DVD - The Sentinel

The Sentinel DVD



"IN THE 141 YEAR HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TRAITOR…UNTIL NOW"

Loaded With Special Features Including An Alternate Ending, The Intense Non-Stop Action Thriller Explodes Onto DVD August 29 From Fox Home Entertainment

CENTURY CITY, Calif. – Proving that nothing is as it seems in the high stakes game of political intrigue, a legendary but disgraced Secret Service agent is under the gun to uncover a terrorist plot to infiltrate the White House in THE SENTINEL, an explosive action-thriller arriving on DVD August 29 from Fox Home Entertainment. Hailed as “engrossing…thoroughly entertaining” (WCBS-TV) and boasting an all-star cast that includes Oscar® winner Michael Douglas (Best Actor, Wall Street, 1988), Kiefer Sutherland (“24”), Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”) and Oscar®-winner Kim Basinger (Best Supporting Actress, L.A. Confidential, 1998), THE SENTINEL puts the life of the President on the line in an intense game of cat-and-mouse… where the only thing standing between the terrorist threat and national security is a disavowed agent wanted for attempted murder and treason. THE SENTINEL DVD features even more thrills and action, taking audiences deeper than ever before into the inner workings and dangers of political protection with an alternate ending, deleted scenes, director and writer audio commentary, featurettes and more. THE SENTINEL DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 U.S./$43.48 Canada.

DVD Special Features:
The Sentinel DVD is available in 2 separate skus, Widescreen and Full Screen, on dual-layered discs and presented in English Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and Spanish and French Dolby Surround with subtitles available in English and Spanish. Bonus features include:

• Alternate Ending
• Four Deleted scenes
• Audio commentary by director Clark Johnson and writer George Nolfi
• The Secret Service: Building On A Tradition Of Excellence featurette
• In The President’s Shadow: Protecting The President featurette
• 2 Theatrical trailers

Synopsis:
Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria and Kim Basinger head up “the perfect cast” (CBS-TV, Sacramento) in this gripping suspense thriller that delivers “nonstop action around every turn!” (NBC-TV, Houston). There’s never been a traitor in the United States Secret Service...until now. And the evidence points to Pete Garrison (Douglas), one of the most trusted agents on the force. Now on the run, with two relentless federal investigators (Sutherland and Longoria) hot on his heels, Garrison must fight to clear his name and thwart an attempt on the President’s life before it’s too late!

Triniman's perspective...

I was intrigued by the trailers for this film, but as its release date neared, there wasn't the expected hype or level of promotion that you would associate with promising film.

The Sentinel appears to ride the coattails of Kiefer Sutherland, who is one of the biggest television stars due to the success of the amazing Fox show, "24." Here, teamed with actors Michael Douglas, Kim Basinger and the lovely Eva Longoria, also of a hit television show, "Desperate Housewives," and having the story penned by an actual Secret Service agent, how could things go wrong? Too easily, unfortunately, as you discover who the bad guy is.

Michael Douglas is one of the producers, but he looks woefully out of place as an agent, even a retiring one. He's 62 years-old and it really shows! Douglas should have played a different role or not been in the film at all. He does maintain his powerful stage prescence, the trait that made him perfect as Gordon Gecko in Wallstreet. Kim Basinger at 53 years of age, remains an absolutely stunning beauty, eclipsing Longoria, in my opinion, but I never bought the romance between her and one of the agents (no spoiler.)

I'm not sure I would have used Kiefer Sutherland as an agent. He plays a character almost identical to the his "24" role and that's not a strength.

The Sentinel has the makings of a great thriller in the same vein as the remade Manchurian Candidate and No Way Out (also a remade film), but the ending ruined it for me. There are shades of The Fugitive with our hero on the run, yet cleverly sneaking around to make contact with someone important.

There are plenty of films inferior to this one, but it's also not a landmark thriller, either.