With Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s return to Hollywood set to be Kim Ji-Woon‘s western The Last Stand just a few days ago, Lionsgate has issued confirmation and more details on the enticing project. Coming off The Good, the Bad, the Weird and I Saw the Devil, Kim Ji-Woon has compared his English-language debut to Die Hard and High Noon, but now we have an official synopsis below.
Schwarzenegger will be starring as Sheriff Owens, a man who has resigned himself to a life of fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction after leaving his LAPD post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with failure and defeat after his partner was crippled. After a spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the hemisphere is hurtling toward the border at 200 mph in a specially outfitted car with a hostage and a fierce army of gang members. He is headed, it turns out, straight for Summerton Junction, where the whole of U.S. law enforcement will have their last opportunity to make a stand and intercept him before he slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately accepts responsibility for one of the most daring face offs in cinema history.
Joe Drake, the President of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, made the following comment:
“Arnold Schwarzenegger will bring incredible magnetism to this complex but classic role,” explained Drake of the perfect fit between the material and the star. “When he came on the screen in THE EXPENDABLES, it always electrified the audience. In this film, the Sheriff Owens character grapples with some really tough stuff, but ultimately triumphs, and we knew he’d truly elevate this high octane ride.”
Kim Ji-Woon was able to create some of the most amazing action sequences of recent memory with his last two films and the addition of a powerhouse like Arnie only amps up my expectations. I’m quite glad he is choosing this instead of something like a sequel to The Expendables.
What are your thoughts on the plot?