The President's Mystery (1936) DVD [Remastered Edition]

Director: A2ZCDS.com
Studio: A2ZCDS.com
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

It's Dr. Strangelove, but without the laughs. Fail Safe, made within a year of Strangelove and at the height of cold war atomic anxiety, posits a similar nightmare scenario. A U.S. bomber is accidentally ordered toward Moscow, ready to drop its load. The U.S. president (Henry Fonda) and various military and congressional leaders must then scramble to deal with the disaster. The built-in suspense is well maintained by director Sidney Lumet, working from a script by former blacklisted writer Walter Bernstein. The solemn, serious approach doesn't begin to touch the brilliance of Strangelove's inspired take on the nuclear nightmare, but Fail Safe is absorbing and well acted (a memorable role for Walter Matthau, for instance). The movie enters unexpected territory in its final minutes; conditioned for feel-good endings, viewers are still genuinely shocked by the plot turns in the final reels. The climax comes as a sobering slap in the face, intriguingly staged by Lumet. Now that the cold war has passed on into history, Fail Safe stands as--thank goodness--an interesting period piece. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Fail-Safe.......2007-06-27

Of all the edgy doomsday thrillers that have unnerved us since the 1960s, nothing beats Sidney Lumet's chilling "Fail-Safe." Throughout the film, set in the control room of Strategic Air Command, Lumet expertly uses his camera to build claustrophobia and tension. The scenes with Fonda as the President and young Hagman as a petrified Russian translator are especially riveting. Walter Matthau also makes your blood run cold playing against type as a dispassionate nuclear-arms expert. Made when Cold War paranoia was at its height, this is a masterwork of relentless suspense.

Important History.......2007-05-09

This film is a good movie to watch for a historical perspective of the times, but in actually watching it for entertainment it suffers. The acting is good if wooden, the story is interesting but slow. I recommend this movie only for those interested in film history or the history of the era.

Credible Plot Brought Low By Poor Technical Advice.......2007-02-27

While I guess the disappearance of Soviet Russia takes much of the continuing value out of movies such as this one [our current enemies will never be bothered with hotlines], those of us who remember those days will always be deeply moved by well done films of this genre.

This book, along with On The Beach and one or two others, were serialized in our local paper when they came out, and we all got to tremble and have nightmares one instalment at a time.

On the positive side of the ledger for the film version: (1)The basic story line,was quite conceivable to movie audiences at the time and therefore VERY frightening. (2) The script, the actors and the director keep the tension at a nerve cracking pace throughout. And (3) especially outstanding performances were turned in by the President, his translator, C-in-C SAC [though decidedly not the Curtis LeMay type] and the flight commander.

On the other hand, a good deal of the movie's credibility, to me at least, was destroyed by some layout decisions as well as technical errors. (1) While we have all since learned, along with President Reagan, that there is no 'war room' a la Dr. Strangelove, it seemed highly unlikey to me that the President would be compelled to make all his decisions completely isolated from his top advisors, not to mention maps, mock-ups and the video board everybody else had. There just seemed to be something important to credibility missing as he would hear the voices over the telephone in a totally unequipped room. There would be no opportunity for multiple speaker give and take as well as the chance to view faces, body language and visual and electronic data. While it heightened the sense of claustrophobia it diminished authenticity...so important in a story of this kind. (2) "Whitey" or "Blackie" [I think he was called both in the course of the movie] is supposed to be a pivotal character. Am I being unnecessarily niggling when I say he lost all credibility because he didn't know how to wear his stars correctly? He should have watched Sterling Hayden in the other movie. Sorry, but that was a real turnoff for me. He redeemed himself somewhat in the final scene he plays in his flight suit, but a multimillion dollar production should have hired somebody who knew that one. (3) Didn't at least one of the air police guys [all one and two stripers] have officer's capshields? It could just be the film quality of my copy, but I looked at that scene over and over and that's what I saw. And (4) How did the otherwise brilliant and believeable screenwriter get away with leaving a full colonel's parents in the basement? The social paranoia I saw in every full colonel I ever came close to made that scene laughable... as did the fact that he was kept in such a sensitive post with that sort of skeleton hanging in the closet. When I was in SAC you didn't get close to the nuclear alert area with a family situation like that, much less be in a position to influence what the guys in the nuclear alert area did.

I dunno... Just seems like a very artful production was brought low by blunders easily prevented. Three Stars

Blast from the past!.......2007-01-23

As a child of the '50s I can remember when the book came out, reading it and being terrified how the world could end at any minute. When the film was released it showed no softening of the message, but the impact was lost due to the release of Kubric's "Dr Strangelove". Somehow Peter Sellers humourous spin on things coupled with the superb final vision of Slim Pickens riding down on the bomb to the sounds of "We'll meet again" just had everyone I know crying with laughter at the stupidity of it all. Surely nobody would let this sort of thing happen, would they?
. Looking at this film again many years later and it seems to have regained it's power to depict the frighteningly easy way in which we can slip into the abyss. The superb acting of Henry Fonda and Walter Mathau bring a terse and well written script to life, with the young Larry Hagman totally believeable as the Presidential interpreter.
As we watch events unfolding in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the race of uncontrollable powers in the Third World to produce and stockpile nuclear weapons along with their delivery systems, "Fail Safes" chilling message becomes as relevant today as it did so many years ago.
Watch this film, then look at our present day political leaders. Apart from the fashions, has anything changed? The starkness of black and white as opposed to colour filmstock only serves to underline the warning that there is no middle way, we have to choose now as we had to choose then.
A superb film that every thinking person will do well to watch and keep alongside "Schindlers List", both as a warning and a lesson.

BUY IT!

Good movie, average DVD.......2006-08-12

The movie is excellent, focusing on the strategy and tactices of nuclear brinksmanship. Henry Fonda wears the role of President well.

How would YOU atone for the act of accidentally bombing a major city?

[In an earlier review, I thought I had caught a filmography error, but this is not the case]

March 3, 2002 Reviewer: "rhyre" (Cincinnati, OH)

Enjoyed the movie as much as when I first saw it in the 70s.
I only encountered two problems:

1) Original film quality
A digital restoration of the original film print is in order, I noticed a lot of graininess and flecks in the image.

2) Larry Hagman seems to be slightly confused with Gene Hackman in the filmography under 'special features'.
For example, Larry Hagman is credited with an appearance in the 1978 Superman movie. Lex Luthor was played by Gene Hackman.
[This is not true, Larry Hagman AND Gene Hackman both appeared in Superman: The Movie, in different roles. Larry Hagman played the character of 'Major']

The Sum of All Fears (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Like a roller coaster, this movie has ups and downs
The Sum of All Fears (Special Collector's Edition)...
terrorism and wmd brought to the big screen
Sadly disappointing!
good dvd

The Sum of All Fears (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Ben Affleck , Alan Bates , John Beasley , Michael Byrne , and James Cromwell
Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Recruit

ASIN: B00005JL8F
Release Date: 2002-10-29

Amazon.com

It's not easy replacing Harrison Ford as a beloved screen hero, but Ben Affleck brings fresh vitality to The Sum of All Fears, reviving Paramount's Tom Clancy franchise in the role Ford made famous. As CIA agent Jack Ryan, Affleck is a rookie in the covert ranks, unraveling a plot that lures Russian and American superpowers into a nuclear standoff, while a neofascist faction turns most of Baltimore into an atomic wasteland and holds the world in the grip of a terrorist nightmare. Affleck combines sharp intelligence with a new-guy's perspective, while a senior agent (Morgan Freeman) passes the torch of back-channel authority. The result is one of the best Clancy films to date, ably helmed by Phil Alden Robinson (whose comic thriller Sneakers was sorely underrated) with a stellar supporting cast, and adapted with abundant humor, humanity, and thrills by Donnie Brasco screenwriter Paul Attanasio and cowriter Daniel Pyne. Even the typically reticent Clancy would approve. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Like a roller coaster, this movie has ups and downs.......2007-06-30

After watching this movie once, I don't watch the whole thing any more. What makes it worth purchasing are segments of the movie--not the whole story. I'd have preferred someone other than Ben Affleck in the lead role, but Morgan Freeman was superb in his role. Who can forget his expression as he finally "gets" the word "Baltimore" as the bomb location, and gazes around the football stadium? Another great moment is when Ben's character has been cut off during his message read by the leaders of both America and Russia, and the Russian courageously takes a step back from the escalating nightmare.

I was impressed with the supporting role of our spy in Russia--an actor who has played comedy roles such as the boyfriend one in Kate & Leopold, but was superb in this role...very believable with both dry humor ("so, write a report about it") and in the end sequence.

If it wasn't uneven, I'd give the movie 4 stars.

The Sum of All Fears (Special Collector's Edition)..........2007-06-02

This is a good movie that invites one to think. The acting was very good. Morgan Freeman again, is outstanding!

terrorism and wmd brought to the big screen.......2007-04-03

Great video with all star cast that shows the realities that face us here in america. A terrorist mastermind wants to drag the U.S. and Russia into WW3 and uses a smuggled nuclear device to do it. The only thing i would have done differently, is to have used Islamic terrorists to make it more lifelike.

Sadly disappointing!.......2007-02-14

Tom Clancy's "Sum Of All Fears" is a 900 page thriller - complex, highly detailed and smart. A mini-series would be necessary to preserve the integrity of the story, but alas it was squashed into two hours for the theater. Large parts of the story were completely discarded and what remains has been compressed to the point of being barely recognizable. What makes the book so interesting is the premise that the US and Russian governments could be manipulated by clever terrorists, and in spite of all safeguards the world could be brought to the brink of nuclear war. The movie shows us the escalating danger, but without the insights. Be afraid, be very afraid!

While I can understand the problem of creating a coherent screenplay I cannot understand the characterization of Jack Ryan (played by Ben Affleck). Jack Ryan (as portrayed by Tom Clancy) is not just a guy who runs with guns. He is smart, thoughtful, and highly articulate. He is the Deputy Director of the CIA and an advisor to the President! Yet in this film he says things like "I really don't believe the Russian leader would act that way, Sir." Apparently we are supposed to believe that Jack Ryan saves the day because he can walk away from helicopter crashes, and because he's really, really sincere.

Still, on the plus side the film is nice to look at, moves at a fast pace, has a few well done special effects, and some decent acting (notably Morgan Freeman). The ride can be enjoyable if you don't think about it, so I give it two stars. Regardless of how you feel about this film I say read the book. You won't believe how much more there is to this story.

good dvd.......2007-01-04

It is a good merchandise very low price. It a great opportunity to collete all those movies that can t bee fond in any store.

Average customer rating:

The Missiles of October
The Missiles of October
"Missiles of October or Thirteen Days"?
DVD With No Restoration
The Brink of Nuclear War

The Missiles of October
Starring: William Devane , Ralph Bellamy , Howard Da Silva , James Hong , and Martin Sheen
Director: Anthony Page
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Thirteen Days (Infinifilm Edition)
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ASIN: B00005JXI7
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Amazon.com

Without becoming didactic, The Missiles of October does an outstanding job of presenting many points of view on the Cuban missile crisis. The film humanizes Kennedy's near impossible task of avoiding war without compromising national security. The earnestness of this 1974 made-for-television dramatization may briefly remind one of social studies class--indeed it is at times difficult to maintain consciousness while the extensive cast of characters is being introduced at the opening. Not to worry, though--soon the power plays begin and The Missiles of October becomes completely gripping. Actual news footage is spliced in with the action, nicely serving as exposition and driving home just how very close the world came to nuclear war. A crew of excellent character actors flesh out the story and reveal the psychological games behind the language of diplomacy. William Devane takes on the difficult task of playing John F. Kennedy. While he doesn't quite capture Kennedy's charisma, he does occupy the role comfortably and effectively conveys the president's deep worry and determination to avoid war. Martin Sheen plays an engaging Robert Kennedy and Michael Lerner, oddly enough, manages to make Pierre Salinger absolutely fascinating. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

The Missiles of October.......2007-07-05

Interspersed with newsreel footage to heighten its gripping realism, Page's riveting and groundbreaking made-for-TV docudrama reaches for "you-are-there" verisimilitude in its depiction of the thirteen days in October 1962 when JFK agonized over whether to go to war with Russia, a time when the world came close to nuclear annihilation. Well-scripted and directed with nail-biting intensity by Page, "Missiles" boasts tremendous performances by Devane, Sheen, and Howard Da Silva as Premier Khrushchev. See it before (or in spite of) the more Hollywood-ized Kevin Costner vehicle, "Thirteen Days."

The Missiles of October.......2007-05-24

As a high school history teacher it is always a pleasure to find a movie about a significant historical eveent in which the event is not flowered up. Thiss movie does so. While a bit slow and plodding at times, a bit convoluted for a contemporary high schooler to follow all of the players in JFK's Whitehouse, it does convey the fear and angst associated with the times at the height of the Cold War.

"Missiles of October or Thirteen Days"? .......2007-04-06

Missiles of October is a superior telling of the story from a historical and dramatic point of view. Its treatment of the whole event is more complete and more accurate than that provided by Thirteen Days.

Thirteen Days will be the popular choice because it is produced as a movie, while "Missiles" is a filmed stage play. This fact alone will guarantee the mainsteam viewer will turn to Thirteen Days everytime.
This is a shame because the story in Thirteen Days is dumbed down considerably by comparison to "Missiles".

DVD With No Restoration.......2007-04-03

I very much enjoyed the excellent casting and acting of The Missiles of October. However, I am insulted by the way they portrayed the Republicans. I also find it childish for Kennedy to be flipping the Republicans off in the guise of holding his cigar. This was as immature as the exiting Clinton staff trashing the White House.
My low rating, however, is with the zero care in restoring this dramatization of history. Much of the lip-syncing was off and the copy was no different than my VHS. I am pretty sure they could have cleaned up the badly scanned frames that appeared about once every 1 to 5 minutes.

The Brink of Nuclear War.......2007-03-22

In the autumn of 1962, the Soviet Union began placing medium and intermediate range nuclear missile sites in Cuba. These missiles were a direct threat to the entire United States, Mexico, Latin America, and portions of Canada. During those thirteen days, the United States and the Soviet Union teetered on the brink of nuclear war. This excellent movie depicts what life was like in the Kennedy White House during those long, trying days.

William Devane stars as President John F. Kennedy. He is told that intelligence reports have shown that the Soviets are building nuclear missile sites in Cuba. Upon confirmation of the reports, the President, along with his cabinet members, begin to formulate a plan as to how to deal with the threat. Bobby Kennedy (Martin Sheen) is in favor of a naval blockade, while members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff prefer bombing the sites. President Kennedy is determined to not let the Soviets know that the U.S. has found out about the missiles. As each day passes, the missiles get closer and closer to being operational. The tension continues to rise throughout the crisis, and the strain is evident on President Kennedy's face.

Meanwhile, Premier Nikita Khrushchev (Howard Da Silva) has proclaimed that the missiles were placed in Cuba as protection for Castro's regime after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion attempt. He claims they are for defense only.

The two sides continue to free-fall toward nuclear war. Kennedy insists that the missiles must be removed. The Soviets want the United States to remove their missiles from Turkey before they pull out from Cuba. A naval blockade of the island is set up, with the Americans given orders to stop and turn back any Soviet vessel trying to get past the blockade. The Soviets threaten to sink the American vessels so their ships may pass. Unfortunately, the blockade doesn't work as planned, and soon, the missile bases were operational. Now, Kennedy had another choice to make; should he bomb the sites? During this time, an American U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Cuban missiles. The two superpowers moved ever closer to war. But, an 11th hour breakthrough between the two countries saved the world from nuclear war. The Soviets agreed to remove all of their missiles from Cuba if the United States pledged to not invade Cuba. This agreement saved the world from nuclear armageddon.

This is an excellent movie. William Devane does a first-rate job as President Kennedy. He even managed to copy Kennedy's thick Boston accent. Martin Sheen is equally good as JFK's loyal brother. Perhaps one of the best performances is delivered by Ralph Bellamy as U.N. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson. The scenes where he's sparring with the Soviet ambassador, telling him he's prepared to wait until hell freezes over for a response is one of the best parts of the film.

Although I was not alive during this crisis, I've read much about it, and I commend President Kennedy for his unwavering insistence that the missiles be removed from Cuba, and this movie does his memory justice in that aspect. I give this movie my highest recommendation. The historical accuracy is excellent, and the acting is impeccable. For thirteen days in the autumn of 1962, the security of the world hinged on two people. Thank goodness, they came to an agreement.

Average customer rating:

a movie that could make even ME vote for a republican!
Ridiculous
grotesque
Thank you for not smoking, not that it's any of my business
Second Best Man

The Contender
Starring: Joan Allen , Jeff Bridges , Sam Elliott , Philip Baker Hall , and Kathryn Morris
Director: Rod Lurie
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
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The American President

ASIN: B00003CXP7
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Amazon.com essential video

Depending on your perspective, The Contender can be praised and damned for the same reasons. A political thriller with an insider's view, it's deadly earnest in its defense of truth, justice, and the American way, but writer-director (and former film critic) Rod Lurie resorts to the same manipulation that his film purports to condemn. But with political savvy, a timely idea (a female vice president), and a cast of first-rate actors, this high-office chess game is unabashedly entertaining. You can argue with Lurie's tactics, but you can't fault his patriotic passion.

In a role written especially for her, Joan Allen is outstanding (if a bit too saintly) as the Republican-turned-Democrat senator who is chosen by the president (Jeff Bridges) to fill a vice presidential vacancy. Bridges is a cagey chief executive, seemingly aloof as he gleefully challenges the White House's 24-hour kitchen staff but more than a match for the embittered and unscrupulous congressman (Gary Oldman) who plots to destroy Allen's character with seemingly dark secrets from her past.

As a gender-switching response to the Lewinsky scandal, The Contender asks potent questions with its impassioned plea for integrity in public service. That makes this a film well worth defending, and the stellar cast (which includes Christian Slater and William Petersen) triumphs over most of the plot's hokey machinations. The ideas are more compelling than their execution, however, and although Lurie's climactic revelation is a vast improvement over the reckless cheat of his previous film Deterrence, it still threatens to tarnish the gloss of an otherwise fascinating film. --Jeff Shannon

Description

When the truth becomes a weapon, power comes at a stunning price. Gary Oldman, Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges and Christian Slater deliver electrifying performances in this controversial, suspenseful and critically-acclaimed thriller that Ebert & Roeper and the Movies call "exciting and unusually intelligent, two very enthusiastic thumbs up!" Sometimes you can assassinate a leader without firing a shot.

Customer Reviews:

a movie that could make even ME vote for a republican!.......2007-05-05

this is NOT a must see. i had looked forward to seeing this since i usually enjoy political suspensers (even silly ones), but this is a stupid bit of liberal claptrap (btw, before liberals automatically dis me, im a mcgovern democrat; i just recognize crap when i see it). joan allen stars as a potential vice president caught up in a sex scandal from 20 years before, with a coterie of good actors giving some of the worst performances of their careers: a tribute no doubt to the director. and there is an amazingly stupid subplot involving another politician who -- oh gawd, im not gonna even go into it, but lets just say gil grissom would have figured himself out in about 30 seconds. i swear, i think this movie was made by people who want to take the vote AWAY from women ...

Ridiculous.......2007-01-04

let's put the whole woman obtaining the Vice Presidency aside and focus on the facts presented in this film.

ONE: There is NO WAY realistically in this politically polarized enviroment we find ourselves in would someone who shifted from Republican to Democrat have prayer of being VP.

TWO: This film is suppose to be about sticking to one's principles. Now as sad and pathetic as sounds no politician can afford to stick to their priciples. The only poitician who sticks to theri priciples is an OUT OF POWER politican.

THIRD: Laine Hanson'S father is supposed to be a former Republican Governor who gave up is political ambitions to to get prayer out of the schools. WHAT? If he was a Republican Governor there is absolutely NO WAY he would fight prayer in school. If anything he would be more likely to sacrafice his career to keep prayer in school.

FOUR: Is it just my imagination, or is the President in this film obsessed with food. Now I know from the the Director's commentary on the DVD that the idea is that he is supposed to use food as a tool to make people comfortable, but c ome on, practically EVERY SCENE he is in has something to do with him ordering food.

grotesque.......2006-11-25

Everyone plays their political games to the hilt here but the well acted story takes a turn for the outrageously absurd when President Jeff Bridges has the nerve to claim the moral high ground. Its all very reminiscent of the Clarence Thomas supreme court confirmation hearings in which Thomas basically denied Congress had any right to ask him any questions. If people such as the characters in this film really exist in our government then Banana belongs before any mention of our Republic.

Thank you for not smoking, not that it's any of my business.......2006-11-25

"The Contender" is about as fair and balanced as a debate between Ann Coulter and a cactus. That's not a problem, though, the film presents itself as fiction. Sort of. I get irritated when the reviews on the box proclaim it as one of the most important films I'll ever see, because "The Contender" is little more than a bunch of adults playing "I Know You Are But What am I?" It's an entertaining game to watch, but hardly raises the bar for American cinema or political debate.

The Vice President has died, and Democratic President Jackson Evans (Jeff Bridges from "Tucker: the Man and His Dream") has to pick a successor. He doesn't get his first choice, Governor Jack Hathaway (William Petersen from "CSI"), because while fishing Hathaway failed to save a girl from drowning after she'd driven her car off a nearby bridge. The President doesn't want "another Chappaquiddick," so he opts for Senator Laine Hanson (Joan Allen from "The Upside of Anger").

Representative Sheldon Runyon (Gary Oldman as Zorg from "The Fifth Element") doesn't like Senator Hanson because she used to be a Republican, and is rumored to have had sex and enjoyed it. It's a sloppy performance -- aside from a brief "remember when you were nice" scene between the Rep and his wife, Oldman gives no compassion or other trace of humanity -- he may as well have pasted a bulls-eye on his forehead and worn an "I'm Evil" t-shirt. He's too talented an actor to turn Runyon into a caricature. He's also one of the film's producers, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Runyon antagonizes and interrogates Hanson about her enjoying sex and other hot-button political issues, like abortion and abortion, and whether or not she's pro-life. Hanson and the President never stoop to Runyon's level -- they stoically resist his muckraking with patriotic, you-would-have-to-be-insane-to-believe-this-guy rhetoric; composer Larry Groupe backs them up with heavy music swells.

Do you remember Christian Slater (from "Heathers")? He's in this movie, too. He's Representative Reginald Webster, the nice, new Republican on the block. He spends most of the film quietly second-guessing Runyon. Neither of them get any music swells.

"The Contender" isn't a bad movie. For the most part I enjoyed it on a base level, like watching a two hour cockfight. The problem I have is that it's too clumsy to be a balancing act, and winds up being as pushy and preachy as the person the protagonist loathes. Check out Aaron Eckhart's tobacco lobbyist in "Thank You for Smoking" for a good example of injecting humanity into a person typically hated. Or, for something similar to "The Contender" check out Jill Clayburgh and Walter Matthau in the 1981 comedy "First Monday in October," a fictionalized account of the appointment of the first female Supreme Court Justice. "First Monday" is an intelligently written battle of the sexes comedy where, unlike "The Contender," the two parties realize one requires the other to exist.

Second Best Man.......2006-05-09

With so many reviewers I would normally stay out of the fray. But since some conservatives who've controlled things the past 30 years have so little good to say of this fine political drama, I will briefly set the record straight. At the start, this film appears to rely on sleaze and smear to make its broad point.However, that is not the point;you were thrown a curve. Not since "The Best Man," has a film had such effect. Realizing, that the character of Jeff Bridges combines the aura of JFK, the wiliness of LBJ with dashes of FDR, I came to admire the film even more. This is a fictional presidency, but an ideal one, grounded in principles, precedents and the rule of laws. Very few presidencies since JFK have been allowed to embrace and uphold those ideals. It is a disgrace that this country cannot take inspiration from works of fiction that bleed for a return to Lincolnian wisdom.If a liberal is one who wishes to return to a presidency of justice, decency and the rule of law over privilege, than so be it. This film is a political thriller wrapped around a presidency of our former ideals.Look beyond the teflon in your presidents or, like Custer, you'll get yours.

Average customer rating:

Hello Operator?
One riot, One Ranger.
Intelligent thriller
Operatives . . .
A great pair

Spartan
Starring: Tia Texada , Derek Luke , Val Kilmer , Jeremie Campbell , and Bob Jennings (II)
Director: David Mamet
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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Heist
House of Games
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ASIN: B00022XE6S
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Amazon.com

Writer-director David Mamet (House of Games, The Spanish Prisoner) applies his gift for con games to the world of politics with Spartan. A super-duper Secret Service agent (Val Kilmer, Wonderland) is assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of the President of the United States; was she kidnapped because of who she is, or as part of white slavery ring? Is she dead or alive? To find out the answers, Kilmer puts on disguises, engages in elaborate ruses, and kills ruthlessly--only to discover that he himself may be the one being fooled. Mamet pushes his macho/cryptic dialogue into laughably bad territory and some plot twists seriously test one's suspension of disbelief, but that's part of the game; like any con artist, Mamet knows how to hook you and reel you in, no matter how absurd things get. Also featuring Derek Luke, William H. Macy, and Ed O'Neill. --Bret Fetzer

Description

FBI. CIA. Secret Service. Black Ops. Robert Scott (Val Kilmer) is all of these. When he is recruited to find Laura, the daughter of a government official, Scott is paired with novice Curtis (Derek Luke). Scott and Curtis stumble upon a white slavery ring, which may have some connection to Laura's disappearance.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by Val Kilmer
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Hello Operator?.......2007-05-29

I saw this film in the theater and have told everyone I meet to see it. It really is the pinacle in this genre. It is a thinking man's Bourne Identity.

By the way, Val Kilmer is the star, not Tia Texada.

One riot, One Ranger........2007-02-17

This film is a dark, true life look into Special Ops, politics, government, and the men and women involved.
Val Kilmer plays a "black" operator sent to retrieve the daughter of
an un-named political figure (i.e. the President) by whatever means necessary. Kilmer plays "Scott" the "shooter" to perfection and is at times both paternal and then scary as all Hell. "Scott" is the bottom line of the "get the job done and ask no questions" operator who's mission it is to deal (i.e. kill) whatever problem is at hand. The spoken line "one riot, one Ranger" is stated by Scott and followed by another character telling of Spartan, King Leonidas' tactic to send aid in the form of one Spartan. Thus, we have our movie title.
Brief looks into spec ops "Selection", weapons, tactics, and mindset are well carried off. Note: author and former Delta Force operator Eric Haney served as the movies advisor.
Without giving away too much, this is an intelligent, well-made thriller
with very brief, ruthless, and brutally affected action scenes.
David Mamet is well known for his twisted, multi-layed stories and this is no exception. Stunning at times.
A must see.
Note: Mamet and Haney produce the CBS show "The Unit" about the lives of special operations in the field and at home.

Intelligent thriller.......2007-02-06

Val Kilmer is back to top form here as the secret service agent at the top of his game who finds himself involved in a kidnap of a VIP politician - of course, this is David Mamet, so the plot has a way of going into blind alleys and left turns that you never quite see coming. In fact, do yourself a favour, and find out as little as you can about the plot, you'll enjoy the movie all the more! Having said that, the loose ends dont quite all tie up, and the ending does not live up to the build up, but this is only a minor quiblle when the acting and script are of this quality.
The music is minimal, and the directing is not flashy, but all serves to further the story - a quality so lacking in Hollywood these days.
The pace never lets up, and the script of course is sharp and real. William H Macy plays a small but pivotal role in a rare serious role, and the rest of the cast exude realism in all the roles, not least Ed Reilly who casts off his Married with Children tag with this one.
This is not one to see just because you want action, but for an intelligent thriller that engages the brain, thumbs up.

Operatives . . ........2006-12-22

This is David Mamet all the way and something of a tribute to the unnamed, unknown, and unofficial operatives who give their lives to international espionage and counter-espionage. Val Kilmer captures well the steely focus of the hired mercenary who goes after the international white-slave traders who kidnap a prominent politician's daughter. Mamet happily celebrates the toughest and most dedicated of this fraternity of shadowy loners ready to obey the command of any superior. Neither strategists nor tacticians, they are skilled at tracking down and killing bad guys. Period.

This being Mamet, of course, it's not that simple. The plot takes one unexpected turn after another, and appearances are invariably deceiving. His is a bleak vision of a world populated by the morally compromised and people traumatized by the inhumanity they have witnessed. Kilmer's character survives and even thrives in this morass because he is an unsentimental machine, the "Spartan" ideal of an all-male world where it's kill or be killed, and there's plenty of both - even a suicide. Meanwhile, there's the usual flat, rapid-fire Mamet dialogue, like "Dragnet" on steroids. If you like Mamet - and I do - you'll probably like this one. The DVD includes a commentary by Kilmer.

A great pair.......2006-10-24

[...]
The amazing writer and now director David Mamet returns to write and direct an 2004 entertaining domestic spy/crime drama thriller with Val Kilmer. Mamet has a legacy of some truly great movies, including Heist (2001/I), Ronin (1998), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), Hoffa (1992), the awesome Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) (play & screenplay), House of Games (1987), The Verdict (1982) and the incredible remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981).
Val Kilmer does very good job in this one as the stoic undercover operative, although his brief one-line observations about the state of man and displays of emotion seem out of place. Anybody who has seen his incredible performance as Gay Perry in the recent and engaging crime drama Kiss, Kiss Bang, Bang, knows he is amazingly capable in this genre.
The script crackles with Mamet's trademark dialogue, which in this tightly woven genre fits - pay attention, the plot twists depend NOT on the steady stream of action, but on the character observations of how things don't fit together. Excellent support cast all round, with roles changing as the plot evolves. Critics argue that the plot is too complicated/clever, but this was entertaining, with overtones of political conspiracy that make you realize how easy it is for the truly powerful to manipulate events.
I thought the music and action at the end could be tighten up a notch - there isn't a big money-shot explosion or anything to close the movie - just another plot twist. For a more explosive ride, with a more entertaining character, and a much simpler drug-induced and graphic plot, see the recently released Crank - excellent action/adventure from the Transporter man.

Average customer rating:

Omega Code 2
This Iteration Was Fun To Watch...
embarssing, overly imaginative, hype!
Not A Sequel
Kept me interested!

Megiddo - Omega Code 2
Starring: Michael York , Michael Biehn , Guy Siner , Diane Venora , and Joseph Makkar
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith , and Paul J. Lombardi
Manufacturer: Good Times Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005UW81
Release Date: 2002-02-26

Customer Reviews:

Omega Code 2.......2007-04-22

I liked this movie better than the first Omega Code. Although it is called Omega Code II, it really isn't a sequel of the first one and can be watched with no knowlege of it. Full of suspence and Biblical truths, it keeps you on the edge of your seat.

This Iteration Was Fun To Watch..........2006-12-31

I am always amazed that the same franchise will put out different versions of the same basic movie. That is what this is. With the name, Omega Code 2, you assume it is a continuation of the first movie. That it is not.

However I found it to be better that the one before it and there were a couple of good special effects. I am always curious as to why men of God are always portrayed in film as wimpy? That is, with the exception of Moses in the Ten Commandments.

Still, I think it gets its point across.

This one takes you up to the Battle of Armageddon. Peter York reprises his role as the evil one. Worth a watch.

embarssing, overly imaginative, hype!.......2006-09-04

The first movie, the Omega Code, was borderline "strange" itself. This one, is overboad without question! My family found the first Omega Code "cheesy" to watch, and not very spiritual or Biblically inspiring whatsoever. Part Two (Omega Code 2) was so bad that we turned it off about 1/3 of the way thru the movie. From demonic encantations, to blood dripping moments, to demons themselves....this film was hype, cheesy, and spent far too much time showing the span of life's journey of the antiChrist figure. The Bible itself does indicate that an antiChrist will appear on the scene, it's no doubt! But other than saying he will reveal himself at somepoint, and will be a law unto himself, there isn't a whole lot of detail about him (most certainly not about his childhood and love-life!). This film is backed by Paul Crouch and Hal Lindsey, i'll leave that alone, as they are interviewed on the DVD features. Interesting how God Almighty has decided not to dwell on the antiChrist's sadistic demonism, nor on the antiChrist's growing up and jockeying for power, yet this film spends indepth coverage of the matter, and once again "hollywood-izes" the Bible for cheap thrills. If you want Biblical, if you don't want to watch a version of the Exorcist, then don't buy this film. B-film, and bad taste.

Not A Sequel.......2006-08-11

This is another good, end-of-times, loosely biblical based plot. The anti-christ figure is the same man as in the first Omega Code - but there the simularity ends. In no way whatsoever does this movie continue or build on the plot of the first one. If you try to watch the 2 movies one after the other, you will be confused and unimpressed. However, as long as you take this movie strictly on it's own merits, and do not try to tie it into the first one, it is definitel;y a good movie. It is unfortunate that the producers chose to include the "Omega Code" in the title, but for reasons of their own they did. If you have not seen the first Omega Code at all, or for quite a while, you will enjoy this movie as well.

Kept me interested!.......2006-06-12

Compared to some other end of the world Christian flicks, this one is most excellent! Superb acting by well known actors (Michael York shines!) and amazing excellent special effects! Highly recommended to those interested in the Apocolypse! Would be an excellent teaching tool for Christian youth groups. Don't judge this movie by the first Omega Code movie, which was not as good.

Average customer rating:

Terriorism
eerily prescient
A scary movie, even by today's standards...
Review of Black Sunday
Love and Hate

Black Sunday
Starring: Walter Brooke , Tom Brookens , Victor Campos , Clyde Kusatsu , and Bruce Dern
Director: John Frankenheimer
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000AUHOA
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Amazon.com essential video

Palestinian terrorists attempt to wipe out a Super Bowl crowd in this 1976 thriller directed by John Frankenheimer (Seconds). Frankenheimer's unique facility with action--the unusual breadth of his view of violence, which stresses sustained drama over escalating thrills--makes this taut movie engrossing from start to finish. The lengthy cat-and-mouse stuff during the big game--much of which was shot at a real Super Bowl--is quite exciting. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Terriorism.......2007-06-24

I only wanted to purchase this because of the GoodYear Blimp,and the fact that this has to do with lighter than air aircraft.I'm a private pilot and appreciate all forms of aircraft.If you are interested in aircraft,then this is another one of those action movies with flying.I really do not like the terroist plot,but in this movie the bad guys loose,so just be awhare that their is violence.

eerily prescient.......2007-04-26

a generation later the concept of middle east terrorists using an air attack on an iconic american building doesnt seem as far fetched as it did in 1977, does it? robert shaw is at the peak of his popularity (this was just 2 years post "jaws"), and bruce dern is his usual crazy villain, but sadly the copy of the dvd i had crimped marthe kellers frontal nudity scene. ka-BOOM!!!

A scary movie, even by today's standards..........2007-04-20

When will there be another actor like Robert Shaw?

Probably never. But in "Black Sunday" he comes back to life with a vengeance.

The transfer on DVD is acceptable, although not to be compared with the recent transfer of another movie in which Shaw appeared. I am talking of "A Man For All Seasons".

The sound too is not too bad, although I cannot help wondering whether or not they used the same copy they used for the LaserDisc release of some years back.

In this day and age of terrorism pervading all the news channels, this film is an eery reminder, that sometimes terrorists do not need to be foreigners to accomplish their terrible acts.

So many times, although they claim to be religiously motivated, they don't even believe it themselves. They are just well oiled killing machines, with brainwashed minds whi tend to aggregate to feel a kind of belonging, a certain togetherness.

Alone, they are just pathetic and little insecure things, not even being sure whether they are still alive or not. Yet, if triggered the right way, these tiny beings can cause more damage than a battle tank.

"Black Sunday" was filmed still during the Vietnam War, hence the many references to that war. But there is an omnipresent component, and that component is the Palestinian/Israeli war.

The three main characters are:

Robert Shaw playing an Israeli Mossad agent, out to prevent a terrorist act performed in the United States during the Super Bowl;

Marthe Keller, a Swiss German actress, also known for her role together with George C. Scott in "The Formula", plays a Palestinian born terrorist, tasked to convince an American, former fighter pilot, turned to blimp pilot, to help her out in the plan to "carry" a special "cluster bomb" on board of the Goodyear blimp;

Bruce Dern is the disgruntled pilot who, after a traumatic experience with Vietnamese prisons, and not feeling appropriately considered or rewarded by the U.S. Government, decides, partly out for love for Marthe Keller's character, and partly as a kind of revenge, to carry out this folly.

Besides the three mentioned we get also Fritz Weaver (Demon Seed) and Walter Gotell (of James Bond memory, as General Gogol and as the SPECTRE agent in "From Russia with Love") to support this complicated and highly suspenseful picture.

Perhaps certain themes may be a bit outdated, but if one turns the names and places a bit around, you could find yourself confronted with a very modern and still actual picture.

This is a picture that has survived the years almost intact.

What is rather shocking is the awareness, that certain realities, dealt in this work of fiction, are still among us nowadays.
Moreover, this is one of those movies that foresaw, in one way or another, the happenings that would later become reality on 9/11.

Some movies simply are eerily closer to reality than one might think or wish them to be.

The acting by all is impeccable and very believable. The story grips you and never allows you to truly relax.

But be warned. This is a very uncomfortable movie to watch, especially for the reasons I have exposed above, but it also has the advantage to explain some facts behind those, otherwise so obscure worlds of terrorism and secret agencies.

I can only recommend it to a mature audience. This is no "kiddies" movie. To minors, this can still be a too shocking and pitiless depiction of fanatism and its consequences.

Review of Black Sunday.......2007-02-22

A good detailed and well done thriller that could have been a warning of the destruction of the World Trade Center. Will Americans never learn that truth is stranger than fiction?

Love and Hate.......2006-11-25

This prescient thriller has won new respect since 9/11, but the film was quite popular when it was originally released. The film has many things to recommend it. In addition to the NFL and special effects eye-candy, there is the ironic scene where a terrorist flees to a Miami beach and is 'driven into the sea' by the pursuing authorities.

But I think the main reason for the film's popularity is the way that Kabakov and Dahlia interact. Bruce Dern's Lander is spectacularly overdone. Most of his histrionics would have been unnecessary, if he'd simply sent his ex and her new hubby tickets to the Superbowl, as Lander did in the book.

The story's main attraction has to be the peculiar love-hate relationship between Dahlia and Kabakov.

Kabakov spares Dahlia's life in the Beirut attack. While he disparages the 'naive' Americans, Kabakov's act of mercy shows his own growing disenchantment with a lifetime of war. He takes comfort in the thought that, after the battle deaths of his sons, he still has "a daughter who lives in Jerusalem, Israel," but this is no longer enough to silence his doubts.

In Miami, Dahlia inexplicably risks everything in the attempt to reach Kabakov in the hospital. This attack makes little sense for someone seeking to avoid the attention of the authorities, but by now Dahlia clearly has some growing doubts of her own. Something about this particular enemy, Kabakov, threatens her personally.

The anarchy of Black September leaves Dahlia no reason to expect that a Palestinian state will be anything better. Up until Beirut, she'd been able to put those doubts aside in the interest of the cause, but Kabakov's unexpected mercy has changed all that.

In the movie's climactic scene, Dahlia and Kabakov face off once again. This time, Dahlia hesitates and Kabakov doesn't. The conflict seems to have been resolved. But "Black Sunday" shows us that human conflicts are rarely as simple as governments and causes would have us believe.

Average customer rating:

Great Political Movie
Deterrence
Great Movie! Almost phrophecy fulfilled!!!
Best Movie/Best Picture quality and an A+Rating
Too many mistakes

Deterrence
Starring: Sean Astin , John Cirigliano , Clotilde Courau , Jim Curley , and Ryan Cutrona
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0792165209
Release Date: 2000-08-29

Amazon.com

Deterrence offers a welcome throwback to such sweaty-palmed chamber pieces as Fail-Safe and Twelve Angry Men, and in his debut as writer-director, Rod Lurie, a West Point graduate and former film critic, has crafted a taut, one-set drama that would have been ideal for live television. With its provocative what-if scenario and a sharp cast confined to a claustrophobic space, this movie's more clever than coherent, but it grabs your attention for 103 briskly paced minutes.

The year is 2008, and U.S. President Walter Emerson (Kevin Pollak) has something to prove. He wasn't elected (he took office upon the death of the previous president), and he needs a pivotal boost in a current primary election. While he and his entourage are trapped under heavy snowfall in a tiny Colorado diner, Emerson must decide whether to unleash a nuclear arsenal on the son of Saddam Hussein, who has invaded Kuwait and taken hundreds of American lives. With his chief of staff (Timothy Hutton), top advisers, and a cluster of terrified diners, Emerson sorts through his options as tensions come to a boil.

This all works well on the surface, and Deterrence gains depth by depicting a president who is potentially as evil as his unseen enemy. But the film is almost fatally vague (clearly Lurie wants viewers to bring their own interpretation to these events) and ends with a twist that's too contrived to be dramatically satisfying. Until that point, however, Deterrence will certainly keep you engaged. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Great Political Movie.......2007-05-15

I saw this movie years ago, before our involvement in our current sturggles in Afganistan and Iraq. The movie is good, but the ending makes it great - I love when movies do that! After watching again, was interesting to see how Iraq and our current struggles relate. If you like to keep up on politics, this is a good movie to watch.

Deterrence.......2007-02-27

An OUTSTANDING film, and I dare say no more because I don't think you'll publish it. It should be shown on prime-time TV and ACLU, Islamic Societies, or whoemever be darned!. The colors of our flag do NOT run - that is what this film is all about.

Great Movie! Almost phrophecy fulfilled!!!.......2007-01-10

WoW! I first saw this movie when it released and thought it was an above average drama even then.
However, after seeing it again recently, I realize that it was very forward thinking and ahead of its time as well.
It was right on regarding the current Iraq situation, and is actually quite realistic regarding policy in a post-911 world.
Kevin Pollack is very believable as a non-elected President, and the 'Diner-esque' way the movie is filmed works well within this type of a drama.
If you like dramas about war and politics and also like intrigue, watch this movie

Best Movie/Best Picture quality and an A+Rating.......2006-10-15

Deterrence should have received an academy award for Best Picture, Best Director and Best leading actor Kevin Pollak. This was a very well written, well thought out, very believeable movie that will grab your mind and you by the seat of your pants and keep you on the edge of your seat to the very end. This is the kind of movie you will want to see more than once. You will probably want to have your own dvd to watch it again and again. This movie is nothing less than exceptional good intertainment. I give this movie my AA+ rating. The story, the acting and the directing, in this low budget movie is nearly flawless and deserves the highest praise. Very well done. This movie was well worth every minute of my time to see it. Truly, one of the best of the best movies I have ever had the pleasure to see. Everyone should see this movie at least once or twice in their life time. Buy two dvds and hand one out to your family, friends and neighbors to see.

Too many mistakes.......2006-09-30

I am writing this as I watch the movie. The more I watch, the lower the review gets for the below reasons.

The whole beginning of the movie is off, because of the huge gaping mistakes in regards to our weapons systems. It is totally unrealistic, as they describe weapons we do not have, and do not know simple geographic layouts of the countries involved (one does not have to fly over Saudi Arabia to enter Iraq...Iraq has a coast on the Persian Gulf.) They bring in religious aspects from a very basic and infantile understanding when the waitress begins to speak with the President. The movie dialogue is very poorly written and thought-out. The discussions of the use of nuclear weapons are very abrupt, and completely unrealistic. These discussions of nuclear weapons usage are based on myths and uneducated/unresearched ideas of peoples' fears of what happens, without regard to the true checks and balances in place. The movie denigrates the USAF Academy, and assumes the president of the US has no knowledge of nuclear options. Instead of discussing the issues surrounding the use of nuclear weapons, the president discusses weather, colleges people attended, sports people played, religion, and talked to his daughter about school. The description of nuclear tests is wholly inaccurate (underestimated). This is after a poor transition between high school sports and nuclear weapon use ethics. This causes the president to finally become pensive about his previous threats of nuclear war. The movie assumes Iraq has the ability to strike the US with weapons from Iraq. This is wholly unrealistic. A person in the diner is allowed to spew a litanny of racial slurs to the president, and he speaks to him in a conciliatory way, rather than dealing with him realistically as a person in authority. The presdident in the movie says "I have binoculars and a keyboard, and I have no idea what to do." The highest security clearance topics are supposedly discussed in front of a large group of civilians. 30 seconds from bomb release, and the president begins talking about football to an Australian from NE US. I won't continue on with further huge mistakes, because they compromise the ending of the movie, assuming one wants to see this.

Basically, nuclear war is trivialized by this movie. So is the command and control aspects involved. Not a cliff-hanger, but a scare-tactic to renew a fear of military constraints on the weapons' use. The movie is what one would assume the procedures would be if a bunch of kids were in charge of dealing with nuclear weapons and the planning of their use. Even the most vehemently opposed person to nuclear weapons could not realistically believe this is a realistic movie. Acting was horrible and unrealistic. The whole movie was shot within a diner. There is no suspense, just bad acting and an obvious lack of any knowledge of anything military.

Average customer rating:

First Shot
Starring: Mariel Hemingway , Doug Savant , Jenna Leigh Green , Wanda Cannon , and Sebastian Spence
Director: Armand Mastroianni
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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10.5

ASIN: B00008DDXP
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Average customer rating:

Nifty Little Thriller, Better Than You'd Think!
Rewarding Mental Workout
Moody but Confusing
I had no expectations anyway.
A real puzzle to solve

Blind Horizon
Starring: Val Kilmer , Neve Campbell , Sam Shepard , Noble Willingham , and Amy Smart
Director: Michael Haussman
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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Bigger Than the Sky

ASIN: B00079HZQ6
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Product Description

Left for dead in the remote Southwest, Frank (Val Kilmer) is found clinging to life and in a state of amnesia. As he recovers from the bullet wounds, ominous memories begin to flash back-offering clues that point to an impending Presidential assassination.

System Requirements:

Running Time 99 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Nifty Little Thriller, Better Than You'd Think!.......2006-10-11

"Blind Horizon", an amnesia action/mystery with some 'big name' stars, went straight to DVD without ever being theatrically released, so many have 'written it off' as a lousy film; but if you give it a chance, this is actually a very entertaining little gem!

Directed by Michael Haussman, the distributor, Lion's Gate, dissatisfied with the rambling 'director's cut', brought in ace film editor Alain Jakubowicz to punch up the film, and his re-cut gives the movie an edgy, fast-paced 'look', reminiscent of Christopher Nolan's "Memento", especially in the central portrayal of Val Kilmer's "Frank Kavanaugh". A likable 'lost soul', shot and left to die in the desert, who knows vague details of a plot to assassinate the President, he gradually discovers he is not a 'nice' person, and is, in fact, a key player in the high-level conspiracy. But as with Harrison Ford, in "Regarding Henry", his amnesia offers him an opportunity to 'change' his whole persona...if he can survive the attempts to silence him, and conquer his own instincts as a 'hit man'.

Blessed with a first-rate cast, "Blind Horizon" offers many intriguing supporting portrayals, from a likable local sheriff (Sam Shepard), and his politically ambitious deputy (Noble Willingham), to the mysterious 'fiance' (Neve Campbell) Kavanaugh can't seem to remember, and the beautiful nurse (Amy Smart), he'd LIKE to know better, to a mysterious 'contact' (Faye Dunaway), who drifts in and out of his dreams, with missing pieces of the puzzle. Kilmer is, as always, eminently watchable, capturing both the innocent and unsavory sides of Kavanaugh very effectively, and making his climactic actions worth waiting for.

Of special note is the film score, written by the collective group of composers, Machine Head. Working with non-traditional instruments, the 'sound' is both musical and mysterious, and ideally suits the film's ambiguity.

"Blind Horizon" certainly deserves a look, as a film far better than it's ill-fated history would indicate. I enjoyed it, and I think you will, too!

Rewarding Mental Workout .......2006-02-27

This review refers to "Blind Horizon" Widescreen DVD Edition(Lions Gate)...

"Blind Horizon" is not a film you will want to view if you are in the mood to just veg out and be only entertained.I would also say that if you like your films formulized or predictable, again, you should probably skip this one. On the other hand, if you are in the mood for something that sets itself apart from the rest, one that will give you a rewarding mental workout, and leaves you stunned at both the outcome and the visual arts, "Blind Horizon" will fulfill your needs!

A man is found in a small town in New Mexico left for dead. Shot in the head, lying in his own blood and comatose. Finally awakened by the sweet voice of his nurse, and the familiar smell of cigarette smoke. The sheriff and his deputy are on the case. They have questions galore. Who tried to commit murder in their little town and why? Who is the victim? But, they'll have to wait for the answers(as does the viewer), as the victim is an amnesiac.

Bits and pieces start coming back to him. He feels he knows something that is dangerous. A plot to assassinate the President of the United States. He doesn't have all the pieces to the puzzle yet, but he must warn the Secret Service so they may prevent this disaster. His Doctor says, the mind plays tricks after a trauma like this. He is probably remembering some book he read, or movie he saw.What could the President have to do with this little border town? Or maybe he is just pl