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Released immediately after The Terminator and Commando, 1986's Raw Deal is a straightforward Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle which was designed to exploit the star's new image as an unstoppable one-man army. Films like these aren't generally well received (as exemplified by the generally poor reviews it endured), but this reviewer had no problem enjoying the hell out of it - especially since it features "Ah-nuld" at the pinnacle of his career. However, while enjoyable, Raw Deal is admittedly nothing more than a run-of-the-mill action flick; a lightweight spar through the rule-breaking cop conventions without a skerrick of narrative originality.
In the film, the Austrian Oak stars as Mark Kaminsky. He's a former FBI agent (ejected from the bureau for heavy treatment of a lowlife suspect) who has become forced to suffer the indignity of a job as a sheriff in a small town. When one of Kaminsky's old pals from the FBI (Darren McGavin) contacts him with an opportunity for reinstatement, he jumps at the chance. His assignment: to infiltrate a Chicago Mafia family and destroy it.
There are a bunch of terrific action moments scattered generously throughout Raw Deal; building to the mega adrenaline rush of a climax. For the final act, Schwarzenegger's character basically gets fed up, decides to lock & load, and prompts an '80s arming up montage (reminiscent of Commando). First order of business: to drive around a gravel pit dispatching as many villains as possible to the tune of the Rolling Stones' Satisfaction. Second order of business: take out the entire Chicago mob using a ridiculous amount of firepower. Believable? Not at all. Fun? Fuck yes! The climax can easily be considered moronic since Schwarzenegger is invincible and unshootable, but this is exactly what an '80s audience expected of the Austrian Oak - he was an invulnerable killer like no other. Arnie also gets plenty of corny one-liners to disperse here, such as the classic line "You should not drink and bake."
Raw Deal plays out as if the filmmakers decided upon the action set-pieces first before conceiving a suitable story to justify them all. A standard mob infiltration plotline is on offer here, complemented with the usual subplot of the former FBI agent wanting to get back on the force. Generally speaking, the police thriller genre is not well suited for '80s Schwarzenegger carnage. The committee of screenwriters, along with director John Irvin seem aware of this fact until the final showdown when the film transforms from police thriller to outright '80s actioner. Whether the climax will satisfy depends entirely on your expectations - it's undeniably fun watching Schwarzenegger dish out the trademark goods, but others may be disappointed that the action compromises an otherwise serious, more drama-oriented film.
There are tonnes of flaws to point out in Raw Deal; a surplus of cheesy moments which hinder the film's fun value (such as the dreadful final scene), a lingering sense of predictability, very little in the way of originality, and there isn't as much action as one would expect considering its origins as a Schwarzenegger action vehicle. Subplots and periphery characters are mostly shoved aside in favour of keeping things as stripped-down and simple as possible (for instance Kaminsky's wife shows up during the first 20 minutes, and then disappears completely). At least the performances are adequate thanks to an ideal cast. Robert Davi in particular delivers a rock-solid performance; supported by passable acting courtesy of Sam Wanamaker as a crime boss and Kathryn Harold as the love interest of the picture. Arnie admittedly pales in comparison to these performers whenever he's given dialogue to deliver, but he's still infinitely more watchable and charismatic than, say, Van Damme or Steven Seagal. And, naturally, his screen presence is unbelievably awesome.
To be honest, I miss movies like Raw Deal. You know, old-school '80s action fodder starring a muscle-clad performer such as Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Despite flaws, this is an easy film to enjoy with its numerous action rampages and a high level of pure machismo. Raw Deal may not be a good movie, but it never pretends to be. It's enjoyable and mindless - a film best enjoyed with a bunch of friends, plenty of beer, a pizza, and (most importantly) an uncritical attitude.
6.0/10
