The investigation into a kidnapping of the daughter of a high-ranking US government official. In the US-government's special ops, Scott is a shooter, not a planner, doing the job without regard to quaint or obsolete convention. When a Harvard undergrad goes missing (the daughter of a US leader), it's Scott who applies the pressure, first to her boyfriend, then to a madam whose cathouse is the initial stop en route to a white slavery auction in Dubai. The abductors may not know the girl's identity, but once they figure it out, she's doomed. Deadly double crosses force Scott to become a planner. Through it all, earnest TV newscasters read the drivel they're handed. I liked this flick immensely, and maybe it is because the VK character was a bit wooden, just like a "Master Gunner" should be. He's not really a Secret Service Agent, he's the equivalent of a Warrant Officer in the US Marine Corps ("Master Gunner" is a warrant-like grade that establishes officer status for former senior noncoms. They have no commission and normally do not command troops-thanks, W.E.B. Griffin). He's on detached duty to some secret operational group which appears to act at the behest of the highest levels of the US government - in this case, the Secret Service.<br/><br/>This one was a "sleeper" I happened to catch on cable. Like "The Salton Sea" or "Wonderland", I wouldn't have ever seen this one save for my insomnia. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, if you're turned off after 20 minutes, you're probably not going to like it. I will not say this is the worst movie I have ever seen because to each their own. I will say I did not enjoy the movie. It was not my favorite or was it the "worst movie" I have ever seen. I have never been a huge fan of Val Kilmer and was hoping to redeem that by watching this movie. I can still say I am not a Val Kilmer fan. Why he chooses to play in slow moving and hard to follow pictures is a wonder to me. I felt this movie did not flow and the whole time we were left trying to figure out what was going on. I could basically follow the plot but was still left wondering what exactly was going on. In my opinion this film was a middle of the road film. It is something I will never watch again but will not say I wasted time in watching it. A work that continually seems on the verge of genuine excitement but sabotages itself at every turn…results will intrigue only those interested in the nooks and crannies of Mamet's career.
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371 weeks ago