The Sentinel

Production year: 2006

Thriller PG-13   Running time: 1:48 

IMDB rating:   6.1     Aspect: Wide;  Languages: English, French, Spanish;  Subtitles: English, Spanish;  Audio: DD 5.1

The Sentinel is a crackling good thriller because everyone involved is working at the top of their game. Pete Garrison (Douglas) is on the presidential protection detail when another agent is murdered. A creepy informer tells Garrison about an elaborate assassination conspiracy that's related and well underway. Garrison also happens to be having an affair with the First Lady (Kim Basinger), the stress of which causes him to flunk a lie detector test when word of the plot to kill the president becomes more than just paranoia. Garrison is soon on the run, being hunted by his protege David Breckinridge (Kiefer Sutherland, whose 24 experience gives his performance an extra edge). But Garrison is the best, using all his secret service wiles (and there are plenty, the details of which give added tension and authenticity to the taut script) to evade his former comrades as the clock ticks. You can often see the plot thickening a mile away, and as much as the movie wants to keep us guessing, the real bad guy is an easy mark for the audience. But the energy and kinetic skill which propel the action are always spot on and enough to keep us from caring about the giveaways. Co-star Eva Longoria is miles away from her Desperate Housewives role and miles away from any real import of character in the movie. But the rest of the cast and the whooshing forward momentum of style and anxiety are plenty to keep The Sentinel in full-tilt suspense mode from beginning to end.

Director

Features

Audio commentary
Deleted/extended scenes
Featurettes/Behind-The-Scenes/Documentaries

Special features

Alternate Ending And Deleted Scenes With Optional Commentary By Screenwriter George Nolfi
Full-Length Audio Commentary By Director Clark Johnson And Screenwriter George Nolfi
The Secret Service: Building On A Tradition Of Excellence Featurette
In The President's Shadow: Protecting the President Featurette
The Sentinel