Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Jeffrey Wright | ... | Al Melvin | |
Pablo Schreiber | ... | Eddie Ingram | |
Anthony Mackie | ... | Robert Baker | |
Dorian Missick | ... | Owens | |
Jose Pablo Cantillo | ... | Villalobos | |
Teddy Dunn | ... | Wilson | |
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Joaquin Perez-Campbell | ... | Atkins |
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Tim Artz | ... | Jameson |
Denzel Washington | ... | Ben Marco | |
Robyn Hitchcock | ... | Laurent Tokar | |
Liev Schreiber | ... | Raymond Shaw | |
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Antoine Taylor | ... | Boy Scout #1 |
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Joe Alessi | ... | Boy Scout #2 (as Joseph Alessi) |
Raymond Anthony Thomas | ... | Scout Dad (as Ray Anthony Thomas) | |
Bill Irwin | ... | Scoutmaster |
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
While the 2004 remake of "The Manchurian Candidate" is ensemble acting at its finest, Meryl Streep seems to be having a bit too much fun playing the villainess Eleanor Prentiss Shaw. She doesn't have the same blood-curdling constitution as did Angela Lansbury.
"What was I supposed to do, call a MEETING?" she exclaims as her wimpy male colleagues in the shadowy Manchurian Global upbraid her for ordering someone killed without consulting them. Problem is, she was radiantly glowing when she uttered the line, which produced laughs in the NYC theatre I was in.
When she showers Liev Schreiber with overly affectionate kisses and hugs, one again suspects Meryl was having a bit too much fun on camera with someone she finds quite attractive -- don't we all? -- in real life.
On its own, the 2004 remake is fine cinema. But the problem with all remakes is the inevitable comparison with original. And sadly, as much as I like the 2004 version, my vote goes with Angie Lansbury and Laurence Harvey.