MovieChat Forums > True Lies (1994) Discussion > Was this the first movie to use this typ...

Was this the first movie to use this type of humor with action mix?

posted 4 years ago by enriquesingh (1811)
33 replies | jump to latest

Movies before this were either full action or straight up comedy.

I know Arnold had some one-liners during the 80s and early 90s (Predator's "stick around" stabbing, multiple one-liners in T2, etc)

But True Lies keeps itself as a very serious toned R rated action film with lots of humor (no Airplane!, Naked Gun type of humor, just enough to not take us away that it's an action movie first).

It's all over the movie, it's so clever and fast-paced and it's used nowadays in movies in the current James Bond and Mission: Impossible movies... I would even dare to say that this balance is being used in Marvel's PG-13 movies, but not as perfect as it was used in True Lies.

Which movie had a similar tone to True Lies before it came out???

James Bond during the late 80s was way too serious, Roger Moore's was mostly a parody and Connery was just delivering one-liners.

I can't think of anything else to compare it to pre-1994.

[–] brux (14730) 4 years ago

Maybe "Our Man Flint" (1966) or "In Like Flint" ?

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

A few days ago, I watched In Like Flint, the entertaining and classic spy spoof starring James Coburn. Great humor and action mix. I enjoyed watching it very much, but throughout the movie, I found myself wondering about the ethnic background of Coburn. He was a unique looking man. He had extremely strong facial features, and there is definitely something about him that looked a bit Asian to me. What race was Coburn? Was he part Asian? Perhaps he was mixed with Japanese or Chinese?

[–] Darren (1345) 2 years ago

None of the above. According to Wikipedia, Coburn's father was of Scots-Irish (i.e. Ulster Protestant) ancestry, and his mother was Swedish -- not of Swedish ancestry, but an actual immigrant from Sweden.

Some people just have appearances that aren't stereotypical for their ethnic background. Another was David Carradine, who was able to play a half-Chinese/half-American character in the series Kung Fu, and he looked like he really could have been of that mixed ancestry. He wasn't, and his brothers and father didn't look remotely like they could have been half-Asian.

[–] Bill7102 (221) 4 years ago

I also remember this as being the first to include a couple’s relationship in the storyline, in regards to their marital troubles in the beginning and patched up by the ending.

I really thought all three of these aspects were going to become a new blueprint for more action movies going forward as inspired by Cameron but I don’t recall it catching on.

[–] Ripkens25 (2034) 4 years ago

There are a ton of action movies pre-True Lies that mixed action with humor and relationships. For example, the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon movies...

[–] enriquesingh (1811) 4 years ago

But Die Hard / Lethal Weapon is mostly dialogue/one liners.

They did not have the humor and visuals that True Lies has... which I see copied today in Mission: Impossible, James Bond and Marvel movies.

For example the latest Mission: Impossible Fallout has a on foot chase sequence, everything is serious but Benji (Simon Pegg) keeps relieving the tension of the chase with jokes about his tablet being on locked 2D, locked rotation, etc while Ethan tries to catch the villain and asks for directions... I'm gonna jump out a window! He says to Benji, and the employees at the office where this is taking place stare thinking he's a crazy guy going to commit suicide, but he's actually telling Benji are you crazy?? You are going to make me jump! | Very similar tone/humor to True Lies, and you wouldn't see this type of humor in a Die Hard / Lethal Weapon movie.

In Skyfall a small car is thrown from a train... M asks what was that? Moneypenny replies: A VW Beetle, right in the middle of the action. | Later into the movie Bond is talking with Q by earpiece and it's very True Lies-ish in that Bond needs to know if he gets on the train or not... Q finally repies yes, Bond jumps into a moving London tube-subway car and an older couple stares at him and I believe the husband says: He must be keen to get home. | The car is moving and the operator stares at Bond in disbelief, Bond says: Open the door!

And Marvel movies have 1000s of examples of situations like this.

The closest I can think of is perhaps Raiders Of The Lost Ark, where there is some action and mistakes... like when Indy shoots at the guy holding the sword. Tries to look for Marion in the baskets. Runs from the boulder at the beginning. Complaining about snakes and then facing them later into the movie. But True Lies took it to another level because it made it a little more complex and also involved the one-liners... a formula that is still being used exactly like in 1994 in modern action movies.

[–] FootOfDavros (8246) 4 years ago

Commando (1985)!

Interesting comments re Roger Moore's Bond films. Pretty much all Bond films follow the formula but which of Moore's, or even scenes, would you say were parodying previous entries?

[–] Redsfan001 (6158) 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] moviechatterer (15787) 4 years ago

lethal weapon?
Rush hour?

[–] hootiehome (462) 4 years ago

i'll submit The Last Boy Scout (1991).

[–] enriquesingh (1811) 4 years ago

Thanks. I'll rewatch it, I remember loving that movie... Shane Black at his best!

[–] Indig0Mist (84) 4 years ago

I was about to reference that movie

[–] davodikum (6198) 4 years ago

Beverley Hills cop?

[–] enriquesingh (1811) 4 years ago

It's been some years since I last saw Beverly Hills Cop... I'll rewatch it... thanks!

[–] davodikum (6198) 4 years ago

I watched true lies the other night. And I do remember thinking to myself that it blended action and comedy so well.

[–] enriquesingh (1811) 4 years ago

I rewatched it yesterday and the balance of action/comedy feels almost groundbreaking to me... ahead of it's time.

Just in the opening sequence, the spy speaks the Arabic language, we have seen that before in other spy films, ok. But the way it was used, him mingling and being charismatic to other people, asking where is the bathroom cause he has to take a piss, giving orders to replace the food because it looks like dog food... that is really unique, it is funny but somewhat believable, you actually believe Harry could be in danger surrounded by terrorists, etc.

Then the actual action sequence of him escaping, every detail seems fresh, from the way he took care knocking both guard dogs with his hands, the explosion "here's my invitation", then when he gets to the van he tells Tom Arnold's character to move back and he kills another 2 bad guys who have caught up to him... it is sooo fresh, quick, creative.

The whole movie has that pacing/creativity... without going into ridiculous comedy like The Naked Gun, nor being dark like Death Wish... if you compare it to Die Hard or Lethal Weapon, those have a little bit of comedy, a one-liner at the end of a kill... or when Riggs and Murtaugh are usually not in a dangerous situation they have some funny conversations at the police department, in the car or at Murtaugh's house... but it's nothing as creative and quick or big as True Lies... like in the middle of an action sequence.

True Lies keeps the action-danger-seriousness at the right level, just like modern action films (movies that are being produced 20-25 years later: Marvel movies, Mission: Impossible, James Bond), with the right amount of comedy.

Cameron got the right tone for a spy movie and made it rated R, just perfect.

The movie does get a bit slow when he's captured at the hotel with his wife though.

[–] BillySlater (4241) 4 years ago

Agree, first half of True Lies is amazing. Only movie I can think of that has a similar level of humor and action is Con Air.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7734) 4 years ago

The only later movie after this with that type of Sexual humor and action was I Spy with Owen Wilson and Eddie Murphy. Besides that I can't really think of anything that is both action and comedy. And I disagree Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are comedies. They are both more of an action film than they are comedies like this one. Also while not having the same type of humor, Last Action Hero which came out a year before this was an action comedy. Also I feel like if not for the f bomb Tom Arnold's character uses on the bus driver after Harry has found out about Helen hanging with Simon and the scene where the 2 terrorists get stabbed in the eye with the sharp medical instruments on the table in a later scene this movie would be PG-13.

[–] Ripkens25 (2034) 4 years ago

Right. ^^

Example, in Lethal Weapon II, while in the middle of a serious car chase, Riggs and Murtaugh are arguing about who should be driving (Murtaugh's station wagon)....and not to get one scratch. Those movies are sprinkled with that kind of humor throughout.

Likewise with Die Hard.....humor throughout. Funny dialogue, funny situations, etc....in the midst of a hostage situation and heist, where people are getting killed.

The OP does have a good point in calling out True Lies as having done this very well, but it wasn't the first by any means. And yes, Mission Impossible movies have VERY wisely incorporated humor into the action. Primarily Benji = brilliant comic relief.

One of my favorite funny moments in a Mission Impossible film was in Rogue Nation, when Ethan is running down the side of the skyscraper. Jeremy Renner's character yells: "The rope isn't long enough" (or something like that)....and Tom Cruise just looks at him and yells back: "No shit!". It loses a lot in the edited version (for TV)....where he yells "No Kidding!". Sometimes...a swear word just needs to happen, and can't be replaced by a softer word for TV. They should keep it in, and just slightly bleep it if they must.