24: Redemption (DVD)

It's been awhile since we "24" fiends have had a healthy dose of some new Jack Bauer (thanks writer's strike). So when Fox broke the news that a made-for-TV "24" movie that prequeled season 7 was in the works, oh boy did I start jonesing for some Bauer badassery. Maybe it was too much to hope for that "24: Redemption" would open up on a shot of Bauer kicking some terrorist in the throat then machine-gunning an entire room full of baddies. However, the Bauer badassery in "Redemption" (I watched the extended version) doesn't crank up until the 45 minute mark. And by that time it's too late to save a dull story that's nothing more than an overlong, bad episode from any given season -- only this time it takes place in Africa!

After season 6 closed with Bauer staring at the ocean while meditating upon his internal existential crisis, "Redemption" picks up a year or more later with Bauer relocated in Africa, working as a missionary. He's sort of a fugitive from the US. The government wants him to return for a Senate hearing to share some stories of torture and other fun stuff. Yet, it's not like Bauer is truly hiding since a douche bag bureaucrat finds him in the movie's first 10 minutes, tries to serve him papers, and leaves without really accomplishing much.

And then about 20 minutes later, the government of the story's fictitious African country is on the verge of being overthrown, a rebel army storms Bauer's mission and tries to kidnap the children to replenish its numbers, and some chick is getting inaugurated as the next President of the United States. Needless to say, Bauer doesn't take kindly to kidnappers and this all rolls into how he ends up in Washington D.C. for the beginning of season 7.

Sure, I enjoy seeing Bauer on the TV again breaking necks and literally going TNT, dynamite on nameless henchmen. And I have to commend the producers for changing up the locale and removing the hi-tech gadgets that tend to overload "24" with easy contrivance. Yet, I wish they'd broken with the show's real-time gimmick and flowed the film's story over the course of hours, days, or weeks or whatever. Forcing all of the story, characters, relationships, and season 7 expositions into a "real" 2-hour span drains tension yet heightens the silliness.

However, fear not "24" fiends. The DVD of "Redemption" contains the first 17 minutes of the season 7 opener and it's not too bad. The Washington D.C. setting brings a surprising freshness to the series. Of course, who knows what wacky things can happen over the course of the next 23 hours and 43 minutes? Will Chloe bring a baby -- perhaps her baby -- into work again? Cougar traps? Will Jack's nephew show up and pout like a little bitch some more? I hope not. I'm banking on season 7 to cut the bullshit that clogged up last season and return to the glory days of seasons 1, 4 and 5. And those first 17 minutes at the very least offer a glimpse of possible redemption for this lame prequel.