History Headscratchers / LastActionHero

** It's possibly a setup to an even darker sequel where Jack goes off the rail after the death of his son, but negative reaction to this shift in tone forces the studio to lighten up in the next film. This would probably explain why they have to kill off his second cousin in that film, because they have to scrap their original DarkerAndEdgier treatment and there isn't anytime left to come up with anything better.

** It's possibly a setup to an even darker sequel where Jack goes off the rail after the death of his son, but negative reaction to this shift in tone forces the studio to lighten up in the fourth film. This would probably explain why they have to kill off his second cousin in that film, because they have to scrap their original DarkerAndEdgier treatment and there isn't anytime left to come up with anything better.

** It's possibly a setup to an even darker sequel where Jack goes off the rail after the death of his son, but negative reaction to this shift in tone forces the studio to lighten it up for the fourth film. This would probably explain why they have to kill off his second cousin in that film, because they have to scrap their original DarkerAndEdgier treatment and there isn't anytime left to come up with anything better.

** It's possibly a setup to an even darker sequel where Jack goes off the rail after the death of his son, but negative reaction to this shift in tone forces the studio to lighten it up for the fourth film. This would probably explain why they have to kill off his second cousin in that film, because they have to scrap their original DarkerAndEdgier treatment.

** Another factor for this idea really depends on whether or not it's affecting all of the film's copies. For all we know, the actions taken by Danny affected only the copy of the film he entered into using the ticket. We don't see anyone at the Jack Slater 5 premiere that looks like Danny and that is an actor. So, that would indicate that the only copy that got affected with the one Danny interacted with.

** The logic is probably a combination of LikeRealityUnlessNoted and RuleOfConservationOfDetail: everything not relevant to the plot still exists, but in a low-detail version that only becomes filled in once the characters visit.

[[folder:Title of the Film]]
* ''Why'' is this movie called The ''Last'' Action Hero? If it were established that, in universe, the whole action movie genre is considered 'tired' or 'old hat' and that the Jack Slater movies are the action movie genre's last gasp, then it'd make sense.
** Another way the title would make sense is if Benedict were to go on a magic ticket-assisted killing spree during his time in 'the real world', summoning CaptainErsatz versions of action heroes to 'the real world' for the sole purpose of killing them instantly. By the time Slater and Daniel catch up to him, he's killed every other action hero in every movie copy in New York ... making Slater the last action hero. But we don't get either of these justifications for the title, and in fact no justification at all. There's no reason why we should consider Slater (or anyone else) the last action hero.
** One possible reason is the Reverse TitleDrop. As the class watches ''Hamlet'', Laurence Olivier's role is described as "the first action hero". (By his widow, no less.) That and the implication at the end that Jack Slater gives up on action movie heroics, quits his job and drives off into the sunset... in film canon. Not really a logical explanation, but it tried.
** It might also be poking fun at the sometimes inaccurate/overly dramatic aspects (like the title) of the action genre. Rather like the rest of the film.
** If you change the definition of "last" here from "final" to "most recent" ("Remember the ''last'' time we (whatever)", it becomes a play on how very many action hero movies there are.
** Conversely, you could argue that Schwarzenegger is meant to be the ''ultimate'' Action Hero. As in, don't bother looking for anyone better. So "last" might fit in that sense.
** Danny plunged into the world of action heroes as an escape from the real world, quite likely as a response to his father's death. During the course of the film, he begins to connect with the real world again and understand the true nature of what action heroes are and what they can never be for you. Given that he recognized several action hero references throughout the film, including the T-1000, that would make Jack Slater the last of the many iconic action heroes that he idolized during his escape from reality.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Reactions to the movie]]
A meta one: Why is this movie so ill-recieved?
* People assumed it was an ordinary Schwarzenegger film rather than a parody. Also, ''Film/JurassicPark'' airing just a week before caused it to be overshadowed. That said, the movie had a little too much mood whiplash and couldn't decide on whether it should be a serious movie or a comedy movie.
[[/folder]]

* Movie/genre rules. The hero (usually) can't be killed, villains can return even from apparent death IF lazy sequels demand it, but friendly side characters StuffedIntoTheFridge are generally gone forever.

** Before Giuliani cleaned up New York, this was the stereotypical view -- that New York was a [[WretchedHive hideously decrepit and violent place]], and people generally [[BystanderSyndrome kept their heads down and minded their own business]] when they weren't being rude. Now that things have gotten a bit better, the stereotype has moved on to Detroit.

[[folder:Andy]]
Isn't it strange that Andy Slater is killed at the ''end'' of the third movie? It isn't the death itself that's the problem, but its placement within the film; a big, shocking death like that is usually done near the beginning or about halfway through to emphasize the stakes and/or show the villain's evilness; ideally, ''if'' he was going to get killed, Andy should've died at the beginning of the movie or halfway through it, to give Jack personal motivation to get the Ripper. Tellingly, regardless of its placement in the movie-within-the-movie, Andy's death happens (for us) at the beginning (teased) and later the middle (shown in full) of ''Last Action Hero'' itself. It makes no narrative sense to come at the end of the film except for pure shock value.