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The term “collateral damage” means damage that was unintended, whether it be people or property. Collateral Damage was the victim of such unintentional harm. Scheduled for release last fall, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 movies like this with terrorist themes were pushed back several months. The decision is credited to Hollywood’s sensitivity, but there are also some collateral benefits in this case. The idea of a terrorist blowing up property on U.S. soil is now a hot topic, especially since the terrorist was disguised as a police officer. Nevertheless, this is an Arnold Schwarzenegger film and we know Arnie can make it through anything.

Collateral Damage also has a few twists that make the story line easier to handle. Schwarzenegger is a Los Angeles fire fighter who is late picking up his wife and child from a doctor's appointment. As he parks his pick-up, he meets a policeman and doesn't think anything of it until a bomb goes off and his family is killed. The culprit is a Colombian terrorist named El Lobo, “The Wolf,” played by Cliff Curtis, who likes to send videos to our government demanding it get out of Colombia (sound familiar?) Schwarzenegger is the only person to have seen El Lobo, so the hunt is on. Against all odds, he goes to Columbia to seek revenge. In his travels, he meets a woman and her child (Francesca Neri and Tyler Garcia Posey) who he takes under his protective wing.

The plot has many holes, but if the audience hangs in there, they’ll be rewarded with the final confrontation, which predictably involves lots of firepower and hand-to-hand combat. Schwarzenegger must be practicing for the next Terminator film. Anyway, a large white man traveling in the jungle without trying to disguise himself shouldn't be surprised when he meets opposition at every turn. Schwarzenegger journeys up the rivers of Columbia (actually Mexico) like a five-minute version of Martin Sheen seeking Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now. These jungles of Columbia hide the most interesting characters. There is John Turturro, a Canadian jack-of-all trades and John Leguizamo who runs a cocaine manufacturing plantation and wants to make music videos. (Of what, you may ask, dancing piranha?) The action sequences are well thought out and include a minefield, prison fire, army attacks, hand grenades and something involving a snake you have to see to believe. 

Like all his action movies, Schwarzenegger goes through Collateral Damage as a man with a mission. People go to see him in action and there he is, procuring enough firepower for a small army, always getting beat up and not looking tired, always healing fast and always one jump ahead of the proper authorities because only HE knows how to get in those secret places. The logic is pure action. Schwarzenegger can make bombs because he used to work as a firefighter in the arson department. There are few witty quips and we see the terrorist viewpoint, but our hero takes the high moral ground. It is noted that it is one thing to be at war and another to blow away innocent people. The New Zealand actor Cliff Curtis (Once There Were Warriors and The Piano) is well suited for the role of El Lobo. There is certain softness in the face, yet a resolution of steel. The Italian actress Francesca Neri (Hannibal) somewhat resembles Julia Roberts, and does well in her portrayal of a woman with secrets and a child. The rest of the cast members are window dressing for the big man in action. 

Marie Asner Copyright 2002 2/20/2002