Because of those horrific September 11^th terrorist attacks, Warner Bros. withdrew Collateral Damage from its originally scheduled release last fall. Although I understand why that seemed the sensitive thing to do, this film is tame and simplistic compared to actual events. Still, it’s a timely reminder about the impact of terrorism on innocent victims. In Collateral Damage, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a fireman out to avenge the killing of his wife and son in a bombing orchestrated by "The Wolf, " a notorious terrorist. The big surprise here is not that Ah-nuld finally shows his age. It’s the maturity he brings to the role of a devoted family man reeling from personal tragedy.

I’ve missed Schwarzenegger on the big screen lately. For pure escapist action adventure, his films are hard to top. True Lies, The Terminator, and Total Recall are my three favorites. But I’m used to seeing him portray characters who are in control of practically every situation, so I wasn’t prepared for the depth of his performance as Gordy Brewer, a widower consumed by grief and frustration. Schwarzenegger says, "When you love your family you can’t imagine what it would be like to see them get killed right in front of your eyes, so it’s easy to get the emotional element of the story."

Director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive) explains, "In looking at Arnold’s body of work, he has never had an opportunity before to play a real character in a reality-based drama. He did a fabulous job with this role. His Gordy is believable, compassionate, smart and driven."

Believable and compassionate, yes. When Gordy helps his son assemble a toy in the first part of the film, there’s no doubt about his great love for the boy. His protective feelings for another youngster in Colombia are also quite clear. But Gordy is not so smart. He misplaces his trust while trying to stop "The Wolf" (Cliff Curtis). I’m not complaining. After all, this leads to one of the most suspenseful ending sequences I’ve seen recently on the big screen.

What’s not believable involves Gordy’s journey inside Colombia to find "The Wolf," a leader of that country’s guerrilla forces. How someone with Schwarzenegger’s Nordic appearance manages to "blend in" with Colombians strains credibility to the max. As do some of the characters he meets, such as John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge) portraying a cocaine dealer who really wants to be a Rap star. Almost as bad is Brooklyn-born John Turturro’s (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) depiction of a smart-mouth Canadian thrown into a Colombian jail. I admit some comic relief couldn’t hurt here --- but neither of these usually fine actors succeed in providing it.

The bad guys disappointed me, too. Portraying villains on opposite sides of the political fence, Curtis (Training Day) and Elias Koteas (Novocaine) lack the conviction expected in a movie like this. Curtis’ "Wolf" looks smoldering enough, but he doesn’t seem to enjoy his work, even when torturing a bumbling countryman with a deadly snake. And Koteas, so convincingly evil as Gary Gilmore in TV’s A Shot in the Head, endows his CIA agent with a "taking care of business" attitude that had me questioning his motivations instead of hating him.

In contrast, Italian actress Francesca Neri, playing the terrorist’s wife, continues to impress me with her dynamic screen presence --- which I first noticed in Hannibal. As Selena, she projects a sympathetic, but mysterious, aura in her early scenes with Schwarzenegger. It’s Selena and her adopted son who force the hero to face an ethical dilemma. Has he become just like the terrorist he wants to destroy?

While not totally satisfying, Collateral Damage should not be missed by Schwarzenegger fans. He’s back, and in a formidable acting mode.

(Released by Warner Bros. and rated "R" for violence and some language.)