The Sentinel (2006)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Clark Johnson

Writers (WGA):

George Nolfi (screenplay)
Gerald Petievich (novel)

Release Date:

21 April 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Let's do this

Plot:

A secret service agent is framed as the mole in an assassination attempt on the president. He must clear his name and foil another assassination attempt while on the run from a relentless FBI agent.

Plot Keywords:

Secret Service | President | Framed | Assassination | Investigation

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Michael Douglas	...	Pete Garrison
Kiefer Sutherland	...	David Breckinridge
Eva Longoria Parker	...	Jill Marin (as Eva Longoria)
Martin Donovan	...	William Montrose
Ritchie Coster	...	The Handler
Kim Basinger	...	1st Lady Sarah Ballentine
Blair Brown	...	National Security Advisor
David Rasche	...	President Ballentine
Kristin Lehman	...	Cindy Breckinridge
Raynor Scheine	...	Walter Xavier
Chuck Shamata	...	Director Overbrook
Paul Calderon	...	Deputy Director Cortes
Clark Johnson	...	Charlie Merriweather (as Clarque Johnson)
Raoul Bhaneja	...	Aziz Hassad
Yanna McIntosh	...	Teddy Vargas

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some intense action violence and a scene of sensuality.

Runtime:

108 min | Philippines:107 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Singapore:PG | UK:12A | Malaysia:U | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Ireland:12A | South Korea:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:MG6 | Argentina:13 | Sweden:11 | Romania:A.G. | USA:PG-13 (certificate #42418) | Australia:M | Denmark:11 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba) | Norway:15 | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | France:U

Filming Locations:

Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In the behind-the-scenes featurette, the Secret Service consultant for the movie stated that 'Eva Longoria' far surpassed the other actors in "shooting school". In fact, he remarked that her score would beat about 90% of members of the Secret Service. Longoria mentioned that when she was younger she often accompanied her father to the gun range, so being around and handling guns wasn't new to her.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Pete Garrison is hiding behind a green WM (Waste Management) trash bin in the first chase scene. The registration number is visible on the trash bin and it starts with "CA", indicating it was distributed in Canada, not Washington DC where the movie is supposed to take place.

Quotes:

Jill Marin: [from trailer] A lot of people are looking for you.
Pete Garrison: I'm innocent dammit!

Movie Connections:

References Welcome to Mooseport (2004)

Soundtrack:

Bullet and a Target

Reasonable Idea, Terrible Screenplay

The veteran agent of the American secret service Pete Garrison (Michael Douglas) saved the life of president Ronald Reagan in the past and became a legend. Presently he is responsible for the personal security of the American president Ballentine (David Rasche) and the first lady Sarah Ballentine (Kim Bassinger), with whom he is having a love affair. When his informer Walter discloses that there is a traitor in the secret service and a plot to kill the president, his former friend David Breckinridge (Kiefer Sutherland) and the chief of the secret service William Montrose (Martin Donovan) are in charge of the investigation and all the agents are submitted to a polygraph test. Due to his situation with Sarah, he is compromised with the results and accused of treachery. He escapes, and in spite of chased by the secret service, he conducts his own investigation trying to find the responsible.

"The Sentinel" has a reasonable idea, of an agent failing in the polygraph test due to his love affair with the first lady, but the screenplay does not have any care for the characters. The running time should be longer and not waste in so many exaggerated details relative to the protection of the American president, and give more attention to the characters. In the end, the story is conventional, badly resolved and with bureaucratic performances of the good cast. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Sentinela" ("Sentinel")