True lies

Harry Tasker is an undercover spy who masquerades to his family as a dull computer salesman. Compounded by Henry’s many inexplicable absences, his wife Helen, feeling neglected and bored with their marriage, turns to sleazy car salesman Simon for excitement. Harry’s latest assignment is on the trail of several missing nuclear warheads that have been stolen by some maniacal Arab terrorists. James Cameron directs here with typical flair for exciting set pieces and a predilection for crude villain/hero and gender stereotypes. Arnold Schwarzenegger embraces the role as the omnipotent and duplicitous Harry who can tackle any form of violence and danger but whose response to a marriage crisis is to kidnap his wife, subject her to a terrifying interrogation, then send her on a bogus assignment as a prostitute. At the time of release the film was read as a cheeky update of the genre, but it offers quite a limited re-imaging of a James Bond type of hero. The best features are the film’s pace and some exciting chase sequences across rooftops and amidst exploding bridges et al. Imbued with generic trademark humour, “True lies” garnered criticism for its cliched representation of Arabic people and an excruciating scene where Helen strips for, (unknowingly), her husband.