The Guardian (2006) Movie Review, Trailer and Poster

USA 2006
Director: Andrew Davis
Cast: Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Sela Ward, Melissa Sagemiller, Clancy Brown, Omari Hardwick
Rating:
Release Date: 29 September 2006
Running Time: 2 hours 19 minutes

The Movie Review

There are so many kinds of jobs in this world. Some of them are noble ones, the kind that save people's life, such is the case of the job of the Coast Guards. Many people may not pay attention to the coast guard because their work place is very far from us, the sea. Ironically that's the place where victims will not be able to be rescued by normal people like in a car accident for example, but only by specially trained people... the Coast Guard.

The Guardian pays homage to the Coast Guard profession.

Ben Randall is a senior Coast Guard rescue swimmer in the U.S. coast guard and is also a legend. He is known for


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his dedication to his job and for has made many many successful rescues. Alas! on one unfortunate night, by the wrong decision he has made, he lost all of his teams. Deeply shocked, Randall than ordered by his superior Captain William Hadley to teach in an "A" school, a prestigious school for gifted candidates.

Ben (Kevin Costner) teaches the candidates with his unusual methods; there Ben meets Jake Fischer, a very gifted and caring young man but is also proud. Ben and Jake have some frictions. Ben discovers Jake's potential and decides to make him a fully developed rescue swimmer and Ben's own personal Protégé.

I believe, with this movie Director Andrew Davis tries to make a comeback since his golden era with movies such as Under Siege and the Fugitive. The Guardian still carries a serious tone, and fortunately the long-gone Kevin Costner performs well and so does Ashton Kutcher. Ashton Kutcher with this movie has altered his previous goofy appearances and proof that he could also role in a serious movie. A path that more or less has been undergone by Seann William Scott. Remember Ashton and Seann's duet in Dude where's My Car? (2000).

The disadvantage of The Guardian however, the action scenes are happening on the sea, so it is normal if the lights are very low but on the same time reduces the tense of the audience, and that's not good for an action film. It's fairly logic but a negative one. One might not help to compare the visual effects in The Guardian with the ones in Perfect Storm back in year 2000, the effects is ok, but if only The Guardian have made it better.

Some scenes in The Guardian can be said as derivative, but a good derivative is a good thing, besides not everyone has seen previous heroic movies that used the same formula. I don't mind seeing a cliché as long as it holds high quality and is delivered professionally. The Guardian is an average action movie but it's mostly acclaim-worthy not for its action or drama scenes but for its portrayal of The Coast Guard.

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com