In the Line of Fire (+ BD Live) [Blu-ray] Reviews

• Eastwood Vs. Malkovich, with the President in the Middle...

  
  By A31I3HXMD5H1EL on 2003-09-07
  Clint Eastwood, in his first film after completing his masterpiece, UNFORGIVEN, chose a winner with Wolfgang Petersen's suspenseful IN THE LINE OF FIRE. As 30-year veteran Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan, Eastwood had the misfortune of protecting President Kennedy, November 22, 1963, and the specter of not reacting quickly enough has never fully left him, through the subsequent years. At the other end of the spectrum is ex-CIA assassin Mitch Leary (brilliantly portrayed by John Malkovich), who had become 'excess baggage' for the intelligence community, due to budget cuts. After surviving a bungled attempt to kill him, Leary decides to vent his rage at his 'betrayal' by assassinating the President. In his research, he discovers that the only agent still active from the 1963 team is Horrigan, and, deciding they shared a kinship, he begins to tease Horrigan with clues about himself, and how he'll kill the President.

  The film builds up a 'head of steam' from the very first scene, as Horrigan and his partner, Al D'Andrea (Dylan McDermott, long before television stardom in THE PRACTICE) take down a band of counterfeiters, and the edginess never lets up, as Leary, introducing himself as 'Booth', begins his series of fateful calls to Horrigan. Facing mounting opposition from the head of the Presidential Secret Service team (Gary Cole), as well as the White House Chief of Staff (future Senator Fred Dalton Thompson), Horrigan badgers, insults, and belittles everyone's work, knowing the potential assassin will find any crack in the security, and take advantage of it. Only his boss, Sam Campagna (FRAZIER star John Mahoney), his partner, D'Andrea, and fellow agent Lilly Raines (Rene Russo, in another star-making performance), take him seriously, with Raines soon falling in love with the cantankerous agent.

  The plot is full of twists and turns, as Horrigan barely misses capturing Leary, twice, and Leary, at one point, actually saves Horrigan's life (while ending D'Andrea's). Strung so tightly that he starts making bad 'calls', Horrigan is finally removed from Presidential security...just as Leary is about to make his move...

  IN THE LINE OF FIRE does for the Secret Service what BACKDRAFT did for firefighters, and television's NYPD BLUE did for policemen; it shows the organization not as a group of faceless supermen, but as dedicated people performing an essential service, protecting the lives of others. As Leary sneers to Horrigan, "I'm the offense, you're the defense," and that analogue truly describes the difficulty of their job; they must find the means to protect the President against whatever misdeed a perpetrator can concoct. While Clint Eastwood's Horrigan may be far more of a 'lone wolf' than the Agency would, in real life, tolerate, his dedication to his job reflects well on those unique individuals who would 'take a bullet' for the President.

  It is an excellent suspense film, and a worthy addition to any Clint Eastwood collection!
  
  

• Clint Eastwood's best performance yet!

  
  By A20ZFWGBY4REFX on 2002-03-05
  "In The Line of Fire" is a thinking person's movie with lots of action, suspense, and brains as well! It gets better and better every time that I watch it! Clint Eastwood gave a superb performance as Secret Service Agent Frank Horrigan, a man who is haunted by a loss. In 1963, he was guarding President John F. Kennedy when the commander-in-chief was assassinated in Dallas, TX. Horrigan's inability to divert the tragedy has wreaked havoc on his personal life, making the aging agent socially reclusive and chagrined at his own failures. "A living legend; the only active agent who ever lost a President", says Horrigan of his soiled reputation. His chance to redeem himself comes soon enough, though.

  A meticulous psychopath named Mitch Leary (John Malkovich in a outstanding and frightening performance) is threatening the current president, and Horrigan is back on the case. Leary identifies himself as John Booth, an eerie reference to President Abraham Lincoln's assassination. Leary taunts Horrigan for his failings, and his pranks become more dangerous as he gets closer to his endgame.

  Wolfgang Petersen ("Das Boot", "Air Force One") directs this super-slick thriller with sheer intensity and explosive action as well. Two powerhouse actors, plus a great supporting cast (Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, John Mahoney, Gary Cole, Fred Dalton Thompson) make "In The Line of Fire" one of the absolute best suspense films of 1993!
  
  

• Secret Service Gets Boost from Eastwood

  
  By A2ZSC81MXLBELX on 2002-10-26
  This review refers to the Special Edition DVD(Columbia)......
  
  He was there when Kennedy was assassinated. It still haunts him 30 years later. If he had moved a fraction of a second sooner he may have saved his beloved president, But a what cost to him? He is Frank Horrigan(Eastwood), an aging Secret Service Agent, trained to do whatever it takes to protect the President of the United States. Now he has a chance to redeem himself in his own eyes.
  A psychotic, but very clever, would be presidental assassin is on the loose. He calls himself Booth(Malkovich), (Because Booth had so much more "panache" then Oswald). He taunts Horrigan about the day Kennedy is shot, through phone calls. Lets him know that he intends to assassinate the president,even if it means dying himself, and taking Frank with him.
  Frank does everything he can to track down this killer and save the president. Most of the other agents feel Frank is too old to keep up the pace of the Presidental Campaign trail,but he feels he must persue this case.
  A deadly cat and mouse game ensues, and we are kept on the edge of our seats throughout the movie,waiting to see what Booth's next move will be, and if Horrigan will be a part of it. It's thrilling and chilling.
  Eastwood as always gives a brilliant performance as the aging agent,(He always seems to be an aging something lately,cop,thief, astrounaut,reporter, but he's sooooo good at it)and Malkovich is outstanding as the mysterious, chilling assassin. Also contributing greatly to the film are Rene Russo, as the field agent Horrigan takes a shine to and Dylan McDermott as his young partner, and we all know by now that it is not healthy to be Clint's partner in any film! Directed by the great Wolfgang Petersen( Das Boot, Air Force One), and scored by Ennio Morricone, you wont want to miss this thrill ride.
  The DVD is top quality. It is in widescreen(Anamorphic),with the sound choices of 5.1 dolby or 2 channel surround. Either way you will be happy with the sound.For me sound is one of the more important features in an action film. Great picture and colors, lots and lots of special features, I checked out a couple of the featurettes, very entertaining and informative. I'm saving some for the next time I watch it. There are subtitiles in English and several other languages for those needing it. If you are a fan of Eastwood, Malkovitch, Petersen or are just in the mood for an action thriller this is a great one!
  Would you take the bullet???? Laurie
  
  

• Good movie with excellent acting

  
  By A1R602SXNGOMJ4 on 2007-01-12
  Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich are at their very bests in this spell-binding and original thriller. Eastwood, in a role not far removed from his "Dirty Harry", plays a veteran U.S. Secret Service Agent who is constantly haunted by his failure to prevent the assassination of Present Kennedy 30 years ago. However, Eastwood gets a shot at redemption when a mysterious stranger sets his sights on assassinating the current president. John Malkovich is terrific as the killer: a master of deception who thrives on mind-games and doing more psychological than physical harm to our hero. Plenty of twists and surprises, superb acting and a great script makes In The Line of Fire a fine chapter in the legendary career of Clint Eastwood.
  
  

• Eastwood and company fire off first-class performance

  
  By on 1999-08-19
  In the Line of Fire is a first-class thriller and one of Clint Eastwood's best movies primarily because he's more vulnerable than the Dirty Harry and Man With No Name anti-heroes of the past. As Frank Horrigan (the aged and edged Secret Service agent who couldn't protect JFK from assassination) Eastwood runs the gamut of emotions as he tracks another assassin with presidential aspirations. It helps greatly that Eastwood is also backed by one of his best supporting casts. I agree that John Malkovich should have won an Oscar for his portrayal of the assassin, and Rene Russo turned in a solid performance as Clint's female counterpart. The only thing that dampened the movie is its excessive profanity. When asked by Russo why he doesn't wear sunglasses like the other agents, Eastwood replies "sometimes a good stare is...effective...." Perhaps writer Jeff Maguire should have taken his character's advice and realized that the Eastwood persona is effective without excessive profanity. Otherwise, In the Line of Fire is effective, edge-of-your film.
  
  
• A great movie, if you like movies about chases.
  By on 1999-07-14
  This movie was a hit, but an underrated hit. You can ask a lot of people what they think of this movie and they reply never heard of it, or they forgot about it. But John Malkovick gives the most respectable bad guy performance up their with Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Clint Eastwood gives a great role as a secret service agent.Great music also.I like the part where Makovich asks Clint, "late at night when the demons come, what do you see". Other nice parts.
  
  
• Great movie, mediocre DVD.
  By A1BLKP72VGHS78 on 2000-03-01
  The movie rates 5 stars, but the quality of the DVD brings the total package down to 3. There are absolutely no extras on this DVD. It's my guess that this is a "first generation" DVD that the studio released before they had any idea what to do with the format other than slap the movie on a disc and ship it. I base that guess by the only thing that can remotely be called an "extra" is a commercial at the beginning of the film remarking about how great the "new" DVD format is. Most of the movie clips shown are at least 10 yrs old. In fact, I think "In the Line of Fire" is the NEWEST movie clip and it's 7yrs old.

  The picture and sound are spectacular; but don't buy this DVD unless you're a diehard fan of Clint, John or Wolfgang. Consider renting it or buying it as part of the "Wolfgang Petersen Collection" (An outstanding package, by the way!) until a "Special Edition: In the Line of Fire" is released.
  
  

• Outstanding!!!
  By A3134ROJ19DFLB on 2001-03-05
  I just wanted to comment on the Special Edition version.

  After viewing the original version DVD, this version simply puts it to shame!!

  The special features are just great... Going "Behind The Scenes" with the Secret Service is a nice long segment on how they operate.. Included is a segment on "Catching the Counterfeiters", which goes into a lot of detail on the new features of U.S. currency and on how to spot a phony bill... Throw in the actor interviews & deleted scenes, and on top of it all, an outstanding film, well, you just have a wonderful DVD that is a MUST HAVE for any collection.

  Highly recommended!!!
  
  

• Eastwood is excellent
  By A329TTW9VJ2NBU on 2001-05-17
  Showing us he can still act, Eastwood turns in a great performance. However, he showed up in terms of acting by the superior Malkovich. Great overall movie. Could have been 4 stars but I was turned of by the Eastwood-Russo relationship
  
  
• Exciting Movie!
  By AUGABW5AS2OXM on 2001-08-12
  This movie was Clint Eastwood at his very best. Eastwood plays the role of a Secret Service agent who is in charge of protecting the President. He had previously been on the detail of protecting Kennedy in Dallas. John Malkovich is absolutely evil and sinister in his role as the assasin. He and Eastwood struggle throught the entire film. Eastwood's girlfriend also adds to the movie. This movie is tense from the beginning to the end.There are plenty of action sequences that keep the movie very

  lively and entertaining. The ending effectively wraps up the movie. Buy and watch this video. You will not be dissapointed.
  
  

• ONE OF THE BEST THRILLERS OF THE NINETIES
  By A3R2YB0WTTB0IJ on 2002-10-28
  Yesterday, for the fifth time in ten years, I saw IN THE LINE OF FIRE. And I will see it some more times again. Why ?

  I must admit that Clint Eastwood, since 25 years, is one of my favorite actors and directors. Who could have predicted, when Clint starred in the Leone's movies, that he will become the institution he is now ?

  In this Wolfgang Petersen's movie, he plays the role of an aged Secret Service agent who cannot forget the day JFK died. Because he was there and couldn't give his life in order to save his President. As for the Harry Callaghan of DIRTY HARRY, reality stopped at this very moment for him.

  Until the day a mad John MALKOVICH appears. From the past, it seems, because the only way to communicate with him is by phone, an antic object which creates the panic in the ranks of the superguys of the F.B.I.

  IN THE LINE OF FIRE is a "thick" movie you can talk about for hours with your friends. It is also an intelligent movie, which is pretty rare nowadays.

  A DVD zone your library.
  
  

• Riviting suspenseful cat and mouse game.
  By AEKJ8G550YYW2 on 2004-10-12
  Agent Horrigan, brilliantly played by Eastwood, is haunted by memories of the past in dealing with the present. John Malkovich is just perfect as the creepy, calculating, menacing, smart, would be assassin of the President. He takes a preverse pleasure in putting Horrigan in a cat and mouse game trying to figure out who he is, and where he's going to commit the act.
  
  You are literaly put in the middle of the game. You really feel like you are with Horrigan as he's chasing Malkovich. Rene Russo is good as his partner who can't really appreciate the ghosts that are haunting Horrigan.
  
  This is a taunt, fast paced thrill ride that doesn't let up until the ending.
  
  
• Excellent movie (based on Clint Hill's life, to a degree)+bonus stuff
  By A19VXN50IDDQCT on 2005-12-20
  I highly recommend this very entertaining thriller starring the great CLINT Eastwood as CLINT Hill (sort of). For the Secret Service enthusiast, there is great bonus footage from several of the technical consultants such as former Secret Service agents Robert Snow (I corresponded with him), Jerry Parr (protected Reagan on 3/30/81; I spoke to him), Hubert Bell, etc. Get this!
  Vince Palamara-JFK/ Secret Service expert (History Channel, author of two books, in over 30 other author's books, etc.)
  Pittsburgh, PA
  
  BEST JFK ASSASSINATION BOOK: ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
  BEST JFK SECRET SERVICE BOOK: SURVIVOR'S GUILT BY YOURS TRULY :)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• John Malkovich absolutely carried Mr. Eastwood.
  By A39JI3SA1V63PP on 1999-12-17
  John Malkovich, a man of theater and film, once again gives a splendid performance. Throughout the film, Malkovich carried and tamed Eastwood; like dog on a leesh. Give Malkovich his Oscar!
  
  
• Best Thriller ever
  By A1Z4BW7NNKYSTP on 2001-02-06
  John Malkovich gives a remarkable performance that is simultaneously both incredibly terrifying and gripping. Clint Eastwood gives an equally strong performance as a washed up old secret service agent. This is my favorite Eastwood film, because there is such complexity to the story but with that same Clint Eastwood attitude that gets your adrenaline pumping. There are a couple classic lines that Clint Eastwood makes unforgettable. His romance with Rene Russo is done very well, I especially like the charming piano scene, which showed some complexity and gave insight into Eastwood's character. Overall one of the best movies I have ever seen.
  
  
• Action film with a heart and a brain
  By A1JH5J1KQAUBMP on 2001-03-04
  Once again, Clint Eastwood is the central figure in an action movie. However, this time he plays a man with flaws and vulnerabilities. He is Frank Harrigan, a Secret Service agent who is still tormented by his failure to protect John Kennedy on that tragic day in Dealey Plaza. Fate hands him an opportuntity for redemption when a psychotic assasination buff targets the President. He is drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the killer, who is fascinated by Harrigan's role in history as the only active agent to have ever lost a president. Harrigan struggles with self-doubt and age as he attempts to prevent history from repeating itself. An excellent film.
  
  
• Redemption?
  By A1S0TB8S4Y7CIQ on 2003-06-19
  A smart, taut thriller with a sense of humor, In the Line of Fire was directed by Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, Air Force One, A Perfect Storm) and produced by Clint Eastwood, Petersen, and others. (Eastwood doesn�t take a producer�s credit, but his longtime associate, David Valdes, is listed as executive producer). The movie pits Eastwood�s �dinosaur� of a Secret Service agent with a past (�Frank Horrigan�) against John Malkovich�s effete snob psychopath ("Booth"). "Booth," a cashiered CIA assassin, wants to get even with his former employer, and write himself a page in the history books, a la John Wilkes Booth, by killing a president; Frank aims to stop him.

  Rene Russo plays a gorgeous, younger Secret Service agent (�Lilly Raines�) whom Frank goes out of his way to irritate, beginning with their first encounter. (Frank: �The secretaries keep getting prettier and prettier.� Lilly: �And the field agents get older and older.�)

  (In the Line of Fire�s storyline was surely inspired in large part by Stephen Sondheim�s 1990-91 musical theater masterpiece, Assassins. Failing even to make it to Broadway, Assassins was a commercial flop of historical proportions, but in this critic�s opinion, contains the greatest of all of Sondheim�s scores. Led by its own �Booth� as narrator, Assassins speculates that all presidential assassins were bound by the need to achieve a perverse form of �greatness�; that through killing a great man, they too would achieve a sort of second-hand greatness and immortality, even if it was only the immortality of men whose names would be cursed throughout history.)

  Booth has obsessively studied the history of presidential assassins, particularly the Kennedy assassination. That�s what brings him and Frank together. Frank was one of JFK�s bodyguards; indeed, he was Kennedy�s favorite. He �had Kennedy�s ear.� But when the time came, on that fateful, November morning in Dallas, Frank heard the first shot, but failed to react. That failure has tortured him ever since. Booth knows this, and in teasing, almost erotic telephone calls, relentlessly needles Frank about it. (�Late at night, when the demons come, do you see the rifle coming out of that window, or do you see Kennedy's head being blown apart? If you'd reacted to that first shot, could you have gotten there in time to stop the big bullet? And if you had -- that could've been your head being blown apart. Do you wish you'd succeeded, Frank? Or is life too precious?�)

  In order to keep the cat-and-mouse game interesting, Booth gives Frank clues and assistance along the way.

  The hammy Malkovich, who sounds like a decadent, tenured, �postmodern� professor of literature, earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination. (�Watching the President, I -- I couldn't help wondering why a man like you would risk his life to save a man like that. You have such a strange job -- I can't decide if it's heroic or absurd�. Frank: �Just how does it work?� Booth: �It doesn't work, Frank. God doesn't punish the wicked and reward the righteous. Everyone dies. Some die because they deserve to; others die simply because they come from Minneapolis. It's random and it's meaningless. Frank: �Well, if none of this means anything... why kill the President? Booth: �To punctuate the dreariness.�)

  By contrast, Eastwood drolly plays off his flinty, plainspoken character�s age and infirmities. And watching Russo could break a man�s heart, wondering, �If only Hollywood directors had had the sense to make her a star when she was 25 or 30, instead of waiting until she was 38, to notice her.� But as Brett Walter�s marvelous imdb.com bio shows, it turns out she had a life, �B.H.� (before Hollywood).

  Jeff Maguire�s original script is so good, that it gets not only the big stuff � the diabolical bad guy and the red herrings that the heavy throws the heroes� way -- but also the little things that so often make me wince during a thriller. He gives Eastwood and Russo dialogue they can work with, so that they can make us believe, without insulting our intelligence, that Lilly might just give an old rust bucket like Frank a whirl.

  But amid all the action and clever small talk, Maguire provides a melancholy background music binding the characters, who recall a time when we had presidents worth taking a bullet for. (At the time, Bill Clinton was president, but I can�t say if the melancholy referred to him personally.) No wonder, he was nominated for an Oscar (he lost out to Jane Campion, for the vastly overrated The Piano.)

  Film editor Anne V. Coates was also nominated for an Oscar. Coates, who had won an Oscar for 1962�s Lawrence of Arabia, lost out to Michael Kahn of Schindler�s List.

  Eastwood was already on a roll (as both actor and director � see Unforgiven, A Beautiful World, The Bridges of Madison County and Absolute Power) when he made In the Line of Fire, which started Russo on one (Get Shorty, Tin Cup, The Thomas Crown Affair).

  Wolfgang Petersen�s deft direction keeps things moving, and is so unaffected and unobtrusive, that I�m left with little to point to. Petersen and Maguire cleverly work Eastwood�s personal fondness for playing the piano into the story.

  Eastwood, Malkovich, and Russo are ably supported by a cast that includes Gary Cole, Fred Thompson, John Mahoney, Dylan McDermott and the District of Columbia.

  Will Booth prevail, or will Frank redeem himself? That is the question.
  
  

• CLINT and John!!
  By A29SJTG21BVWF4 on 2005-04-05
  In this movie we find a secert service agent past his prime trying to prevent the assasination of the president. Clint Eastwood's best acting job since his Dirty Harry day's. As always John malcavich does an excellent job at acting. Hands up for all acting in this movie. and great story line that made the movie very intreging.
  
  
• Typical Souless Formulaic Hollywood Thriller
  By A30Q6JW3TNKXZ6 on 2005-05-30
  Highly overrated and poorly written movie which essentially was a compilation of every cliche ever used in the thriller genre. These include the brilliant madman killer who makes taunting phone calls to the good guy cop, "surprise" plot twists, various disguises, horribly insipid dialogue, completely predictable "romance" between the older agent (Eastwood) and a much younger attractive Secret Service agent, etc... Of course the formula wouldn't be complete without some absurd plot contrivance designed to make the audience care about this drek- in this case, it is Eastwood's obsessive need to redeem himself 30 years after he botched the JFK security detail. Right. Anyway, its all been done so much better before. Rent Dirty Harry or Silence of the Lambs.
  
  
• Outstanding. One of my favorite Clint Eastwood Titles...
  By A1K31NF81TS0CO on 2006-09-06
  Review Clarification: This review is based on my viewing of this movie in the theater, and on Laser Disc. I have not viewed the DVD (any version).
  
  This is my favorite Clint Eastwood movie of all time, better than all the Dirty Harry, Spaghetti Western, and Sci-Fi/Space movies.
  
  I first viewed this movie in the theater, and I was completely blown away. I am disappointed that John Malkovich has chosen not to be in more mainstream movies, because I immediately wanted to see everything he was in, after watching this movie. (I immediately rented "Being John Malkovich" when it became available, and was quite disappointed when he was not the protagonist.) John plays a brilliant Psycho in this movie, and plays it very well. In fact, I actually changed my image of him after this movie. If I were to see him on the street, this is the only memory I would have of him.
  
  I recommend this movie highly. One of my favorites.
  
  MC White said: Check it out!!!
  
  EDIT: Why list the director's name first, Wolfgang Petersen, instead of Clint Eastwood? Stupid!
  
  
• John Malkovich is Great.
  By A34D06JL7LC6MU on 2006-09-09
  Movies about presidential assassinations (whether fictional or non-fictional) are usually lame. They follow the same formula and they always end the same. I guess, technically, "In the Line of Fire" is nothing new for this kind of movie but it's got an exciting plot, awesome acting, and well basically...Despite the familar formula, it's a damn good movie. Clint Eastwood plays a Secret Service agent named Frank Horrigan, who is still haunted by the fact that he could've saved Kennedy from being assassinated had he reacted quicker. Since this incident, Frank has been reduced to a drunken under-cover Secret Service agent who longs for something meaninful to happen. It does in the form of Mitch Leary (John Malkovich, in an Oscar nominated performance). After Frank follows up on a tip that Leary may be up to something, he recieves a phone call from Leary who tells him that he is going to assassinate the Presidents. It seems doors are re-opening for Frank. As Frank and Leary begin talking to each other over the phone, while Frank and the rest of the agents descend upon the case it becomes clear that Leary is no ordinary crazy assassin. Rene Russo co-stars as Lilly Raines, a female Secret Service agent and the love interest of Frank. Dylan McDermott also co-stars as Frank's partner Al. Anyway, the plot is good...It has its moments of predictability, but I actually must admit that Leary's decision at the end genuinely surprised me. Anyway, I don't watch many Eastwood movies (I've only seen some movies he's directed, Any Which Way You Can, Escape from Alcatraz, and that's about it); I think, in all, I've seen 5 movies he's acted in. But I can honestly say that this is, probably, one of his strongest performances. Malkovich is what made me want to see this movie, the man is an amazing actor folks. Every film I've seen him in, he fascinates the viewer. Here, the casting doesn't get much better for his role. I can't think of another actor who could play Leary as well as Malkovich. I'm not sure if it was Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive) or Martin Landau (Ed Wood) he lost the Oscar to, but this is a completely Oscar worthy performance here. Russo is good (she has the strong look of a career woman, but can be vulnerable to Franks "charm."), as is the rest of the cast.
  But, Eastwood and Malkovich are the core of this film. Out of all the films I've seen by director Wolfgang Petersen (I've only seen The Perfect Storm and Poseidon), this is definitely his best.
  
  GRADE: A
  
  
• Sort of "Ho-hum".... I was expecting more.
  By A2UD8A6JDZ8L4M on 2006-11-20
  This movie certainly had some strong actors and actresses in it and that with an interesting storyline landed it on my viewing list.
  
  Overall, I was somewhat disappointed with this film. I figured there would be a little more real suspense or "thrill" but it never materialized and instead just followed many of the usual plot events. The biggest failure was the completely unneccessary cheesey romance between Eastwood and Russo. It was contrived, lame, and almost laughable. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasnt having a nightmare!
  
  John Malkovich does a great job as the wackjob and is totally convincing in this role. Unfortunately the script didnt do him enough justice and even his character did some staple moves. Clint Eastwood was great as always but he did play his usual self. No problem here though, Clint was solid.
  
  The film just fizzled as it went along and it started to get tiresome towards the very end. The climax was rather anti-climactic except for the shooting scene which was kind of cool although I saw it coming a mile away. There was not as much suspense as I was hoping for and the "thrill" was mostly missing.
  
  What else can I say, watch it and make your own decision but overall I was not that impressed and the film let me down a bit after such glowing reviews.
  
  
• What if you had a second chance?
  By A16CZRQL23NOIW on 2006-12-01
  Without hesitation, this film has been one the best achieved ones of the decade; not only because the formidable directorial accuracy (the best film of Petersen after his masterpiece Das Boot) ; there also other highlights such the towering performance of Eastwood as the agent who failed to protect JFK thirty years ago and the breathtaking acting of John Malkovich as the killer, the script is sharp and incisive and explores the undermined conscious filled of a strong sense of missed responsibility at the moment to avoid the inevitable murder in 1963. So in this brilliant thriller we assist once to a cat and mouse game in which one of them will have to fail in order to redeem himself or fail again.
  
  Tense, absorbing and well made thriller.
  
  
  
• Hard Work PAYS OFF
  By AR4RN4UW78764 on 2000-03-19
  Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich did a very fine job very fine indeed but let us not forget the other cast members who helped this movie too.
  
  
• Thrillers don't get much better than this, don't miss it.
  By A2LSRBVD2MK3PL on 2000-07-17
  "In the Line of Fire" is a superb thriller, it manages to maintain tension throughout. The dirction from suspense master Wolfgang Petersen is brilliant, this film builds and builds to a great climax. This film in my opinion took thrillers to a new level, it holds you until the vey end. Don't miss this film.
  
  
• Excellent. Worthy of Purchase and a lifetime of viewing
  By A1I78IJB9G5RKP on 1999-01-31
  Rex Stewart Movie Review: In the Line of Fire

  During my first viewing, I was not overwhelmed by any aspect of the movie. But about 1/3 of the way through it hit me that every aspect of the movie was excellent.

  Director: 7/10 Wolfie does a great job of maintaining the drama. The pace is maintained. The movie is exciting, but a relatively smooth sine wave. Leading Actor: 8/10 I really like Clint Eastwood. For 36 years now. Supporting Actor: John Malkovich. Perfect. An ideal role and a superb job. Best of the Year Nomination: 9/10. Like women, its hard to give out a 10, but if ever there was one Malkovich deserves consideration for a 10. Leading Actress: Rene Russo. Unfortunately, I fall In Lust with most leading ladies and Rene Russo was no exception. Very Good job. Great demeanor. Its hard to believe there are women that nice and compassionate in the Secret Service. 7/10. Music: Excellent support for Petersen's control of the drama. I fell in love with the hard symphonic string trills in The Untouchables, and they carry on nicely here. 6/10.

  Movie Rating: **** Even the critics can be wrong, Rex Stewart

  Rex Stewart rating Scale Overall movie rating: 0 Not worth watching 1 Worth watching once. Assuming $1 rental on a slow Sunday afternoon. 2* Better than a down time watch. 3* Worth a full price theatre ticket. 4* An excellent movie. Worthy of purchase or multilpe rentals over several years. 5* Blockbuster. Overwhelming. Would own the movie and watch it for a lifetime.

  Other movie aspects: 5/10 Meets expectations for the movie as I believe it is projected.
  
  

• Why is this Clint Eastwood's best movie?
  By A2FA18B50XGXJX on 2000-09-25
  To be the best movie of an actor, the film has to say something that stands true on its own, that will last forever. Think of Jimmy Stewart in "Its a Wonderful Life", Hanks in "Forrest Gump" and "Apollo 13". Eastwood has made many great movies that move you; only In the Line of Fire (ILF) and the Bridges of Madison County change you forever. These are movies that you can think about for a long time afterwards.

  ILF is Eastwood's greatest film because it has him fighting a battle where ALL of the cards are stacked against him. Noone believes in his analysis that there is a killing hunting the President, save his only contemporary who he has to use all his remaining influence to get himself placed on Presidential detail. Eastwood is not in control, he is not supremely more powerful physically but he persists for what he knows is right--you are soon pulling for him. Other movies have played the chase to get to the assasin first before, but what makes this movie better is that you have the mood of failure hanging over Eastwood's character from the JFK assassination and the sense that Eastwood, too may not be the man he was way back then. Its also a question if America is as great as we used to be?

  Along the way, Eastwood has grown as a person, and his test of Renee Russo's interest in him if she turns back for a glance is one of those priceless tips of human nature (like looking into a person's eyes when you talk to them) we seem to not pass down to our young people as we should today. A truly magic moment.

  The conclusion of this film that we are not defined by the events of our lives but what we believe in our hearts and act on uplifts and reminds us of the greatness that is in all of us, as long as we don't become bitter and full of hate as the John Malkovitch killer has become. The choice Eastwood's character makes to stay on the side of good contrasts with the killer's choice and reminds us of the true price of heroism is indeed steep but the person we become when we chose this makes a wonderful human being who someday will triumph in the end for the good of us all.
  
  

• Suspenseful thriller, great DVD!!!
  By A3GJT5AACJ35YN on 2001-04-19
  First off this film has Clint Eastwood in one of his best roles he's ever played. You can read the summary if you want to know what the film is about so I'm not going to bore you with another summary, this is a review. But it has great suspense, Malkovich plays a great, sinister villain out to get the President and puts Eastwood right in the middle which is his plan. Great soundtrack (5.1) and an impressive anamorphic transfer, and also some pretty good special features as well. Worth buying.
  
  
• Eastwood is great..Russo is sexy and Malkovich is creepy
  By A82LIVYSX6WZ9 on 2003-12-12
  Clint Eastwood(Blood Work, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly), a cop..was one of the guys who protected John F. Kennedy before he was assassinated...now he is jumping threw hoops for some killer who likes to toy and play with him..great suspense and Eastwood is a charm to watch..John Malkovich(Knockaround Guys, Con Air) is always evil...there's no denying that. directed by Wolfgang Petersen also starring Rene Russo(Get Shorty, The Thomas Crown Affair), Dylan McDermott(Tv's The Practice, The Cowboy Way), Gary Cole(A Simple Plan, I:Spy), Fred Dalton Thomas(Die Hard 2: Die Harder, Tv's Law and Order), Joshua Malina(Tv's Sports Night, Tv's The West Wing), John Mahoney(Tv's Fraiser, The Hudsucker Proxy), and Steve Railsback(Slash, Made Men). good cat and mouse game
  
  
• A Good Suspense Thriller Despite Gaps In Plot
  By A1QQPIUXWD4G0Z on 2004-08-24
  Wolfgang Petersen's (Das Boot; Air Force One; Troy) suspense thriller dealing with an old Secret Service agent's race against time to stop a deranged assassin from killing the President. An above-par suspense film in which its fallacies in plot are overcome by a decent screenplay and great acting.
  
  Secret Service agent Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) is an old-timer who's riddled with guilt after failing to stop JFKs assassination. He soon goes on a race against time with the help of a fellow agent (Renee Russo) after JFKs elusive and psychotic assassin (John Malkovich) resurfaces to do a job on the current president. Will they stop him in time?
  
  The brilliant acting skills of John Malkovich as the demented assassin makes this movie. His portrayal of an assassin who sees his victims as hunting trophies keeps the audience in suspense. The acting of Clint Eastwood and Renee Russo is also quite good. The film does have several gaps in logic which, fortunately, are not too intrusive so as to undermine the whole plot. First, Clint Eastwood's character is an impossibility. The Secret Service agents assigned as bodyguards to the President and other public officials are an elite group within the Secret Service itself: the Service's primary function being the enforcement of federal counterfeiting laws. Those agents who are chosen to protect the President work only for two years at most and are then rotated back to regular duties. As with all law-enforcement agencies, the Secret Service has a mandatory retiring age that is much lower than that of other types of employment. Clint Eastwood's character is much too old to be a Secret Service agent and, even if we were to accept the far-fetched notion that he could serve that long, he would still have been rotated by 1963 anyway. Even if that weren't the case, no Secret Service agent whose assignment was assassinated would be kept on a protection detail: certainly not for 30 more years. Another reality gap is the assassin's polymer pistol. Altough accuracy wouldn't be too important at point-blank range, a barrel made out of even the strongest polymers would immediately melt or explode as the first bullet reaches the muzzle: even with our technology today, a gun barrel has to be composed of a sufficiently heat-resistant metal to fire a bullet traveling at least 500 feet/second safely and accurately.
  
  Despite some gaps in realism, the film stands above average due to John Malkovich's impeccable acting. The performances of Renee Russo and Clint Eastwood were quite good as well. This is a good film to rent or own.
  
  

• The Hunt for Red October [Blu-ray]
• Clear and Present Danger [Blu-ray]
• Patriot Games [Blu-ray]
• Men in Black (+ BD Live) [Blu-ray]
• Absolute Power