BlownPotential

The Sentinel
Review by Joel Fowler

Typecasting can be a bitch.

Ever since the trailer for 20^th Century Fox’s The Sentinel started popping up in theaters and on television a couple of months ago, Internet chat rooms, blogs, and bulletin boards from literally around the globe have been screaming that this espionage thriller is basically 24: The Movie. Why? In the film, Kiefer Sutherland plays hard-edged Secret Service Agent David Breckinridge who must catch his former mentor Pete Garrison (Michael Douglas) who’s suspected in an assassination plot against the President of the United States. A government operative barking urgent commands like “Put your gun down!” with an unflinching bead drawn onto his target? Yeap, sounds like Jack Bauer, all right (well, at least the producers kidnapped Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria to make this ‘special episode’ an attractive one at least).

Yet, The Sentinel is really nothing like Kiefer’s FOX action-drama series in the fact that agent Bauer never plays second fiddle to anybody. In this movie, it’s all about Michael Douglas’s character, Pete Garrison. It’s Garrison who is having an affair with the First Lady (Kim Basinger). It’s Garrison who fails a lie detector test when information arises that there is in fact a mole within the presidential protection unit. And, it’s Garrison who uses his years of experience to cunningly elude all of his former colleagues. It’s also a safe bet that it’s not Garrison who is behind the conspiracy scheme (because he’s Michael Douglas and you’re not).

The ‘to catch an internal thief’ plotline is a pretty standard one, but the actual execution of story is riveting. From George Nolfi’s adaptation of Gerald Petievich’s novel to Clark Johnson’s unique direction to Cindy Mollo’s astute editing (which is often times overlooked in such a studio formula movie), the Sentinel crew’s work is as precise and tactile as the Secret Service agents’ assignments they bring to life on screen. If you can overlook a couple of flaws (the painfully obvious hints as to the real bad guy is, Garrison’s Superman-type ability for dodging bullets) and try not to think about 24 as you enter your theater seat, The Sentinel is an assassination thriller that easily hits its target.

Potential: Exeeded

Also recommended The Interpretor (2005), In the Line of Fire (1993), The Manchurine Candidate (1962).

The Sentinel stars Kiefer Sutherland, Kim Basinger, Michael Douglas. It opens April 21^st and is rated PG-13 for some intense action violence and a scene of sensuality.