Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in Warner
Bros. Pictures’ and Bel-Air Entertainment’s new action thriller
"Collateral Damage," opening this Friday.
By Rosanna Mah
Daily Bruin Contributor
He spits out one one-liner after another, each one more
meaningless than the last. Who will ever forget the amount of
“hasta lavistas” or “I’ll be backs”
that were heard after “Terminator 2: Judgement
Day?”
Children of the ’80s and ’90s will live the rest of
their lives remembering those quotes. Images of muscle-bound
meatheads with ripped shirts are now inescapable, and no other star
fits this description better than one of Hollywood’s most
prominent action gods, Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“How many lines did he have in that movie
(“˜Terminator 2′)? 10? People remember these phrases
like “˜hasta lavista’ or “˜I’ll be
back,’ because that’s all he said,” said Kenn
Hinoki, a fourth-year history student. “Now when I hear it, I
don’t think Spanish, I think Arnold!”
In his latest reality-based movie “Collateral
Damage,” directed by Andrew Davis (“The
Fugitive,” “Under Siege,” “A Perfect
Murder”), Schwarzenegger portrays the role of Gordon Brewer,
a Los Angeles firefighter and devoted family man who unfortunately
arrives in time to witness the deaths of his wife and son during a
terrorist attack of the Colombian consulate.
“Every time I watch a war movie now, I realize that people
died because they didn’t “˜get down’ in
time,” said Jerry Chen, third-year economics student.
The tragic explosion that kills both Brewer’s wife and son
is the work of a Colombian rebel leader known as “El
Lobo” or “The Wolf.” El Lobo’s targets
are members of the Colombian consulate and other American
intelligence agents, and his purpose is to incite the United States
government to remove its military and to stay out of
Colombia’s decades long civil war.
 In light of the events of Sept. 11, this highly political
storyline, that is reminiscent of the recent impact of terrorism on
the United States and its people, is one to be taken seriously.
The film’s title, “Collateral Damage,” means
the loss of innocent civilian lives who are caught in the line of
fire during times of war.
However, it is a symbolic term that holds a special significance
in Schwarzenegger’s heart and remains as his main reason for
starring in the film.
“Like Sept. 11, everyone in that trade center was
collateral damage because of the disagreement between … the
terrorists and our government. … None of those people had
anything to do with terrorism, or the war, or anything like
that,” Schwarzenegger said. “I think very few people
have ever paid much attention to collateral damage. So when I got
the script, I thought it will be a good idea to concentrate a
little bit on that, focus on what happens.”
Schwarzenegger’s role as a firefighter turned renegade who
loses everything of value in his life serves as an emotional
challenge to him.
Schwarzenegger’s depiction of the devoted father and
husband is common in his films, though his characters are seen at
times as cold-blooded killers.
As an actor who first made it big in “Terminator”
and subsequently starred in several other action films by silently
scowling, Schwarzenegger is surprisingly articulate and humorous as
he divulges his personal dreams and philosophies.
His dream of being a movie star began in Austria, where he was
born on July 30, 1947 in the small village of Thal.
“I have always wanted to come to America since I was a
kid. I was highly impressed when I saw “˜Loser of the Burning
Arc,’ high rises, the bridges, three ways, big cars … I
wanted to be part of all of this ““ the movie premiers,
Hollywood, Muscle Beach. Â Everything you saw as a kid that was
there, you say to yourself “˜Wow! I want to be
there,'” said Schwarzenegger.
The ambitious goal of leaving behind farm life in Austria and
going to America is a dream that everyone has, according to
Schwarzenegger. His means of accomplishing this task was to become
“the best built man in the world.”
At 14, Schwarzenegger started an intensive training program with
Kurt Marnul, the former Mr. Austria. Five years later at the age of
19, his dream came true when he won “The Best Built Man in
Europe,” “Mr. Europe,” and the International
Powerlifting Championship. In years to come, he would also win the
titles of “Mr. Universe” (USA and England) and
“Mr. Olympia” (USA, France Germany, Australia and South
Africa).
“I took bodybuilding because it was a sport that I knew
would take me to America because there was no way for an Austrian
kid to have the money to go to America. Bodybuilding was a ticket
for me. I killed myself everyday, five hours in the gym, to become
a world champion,” Schwarzenegger said.
The time and dedication that Schwarzenegger once accorded to
developing the most defined and muscular body paid off. He received
an unexpected call and was invited to act in his first film,
“Hercules in New York.”
The film industry simply could not have known that “Arnold
Strong,” the Austrian-born bodybuilding champion would later
move on to million dollar box-office hits such as
“Terminator,” “Total Recall” and
“True Lies.”
“I said “˜Oh my god! This cannot be
true,'” Schwarzenegger said.
“This is amazing! This is actually true! He asked me?
Austrian Schizster in “˜Hercules’ movies?’ I
remember going to the phone, and I called all my friends. I said,
“˜Guys, this is all true! Everyone can be a
star!'”