Famed for his way with words, it's as if Mamet has tried to outdo himself here, but without the trademark humour that might've lifted this otherwise constipated Tom Clancy knock-off.
Spartan (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:129
Fresh:82
Rotten:47
Average Rating:6.5/10
Consensus: A good cast and Mamet's mastery over the written language elevate an otherwise conventional thriller.
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Robert Scott (VAL KILMER) is a career military officer working in a highly secretive special operations force. A man hardened by years of brutal service, he is respected by his peers and elders in... Robert Scott (VAL KILMER) is a career military officer working in a highly secretive special operations force. A man hardened by years of brutal service, he is respected by his peers and elders in the world of espionage. When Scott is recruited to find Laura Newton (KRISTEN BELL), the daughter of a high-ranking government official, he is paired with novice Curtis (DEREK LUKE), who becomes his protégé. Working with a special task force comprised of Presidential Advisors, the Secret Service, FBI and CIA, Scott and Derek stumble upon a white slavery ring, which may have some connection to Laura’s disappearance. As the story unfolds, the straightforward search-and-rescue mission becomes complicated by the political ambitions of those in high places – like Stoddard (WILLIAM H. MACY), a political operative who may know more than he’s telling about the clandestine circumstances surrounding Laura’s abduction. Scott and Curtis are at the brink of tracking Laura’s whereabouts when the mission comes to an abrupt conclusion, with the media issuing reports of the girl’s death. Scott returns to the quiet life of landowner in a rural location and awaits his next assignment in relative peace. But Curtis can’t rest. In his naiveté, he seeks out Scott to confide his belief that Laura is in fact alive. If she is, their continued unofficial investigation will put them as well as Laura at the center of a dangerous conspiracy that reaches the highest levels. Franchise Pictures presents Spartan, a political thriller written and directed by DAVID MAMET and starring VAL KILMER, DEREK LUKE, ED O’NEILL and WILLIAM H. MACY. Spartan is produced by ART LINSON, MOSHE DIAMANT and ELIE SAMAHA, and executive produced by FRANK HUBNER. The director of photography is JUAN RUIZ ANCHIA; the production designer is GEMMA JACKSON; and the editor BARBARA TULLIVER. Spartan will distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. -- © Warner Bros. [More]
Starring: Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, William H. Macy, Tia Texada
Starring: Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, William H. Macy, Tia Texada, Kristen Bell, Ed O'Neill
Director: David Mamet
Director: David Mamet
Screenwriter: David Mamet
Producer: Moshe Diamant, Art Linson, Elie Samaha
Composer: Mark Isham
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for Spartan
The main problem is that the narrative is evasive...; we can't trust Mamet as a storyteller!
Though the plot may be more or less generic, this is different from the average Hollywood thriller, thanks to a combination of Mamet’s script and direction and Kilmer’s confident performance.
This conspiracy-laden film provides a super combination of spy movie thrills and trademark Mamet smart dialogue.
They could be arguing and knife-and-gun fighting over tea- party invitations, and Spartan would still be salivatingly interesting.
This cloak-and-dagger thriller is far more gripping than its higher-profile cousins.
Yes, there are machine guns, helicopters and car chases. But Mamet's inimitable rhythms and his taste for particularized lingo give the action stuff a certain personality.
A political thriller with topical currency, Spartan delivers the goods.
When Spartan is good, it's surprisingly gripping and fresh, and when it's bad, it's just another overcooked Hollywood paranoid thriller.
...the latest voyage into David Mamet land, as removed from real life as Bill Gates is from a job at Starbucks.
Those who figure the phrase 'smart action movie' is a contradiction in terms should be referred to celebrated playwright-turned- filmmaker David Mamet's Spartan.
The particular pleasure of Spartan is to watch the characters gradually define themselves and the plot gradually emerge like your face in a steamy mirror.
Like Heist, Spartan includes its share of twists and doublecrosses, but it's so effective in immersing you in its dimly lit, claustrophobic world that you don't sit outside the action pondering how Mamet is trying to con you.
Latest News for Spartan
October 26, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Fire" Blazes; "Scissors" Isn't Sharp Enough; "Saw III" Not Screened: Guess The Tomatometer!
This week at the movies, we've got the return of Jigsaw ("Saw III," starring Tobin Bell), a tale of rebellion in apartheid-era South Africa ("Catch a Fire,"... More...
June 06, 2005:
Milian and Bell Feel the "Pulse"
Variety reports that pop star Christina Milian ("Be Cool") and actress Kristen Bell ("Spartan") have signed on to appear in the Weinstein Company horror... More...
March 30, 2005:
Weinsteins to Restart Dimension with an All-New "Pulse"
The Hollywood Reporter reminds us that there's always another Japanese horror flick worth remaking. Dimension Pictures has just signed Kristen Bell ("Spartan," TV's... More...
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