If youre looking for an Action/Thriller which combines a solid script with great acting, then you might try watching something else. If, on the other hand, youre looking for a Movie with plot holes big enough to drive a truck through, then you might want to check out the latest Michael Douglas Film, The Sentinel.
The plot is harmless enough, really. Douglas portrays Pete Garrison, a veteran Secret Service agent who was there the day that Reagan was shot. Pete seems good at his job and is liked by his co-workers. When hes not spending his time watching the Presidents (David Rasche) back, hes getting way closer than he should with the First Lady (Kim Basinger). Meanwhile, Secret Service agent David Breckinridge (Kiefer Sutherland) is a hardass whos breaking in new agent, Jill Marin (Eva Longoria). Pete and David were former best friends and partners, but that all ended when David suspected him of having an affair with his wife. Before you know it, a murder of on e of their own and a subsequent assassination attempt on the President have Pete and David scrambling in opposite directions. Pete is blamed for the crimes, while David and Jill take to the streets in an effort to find him.
The whole affair is pretty paint-by-numbers, but that shouldnt have kept it from being a good Movie. Heck, most Films have a pretty generic plot. No, what keeps it from being good is primarily a very weak script by George Nolfi. To call it generic and sloppy would be putting it mildly.
There are several instances throughout the Film of things which just dont make sense. Take, for example, a Secret Service agent who is killed. It is mentioned later that he spent years honing his sense of danger, so his death must have been an assassination. Huh? If I remember correctly, the assassin walks up to him as he steps on his front porch, calls out to him, and then shoots him. The agent had ample opportunity to spot the killer and do something about it. Not much of a danger sense, if you ask me.
It just feels like there are a hundred such moments throughout the Film. Theres also the talked about tension between Pete and David. When Pete is first accused of the crime, David is more than willing to believe it. Then, he just sort of gives up on that notion and starts assisting him. It doesnt make a lot of sense, and it serves to just make David look indecisive and wishy-washy.
Theres also the matter of the villains. They are certainly less than compelling. And in addition to several generic heavies, we get a traitor in the midst of the Secret Service. Their identity is a big mystery which is played up throughout the course of the Film. When they are finally revealed, well, lets just say that its nothing thats going to make you jump out of your chair. To make matters worse, the reasons for their behavior dont even make sense. This script really should have undergone some re-writes before being put up on the big screen.
As far as the acting goes, nobody embarrasses themselves. Douglas is on autopilot, while Sutherland tries to channel some of the intensity of Jack Baur, but falls a little short. Basinger looks to have been cast simply so Douglas could be involved with a woman closer to his age, even though shes really nowhere near his age. And it doesnt even matter, as shes hardly in the Film. Longoria does a respectable job and certainly has a beautiful face, but its hard to believe that someone so thin could pass anything remotely resembling a police or military training regimen (something which would no doubt be a requirement for a Secret Service agent).
While its not the worst Movie that Ive ever seen, The Sentinel was certainly a disappointment. I had expected more from a Movie with this kind of cast, but the script ultimately wrecked the whole thing. If you want a Thriller involving a threat to the Presidency, you would be much better off r enting In the Line of Fire. Now thats a Movie that doesnt embarrass itself. Wish I could say the same about this one.
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Author:: Shane Rivers
Keywords:: Movie,Film,Cinema,Movie review,Thriller,Action,Suspense,Discussion,Forum
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