Comments on: Tanzanian boy re-enacts "Commando," Schwarzenegger and all

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

You know, for some reason I thought I’d watched Commando…

You lied.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I just want to hear this kid say, “I like you, Sully. That’s why I’m going to kill you last.”

By: Phlip

Phlip — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I wrote “Maybe he remembers when Kunta Kinte went to get wood for a drum, and never came back, too!”

I can’t imagine anything more flattering – I typically can’t remember what I had for breakfast.

And maybe some mods have been hanging out in anon sites too much…

By: Posteriormente

Posteriormente — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

He is really smart. IÂ´m happy he isnÂ´t a boy-soldier and big guns and explosions make him laugh! Just like my nephews, who love Terminator II. Hasta la vista, baby

By: Mister44

Mister44 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

“Stop the pity. Unlock the potential.”

I like it.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t know how Bright Alex is. He left out that classic scene where Matrix breaks that guy’s neck on that plane.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Isn’t the point that the film is something we’ve heard of and can identify with/understand the same cultural reference? And that 9 year old boys the world round like to play solider (and did long before action films/films were invented)? If he’d told us a tale of folklore about a famous warrior from Tanzanian oral history, would that be better?

I understand and sympathise with the view that it’s wrong for us to see Alex having watched this as a sign of progress or development. But surely it is outweighed by the impact it might have on those who see Africa as a money pit where no development/no change is taking place. And I think that is Mama Hope’s aim.

That said, on their site, it still talks about donations and pledges. If we’re helping people to develop their infrastructure, independent of what cultural path they take, shouldn’t we be talking in terms of investment/seed funding?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Actually I was there when Alex did this recap and he definitely mentioned this scene in his original 20 minute recap. It was edited out though.

By: lbigbadbob

lbigbadbob — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

That’s some fine culture we’ve exported there.

By: sbarnes2

sbarnes2 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Adorable! Yes, Africa really needs a leg up. Africa has a lot to offer- including really yummy food! I keep waiting to see a fancy African restaurant pop up in town, I am sure it will some day.

The charity reminded me of this:
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2010/11/20/african-economic-development-constraint-and-possibility/
Basically, it says that India and China, who are growing fast economically and improving their standard of living, were able to be so successful with the help of outside governments and NGOs. But when Reagan and Thatcher came into office, they worked to cut off the spending and Africa was not given the same help. It’s definitely something interesting to think about. Africa is so big and diverse and has many different virtues and issues.

By: merkley

merkley — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

What? African children can REMEMBER PLOTS!? Thanks for posting this INCREDIBLE NEWS!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

And what about the scene where Matrix drops the creep from Dreamscape and The Warriors off a cliff?

Cindy: What happened to Sully?
Matrix: I let him go.

By: wrybread

wrybread — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Yeah but can he do McBain?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Interesting message. Reminds me of The Girl Effect.

By: Artimus Mangilord

Artimus Mangilord — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Thank you! This just made my day. I’ll have to watch the 20 min recap, as I want to see how he characterizes Bennett.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This kid is amazing. I hope he’s been to Commando Fans [dot] com. Somebody in Hollywood, hire this kid! =)

By: Phlip

Phlip — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I wrote a post comparing Alex to the “tribal historian” that Alex Haley visited while researching the book /Roots/, but something happened to it.

By: ogvor

ogvor — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Alex is so right about this movie. Probably has THE BEST Schwarzenegger lines in his entire career. You can read a hilarious review of the film here:

http://www.ruthlessreviews.com/1413/commando/

Fun fact: Die Hard Was originally a direct sequel to this movie. How I wish it had been Arnold who said Yippee-Ki-Yay…

By: Nash Rambler

Nash Rambler — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

“Now Arnold is going to kill all the people.”

Perhaps the most succinct description of every single Schwarzenegger movie ever made. Excepting “Twins,” in which he should have killed all the people. And “Kindergarten Cop,” in which he should have killed himself.

By: PrettyBoyTim

PrettyBoyTim — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

You know, for some reason I thought I’d watched Commando, but I’ve only now realised that I haven’t. I think I have to watch it now.

By: gwailo_joe

gwailo_joe — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ha! FTW!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I can’t watch something like this and not think of the incredible damage these action films do not just here in the US, but in poor countries overseas, which is where these movies make most of their money. I got an earful about this when I was traveling.

Imagine how many times he had to see that movie to recall it in such detail? Believe me, he saw it many times. What is the impact on a psyche to see that much killing?

To use this as an example of his “unleashed human spirit” is sheer ignorance.