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Dir: Kim Ji-woon

With: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker

Runtime: 107mins

ARNOLD Schwarzenegger's first leading role since 2003 is not that dissimilar to those he was taking prior to his sojourn in politics. There is action by the bucket-load, cheesy one-liners, a knowing sense of the ridiculous and plenty to entertain. The plot has a classic Western vibe, albeit updated to present day, and finds Arnie playing a Gary Cooper/John Wayne-type sheriff who stands up against a formidable enemy and his heavily-armed henchman, in this case a ruthless drug cartel boss (Eduardo Noriega). South Korea's Kim Ji-woon directs the ensuing mayhem with considerable flair while frequently accentuating the absurd (grannies killing mercenaries etc), thereby recalling his work on The Good, The Bad, The Weird, while predictably uneven support comes from Forest Whitaker and Johnny Knoxville. But this is unquestionably Arnie's show and while certainly older and less nimble, he's clearly having fun rolling back the years to satisfying effect.