Greetings again from the darkness. Slightly above average political thriller with SURPRISE ... Michael Douglas wearing an expensive suit! Directed by Clark Johnson, who was so fine as Meldrick in "Homicide: Life on the Streets", this film had real potential to travel down roads no other film had touched. In the end it is a bit disappointing because it gives up too soon and takes an all too familiar plot turn.
The scenes with Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland barking at each other like two frat boys chasing the same girl are easily the highlights. Eva Longoria was obviously cast to entice some "Desperate Housewives" fans who otherwise would have no use for a testosterone driven thriller. She brings little to the table ... other than her looks, and has light years to go before she could be considered a movie star. Martin Donovan has the requisite stone face and beady eyes for his role and Kim Basinger is downright stunning as the First Lady. Also, it is nice to see Blair Brown back in the White House, even in her curiously limited role.
The film opens with some beautiful shots of the many historical buildings, landmarks and monuments in D.C. Regrettably, the photography in the rest of the film, as well as the structure of many of the scenes just can't maintain that standard. Overall, it is a fun film ... especially for those who enjoy the Secret Service stuff. However, it disappoints because it could have been much more with some unconventional twists and turns added.
The scenes with Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland barking at each other like two frat boys chasing the same girl are easily the highlights. Eva Longoria was obviously cast to entice some "Desperate Housewives" fans who otherwise would have no use for a testosterone driven thriller. She brings little to the table ... other than her looks, and has light years to go before she could be considered a movie star. Martin Donovan has the requisite stone face and beady eyes for his role and Kim Basinger is downright stunning as the First Lady. Also, it is nice to see Blair Brown back in the White House, even in her curiously limited role.
The film opens with some beautiful shots of the many historical buildings, landmarks and monuments in D.C. Regrettably, the photography in the rest of the film, as well as the structure of many of the scenes just can't maintain that standard. Overall, it is a fun film ... especially for those who enjoy the Secret Service stuff. However, it disappoints because it could have been much more with some unconventional twists and turns added.