There comes a time in many successful TV actors' lives when they are remembered so well for a specific role, that they can't ever break out of that mold, even when they appear in new TV series, or film. After five seasons as terrorists' worst nightmare, Jack Bauer, on 24, Kiefer Sutherland has got that role down. So it was with no lack of amusement that we saw him team up with Michael Douglas in The Sentinel last night, working with the Secret Service to protect the president against a nefarious plot that threatened his life.For those of us who watch 24, we've grown accustomed to Jack's brusqueness, and his oft-repeated lines like, "Send it to my cell (or PDA)!", or his hostile interrogation techniques. All were on display in The Sentinel, as he struck a familiar pose, trusting noone, and "following the evidence".
The film was interesting, but fell short of the twists and turns expected from 24 fare - as in an hour and 48 minutes, you didn't have time for true character development, or too many alternative plot threads. Simply put, the movie went from threat to subplot to main character being mistrusted, on the run, discovering the true threat, and returning to good graces. Not even those points that were expected to be surprises did much, as they were dealt with quickly.
While The Sentinel wasn't the famed "24" movie that is in the works, it was a hint as to what we can expect - some action with a thinner plot, and amusing one-sided acting by Sutherland. And if you do see the movie, try and figure if the "subplot" could actually happen in a world of such intense security and media scrutiny. My money is against. Explains the critics average review being a C+.
Listening to ''Tribal Attack'', by Blank & Jones (Play Count: 6)