Movie Review: 'The Last Stand' a Classic Western, but Way More Violent

He's back.

Actor - turned California governor - turned actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, 65, returns to the silver screen in Kim Jee-Woon's "The Last Stand." He plays Sheriff Ray Owens, who has moved from LA to a small, laid-back border town.

Most of the town's residents have left to attend an out-of-town football game--just as the sheriff learns that a Mexican drug kingpin has broken out of prison and is heading for the border. Right through the sheriff's town.

So it's Sheriff vs. Bad Guys, just as it was in "High Noon." It's a classic Western setup, with predictable outcomes. But way way more violent. Practically everything that can be shot, is shot. Here's what the critics are saying:

A very welcome respite from the "Jason Bourne-ing" of most action films released nowadays, The Last Stand is a proudly over-the-top, shamelessly violent and frequently funny mash-up of high-octane shoot-'em-up and conventional western. - Eric Walkulski of JoBlo

Sometimes, all you want is a knock-down, guns-blazing approximation of an old-style western, even if it's set in contemporary times. As a modern oater, The Last Stand is shamelessly entertaining. As guilty pleasures go, this one is relatively defensible. - Marshall Fine of the Huffington Post

One minute, it’s a high-speed chase movie, lovingly showing off the Corvette 01, and then it’s a heavily-armed showdown with a bunch of faceless goons. Sometimes the movie avoids credulity and operates with tongue firmly in cheek, but then we’re supposed to actually care when one minor character dies and another one gets a shot at redemption. - Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

The shootouts and showdowns are muscular, high-energy and consist of an insane amount of gunfire, although there are some bursts of squirm-inducing, creative carnage. - Christy LeMire, Associated Press 

"The Last Stand: is rated R for violence and language and runs 107 minutes. In addition to the ex-governor, the movie stars Arron Shiver, Forest Whitaker, Luis Guzman, Eduardo Noriega, Johnny Knoxville, Eduardo Noriega, Peter Stormare and Harry Dean Stanton, among others.

Ready to see "The Last Stand"? Head to Regal Hamilton Mill 14, 2160 Hamilton Creek Parkway. For more theater information and links to showtimes and pricing, click here or call 678-482-0624.

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