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The Manchurian Candidate (2004) 6.6
Ratings:
6.6/10 from 64,336 users
Metascore: 76/100
Reviews: 358 user | 202 critic | 41 from Metacritic.com In the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes. Director:Jonathan Demme |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jeffrey Wright | ... | ||
| Pablo Schreiber | ... |
Eddie Ingram
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| Anthony Mackie | ... |
Robert Baker
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| Dorian Missick | ... |
Owens
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| Jose Pablo Cantillo | ... |
Villalobos
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| Teddy Dunn | ... |
Wilson
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Joaquin Perez-Campbell | ... |
Atkins
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Tim Artz | ... |
Jameson
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| Denzel Washington | ... | ||
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Robyn Hitchcock | ... |
Laurent Tokar
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| Liev Schreiber | ... | ||
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Antoine Taylor | ... |
Boy Scout #1
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Joseph Alessi | ... |
Boy Scout #2
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Raymond Anthony Thomas | ... |
Scout Dad
(as Ray Anthony Thomas)
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| Bill Irwin | ... |
Scoutmaster
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
When his army unit was ambushed during the first Gulf War, Sergeant Raymond Shaw saved his fellow soldiers just as his commanding officer, then-Captain Ben Marco, was knocked unconscious. Brokering the incident for political capital, Shaw eventually becomes a vice-presidential nominee, while Marco is haunted by dreams of what happened -- or didn't happen -- in Kuwait. As Marco (now a Major) investigates, the story begins to unravel, to the point where he questions if it happened at all. Is it possible the entire unit was kidnapped and brainwashed to believe Shaw is a war hero as part of a plot to seize the White House? Some very powerful people at Manchurian Global corporation appear desperate to stop him from finding out. Written by A Prentiss
Taglines:
Everything is under control. See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
30 July 2004 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Der Manchurian Kandidat See more »Box Office
Budget:
$80,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
$130,275 (South Africa) (10 December 2004)Gross:
£1,915,402 (UK) (10 December 2004)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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[kisses his mouth]
See more »
by Peter Bauer, Matthew Barrick, James Leithauser, Paul Maroon & Walter Martin
Performed by The Walkmen
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc./Record Collection
by arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
One of Major Marco's evaluation papers is clearly dated "2008". See more »Goofs
When Shaw enters his penthouse and gets the phone call from his mom we see the empty jack on the side where a phone cord should be hooked into the wall. See more »Quotes
Eleanor Shaw: [to Raymond] But... but when you smile... oh darling, when you smile, that's what I live for. When you smile.[kisses his mouth]
See more »
Soundtracks
"New Year's Eve"by Peter Bauer, Matthew Barrick, James Leithauser, Paul Maroon & Walter Martin
Performed by The Walkmen
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc./Record Collection
by arrangement with Warner Strategic Marketing
See more »
Three months ago I watched the original Manchurian Candidate on DVD. I was amazed on how good this movie is, and how well it holds up after 42 years of its release in movie theaters.
So, yesterday when I watched the 2004 version directed by Jonathan Demme it was impossible for me not to compare the two films.
Without the existence of the original, Demme's effort could be defined as a good (not outstanding) political thriller and it's easy to think that this definition is compatible with the general opinion of today's audiences.
But (a big but) in reality there is an original, and it is so good, so brave, and so well written that this new version almost feels pointless.
In adapting the story to modern day Jonathan Demme made more wrong choices than good ones diminishing the power and intensity of the original.
This remake took out some key dramatic elements that work marvelously in the original film inserting some new and poorly written plot twists changing and damaging the dramatic resolution.
This version is inferior in almost every level (the only exception is the acting). It is less powerful, less edgy, and less intelligent.
Fortunately for Demme the original picture is not as well known as classics like 'Casablanca' and this will allow his film to find a moderate positive acceptance.