True Lies (1994)

A cheeky update of action hero films, notably the James Bond series, James Cameron's inventive, exciting opus has an instantly dated feel, but is so jammed with tricks up its sleeve it's hard to resist. His next filmed effort following mega-hit Terminator 2: Judgment Day, director Cameron packs his emblematic visual punch into every major set-piece, including a hair-raising finale involving a high rise building and a Harrier Jump Jet. The movie gleefully abandons close scrutiny almost to the point of sheer foolishness, but one could guess this was the point of the 007 films as well. The film made even more money than Cameron's previous efforts, but was greeted with jeers by both women's groups and people of Middle Eastern descent for its unflattering portrayals of both. The former is evident in a clumsy striptease performed by co-star Jamie Lee Curtis that many deemed sexist and unnecessary, the latter chiding the director for his representation of Arabs as villainous and lecherous. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide