The Sentinel (DVD)

Oddly, The Sentinel was not screened for online press here in Seattle. I am not sure why Fox would make this decision, perhaps Seattle is known as an online hotbed for Keifer Sutherland haters, who knows? As it turns out The Sentinel isn't that bad. It isn't unique in any way, but it doesn't need to be. This is just your traditional thriller with a good cast and a satisfying plotline. It works on DVD, not sure how it played in theaters.

The Sentinel begins as a Secret Service agent is murdered and agent David Breckinridge (Sutherland) and Jill Marin (Longoria) are brought in to investigate the case. Meanwhile longtime Service agent Pete Garrison (Douglas) gets a tip from one of his informants that a plot to kill the President has been put in place. Coincidence? Garrison thinks not as signs begin pointing at an inside job.

Unfortunately for Garrison, evidence begins to stack up and he becomes the prime suspect. On the run and trying to clear his name The Sentinel turns into something of a cross between "24" and The Fugitive. While those two options are both more entertaining, The Sentinel is a satisfying escape.

If I were to complain I would have to focus most of my attention on the Keifer Sutherland character as they really created a mixed bag here. Breckinridge is smart as a whip and is known as this fantastic investigator and agent, but the guy can't evaluate his personal life with anywhere near the same ability. His marriage ended as he suspected Garrison was sleeping with his wife, which in turn ended his friendship with Garrison. As you will quickly learn his skills for deducing the obvious are far better when it comes to bullets rather than relationships. Then there is the entirely useless character played by Eva Longoria. Eva and her character bring absolutely nothing to this production, and since when does Eva Longoria get top billing over Kim Basinger? Basinger's name isn't even on the DVD cover and it comes after Longoria on the actual one sheet.

The film relies heavily on Secret Service tactics and the special features on the DVD tend to lean in that direction with two separate featurettes on the subject. There are some deleted scenes, an alternate ending and an audio commentary with director Clark Johnson and screenwriter George Nolfi.

Of the bunch the Secret Service featurettes are actually quite informative when you don't have to listen to Eva Longoria spout off on how good she is with guns. The deleted scenes should have been deleted, but there is one that really shows a different side of Kiefer's character, a scene that I am very glad it did not make it into the final cut.

Overall I recommend this as a definite rental and for those of you intrigued by the plot I mentioned above I would say you should go buy it. The Sentinel is not at all a perfect film, but it is entertaining for the 108 minutes it lasts. Perhaps if Fox had more confidence in it it would have done better than $36 million at the box.