Icon (2005) (TV)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Charles Martin Smith

Writers (WGA):

Frederick Forsyth (novel)
Adam Armus (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

30 May 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot:

A former US Operative (Patrick Swayze), who lived in Russia in his earlier years and had been married there with a child...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Patrick Swayze	...	Jason Monk
Patrick Bergin	...	Igor Komarov
Michael York	...	Sir Nigel Irvine
Annika Peterson	...	Sonia Astrova
Ben Cross	...	Anatoly Grishin
Jeff Fahey	...	Harvey Blackledge
Joss Ackland	...	General Nikolayev
Steve Speirs	...	Viktor Akopov (as Steven Speirs)
Niko Nicotera	...	Andrei Kasanov
Valentin Ganev	...	Vladimir Tonkin
Barry Morse	...	Josef Cherkassov
Tom Wlaschiha	...	Mercedes Driver
Jay Benedict	...	Carey Jordan
Theodor Danetti	...	Leonid Zaitsev
Marta Kondova	...	Elena

Also Known As:

Frederick Forsyth's Icon (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

UK:166 min (DVD release) | Brazil:190 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Ireland:12 | UK:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Company:

Hallmark Entertainment

Trivia:

Final acting project of Barry Morse.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Monk shoots at the assassin's van in the park, the window on the side door breaks completely. In the shots that follow, however, the window is broken only at the top.

Quotes:

Jason Monk: How many children have to die because of your greed?

Good TV Movie, Horrible adaptation

I just finished reading Forsyth's novel 'Icon'. I thought it was one of the most in depth, detailed, and page-turning books I ever read, definitely in my top 10. I acquired a DVD version of the book starring Mr. Swayze. OK, let me first point out that to fit a decent adaptation of the novel into 2.5 hours film time would of been impossible, so I understand the teams reason to sway from the book version and differ. However, when I say "differ" what I really should say is "take the characters from the book, add a few, leave a few out, take away the book's plot, add a modern new plot, add Frederick Forsyth's name in there somewhere". Im not saying this was a bad picture, far from it, some of the effects were top notch and the acting wasn't half bad. The story sucked and didn't rely on logic or reality. Forsyth's novel was so good and real and altered the facts of reality instead of exaggerating them.. This could of been so much more if it had taken its time and been made into say a 10 part series. If you haven't read the book then expect a decent TV movie with a good acting cast, if you have read the book then try and forget it when watching this.