Okay, rewind your minds with me. Picture this: It's 1988. Video store shelves are crammed with action heroes flexing and sequels galore. Then, you spot this box. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Danny DeVito. Twins. The sheer, delightful absurdity of that casting, slapped right there on the cover, was practically a dare. Could this possibly work? It wasn't just a movie; it felt like the setup to a fantastic punchline, and honestly, who could resist finding out the payoff?
The Ultimate Odd Couple
The premise of Twins is pure high-concept Hollywood gold, the kind of simple, brilliant idea that makes you wonder why nobody thought of it sooner (or maybe they did, and just couldn't believe their luck landing these two stars). Schwarzenegger plays Julius Benedict, the product of a secret genetic experiment designed to create the perfect human being. Raised in blissful ignorance on a remote island paradise, he's intelligent, cultured, physically flawless, and possesses an almost superhuman naiveté about the real world. DeVito is Vincent Benedict, the other result of the experiment – essentially, all the "leftover crap" (as the movie hilariously puts it) bundled into one short, scheming, womanizing package, dumped in an orphanage and left to fend for himself on the mean streets. When Julius discovers he has a long-lost twin brother, he sets off for Los Angeles to find him, leading to one of cinema's most visually striking and comedically potent reunions.
Arnold Plays Against Type (Sort Of)
What makes Twins truly sing is seeing Schwarzenegger, then the world's biggest action star fresh off Predator (1987) and The Running Man (1987), playing so completely against his established persona. Julius isn't just nice; he's pure. His wonder at seeing a payphone, his earnest belief in his brother's inherent goodness despite all evidence to the contrary, his utterly guileless delivery – it’s genuinely funny and surprisingly charming. It turns out, Arnie had been itching to do a comedy, and this was apparently his own suggestion to director Ivan Reitman (the genius behind Ghostbusters (1984) and Stripes (1981)) after hitting it off with DeVito. Their gamble paid off massively. Rumor has it both stars, along with Reitman, waived their usual salaries in exchange for a hefty percentage of the profits. Considering Twins cost around $15-18 million and raked in over $216 million worldwide, that decision made them all incredibly wealthy – a testament to their faith in this wonderfully goofy concept.
DeVito Does His Thing, Perfectly
Opposite Arnold's gentle giant, DeVito is firing on all cylinders as the cynical, perpetually hustling Vincent. He gets some of the best lines and reactions, grounding Julius's wide-eyed optimism with a dose of street-smart reality (and petty crime). Their chemistry is undeniable; you absolutely buy them as brothers, despite the visual gag. The supporting cast, including the lovely Kelly Preston as Marnie (who falls for Julius's earnestness) and Chloe Webb (Sid Vicious's girlfriend Nancy in Sid and Nancy (1986)) as Vincent's long-suffering girlfriend Linda, add heart and help move the slightly predictable stolen-goods subplot along. It’s not the most complex narrative, involving some low-rent hitmen and a stolen experimental fuel injector, but it serves its purpose: putting these two wildly different brothers together in increasingly funny situations.
That Sweet, Sweet 80s Varnish
Watching Twins now is like opening a time capsule. The synth-heavy score by Georges Delerue and Randy Edelman positively screams late 80s, the fashion is a delightful mix of power suits and questionable casual wear, and the whole production has that slightly sunny, optimistic sheen common in comedies of the era. Reitman directs with a sure hand, never letting the silliness overwhelm the surprising amount of heart at the film's core. Sure, some of the jokes feel a little broad today, and the villain plot is paper-thin, but it hardly matters. I distinctly remember renting this VHS, maybe expecting a dumb gag-fest, but being genuinely won over by the warmth between the leads. It felt good, like a cinematic hug punctuated by DeVito's exasperated sighs and Schwarzenegger's innocent confusion.
The Verdict
Twins isn't high art, and it never pretends to be. It's a perfectly executed high-concept comedy built entirely around the genius casting of its two leads. It proved Schwarzenegger could be funny and endearing outside of blowing things up, and it gave DeVito one of his most iconic roles. The plot is serviceable, the supporting cast is game, and the direction keeps things light and moving. It’s a film that knew exactly what it wanted to be and delivered precisely that – big laughs, a surprising amount of warmth, and an unforgettable central pairing.
Rating: 7.5 / 10 - The rating reflects the film's massive success as a crowd-pleasing comedy, the brilliant chemistry of its leads, and its status as a quintessential late-80s feel-good movie. It loses a couple of points for a somewhat flimsy plot and elements that feel dated, but the core charm remains potent.
Final Thought: Forget identical DNA; Twins proved that pure comedic chemistry and a killer concept could create cinematic gold, even if the brothers looked like they came from entirely different planets. A must-watch for anyone wanting a blast of pure, unadulterated 80s movie magic.