened One Night (1934), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), and The Silence of the Lambs (1991).
Who was John Travolta stunt double? ›Nick Loren is one of the entertainment industry's most versatile talents, including a successful career as longtime Stand-in and Stunt double for film icon John Travolta, that has evolved into acting, and his new role as host of the highly rated daily morning talk show "First Coast Living," which has landed Nick an ...
Did Richard Gere do his own stunts? ›
Reportedly, movie star Richard Gere performed all his own stunts.
Did Wesley Snipes do own stunts? ›While many an action star has been known to call upon a stunt double to take on their more strenuous scenes, Wesley Snipes loves nothing more than to do them himself -- and his martial arts skills have certainly played a role in that.
Does Sandra Bullock have a stunt double? ›Hannah Betts, Sandra Bullock's stunt double
Hannah was a skydiver before she became a stuntwoman. Her parachuting career became her entrance ticket to the stunt profession.
“He drives some people crazy because he's so detail-conscious,” says Walter Scott, Selleck's stunt double and stunt coordinator on many films.
What song did Jamie Lee Curtis dance to in the movie True Lies? ›Jim said to me, 'What do you want to dance to?' It was when John Hiatt's 'Bring the Family' album was out and I said, 'There's a song called 'Alone in the Dark' that has this really funky rhythm. ' And I said, 'I really like that song. ' And that's what they played."
Is True Lies an oxymoron? ›True Lies (1994): James Cameron's True Lies, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis, follows an American spy juggling his work and home life. The film title is an oxymoron that helps to set the film's tone.
What are the three types of lie? ›“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The article by Courtney quoted above is the published version of a speech on proportional representation (which was also Baines' subject) that was given in August 1895 in New York State, which may help explain how Mark Twain came to know the phrase.
What are the 5 types of lies? ›- Lies of Denial. This type of lie will involve an untruthful person (or a truthful person) simply saying that they were not involved.
- Lies of Omission. ...
- Lies of Fabrication. ...
- Lies of Minimization. ...
- Lies of Exaggeration.
The first film to have a budget of US$100 million (the £64.1 million) was True Lies (US 1994), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Will there ever be a sequel to True Lies? ›“There are no plans for a True Lies 2. I don't know about the creative direction thing… I'm always down for a good action/comedy (actually we always classified the film as a 'domestic epic').
What is the movie where everyone is truthful and a guy learns to lie? ›
The Invention of Lying is a 2009 American romantic comedy film written and directed by comedian Ricky Gervais and writer Matthew Robinson in their directorial debuts. The film stars Gervais as the first human with the ability to lie in a world where people can only tell the truth.
What is the most common age to lie about? ›Children lie more at 4-6 years. They might get better at telling lies by matching their facial expressions and the tone of their voices to what they're saying. If you ask children to explain what they're saying, they'll usually own up. As children grow older, they can lie more successfully without getting caught.
What movies did Arnold Schwarzenegger turned down? ›- Assassins.
- Captain America.
- Curious George.
- Die Hard.
- Face/Off.
- I Am Legend.
- Judge Dredd.
- RoboCop.
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Killing Gunther | Robert "Gunther" Bendik |
| 2018 | The Game Changers | Himself |
| 2019 | Viy 2: Journey to China | Captain James Hook |
| 2019 | Terminator: Dark Fate | T-800 / Carl |
...
True Lies (TV series)
| True Lies | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Matt Nix |
| Based on | True Lies by James Cameron La Totale! by Claude Zidi Simon Michaël Didier Kaminka |
| Starring | Steve Howey Ginger Gonzaga Mike O'Gorman Erica Hernandez Annabella Didion Lucas Jaye Omar Miller |
| Country of origin | United States |
Tom Arnold portrayed Albert Gibson in the 1994 film, True Lies and portrayed a Arnie in one episode of Season 1 of the 2023 television series, True Lies.
Who is the black guy in the True Lies show? ›Actor Omar Benson Miller talk about new show "True Lies" - CBS Los Angeles. Actor Omar Benson Miller talk about new show ...
Who plays the wolf in True Lies? ›True Lies (TV Series 2023– ) - Matthew Lillard as The Wolf - IMDb.
Will there be a sequel to True Lies? ›“There are no plans for a True Lies 2. I don't know about the creative direction thing… I'm always down for a good action/comedy (actually we always classified the film as a 'domestic epic').
Who was the female villain in True Lies? ›
True Lies (1994) - Tia Carrere as Juno Skinner - IMDb.
What kind of dog is in True Lies? ›Harry's daughter Dana has a pet Chihuahua that is present in several scenes. In one of those scenes, Harry takes the dog for a walk in the rain.
Who did the stunts in True Lies? ›Ultimately, Curtis' commitment to practical stunts is just another example of the enthusiasm she brings to all of her projects, regardless of genre. “I was willing to do all of it,” she said of the experience. “I'm willing to do almost anything, I have no fear of heights.
Are Tom Arnold and Arnold Schwarzenegger still friends? ›The two share many memorable scenes together, making this reunion a nice treat for fans who enjoyed the film. But this is not the first time the two Arnolds have reunited since True Lies was released. The two are good friends and have reunited in photos posted to social media in the past.
Who was the used car salesman in True Lies? ›Taken individually, the cruder and childish things about this film, its determination to use caricatured unshaven Arabs as terrorists, the pleasure it takes in continually mortifying a weasely used-car salesman (Bill Paxton) in the most personal ways, might be overlooked, but added together they leave a sour taste.
Is True Lies TV show a hit? ›Popular on Variety. Midseason CBS drama “True Lies” has been a solid early performer in both TV ratings and streaming viewership.
Who is the hot girl in True Lies? ›Juno Skinner (Tia Carrere) is the secondary antagonist of the 1994 action film True Lies. She was a beautiful, determined, and tenacious yet warped, greedy, amoral, chaotic, remorseless, bloodthirsty, violent, and dangerous woman with a very sadistic side to her.
Does Helen cheat in True Lies? ›Harry tells Gib that Helen is having an affair. Gib is relieved and happy, telling Harry that the same thing happened with his second wife. He tells Harry that Helen still loves Harry but just wants to bang the guy for a while. Harry gets upset, but Gib tells him that it's because Harry is never home.