Collateral Damage (2002)

In the waning days of his big screen action career, Arnold Schwarzenegger was involved in some real clunkers. Collateral Damage, a 2002 movie directed by Andrew Davis (The Fugitive,) is one of them.

Cast as Gordy Brewer, a Los Angeles fireman, Schwarzenegger plays a doting father and loving husband. Brewer is one of those action movie average Joes who just happens to have the physique of a bodybuilder.

When a Colombian terrorist known as El Lobo (“The Wolf”) detonates a bomb in downtown Los Angeles, the intended target — FBI operative Peter Brandt (Elias Koteas) — survives. However, Brewer’s wife and son are killed in the blast. Their deaths — categorized as “collateral damage” — propel Brewer to travel to Colombia to take out El Lobo; something the United States has been unable to do for years.

Collateral Damage travels a well-worn path for action films, especially those starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The high number of implausible situations his character gets into (and out of) stretches the definition of ludicrous to the extreme. Fans of the genre will get what they expect: explosions, gun-fights, and derring-do, but the one-man army schtick feels especially dated here.

The script does make some interesting tactical comparisons between Brewer’s revenge-driven crusade and the plight of the Colombian guerrillas who want the United States out of their country. It’s during those moments when I thought the movie would differentiate itself and do something truly unique. Unfortunately, there is no such attempt.

Although John Leguizamo and John Turturro receive relatively high billing in the credits, their appearances are best described as extended cameos. It’s a shame because they bring some much needed levity to the proceedings.

After Collateral Damage, Schwarzenegger’s career path would divert into politics. That might have been the best thing for everyone for a while.

2.0 out of 5.0 stars2.0
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