The Sentinel (2006)

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.

Director:

Clark Johnson

Writers:

George Nolfi (screenplay), Gerald Petievich (novel)

Stars:

Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Douglas	...	Pete Garrison
Kiefer Sutherland	...	David Breckinridge
Eva Longoria	...	Jill Marin
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

Storyline

Special Agent Pete Garrison is convinced that a Neo-Nazi Aryan Disciple has managed to infiltrate the White House. When a White House Agent is murdered, Garrison is framed and blackmailed over an affair with the First Lady Sarah Ballentine. He is relieved of his duties, but Garrison won't stop in trying to prove his innocence, and save the life of the President. While attempting to uncover the person behind it all, he comes into confrontation with his protege, Agent Breckinridge.

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Plot Keywords:

secret service | president | first lady | framed | investigation | 

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Taglines:

In 141 years, there's never been a traitor in the Secret Service.... Until Now.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Twentieth Century Fox [fr] Twentieth Century Fox [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 April 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

El centinela

Filming Locations:

Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£627,838 (UK) (1 September 2006)

Gross:

$3,554,416 (Mexico) (22 September 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Regency Enterprises, Epsilon Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min 107 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

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.

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Goofs

When Agent Marin describes how a downed agent's gun still had the safety activated, she is referring to a Secret Service issue Sig-Sauer P229, which has no safety lever to deactivate. It instead has a decocker, which increases the length and pressure of the trigger pull but does not prevent the weapon from being fired. Typically, the weapon is carried in the holster decocked, and the agent would fire the first round double-action, followed by single action for successive shots.

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Quotes

1st Lady Sarah Ballentine: How do you think it went in there?
Pete Garrison: Excuse me, ma'am, are you talking to me?
1st Lady Sarah Ballentine: Yes.
Pete Garrison: I thought it was, uh, an excellent speech.
1st Lady Sarah Ballentine: One to 10?
Pete Garrison: Ten, ma'am.
1st Lady Sarah Ballentine: You're not a very good liar, Pete.
Pete Garrison: Seriously?
1st Lady Sarah Ballentine: Yes, I- I really want to know.
Pete Garrison: 9.5.

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Connections

References Welcome to Mooseport (2004)

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Soundtracks

"A Gafiera"
Written and Performed by Daniel Indart and William Brendle (as William J. Brendle)
Courtesy of LMS Records

User Reviews

Great potential ruined by terrible screenplay

"The Sentinel" is an average-at-best action drama that does not come remotely close to reaching its potential. The entire movie feels rushed, with random details about each character's past thrown at you in a poorly-written screenplay. The revelation of the true bad guy in conspiracy films normally elicits at least some form of surprise or intrigue; instead, in "The Sentinel" the character is far too obvious and the scene reveals a tangential and unexplained back story that should instead be much more central to the plot.

The rush to cram details in every fleeting moment ruins this movie. For example, without spoiling the film, the culminating chase of the movie is ruined by a ridiculous proclamation of certain password to get by people; the ridiculousness of the situation takes away from what should be a tense finish.

This review is not meant to be overly disparaging; the film received 5/10 because it is a moderately entertaining summer movie and I did not regret going to see it. However, the skeleton plot seemed to be trying too hard and the characters were not well-utilized. Eva Longoria is very attractive though.