Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17208 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-01-29
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 103 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Reviews
Clint Eastwood may be a little too old (plus he kind of already did his own version of this movie in 1993's In the Line of Fire), but Harrison Ford could have been The Sentinel's lead and lent the same kind of top-flight Hollywood superstar craft that Michael Douglas brings as a superstar secret service agent fighting a frame-up in a panicky countdown to peril. That the marquee name could have belonged to anyone with the same chops as Douglas is no slam to him, Ford, Eastwood, or anyone else of their ilk. 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. --Ted Fry

Synopsis
Based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Petievich, THE SENTINEL offers a rare look at the world of the Secret Service and questions what would happen if an insider were involved in a plot to kill the President of the United States. Agent Pete Garrison (Michael Douglas) has earned his stripes and is a fixture in the Secret Service. In 1981, he took a bullet during the assassination attempt on President Reagan. More than twenty years later, he is an essential element in the first line of defence for current first lady Sarah Ballentine (Kim Basinger). But Garrison has some secrets--secrets that could end his career if they were discovered. When a plot to assassinate President John Ballentine (David Rasche) is suspected, Garrison finds himself the primary suspect. Heading the investigation is Agent David Breckenridge (Kiefer Sutherland), who is convinced that Garrison--his former best friend and mentor--slept with his wife. With the help of rookie agent Jill Marin (Eva Longoria), who was trained by Garrison, Breckenridge is determined to crack the case and keep the president safe--even if it means taking Garrison down. When accused of treason, Garrison leads Breckenridge and the other agents on a wild chase and the truth becomes more and more twisted. Is Garrison running in order to escape, or is he trying to prove his innocence while protecting his secrets? Can Breckenridge put aside his old grudge and make decisions based strictly on the evidence presented? Will Marin's allegiance remain with her new supervisor, or with Garrison, the field instructor who recommended her for her new assignment? Most important, can the agents uncover the truth before more of their colleagues--and the president--die? Directed by Clark Johnson (S.W.A.T.), who appears as Agent Charlie Merriweather, the film also features Martin Donovan, Ritchie Coster and Blair Brown.

Customer Reviews

Bad and Not in a Good Way
First and foremost, I must admit that I am a big fan of B movies. I love a little Secret Service action. In the Line of Fire, Guarding Tess are only a few of the films I've truly enjoyed. I understand the genre and its limitations, in fact I relish them. So when I found myself on a long-haul flight where this was one of the featured films, I was delighted. It hadn't been released for that long, so I thought it was a real bonus. But then the film began.

I'm not sure what went wrong exactly. The film had a great cast and a strong premise; it should have been a winner. I can only assume that something was lost in translation. Either the director lost his way, or there was major interference. The dialogue was wooden, there was little or no pay off for any of the set-ups. And it looked like it had been edited in the 70's. There was no zing, no interest, no action. Needless to say, it made my flight feel even longer.

Take my advice, even if you find yourself bored beyond belief at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet, read a book instead.

Not so bad but not that good either.
Michael Douglas is a secret service agent framed in a plot to kill the President of the US. Kiefer Sutherland is the agent on his tail.

Its not a bad movie but the Director missed the ball. Every action and suspenseful scene was missing the added element that separates TV-movies from box-office blockbusters. It's hard to put into words, but watching all the action and suspense scenes felt like I was watching a mid-budget USA or TBS movie.

Plus, there is no real tension because the actors are in roles they've played a dozen or so times before (Sutherland in 24 each week)so you can pretty much walk them through whats happening.Thats the problem here, its all been done before, better.

As I said its not bad, infact the cast was great and them combined with a good screenplay and overall plot saves this movie from being a disaster.

There was too little character building as well, especially for the 'bad guys'. The story was still good and the movie overall will still be entertaining, but needless to say, I was disappointed.

DISAPPOINTMENT
I rented this movie expecting a lot better from Keifer Sutherland and Michael Douglas, being a fan of both particluarly the 24 series. Their acting is never a disappointment but in this case the plot and the script were much weaker than anything I have seen them in.

Chascan