TRUE LIVES--POSSIBLE SPOILERS >>>>> >>> >>> Robert Dickinson writes: >>But you know what the weirdest part was? It was watching Charlton Heston give orders as Schwarzenegger's boss. No, no, it was watching Schwarzenegger dance (not). No, it was ... yeah, there's plenty here to talk about here.<< What was really weird was that Arnie and Tom Arnold put the resources of whatever-it-is-agency-they-work for in service of discovering whether OR NOT the wife is unfaithful. The nasty turn during the interogation is somewhat mitigated by Jamie Lee's strong performance in answering the questions, but the whole scene leaves a bad taste--very sad because I've never seen Cameron do this to women before. I'm not so sensitive to all the "talk" avout women in the film--the "those bitches" or the A-mazing Tom Arnold line "women, can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em"--but I am sensitve to humiliation--and even ALL the other male characters in the "service" seem to recognize that Arnie's character is going too far; they just can't reel him in. All they do is shake their heads. I guess because he is otherwise "such a great guy." And what is it with Cameron and wedding rings? Again, in many scenes, wedding rings are made multiply-determined symbols--but of what? Faithfulness that is suspect; boredom only overcome by gunplay and action-adventure. You hate to do that auteur thang--looking to his "real" life--multiply-married and all, but wedding rings in this film...well, I'd like to hear someone's take on this business. and what about the humiliation of Simon (Tom Paxton in a really thankless role)? Not only does he have to admit to being boring and having a small dick--he has to piss his pants in every scene with the bully ballbusting bastards who have carte blanche to act like assholes and spend thousands of taxpayer dollars to salvage a single male ego. Was this supposed to be funny? Only if you believe,as do Simon and Jamie Lee's character, that spies have all the fun, all the sex, all the living-on-the-edge escape from life as a legal secretary or used car salesman--and that unless you play a "role" (however humiliating or degrading) in service of your country you HAVE NO LIFE! Geez, Jimmy Cameron, what's going on? The stunts are as remarkable as everyone claims--I got to see the film on the BIG screen in the Chinese's main theater (very BIG) with THX digital dolby--yes yes yes the F/X are stupendous--especially that lift from the limo. But is this all you get for over a $100 million. (whimper) The bad guys aren't scary enough--the main bad guy is annnoying more than terrifying--and the daughter is a total enigma. What a bummer! Cameron/Arnold are usually sooooooo dependable. But this? I still say SPEED is the action film of the summer to beat--and I don't see anything that can overtake it. Donna Cunningham [log in to unmask]