Arnold Schwarzenegger was riding high throughout the ’80s and early ’90s with hit after hit like Predator, Twins, Total Recall, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, but he had his first big box-office flop with Last Action Hero in 1993, an experience which upset him greatly.
Last Action Hero followed a young movie fan who received a magical movie ticket that transported him into the world of Jack Slater, a fictional action movie hero played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was a fun concept, but the film was a critical and box-office disappointment with a domestic gross of $50 million. In Netflix’s recent three-part docuseries Arnold, the actor recalled how the failure of the movie affected him. “When Last Action Hero came out I had reached my peak after Terminator 2, having the most successful movie of the year worldwide, I cannot tell you how upset that I was [about the negative Last Action Hero reviews],” Schwarzenegger said. “It hurts you. It hurts your feelings. It’s embarrassing.“
“I didn’t want to see anyone for a week,” Schwarzenegger said. “But you keep plodding along. And my mother-in-law also said this all the time: ‘Let’s just move forward.’ It’s a great message.” James Cameron said that he had called Schwarzenegger the weekend after Last Action Hero opened and recalled that it was the only time he’s “ever heard him down.” Cameron continued, “He took it as a deep blow to his brand. I think it really shook him.“
It didn’t take long for Arnold Schwarzenegger to bounce back. He quickly reunited with James Cameron for True Lies, an action comedy in which he played a government agent who struggled to balance his secret life as a spy with his family responsibilities. The film was a big success, grossing $378 million worldwide.
In the years since the release of Last Action Hero, the film has developed a strong cult following who have found plenty to appreciate in the underrated movie. Schwarzenegger come to its defence just last month. “It was slaughtered before anybody saw it,” Schwarzenegger said. “It was literally a political attack because I was campaigning for [former President George H.W. Bush], but Bill Clinton won. Last Action Hero was great — it wasn’t fantastic, but it was underrated. Now, more and more people are seeing it and saying, “I love this movie.” I’m getting the residual checks, so I know it’s true. It made money — that’s always an important thing for me. Because it’s show business, right?“